In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems

The Ten Stages refers to the “the levels traversed by a Bodhisattva” and are known in Tibetan as: sa bcu.—The nine levels of knowledge obstacles are derived by identifying gross, medium, and subtle levels of obstacles on each of three general levels: gross, medium, and subtle. As noted in the text, the count of eleven is arrived at by dividing the gross-gross and subtle-subtle into two. The eleven levels are related to the ten stages of the Bodhisattva: the last moment of the first Bodhisattva stage is the first moment of the path of meditation, which then is followed by the other nine stages. The tenth stage is divided in two, with the stage itself and the last moment before Buddha-hood (the final continuum) being counted separately. For their part, the Prāsaṅgikas maintain that no knowledge obstacles are eliminated until the eighth Bodhisattva stage.

The Ten Stages are:

1. the joyous,
2. the stainless,
3. the illuminating,
4. the radiant,
5. the hard-to-conquer,
6. the manifest,
7. the far-reaching,
8. the unmoving,
9. the good-minded,
10. the Dharma cloud.

Source: Rangjung Yeshe Wiki: Dharma Dictionary

The Ten Stages (Sanskrit: daśabhūmi; Tibetan: sa bcu) refers to the “ten levels of a noble Bodhisattva’s development into a fully enlightened Buddha”;—On each stage more subtle defilements are purified and a further degree of enlightened qualities is manifested: The Joyous, the Stainless, the Radiant, the Brilliant, the Hard to Conquer, the Realized, the Reaching Far, the Unshakable, the Good Intelligence, and the Cloud of Dharma.—They are also known as “ten bhumis”; “ten levels”, “ten grounds”, “ten bodhisattva stages”, “ten levels of Anu Yoga”, “ten stages of saintly perfection”, “ten spiritual levels”.

The Ten Stages are:

1. rab tu dga' ba,
2. dri ma med pa,
3. 'od byed pa,
4. 'od 'phro ba,
5. sbyang dka' ba,
6. mngon du gyur ba,
7. ring du song ba,
8. mi g.yo ba,
9. legs pa'i blo gros,
10. chos kyi sprin.

According to Anu Yoga, corresponding to the above, they are the levels of:

1. Indefinite Transformation ['gyur ba ma nges pa],
2. Basis of Reliance [brten pa gzhi'i sa],
3. Important Purification [gal chen sbyong ba'i sa],
4. Continuity of Training [bslab pa rgyun gyi sa],
5. Supporting Merit [bsod nams rten gyi sa],
6. Superior Progress Through Reliance [brten pas khyad par du 'gro ba'i sa],
7. The Level Which Gives Birth to the Result With Respect to the Aftermath of Inner Radiance on the Path of Insight [mthong lam 'od gsal las langs pa'i rjes la dmigs pa 'bras bu skye ba'i sa],
8. Unchanging Abidance [gnas pa mi 'gyur ba'i sa],
9. Expanding Reality [bdal ba chos nyid],
10. Riding on Perfection [rdzogs pa ci chibs kyi sa].

Source: Wisdom Experience: The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism

There are Ten Levels corresponding to the four paths of learning according to Anuyoga, which forms the connecting link between the Mahāyoga of the creation [stage] and the vehicle of extremely perfect yoga [i.e. Atiyoga].—[...] Beings of great intellectual power become free from the effort involved in traversing the sequence of levels and paths because they have all at once reached the limit of all realisations and experiences. Those of middling and inferior intelligence, who have either gradually or all-surpassingly traversed the four paths of learning which correspond to the ten levels, are united with the conclusive result of the path of no-more-learning.

1. the level of indefinite transformation ('gyur-ba ma-nges-pa'i sa),
2. the level of the basis of reliance (brten-pagzhi'i sa),
3. the level of important purification (gal-chen sbyong-ba'i sa),
4. the level of the continuity of training (bslab-pa rgyun-gyi sa),
5. the level of supporting merit (bsod-nams rten-gyi sa),
6. the level of superior progress through reliance (brten-paskhyad-par-du 'gro-ba'i sa),
7. the level which gives birth to the result with reference to the aftermath of inner radiance on the path of insight (mthong-lam 'od-gsal-las langs-pa'i rjes-la dmigs-pa 'bras-bu skye-ba'i sa).
8. the level of unchanging abode (gnas-pa mi-'gyur-ba'i sa),
9. the level of expanding reality (bdal-bachos-nyid-kyi sa),
10. the level of riding on perfection (rdzogs-pa ci-chibs-kyi sa).

Thereafter, the resultant empowerment is conferred according to the path of great desire ('dod-chags chen-po'i lam) which depends on the unobstructed path at the conclusion of the path of no-more-learning, and the subtle propensities which transfer consciousness to the three appearances (snang-gsum) are also purified

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Ten Bodhisattva Stages:—A technical term in Buddhism corresponding to the Sanskrit bhūmi defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 64). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., ‘ten bodhisattva stages’). The work is attributed to Nagarguna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Source: WikiPedia: Buddhism

The Ten Stages (Sanskrit: Daśabhūmi) according to the Daśabhūmika-sūtra refers to the ten Bodhisattva stages which also called vihara (‘dwelling’).

They are:

1. The Very Joyous (pramuditā),
2. The Stainless (vimalā),
3. The Light-Maker (prabhākarī),
4. The Radiant Intellect (arciṣmatī),
5. The Difficult to Master (sudurjayā),
6. The Manifest (abhimukhī),
7. The Gone Afar (dūraṃgamā),
8. The Immovable (acalā),
9. The Good Intelligence (sādhumatī),
10. The Cloud of Doctrine (dharmameghā),

Passage through the grounds and paths begins with Bodhicitta, the wish to liberate all sentient beings. Aspiring Bodhicitta becomes Engaging Bodhicitta upon actual commitment to the Bodhisattva vows. With these steps, the practitioner becomes a Bodhisattva, and enters upon the paths. Before attaining the ten grounds, the bodhisattva traverses the first two of the five Mahayana paths: (1) The path of accumulation (2) The path of preparation. The ten grounds of the bodhisattva are grouped within the three subsequent paths: Bhūmi 1: The path of seeing; Bhūmi 2-7: The path of meditation; Bhūmi 8-10: The path of no more learning.

One system of Dzogchen/Mahamudrā presents thirteen bhūmis:

11. eleventh bhūmi of Universal Light,
12. twelfth bhūmi of the Lotus of Non-attachment,
13. thirteenth bhūmi of the Vajra Holder,

Another system of Dzogchen presents sixteen bhūmis:

11. eleventh bhūmi of Universal Radiance/Light,
12. twelfth bhūmi of the Lotus of Non-attachment,
13. thirteenth bhūmi of the Gatherings of Rotating Syllables,
14. fourteenth bhūmi of the Great Samādhi,
15. fifteenth bhūmi of the Vajra Holder,
16. sixteenth bhūmi of the Unexcelled Wisdom,

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Spiritual, Bodhisattva, Ten.

Full-text (+596): Dashabhumi, sa bcu, bsod nams rten gyi sa, 'od byed pa, 'od 'phro ba, brten pas khyad par du 'gro ba'i sa, Dri ma med pa, mngon du gyur ba, rab tu dga' ba, chos kyi sprin, Mi g.yo ba, sbyang dka' ba, legs pa'i blo gros, bdal ba chos nyid, 'gyur ba ma nges pa, rdzogs pa ci chibs kyi sa, brten pa gzhi'i sa, gal chen sbyong ba'i sa, bslab pa rgyun gyi sa, gnas pa mi 'gyur ba'i sa.

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Search found 47 books and stories containing Ten stages, Ten bhumis, Ten bhūmis, Ten bodhisattva levels, Ten bodhisattva stages, Ten bodhisattva-bhumis, Ten grounds, Ten levels, Ten spiritual levels, Ten spiritual stages; (plurals include: Ten stageses, Ten bhumises, Ten bhūmises, Ten bodhisattva levelses, Ten bodhisattva stageses, bhumises, Ten groundses, Ten levelses, Ten spiritual levelses, Ten spiritual stageses). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

Note (2). The ten Bodhisattva grounds or abodes < [Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna]

Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna

Note (3). The ten grounds shared by adepts of the three vehicles < [Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna]

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The Great Chariot (by Longchenpa)

1d.2) The Dharma jewel < [Part 1 - The causal refuge]

Part 3e.2a - The self-existing nirmanakaya < [B. The explanation of the kayas and wisdoms]

Part 6 - The final summary expressing the purpose of the paths and bhumis < [C. The stages of the paths of meditation on this]

+ 11 more chapters / show preview

Theravada Buddhist studies in Japan (by Keiko Soda)

8. Conclusion of chpater 3 < [Chapter 3 - Theravada and Mahayana (comparison and contrast)]

2. Rising of Mahayana Buddhism < [Chapter 3 - Theravada and Mahayana (comparison and contrast)]

3. Development of Mahayana Sutras < [Chapter 3 - Theravada and Mahayana (comparison and contrast)]

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Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra

Chapter XXXIII - On Bodhisattva Lion's Roar (a) < [Section Seven]

Chapter XII - On the Nature of the Tathagata (Tathagatagarbha) < [Section One]

Chapter XVIII - On Actual Illness < [Section Two]

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The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)

Chapter VII - The ten Bhūmis < [Volume I]

Chapter XIX - Apparitions (for the edification of men) < [Volume I]

Chapter XI - The fourth Bhūmi < [Volume I]

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Bodhisattvacharyavatara (by Andreas Kretschmar)

Text Sections 38-44 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]

Text Section 100 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]

Interview With Khenpo Namdröl < [Introduction Text]

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