8th Imperishable, Vigour.

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra addressed himself to the bodhisattva Akṣayamati: – Well spoken by you, son of good family, was this imperishability of the bodhisattvas’ tolerance. May you be inspired, son of good family, on the subject of the imperishability of the bodhisattvas’ vigour, as to how the vigour of the bodhisattvas becomes imperishable.

[1. The variety of vigour (vīryaprabheda):] Akṣayamati said: – These eight, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are the bodhisattvas’ assumptions of vigour. Which eight? They are: 1) Imperishable armour; 2) imperishable courage; 3) imperishable attainment; 4) imperishable maturation of beings; 5) imperishable accumulation of merit; 6) imperishable accumulation of knowledge; 7) imperishable accumulation of insight; 8) imperishable accumulation in the attainment of all the Buddha-qualities.

1) What then, reverend Śāradvatīputra, is the bodhisattva’s imperishable armour?

Not exhausted by existence, he does not seek awakening by counting aeons, thinking: “For so many aeons I will put on armour, for so many aeons I will not put on armour,” but he puts on an inconceivable armour, thinking: “Even if the period from the beginning of existence3
were like the time of one night and day, and even if I were to produce a single thought of awakening and see a single Tathāgata, worthy of offerings and fully awakened, in a half month of fifteen days of that kind of night and day, in a month of thirty such days, in a year of twelve months, or even in, by calculating the years in this way, a hundred thousand years; and even if I were to know the mental behaviour of one being by producing so many thoughts of awakening and by seeing so many Tathāgatas as the river Gaṅgā has grains of sand, according to that kind of calculation, that computation, then I will know the mental behaviour of all sentient beings, each and every one of them, through producing that many thoughts of awakening and seeing that many Tathāgatas according to that calculation and that computation.” This is the armour without fatigue. 3. "Even though there is no beginning (pūrvânta) of existence (saṃsāra), there is a superimposition (samāropa) of an imaginary beginning for the sake of showing the overwhelming (atiśaya) [period of time]." Tibetan text in the next note, ṭ. fol. 75b4.

“I will, according to this same calculation, this same computation, serve so many Tathāgatas as the river Gaṅgā has grains of sand to fulfil the perfection of generosity; I will, according to this same calculation, this same computation, serve so many Tathāgatas as the river Gaṅgā has grains of sand to fulfil the perfection of morality; and, in the same way, I will, according to this same calculation, this same computation, serve so many Tathāgatas as the river Gaṅgā has grains of sand to fulfil the perfections of tolerance, vigour, meditation and insight; (p. 46) in the same way, I will, according to this same calculation, this same computation, serve so many Tathāgatas as the river Gaṅgā has grains of sand to fulfil all the moments of existence that are wings of awakening, to fulfill all the characteristics and marks of beauty, to fulfil all the powers, intrepidities and special qualities of a Buddha pertaining to a Tathāgata; I will, according to this same calculation, this same computation, by means of seeing so many Tathāgatas as the river Gaṅgā has grains of sand, by those productions of thoughts of awakening bring about one characteristic of a great man; I will, by this procedure bring about the accomplishment of all the characteristics and marks of beauty.” This armour without fatigue is the bodhisattvas’ imperishable armour.

2) What then is the bodhisattva’s imperishable courage?

[1. How it is (yathā):] Making himself enter the system of threefold thousand great thousand worlds, even when it is filled up with fire, [2. and for what (yadartham):] in the effort to see the Tathāgata, is the bodhisattva’s imperishable courage; the bodhisattva’s courage is the effort to hear religion; the bodhisattva’s courage is the effort to bring beings to maturity; the bodhisattva’s courage is the effort for the sake of all moments of existence that are roots of the good; the bodhisattva’s courage is the effort for the sake of the knowledge that is omniscience. [3. Explanation of the word (nirukti):] The bodhisattva’s courage is called courage since he enters into the world for the benefit of others, [to appease their vices (kleśapraśamanāya), to discipline their abilities (indriya) and for the sake of the complete extinction of all of existence (sarvasaṃsāraparinirvāṇāya), entering the system of threefold thousand great thousand worlds even when it is filled up with fire], it is called courage since he is entering into the world to give peace to others, to discipline others, for the sake of others’ complete extinction; [4. the essence of that vigour (tasya vīrasya svabhāvaḥ), 5. its cause (hetu) and 6. action (karma):] it is called courage since it is entering into the world always intent on the good of living beings [its action (karma) ], being established in great compassion [the cause (hetu) ] stemming from good intentions, never loose, never narrow, firm and never turning back [the essence (svabhāva) ].

[Including both 7. insight and 8. expedient means (prajñopāyaparigṛhīta):] Everywhere when going, putting the foot down, raising the foot, he makes the thought of awakening present, and though he has regard for living beings [which is expedient means (upāya) ] he does not fall to the side of vices [which is insight (prajñā) ]; this is the bodhisattva’s imperishable courage.

3) What then is the bodhisattva’s imperishable attainment?

The transformation of all good thoughts, as they arise, into awakening is the bodhisattva’s imperishable attainment. Why? Because they have been transformed into awakening.

There is, namely, no destruction or interruption whatsoever in between, until he is sitting in the place of awakening, of the roots of good transformed into awakening. Just as, reverend Śāradvatīputra, there is no destruction or interruption in between, until the end of the aeon, of a drop of water fallen into the great ocean, in exactly the same way there is no destruction or interruption whatsoever in between of roots of good transformed into awakening, until he is sitting in the place of awakening.

It is called attainment because it is bringing together in the proper way, (p. 47) and the roots of good he attains setting out on the way he transforms so as to protect all beings, bring all beings to maturity, introduce all beings to the roots of good. [Why does he transform that way?] Those roots of good he transforms to realize the knowledge of omniscience. [What will he do having transformed thus?] Those roots of good he transforms to nourish all beings; those roots of good he transforms to establish all beings in complete extinction, in the knowledge of omniscience. That is the bodhisattva’s imperishable attainment.

4) What then is the bodhisattva’s imperishable maturing of living beings [or, rather, what is the imperishable vigour (vīrya) in maturing living beings]?

The sphere of living beings is immeasurable, but the bodhisattva should relate to it by this way of calculating: “If I in one day could bring to maturity all the beings included in a system of threefold thousand great thousand worlds, and in this way could mature spheres of living beings for innumerable, countless, unthinkable numbers of aeons, could mature innumerable spheres of living beings for such a long time, countless spheres for such a long time, unthinkable numbers for such a long time, even after I had done this, I would not have matured even one hundredth part of all living beings, even one thousandth part, even one hundredthousandth part, even one millionth part, even one ten-millionth part, even one billionth part, even one ten-billionth part, even any number, even any part, even any counting, even any example, even any comparison,” if the bodhisattva, having heard such a statement, does not get frightened, alarmed or scared, he should be known as a bodhisattva who has exexerted himself with vigour. This is the bodhisattva’s imperishable maturing of living beings.

5) What then is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of merit [or, rather, what is the imperishable vigour (vīrya) in accumulating merit]?

The bodhisattva’s merit is immeasurable, and the bodhisattva should apply this sort of calculation to it: “So much as is the merit of all beings, of all disciples, both those to be trained and those having completed their training, and isolated buddhas of the past, present and future, by all this merit multiplied by a hundred one pore of the Tathāgata’s body is accomplished; in the same way, so much as is the mass of merit pertaining to all the pores multiplied by a hundred, by that one mass of attained unhindered merit one mark of beauty on the Tathāgata’s body is accomplished; in the same way all the marks of beauty are accomplished one by one; in the same way, so much as is the mass of merit pertaining to all the marks of beauty multiplied by a thousand, by that one mass of attained unhindered merit one characteristic of a great man is accomplished; in the same way the thirty-two characteristics of a great man are accomplished one by one on the body; and so much as is the mass of merit pertaining to the mark on the forehead, by that the attained mass of merit multiplied by a hundred thousand the characteristic of a great man which is the invisible crown of the head is accomplished on the body of the Tathāgata; (p. 47) and that mass of merit pertaining to the crown, by that mass of attained merit multiplied by a thousand billions or even more the Tathāgata’s conch of religion is accomplished, and by means of that conch of religion the Tathāgata makes a sound in worlds without end and without limit as he wishes, and pleases the senses of all beings according to their faith in and intentions concerned with religion and discipline,” if, having heard this way into the bodhisattva’s accumulation of merit, he does not get frightened, alarmed or scared, then this is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of merit.

6) What then is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of knowledge [or, rather, what is the imperishable vigour (vīrya) in accumulating knowledge]?

The bodhisattva’s accumulation of knowledge is immeasurable, and the bodhisattva should apply this sort of calculation to it: “If all beings in the system of threefold thousand great thousand worlds all had the knowledge of a faith-follower, their knowledge would not amount even to one hundreth part of that of one having the knowledge of a follower of the teaching, it would not amount to one thousandth part, hundred thousandth part, ten millionth part, billionth, ten billionth, thousand billionth part, any number, any part, any example, even any comparison. Thus also with those having knowledge in accordance with religion compared with one with the knowledge of the eighth stage, those with the knowledge of the eighth stage compared with one with the knowledge of one who has entered the stream, those with the knowledge of one who has entered the stream compared with one with the knowledge of the one returning only once, those with the knowledge of one returning only once compared with one with the knowledge of one never returning, those with the knowledge of one never returning compared with one with the knowledge of an arhat, those with the knowledge of an arhat compared with one with the knowledge of an isolated buddha, [the knowledge of] those with the knowledge of an isolated buddha does not amount to one hundredth part of the [knowledge] of one with the knowledge of a bodhisattva, perfected through a hundred aeons, it would not amount to even any example, any comparison; those with the knowledge of a bodhisattva perfected through a hundred aeons compared with one with the knowledge of of a bodhisattva who has attained tolerance, those with the knowledge of a bodhisattva who has attained tolerance compared with one with the knowledge of a bodhisattva who never turns back, [the knowledge of] those with the knowledge of a bodhisattva who never turns back does not amount to a hundredth part of [the knowledge of] a bodhisattva hindered by only one birth, it would not amount to any example, any comparison; even if the beings in this system of threefold thousand great thousand worlds had the knowledge of a bodhisattva hindered by only one birth, it would not amount to even one hundredth part of the knowledge of a bodhisattva sitting in the place of awakening, it would not amount even to any example, any comparison; even if the beings in the endless systems of threefold thousand great thousand worlds (p. 49) had the knowledge of a bodhisattva sitting in the place of awakening, it would not amount even to one hundredth part of the Tathāgata’s power of knowledge of the possible and impossible, it would not amount even to any example, any comparison,” such is the bodhisattva’s gradual accomplishment of all the powers, intrepidities and eighteen special qualities of a Buddha, and when the bodhisattva, having heard this way into the accumulation of merit, does not get frightened, alarmed or scared, then this is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of knowledge.

7) What then is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of insight [or, rather, what is the imperishable vigour (vīrya) in accumulating insight]?

The imperishable accumulation of insight is the knowledge of penetrating the mental behaviour of all beings: “Even if the thoughts of all living beings, past, present and future, were found in one mental effort of one living being, and, in this way, even if all living beings were filled with an immense number of such thoughts, even if the cupidity, aversion and bewilderment of all living beings, past, present and future, were all found in one thought of one living being, by this order of things, if all living beings were filled with an immense number of such thoughts, in relation to this the bodhisattva develops such an accumulation of insight, by means of which accumulation, being accumulated, all productions of thought included in the minds of those living beings would be known, each one arisen in connection with its proper object, then broken up and melted away. And by that insight there would be no absence of knowledge whatsoever concerning the manifestations of thoughts and vices in the three times of those living beings.”.

Reverend Śāradvatīputra, just as there is nothing which is not pervaded by space, just so there is no manifestation of thought or vice of those living beings which is not illumined and thoroughly known by the insight of that bodhisattva.

This is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of insight.

8) What then is the imperishable accumulation of the attainment of all Buddha-qualities [or, rather, what is the imperishable accumulation of vigour (vīrya) in attaining all the Buddha-qualities]?

The imperishable accumulation of attaining all Buddha-qualities is piling up the accumulation of all roots of good, piling up the accumulation of all the perfections, piling up the accumulation of all moments of existence conducive to awakening. Piling up practice with the thought of awakening as the object, from the first production of the thought of awakening to sitting in the place of awakening, the accumulation of good thoughts by means of which all qualities of a Buddha are attained, this is the bodhisattva’s imperishable accumulation of attaining all Buddha-qualities.

These eight, reverend Śāradvatīputra, are the bodhisattvas’ eight assumptions of vigour.

[2. Teaching all the gates of vigour (vīryamukha):] Further, reverend Śāradvatīputra, (p. 50) the imperishable vigour of bodhisattvas is the basis of the body’s good actions, the basis of speech’s good actions, the basis of mind’s good actions. Why? Because all that is vigour is associated with body, speech and mind.

[3. All vigour is subsumed under vigour in thought (cittavīrya) including insight and expedient means (prajñopāyaparigṛhīta):] But vigour in thought is according to tradition superior to vigour in body and speech.

What then is vigour of thought?

Activity of thought [which is expedient means (upāya), under which embarking upon the different practices of the bodhisattva is subsumed] and stillness of thought [which is insight (prajñā), completing those practices].

[The divisions (prabheda):] What then is activity of thought? It is undertaking the thought of awakening [from the first time on, which is expedient means (upāya) ]. What then is stillness of thought? It is the peacefulness of the thought of awakening [without any undertaking (anārambha) or effort (anābhoga), which is insight (prajñā) ].

What then is activity? Great compassion for living beings. What then is stillness? Tolerance of ego-lessness.

What then is activity? Bringing living beings together [with the four means (or, “substances”) for bringing them together (saṃgrahavastu) ]. What then is stillness? Not grasping any moment of existence [in not grasping for substance (vastu) in any moment of existence through insight (prajñā) ].

What then is activity? Never getting tired of existence. What then is stillness? Not apprehending the threefold world.

What then is activity? Giving away all belongings. What then is stillness? No conceit because of generosity.

What then is activity? Taking training upon oneself. What then is stillness? No conceit because of training.

What then is activity? Tolerance and endurance. What then is stillness? Invulnerability in thought.

What then is activity? Undertaking all roots of good. What then is stillness? Aloofness of thought [giving up the bad and construing no undertakings of good].

What then is activity? Attainment of meditation. What then is stillness? Introspection into thought [beyond discursive thinking (prapañcâtīta) ].

What then is activity? Never getting tired of learning. What then is stillness? Thorough mental effort.

What then is activity? Teaching religion according to tradition. What then is stillness? The inexpressible state of things.

What then is activity? Seeking the accumulation of knowledge. What then is stillness? Complete excision of discursive thought.

What then is activity? Accumulating the pure ways of behaviour. What then is stillness? Equanimity by right knowledge [no thought-constructions (akalpanā) concerning friendliness (maitrī) and so on towards living beings].

What then is activity? Fulfilling the five supernormal powers. What then is stillness? Cultivating absence of impurity [the sixth supernormal power].

What then is activity? Practice of recollection. What then is stillness? No mental effort in recollection [not apprehending (upalabh-) distinct characteristics (lakṣaṇa) of the body, etc.].

What then is activity? Right exertion and practice. What then is stillness? Giving up good and bad thoughts.

What then is activity? Realizing the bases of magical power. What then is stillness? Effort in effortless action.

What then is activity? Expertness with the senses. What then is stillness? Seeing the moments of existence beyond the senses [the pure sphere of all moments of existence (viśuddhadharmadhātu) ].

(p. 51) What then is activity? Attainment of power. What then is stillness? Uncrushable knowledge.

What then is activity? Attainment of the limbs of awakening. What then is stillness? Knowledge of skill in knowing the way to discern moments of existence.

What then is activity? Seeking the accumulations on the way. What then is stillness? Not going anywhere.

What then is activity? Seeking peaceful meditation. What then is stillness? Thoughts appeased with peaceful meditation.

What then is activity? The practice of expanded vision. What then is stillness? Knowledge of the state of things.

What then is activity? Understanding causes [that is, the causes of impurity (saṃkleśahetu) and ignorance (avidyā), etc., and the causes of purity (vyavadānahetu), cessation of ignorance (avidyānirodha), etc.] What then is stillness? Knowledge of causes [not apprehending (anupalabh-) them].

What then is activity? Listening to the words of others. What then is stillness? Realizing the moments of existence.

What then is activity? Embellishing the body. What then is stillness? The real nature of the body.

What then is activity? Embellishing speech. What then is stillness? Silence of the saints [giving up the discursiveness (prapañca) of speech and staying concentrated inside thought].

What then is activity? Confidence in the three gates of freedom. What then is stillness? No action.

What then is activity? Avoiding the four Evil Ones. What then is stillness? Getting rid of all habits of vice, being connections to new births.

[Then, to summarize:] What then is activity? Seeing through expedient means [producing the thought of awakening (bodhicittotpāda), maturing living beings (sattvaparipāka) and so on]. What then is stillness? Seeing with insight [not apprehending (upalabh-) the thought of awakening, living beings, etc.].

What then is activity? Seeing through undertaking [the practices of a bodhisattva (bodhisattvacaryā) ]. What then is stillness? Perseverance [completing this practice].

What then is activity? Seeing the conventions. What then is stillness? Seeing the highest truth [the ineffable (anabhilāpya) true state of things (dharmatā) beyond words and conventions (nāmasaṃketātīta) ].

This is called vigour in thought. And the one who is established in all activity to fulfil the imperishability of vigour in thought and is far from distinguishing marks, he is established in action through knowledge even though he is engaged in every action of distinguishing marks, he will make every action into action through knowledge.

What then is the bodhisattva’s action through knowledge?

It is when he does not reject the conditioned – for the sake of the roots of good and for the sake of great compassion for living beings – but he does not fall into the unconditioned, so that he will attain the knowledge of a Buddha.

This is called the bodhisattvas’ imperishable perfection of vigour.

When this imperishable perfection of vigour was taught, seventy-six hundred billion divine and human creatures produced the thought of awakening, and thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas attained the tolerance that moments of existence are unborn.