Bodhisattvacharyavatara

by Andreas Kretschmar | 246,740 words

The English translation of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara (“entering the conduct of the bodhisattvas”), a Sanskrit text with Tibetan commentary. This book explains the bodhisattva concept and gives guidance to the Buddhist practitioner following the Mahāyāna path towards the attainment of enlightenment. The text was written in Sanskrit by Shantideva ...

Now we come to another sublime quality of the Buddha, the miraculous display of universally-corresponding speech [gsung rjes su mthun pa’i cho ’phrul]. What this means is that the speech of the Buddha resounds in the mind of each of his listeners in their respective languages. Thus, the nāgas will perceive the Buddha’s teachings in nāga language, the gods in the language of the gods, and humans in their own particular language or dialect.

Those who prefer a high-pitched voice will hear the Buddha’s voice in that way, while those who prefer a low tone will hear the Buddha’s voice resonate according to their preference. The Buddha never needs a translator since he communicates directly with each being according to that being’s culture, language, capacities, and needs.

The main point here is that the Buddha always teaches the dharma in whatever way is appropriate to the unique needs of beings [gang la gang ’dul ba’i chos].

Echoing this, the Tibetan master Gorampa described the Buddha’s speech thus:

“Sounds, words, and letters appear in the individual mind-streams of the audience due to the conditional basis of the Buddha’s presence”

[bdag rkyen sangs rgyas la brten te gdul bya’i de nyid gyi blo sgra tshig yi ge’i rnam par snang ba’o].

This means that based on the wisdom power [ye shes kyi nus pa] of the Buddha, which is the conditional basis [bdag rkyen ’am rgyu], the appropriate sounds, words, and letters of the dharma naturally appear in the mind of each individual member of his audience [gdul bya’i de nyid gyi blo / so so’i sems]. The moment beings come into the Buddha’s presence, the dharma arises spontaneously in their minds. This does not result from any effort on the Buddha’s part; the dharma simply manifests naturally in the mind-stream of any being included within his audience.

Furthermore, when people meet the Buddha, he always appears to be facing each member of the audience [sangs rgyas kun tu zhal] from their individual perspective. Even if the people are gathered all around the Buddha, each person will perceive himself to be sitting right in front of the Buddha. This is because the Buddha appears according to the wishes and expectations [re mos ltar tu] of each person who approaches him. Hence, to be accurate, if an individual wanted to see the face of the Buddha, he would see his face; by the same token, if someone wanted to see the Buddha from the back, he would definitely do so. Due to the unusual fact that the Buddha communicates with various beings on multiple levels simultaneously, different accounts of the Buddha’s life and teachings have come down to us.

Even the most ordinary being could see a glowing halo of light surrounding the Buddha’s body. However, some beings did at times perceive the Buddha to be ill or aging. This impression was nothing more than those beings’ obscured or impure perception. The Buddha, as he is understood in the Mahāyāna tradition, is utterly unchanging wisdom [mchog tu mi ’gyur ba’i ye shes]. Mahāyāna practitioners never view the Buddha as a physical body subject to disease and aging. Whatever changes are perceived in the Buddha take place only in the viewer’s subjective perception; the wisdom body of the Buddha is never subject to any kind of change.

Furthermore, the Buddha appears only due to his own aspirations coupled with the fortunate karma and aspirations of sentient beings. This mere appearance [snang ba] of the Buddha as it occurs in the minds of beings is not the ’Buddha’ that Mahāyāna teachings refer to. Rather, what the Mahāyāna considers to be the Buddha is utterly unchanging wisdom. This wisdom is the ‘basis for his appearance’ [snang gzhi] in the perception of beings. The Buddha’s appearance in the mind of an ordinary being is the personal mental perception [blo / sems] of that being. This is because the ‘true Buddha’ is beyond the reach of conceptual mind [sangs rgyas blo yi spyod yul min].

Conceptual mind is always understood to be delusion [blo ni ’khrul pa yin par ’dod]. Hence, whatever a deluded mind perceives, even the appearance of the Buddha, must be understood to be deluded perception [’khrul pa’i blo la gang snang ba ’di ni ’khrul snang shes su ’gyur].

Again, the causes for the Buddha to appear within the deluded perception of beings are the auspicious coincidence of the Buddha’s immeasurable aspirations in conjunction with the personal virtue, merit, and aspirations of deluded beings. If beings lack the substantial causal factor of merit resulting from virtuous karma [rgyu bsod nams dge ba’i las], they will be unable to perceive the Buddha under any circumstances. Since the Buddha always appears in a manner precisely corresponding to the individual capacities and latent tendencies of each being, all beings will therefore have a different perception of the Buddha, unique to themselves.

A bodhisattva on the second bodhisattva level will experience an entirely different impression of the Buddha than will a bodhisattva on the first bodhisattva level.

Nevertheless, all practitioners of the buddha dharma are said to be able to perceive the dharmakāya of the Buddha:

“Even after a buddha has entered into nirvāṇa, whoever studies, contemplates, and meditates on the sublime dharma will perceive the dharmakāya of the Buddha.”

In this statement the term ‘dharmakāya’ connotes ‘dharma’, the teachings of the Buddha.

When the Buddha taught at a certain time, in a certain place, to a particular audience, although many disciples were present at the same teaching, some received and understood a teaching of the Hīnayāna vehicle, while others heard a Mahāyāna teaching, and some even a Vajrayāna teaching. This clearly illustrates how the Buddha, through the inconceivable qualities of his body, speech, and mind, is able to turn all three wheels of the dharma simultaneously.

One should never think that the Buddha is in any way comparable to ordinary human beings. From the Mahāyāna point of view, the most important thing to understand when considering the Buddha is that the Buddha is wisdom [ye shes]. The Buddha is entirely wisdom with a wisdom body, a wisdom voice, and a wisdom mind. Buddha is synonymous with wisdom, and there is no true wisdom other than the Buddha.

The fully enlightened Buddha has completely transcended fixating on a self [bdag ’dzin] and is consequently free from all afflictions [nyon mongs; kleśa]. Afflictions arise only out of clinging to and grasping at a ‘self’.

The Buddha teaches that six principal afflictions affect the mind-streams of sentient beings. Whichever of these emotions predominates at a given time determines in which of the six realms of saṃsāra a being will be reborn.

Human beings mainly [gtso bor] fixate upon desire [’dod chags kyi bdag ’dzin].
Celestial beings fixate on pride [nga rgyal gyi bdag ’dzin];
asuras fixate on jealousy [phrag dog gi bdag ’dzin];
pretas on stinginess [ser sna];
animals on dull stupidity [gti mug gi bdag ’dzin];
and beings of the hell realms on anger [zhe sdang gi bdag ’dzin].

As mentioned, the Buddha’s qualties appear in the form of specific marks and signs, due to his vast accumulation of merit during three incalculable aeons of endeavoring in the six transcendental perfections. The details of the marks and signs can be quite useful for a practitioner to know. For example, in the tradition of Mipham Rinpoche, when practicing a sādhana of Buddha Śākyamuni, one meditates specifically on the individual marks and signs in order to give rise to special qualities of samadhi, meditative absorption.

For more details see ‘The White Lotus’,[1] Mipham Rinpoche’s commentary on his Buddha Śākyamuni sādhana.

The thirty-two excellent marks [mtshan bzang po gsum cu rtsa gnyis] of a perfectly enlightened buddha are:[2]

  1. Buddha’s palms and soles are marked with a thousand-spoked wheel.
  2. Buddha’s soles are flat and even.
  3. Buddha has webbing in the spaces between his fingers and toes.
  4. Buddha’s hands and feet are soft and tender.
  5. Buddha’s body has raised surfaces at seven places: the backs of the hands and feet, on both shoulders, and the back of his head.
  6. Buddha’s fingers and toes are fine and long.
  7. Buddha’s heels are wide and round.
  8. Buddha’s body is tall and upright.
  9. Buddha’s ankle bones and kneecaps do not protrude.
  10. Buddha’s body hair grows upwards.
  11. Buddha’s lower legs are round and full.
  12. Buddha’s arms are long and beautiful, reaching to his knees.
  13. Buddha’s penis is completely recessed.
  14. Buddha’s skin is like the color of gold, pure, fair, and shining attractively.
  15. Buddha’s skin is thin and soft.
  16. Buddha’s body hairs are fine and soft, and they curl clockwise.
  17. Buddha has one curled hair between his eyebrows which is white, soft, tender, and which curls clockwise.
  18. Buddha’s upper body is broad like that of a lion.
  19. Buddha’s shoulders are rounded.
  20. Buddha’s back is smooth, with no indentation between the shoulder blades.
  21. Buddha’s tongue has the quality of being able to experience whatever he tastes as sublimely flavored.
  22. Buddha’s body is symmetrical like a banyan tree; the height of his body is equal to the span of his outstretched arms.
  23. Buddha has a protuberance on his head, the uṣṇīṣa, which is round, black, and curled clockwise. It radiates such intense light that it cannot be gazed upon.
  24. Buddha’s tongue is long and beautiful and can reach every part of his face.
  25. Buddha’s voice has the sixty aspects of the melodious speech of Brahma.
  26. Buddha’s two jaws are beautiful, round, and full like the jaws of a lion.
  27. Buddha’s teeth are completely white.
  28. Buddha’s teeth are of equal length and width.
  29. Buddha’s rows of teeth are beautiful, with no space in between (the teeth).
  30. Buddha has forty teeth, twenty above and twenty below.
  31. Buddha’s eyes are beautifully blue like a jewel and have the following properties:
    1) his pupils are black,
    2) his eyeballs are white,
    3) the corners of his eyes have a red hue,
    4) his irises are blue on the periphery and yellow at the center.
  32. Buddha’s upper and lower eyelashes are individually distinct.

The eighty minor signs [dpe byad brgyad cu] are:[3]

The three signs of his nails, hands, and feet are:

  1. Buddha’s nails are reddish like the color of copper.
  2. Buddha’s nails are shiny.
  3. Buddha’s nails are raised in the center, being neither flat nor indented.

The three signs of his fingers are:

  1. Buddha’s fingers are round.
  2. Buddha’s fingers are wide.
  3. Buddha’s fingers are tapered.

The two signs of his veins are:

  1. Buddha’s veins are not visible.
  2. Buddha’s veins are not knotted.

The three signs of his feet are:

  1. Buddha’s ankle bones are not visible.
  2. Buddha’s feet are equal in size.
  3. Buddha’s stride is equidistant.

The seven signs of his manner of walking are:

  1. Buddha walks like a lion, outshining all human beings.
  2. Buddha walks like an elephant, outshining all nāga beings.
  3. Buddha walks like a flying swan.
  4. Buddha walks like a leader who conducts his entourage wherever he desires.
  5. Buddha walks naturally to the right when circumambulating and he always keeps others to his right.
  6. Buddha’s walk is beautiful and appealing.
  7. Buddha walks upright, not bent over.

The three signs of his head are:

  1. Buddha’s head is round and wide like an umbrella.
  2. Buddha’s hairline is well-distinguished.
  3. Buddha’s forehead is large and wide.

The six signs of his hair are:

  1. Buddha’s hair is black.
  2. Buddha’s hair is beautiful.
  3. Buddha’s hair is soft.
  4. Buddha’s hair does not hang down in a disheveled fashion.
  5. Buddha’s hair is neither shaggy nor coarse.
  6. Buddha’s hair is fragrant.

The five signs of his eyes are:

  1. Buddha’s eyes are elongated and open.
  2. Buddha’s eyes are beautiful, the white and black parts being clearly distinct from one another.
  3. Buddha’s eyes are flawless, without any defect of irregular lines.
  4. Buddha’s eyes are utterly clear, giving no impairement to his vision.
  5. Buddha’s eyes are attractive, with beautiful eyelashes.

The four signs of his eyebrows are:

  1. Buddha’s eyebrows are long.
  2. Buddha’s eyebrows have soft hairs.
  3. Buddha’s eyebrows have a sheen.
  4. Buddha’s eyebrows have hairs of uniform length.

The two signs of his ears are:

  1. Buddha’s ears are of equal length and size.
  2. Buddha’s hearing capacity never declines.

The two signs of his nose are:

  1. Buddha’s nose is prominent.
  2. Buddha’s nose is perfectly clean.

The two signs of his face are:

  1. Buddha’s face is well-proportioned.
  2. Buddha’s lips are red and clear.

The three signs of his tongue are:

  1. Buddha’s tongue is flexible.
  2. Buddha’s tongue is thin.
  3. Buddha’s tongue is red.

The five signs of his teeth are:

  1. Buddha’s corner teeth are round.
  2. Buddha’s teeth are sharp.
  3. Buddha’s teeth are white.
  4. Buddha’s teeth are of equal size.
  5. Buddha’s teeth are tapered.

The two signs of his voice are:

  1. Buddha’s voice is charismatic.
  2. Buddha’s voice is gentle and soft, without any stuttering.

The two signs of his hands are:

  1. Buddha’s hands are long and wide.
  2. Buddha’s hands are soft.

The three signs of lines on his palms are:

  1. Buddha’s palm lines are clear and radiant.
  2. Buddha’s palm lines are deeply engraved.
  3. Buddha’s palm lines are long and unbroken.

The ten general signs of his physical qualities are:

  1. Buddha’s body moves with the right measure of flexibility and grace.
  2. Buddha’s body is well-proportioned, being neither too tall nor too short, neither too fat nor too thin.
  3. Buddha’s body possesses all the thirty-two marks clearly and perfectly.
  4. Buddha’s body possesses long and beautiful limbs, as he is tall.
  5. Buddha’s body is very youthful.
  6. Buddha’s body is soft, without the faintest blemishes.
  7. Buddha’s body is not impaired by defects such as thinness.
  8. Buddha’s body is fully-fleshed.
  9. Buddha’s body is not slack, but composed.
  10. Buddha’s body has clear distinctions, because his physical components are well-proportioned.

The four signs that indicate the qualities of his flawless body are:

  1. Buddha’s body has no moles or blackheads.
  2. Buddha’s body is utterly pure, without any trace of unattractiveness.
  3. Buddha’s body is free of stains such as eye secretions, tooth plaque, and the like.
  4. Buddha’s body is naturally clean, even without bathing.

The four signs of his lower body are:

  1. Buddha’s waist is round, including his buttocks and hips.
  2. Buddha’s small waist accentuates his body.
  3. Buddha’s waist is not elongated.
  4. Buddha’s belly is even, without any distinction of upper and lower.

The two signs of his belly are:

  1. Buddha’s navel is deeply recessed.
  2. Buddha’s navel coils clockwise.

The three signs that indicate the qualities of his general conduct are:

  1. Buddha’s conduct in body, speech, and mind is pure.
  2. Buddha’s behavior is always pleasant to see.
  3. Buddha attracts every person who merely sees the eighty signs or auspicious designs on his body.

In addition to the thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor signs are also the ‘eighty auspicious designs’ [bkra shis kyi ri mo] that are displayed upon the Buddha’s body.

These include

  • the knot of infinity [dpal be’u],
  • the curling swastika [g.yung drung ’khyil ba],
  • the square [gru bzhi pa],
  • the vajra [rdo rje],
  • the lotus [pad ma],
  • the conch shell [dung],
  • the horse [rta],
  • the streamers [ba dan],
  • and so forth.

Through the course of his previous lifetimes, Śākyamuni Buddha totally abandoned the four non-virtuous actions of speech:

  1. lying,
  2. sowing discord,
  3. harsh speech,
  4. and worthless chatter.

Throughout his path as a bodhisattva, Śākyamuni always spoke the truth, never failed to sow seeds of harmony rather than discord, was soft and gentle in speech and never harsh or hostile, and always spoke meaningful words rather than frivolous, idle chatter.

As a result of his ceaseless practice of virtuous speech, the Buddha attained the ‘melodious speech endowed with sixty aspects’ [gsung dbyangs yan lag drug bcu]. These sixty qualities of the Buddha’s speech far transcend and outshine even the speech of the supreme god, Brahma, whose speech is also said to be endowed with sixty aspects.

The sixty aspects of the Buddha’s speech:[4]

  1. Buddha’s speech is inspiring [mnyen pa], instigating roots of virtue in all sentient beings who hear him.
  2. Buddha’s speech is soft [’jam pa], causing bliss when heard.
  3. Buddha’s speech is appealing [yid du ’ong ba], teaching what to adopt and what to avoid.
  4. Buddha’s speech is attractive [yid du ’thad pa], as his pronunciation is perfect.
  5. Buddha’s speech is pure [dag pa], as his motivation is virtuous.
  6. Buddha’s speech is flawless [dri ma med pa], as his motivation is free from afflictions.
  7. Buddha’s speech is articulate [gsal ba], as his words and syllables are clearly enunciated.
  8. Buddha’s speech is captivating [snyan la ’jebs pa], dispelling wrong views.
  9. Buddha’s speech is worthy [mnyan par ’os pa], showing the method of renunciation.
  10. Buddha’s speech is indomitable [mi tshugs pa], dispelling improper talk.
  11. Buddha’s speech is pleasant [snyan pa], generating a joyous state of mind in the listener.
  12. Buddha’s speech is calming [’dul ba], showing the remedy for attachment.
  13. Buddha’s speech is refined [mi rtsub pa], being neither exhausting nor tiresome.
  14. Buddha’s speech is not coarse [mi brlang ba], pleasantly teaching how to avoid mistakes.
  15. Buddha’s speech is extremely taming [rab du dul ba], as he teaches the three vehicles.
  16. Buddha’s speech is appropriate [rna bar snyan pa], as it dispels obstacles and distraction.
  17. Buddha’s speech brings satisfaction to the body [lus tshim par byed pa] due to his pure śamathā and vipaśyanā.
  18. Buddha’s speech brings satisfaction to the mind [sems tshim par byed pa] due to his pure śamathā [zhi gnas] and vipaśyanā [lhag mthong].
  19. Buddha’s speech is delightful [snying dga’ bar byed pa], dispelling doubts.
  20. Buddha’s speech creates happiness [dga’ bde skyed pa], dispelling wrong views and uncertainty.
  21. Buddha’s speech is without sorrow [gdung ba med pa], freeing from regrets.
  22. Buddha’s speech facilitates insight [kun shes pa], generating perfect knowledge when heard.
  23. Buddha’s speech is comprehensible [rnam par rig par bya ba], supporting perfect knowledge through reflection.
  24. Buddha’s speech is illuminating [rnam par gsal ba], as he teaches without being secretive.
  25. Buddha’s speech generates joy [dga’ bar byed pa], as it amplifies the qualities one has already attained.
  26. Buddha’s speech is utterly enjoyable [mngon par dga’ bar bya ba], as it generates qualities one has not previously attained.
  27. Buddha’s speech brings comprehension [kun shes par byed pa], as he teaches in a profound manner.
  28. Buddha’s speech leads to full understanding [rnam par rig par byed pa], as he teaches extensively.
  29. Buddha’s speech is reasonable [rigs pa], as he speaks logically.
  30. Buddha’s speech is relevant [’brel ba], as he connects to the minds of beings when he teaches.
  31. Buddha’s speech is not repetitive [ma zlos pa], as it is free from the flaw of repeating something in the same way.
  32. Buddha’s speech is like the roar of a lion [seng ge’i dbyangs], as it brings fear to those who come to argue with him.
  33. Buddha’s speech is like the sound of an elephant [glang po che’i dbyangs], as it reaches his entire entourage.
  34. Buddha’s speech is like the sound of a dragon [’brug gi sgra dbyangs], as it possesses a deep resonance.
  35. Buddha’s speech is like the voice of the nāga king [klu dbang gi dbyangs], as it is not contentious and it is worth remembering.
  36. Buddha’s speech is like the voice of the gandharvas [dri za’i sgra dbyangs], as it is pleasant and captivating.
  37. Buddha’s speech is like the song of the kalapinga bird [ka la ping ka’i dbyangs], as it is fluent, understandable, devastating and undefeatable in debate.
  38. Buddha’s speech is like the melodious voice of Brahma [tshangs pa’i dbyangs], resounding far into the distance.
  39. Buddha’s speech is like the auspicious song of the shangshang bird [shang shang te’u’i dbyangs], transforming every undertaking into an auspicious omen.
  40. Buddha’s speech is like the voice of Devendra[5] [lha dbang gi dbyangs], as his words are noble.
  41. Buddha’s speech is like the sound of celestial drum [lha’i rnga bo che’i sgra lta bu], as it is victorious over all māras.
  42. Buddha’s speech is not boastful [ma khengs pa], as he is without afflictions even when praised.
  43. Buddha’s speech is not crushed [mi dma’ ba] when he is slandered.
  44. Buddha’s speech is correct in all expressions [sgra kun rjes su zhugs pa], as nothing he says needs correction and everything he says accords with grammar.
  45. Buddha’s speech is such that all his words are uncorrupted [sgra kun zur ma chag pa], as his mindfulness never decreases.
  46. Buddha’s speech never lacks anything [ma tshang ba med pa], as at all times and circumstances his actions benefit beings, and he accomplishes the wishes of beings.
  47. Buddha’s speech is without flattery [mi zhum pa], as he has no craving for gain, honor, or the like.
  48. Buddha’s speech is not timid [mi zhan pa], as he is free from the fear of embarrassment before his entourage.
  49. Buddha’s speech is supremely joyful [rab tu dga’ ba], as he expounds the dharma without becoming tired or weary.
  50. Buddha’s speech encompasses all topics [don mtha’ dag la khyab pa], as he is learned in all fields of knowledge.
  51. Buddha’s speech is free from rigidity [tha ba med pa / thab med pa], as he brings understanding to all beings out of his great kindness, caring even for those with no roots of virtue.
  52. Buddha’s speech is uninterrupted [rgyun chags pa], as he teaches constantly and continuously.
  53. Buddha’s speech is rich and majestic [’bel ba / brjid pa], as he brings understanding regarding many subjects.
  54. Buddha’s speech has perfected all languages [sgra kun rdzogs par byed pa], as each of his words manifests in the respective language of each member of his audience, human and non-human.
  55. Buddha’s speech satisfies the senses [dbang po tshim par byed pa], as he elucidates every topic [don kun snang ba] each person wants to know.
  56. Buddha’s speech is not inferior [ma smad], as whatever he says is blameless.
  57. Buddha’s speech is unchanging [mi ’gyur ba], as he teaches for the benefit of others, never at the wrong moment but always at the appropriate time.
  58. Buddha’s speech is not rushed [ma rtags pa], as he never speaks in a hurry nor does he omit words by talking too fast.
  59. Buddha’s speech fully resounds through the entire assembly [’khor kun tu grags pa], as everyone hears him with equal clarity, regardless of being near to him or far from him.
  60. Buddha’s speech is endowed with the supreme of all aspects [rnam pa kun gyi mchog dang ldan pa], as he can perfectly communicate any point through analogy drawn from the physical world.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See rgyab chos padma dkar po.

[2]:

See mi pham mkhas ’jug, page 322ff and Gateway to Knowledge Vol. III., pages 239-242.

[3]:

See mi pham mkhas ’jug, page 326ff and Gateway to Knowledge Vol. III., pages 242-245

[4]:

See mi pham mkhas ’jug, page 330ff and Gateway to Knowledge Vol. III., pages 246-249.

[5]:

Indra, the king of the gods.

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