The Seventh Stage
Part 9
Introduction
Stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path are similar to the Theravada idea of the Noble Eight-fold Path, although not the same in the order of the stages, as well as the aim of the various stages that comprise the total trajectory that the Bodhisattva has to traverse. The idea of the Bodhisattva path is linked to the idea of bodhicitta, the aspiration of becoming enlightened, and this aim is for the benefit of all sentient beings—when compared to the Arahant idea it is distinguished by the fact, that the Bodhisattva holds off on attaining final non-returning Nirvana until all sentient beings are brought along the journey of the Bodhisattva path towards Enlightenment.
Mahayana Texts
Various Mahayana texts discuss the stages of the path in varying detail and order. For this ninth article in the series, I’ve mainly followed the stages of the Path as explained in the Dasa Bhumika Sutra. Dasa bhumika in Sanskrit means ten stages.
In the Dasa Bhumika Sutra, a Bodhisattva is compared to gold in each stage, which is purified more and more by being heated in the goldsmith's fire until it is at last made into an ornament to be worn around the neck of a powerful wheel-turning monarch (cakravartin). The bodhisattva's splendor is likened to the light of the moon and the sun. In each subsequent stage, a Bodhisattva's glory and power (prabhava) increase a hundred-fold, a thousand-fold, a million-fold, and so on.
I’ve also consulted the abhidharma-samuccaya text of Asanga, the prajna-paramita abhi-samaya-lankara, the Mahavastu, and the Mahayana-sutralamkara text. The Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Ornament Scripture) has great details on the 10 stages of the path as well, including the Gandavyuha commentary. For cross-reference purposes I’ve used the yogacarabhumi text, which incorporates the bodhisattva stages into an even greater 17 stages, to verify Sanskrit terminology.
In this article, I’ll cover the seventh stage of the 10 Stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path.
The Bodhisattva’s practice to be Unestablished in either Samsara or Nirvana.
Subhuti: The perfection of wisdom of the Bodhisattvas, the great beings, O Buddha, is not grasped at on the shore this side [of samsara], or on the shore beyond [of nirvana], or in between the two.
The Buddha: Because of its absolute purity, Subhuti.
Subhuti: For what reason is the perfection of wisdom of the Bodhisattvas, the great beings, not grasped at on the shore this side [of samsara], or on the shore beyond [of nirvana], or in between the two?
The Buddha: Because of its absolute purity, Subhuti, on account of the fact that all dharmas are the same in the three periods of time.
Summary
Stage 7. The Going Far stage (duramgama bhumi)
The seventh stage is considered Going Far, as the Bodhisattva works on developing many aspects on the path: attainment of great compassion (karuna) for all sentient beings, full understanding of the five aggregates of the body and mind (skandha), great development of the aspiration for Enlightenment (bodhicitta), excellence in the perfection of energy, and the ability to convince non-Mahayana followers to switch to the Mahayana path through skillful and expedient means (upaya-kausalya paramita) and lead them onwards to Enlightenment.
In detail
The seventh stage is called durangama, because in this stage the Bodhisattva reaches the end of the practice by means of the single path (ekayana-patha). This stage is considered the stage that is devoid of signs (animittacari).
Various types / levels of ignorance have been purified in the first six stages, and in each subsequent stage the ignorance that is to be purified is more subtle and difficult to address than in the previous stage.
In the second stage, the ignorance of minute errors and transgressions, and the ignorance of what various actions lead to have been purified.
In the third stage, the ignorance of greed, and the ignorance of complete mental control to retain what is learned have been purified.
In the fourth stage, the Bodhisattva addressed the ignorance of attachment to attainments in concentration, and the ignorance of attachment to religion.
In the fifth stage, the Bodhisattva addressed the ignorance of one-sided thought rejecting life and death, and the ignorance of one-sided thought heading for nirvana.
In the sixth stage, the Bodhisattva addresses the ignorance of observing the flux of events at the moment, and the ignorance of elaborate active mental patterns.
In the seventh stage, the Bodhisattva address the ignorance of subtle active mental patterns, and the ignorance of method in one-sided formless awareness.
A Bodhisattva, after completing the bodhisattva-path of the first six stages, now enters into the seventh stage. He starts practicing a different and superior part aided by the ten kinds of knowledge of skillful means (upaya-prajna). There are two parts to each of the ten kinds of knowledge or activities of the bodhisattva, the first part being the actual skillful means, and the second being the skillful means adopted by him for the sake of ordinary sentient beings.
The ten types of skillful means are as follows, the Bodhisattva:
Practitioners in the seventh stage are proficient in concentration on emptiness, wishlessness, and signlessness; enter into selflessness and transcend ideas of personality; yet still accumulate virtue and knowledge and do not give up practicing infinite kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. They detach from the world yet work to beautify the world; whereas practitioners arrive at extinction in the sixth stage, in the seventh stage they plunge into extinction and emerge from it in each mental instant, without being overcome by extinction. They live in the world by will-power for the sake of others, without being stained by the ills of the world; they become calm and serene, yet they can be passionate as an expedient without, however, becoming inflamed by passion.
Furthermore, in the seventh stage, twenty dharmas do not manifest in the mind of a Bodhisattva:
A Bodhisattva does not depend on [identify with]:
1. An individual self view (atma-drsti).
2. A view of a being (sattva-drsti).
3. A soul-identity view (jiva-drsti).
4. A view of a person (pudgala-drsti), because, in the absolute sense, they do not exist.
5. Annihilationist views (uccheda drsti); for no dharma is ever destroyed, since all dharmas are non-produced in the absolute sense.
6. Eternalist views (sasvata drsti), because a dharma that has not been produced cannot become eternal.
7. The perception of a sign (nimitta-samjna), because, in the absolute sense, a defilement does not exist.
8. False views (drsta-adi, drsti-krta) about causes (hetu), because he does not review such views.
A Bodhisattva does not settle down in [identify with]:
9. The aggregates (skandha)
10. The elements (dhatu)
11. The sense-fields (ayatana), because through their own-being these dharmas do not exist.
12. That which belongs to the triple world (tri-dhatu; a. sense-desire sphere, b. form sphere, c. formless sphere), because the own-being (sva-bhava) of that which belongs to the triple world does not exist.
13. He does not attempt to do something about that which belongs to the triple world, because such an entity cannot be apprehended.
14. He does not hang on to what belongs to the triple world, because everything in it is without own-being (sva-bhava).
A Bodhisattva does not take refuge in [the view of]:
15. The Buddha, because it is not from taking refuge in the view of Buddha, that there is a vision of Buddha.
16. The Dharma, because it is not from taking refuge in the view of Dharma, that there is a vision of Dharma.
17. The Sangha, because it is not from taking refuge in the view of Sangha, that there is a vision of Sangha.
18. Morality [alone], because perfect purity of morality does not result from taking refuge in the view of morality.
A Bodhisattva has:
19. No disagreement about emptiness (sunyata), because all dharmas are empty through their own-being, and not through emptiness.
20. No obstruction arising concerning emptiness, because all dharmas are empty, and emptiness cannot obstruct emptiness.
The Mahayana-sutralankara explains that this stage is so called because it leads to the end of the only Way, to the consummation of the discipline. A Bodhisattva now acquires great wisdom in the choice of skillful means for helping others. He understands that all the Buddhas are of the same nature with their spiritual dharma body (dharmakaya). He participates in the infinite attributes of the Buddhas, and sees their multifarious physical bodies. He discerns the thoughts and feelings of others. He practices all the ten perfections every moment. This stage witnesses the complete fulfillment of the practical aspects of a bodhisattva's discipline, and now he begins to attach more importance to its meditative and metaphysical aspects. He has conquered all the passions and sins and is free from them. His thoughts, words and deeds are pure, and he is in possession of all the factors of Enlightenment. His work is effortless and without ulterior motive. He transcends the lower wisdom of the Non-Mahayana path. He attains emancipation, but does not realize [holds off on] personal nirvana. He enters the great ocean of Buddha-knowledge.
In the next article, I’ll be discussing The Eighth Stage of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path in full detail.
References for research:
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