1st Imperishable, Generating the Thought of Awakening

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Akṣayamati said: – Generating the thought of awakening for the first time, reverend Śāradvatīputra, is also imperishable. For what reason? Since it is unadulterated; that thought is generated as unadulterated with any vices [and thus 1. always good (nityakuśala) ], That thought is generated as beyond any adulteration since it has no desire for other religious ways [2. not relinquishing its nature (aparityaktasvabhāva) ]; that thought is generated as firm since it is not corrupted by any opponent [3. not giving up its nature (anutsṛṣṭasvabhāva) ]; that thought is generated as unbreakable by any of the Evil Ones [4. fulfilling its proper actions (svakarmakṛt) ]; that thought is generated as steady because of [being the cause of] the attainment of all roots of the good; that thought is generated as permanent [and thus not getting into the power of the vices of existence (saṃsārakleśa) ], since it discerns the impermanence in all conditioned things; that thought is generated as immovable since it is [the basis for] the attainment of the qualities of a Buddha; that thought is generated as uncrushable since it is separated from any wrong practice; that thought is generated as well fixed [always in concentration (samāhita) ] since it is unwavering; that thought is generated as beyond comparison since it has no contrast; that thought is generated as adamantine since it pierces all moments of existence; that thought is generated as boundless since it accumulates immeasurable quantities of merit; that thought is generated as the same [being friendliness and the absence of aversion (maitryapratigha) ] towards the intentions of all beings; that thought is generated as undifferentiated since it sets nothing apart [giving up concepts of good and bad, high and low, etc.]; that thought is generated as pure since it is essentially undefiled; that thought is generated as immaculate since it is connected with the splendour of insight; that thought is generated as deep meditation [not swerving into something else] since it never gives up its determination; that thought is generated as great since its friendliness is similar to the expanse of the sky [the friendliness which originates from that thought fills living beings whose number is as endless as the expanse of the sky]; that thought is generated as extensive [without hindrance] since it gives all living beings an opportunity [in fulfilling their intentions and hopes by means of the five supernormal knowledges (pañcābhijñā) which originate from that thought of awakening]; that thought is generated as unobstructed since it is bent towards unattached knowledge [by the supernormal knowledge of cessation of impurities (āsravakṣayābhijñā) ]; that thought is generated in accordance with [birth in] every [state of existence] since its great compassion never ceases [with great compassion (mahākaruṇā) the bodhisattva always has beings in the three worlds of desire (traidhātukasattva) in mind, and though he attains the states of meditation (dhyānaprāpta) he is nevertheless born again in the worlds of desire (kāmadhātu) ]; [but even though he is born that way, he does not give up meditation, thus] that thought is generated as never ceasing since it is the knowledge of how to transform [into awakening]; that thought is generated as something desirable [even being born in the world of desire] since it is praised by the omniscient; that thought is generated as something to be admired since it enters other ways [being the basis also of disciples (śrāvaka) and isolated buddhas (pratyekabuddha) ]; that thought is generated as something not seen among the things usually seen by living beings; that thought is generated as the seed of all qualities of a Buddha; that thought is generated as unbreakable by any moment of existence; that thought is generated as the foundation of all states of happiness; that thought is generated as adorned with [in being the cause (hetu) of] the accumulation of merit; that thought is generated as attained through accumulation of insight; that thought is generated as prosperous through the accumulation of generosity; that thought is generated as the outcome of vows through the accumulation of morality; that thought is generated as hard to overcome through the accumulation of tolerance; that thought is generated as hard to conquer through the accumulation of vigour; that thought is generated as having the essential character of peace through the accumulation of meditation; that thought is generated as unhindered through the accumulation of insight; that thought is generated as without harm through the accumulation of great friendliness; that thought is generated as stable and firmly rooted through the accumulation of great compassion; that thought is generated as established in joy, happiness and delight through the accumulation of great joy; that thought is generated as disturbed neither by pleasure nor suffering through the accumulation of great equanimity; that thought is generated as blessed with the powerful presence of all Buddhas [viz. their power (anubhāva), special intentions (abhiprāya) and favours (parigraha) ]; that thought is generated as the unbrokenness of the principle of the teachings since it keeps the succession of the three jewels unbroken; that thought is generated as praised in the congregations throughout the Buddha-fields in the ten directions.

[5. Always bringing fruit (nityaphalaparigraha):] Is there any perishability, reverend Śāradvatīputra, in the thought of omniscience [that thought of awakening which is the cause of the knowledge of omniscience (sarvajñajñānahetu), or, that thought of awakening that in its essence is not different from omniscience] generated thus?

Śāradvatīputra said: – Not at all, son of good family, he would hold that space would perish who holds that such a thought of omniscience could perish.

Akṣayamati said: – The mind of the Tathāgata [namely the knowledge of omniscience (sarvajñajñāna) ], reverend Śāradvatīputra, is imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as its root, which is why it is imperishable [when the fruit (phala) is imperishable, its cause (hetu) is also imperishable];

The heaps of morality, concentration, insight, liberation and the vision of the knowledge of liberation of the Tathāgata, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable;

The meditations, liberations, concentrations and states of meditation of the Tathāgata, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable;

The generosity, morality, tolerance, vigour, meditation and insight of the Tathāgata, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable;

The friendliness, compassion, joy and equanimity of the Tathāgata, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable;

The ten powers, four kinds of absence of fear and eighteen peculiar qualities of the Tathāgata, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable;

In short, reverend Śāradvatīputra, all the qualities of a Buddha are imperishable; that thought of awakening is generated as their root, which is why it is imperishable;

[6. The cause never comes to an end (aparikṣīṇahetu):] Since it keeps the succession of the three jewels unbroken it is imperishable; since the sphere of living beings is imperishable it is imperishable [having the endless sphere of all living beings as its object (ālambana) ]; since it is bent upon knowledge of that [fact that the sphere of living beings is imperishable] it is imperishable; since it is discerning the mental behaviour of all beings it is imperishable; since it is not to break any of one’s former vows it is imperishable; since it is transformed into the unconditioned it is imperishable; since it matures beings for the unconditioned it is imperishable; since its knowledge of cessation, its knowledge of unbornness is imperishable, it is imperishable; [and, 7. according to the highest truth (paramārthatas),] since it does not arise nor disappear it is imperishable; since it is [the cause of] complete comprehension of the fact that all moments of existence are originally imperishable it is imperishable.

This, reverend Śāradvatīputra, is called the bodhisattva’s imperishable thought of awakening.