The Fifth Abode

 5. The Abode of Perfectly Possessing the Ways and Means

The Flower Garland Sutra says:

"The Bodhisattvas cultivate good spiritual roots in order to:

1. Rescue and protect all living beings
2. Abundant benefit all living beings
3. Give peace and comfort to all living beings
4. Sympathize and empathize with all living beings
5. Spiritually uplift and liberate all living beings
6. Separate all living beings from calamity and hardship
7. Make all living beings escape the sufferings of Life & Death
8. Make all living beings inspire pure faith
9. Make all living beings attain self-mastery and control
10. Make all living beings everywhere realize Nirvana

Bodhisattvas are encouraged to study these ten things:

1. Recognizing that all living beings are boundless
2. Recognizing that all living beings are limitless
3. Recognizing that all living beings are countless
4. Recognizing that all living beings are inconceivable
5. Recognizing that all living beings have limitless forms
6. Recognizing that all living beings are immeasurable
7. Recognizing that all living beings are empty
8. Recognizing that all living beings produce nothing
9. Recognizing that all living beings possess nothing
10. Recognizing that all living beings are without a self nature

This is to make Bodhisattvas progress in mastery and be without attachments so that they grasp what they hear without having to depend upon others to explain it."

Next          The 42 Stages          Teachings          Home

Copyright © Peter Johnson 2001 - All rights reserved

Copyright Policy - Contact the Author at pj@tientai.net

  Since July 9, 2001

FastCounter by bCentral