293.By offering cymbals and bells
for the worship of reliquaries
and also giving conch-horns and drums,
you will attain the divine ear.
(18) The result of offering music made by cymbals, bells, conch shells, drums, and other instruments to reliquaries is to obtain the divine ear. This clairaudience enables you to hear Dharma teachings held in distant places as well as subtle and gross sounds and conversations within a radius of a hundred paktse. The divine eye and divine ear are mental consciousnesses, not sense consciousnesses.
294.Do not speak of others’ errors
or mention their physical handicaps.
By carefully protecting their minds,
you will attain the knowledge of others’ minds.
(19) Avoid criticizing others or discussing their mistakes. If they are physically deformed in some way, do not talk about it — relate to them with warmth as you would a dear friend. By refraining from harsh speech and speaking in a way that spreads harmony, protect others’ minds by not provoking their afflictions or offending them. As a result, you will attain the superknowledge of being able to know others’ minds. With that ability, when you become a Dharma teacher, you will know who has attachment and who is free from it, what topics the audience is receptive to hear and what suits their dispositions and interests. You will know whether to speak elaborately or briefly about different points, and in this way, you will be able to fulfill their wishes by teaching what is just right for them.
295.By providing shoes and conveyances,
attending to those who are weak
and assisting your gurus with transportation,
the wise person attains supernormal powers.
(20) Assist travelers by giving boots, shoes, and appropriate footwear to those who need them. If someone has difficulty traveling, provide animals or vehicles to transport them. Help those who are weak, ill, or unable to travel by themselves by carrying their load and assisting them in crossing rivers. When your Dharma teachers go on a journey, serve them by arranging transport. Nowadays, this means you should drive your teachers or book bus, train, and plane tickets for them and escort them to the station or airport.
Such actions are a cooperative cause for attaining supernormal powers. These powers include the ability to pass through walls or mountains, dive in and out of the earth as if it were water, walk on water, fly in space, make your body appear and vanish, or project many emanations from your body and then absorb them back into one body again. The purpose of this latter power is to appear in accordance with the needs and dispositions of sentient beings. Bodhisattvas, who use these powers discreetly and skillfully, inspire faith in others and arouse their interest in listening to teachings.
296.By making effort for the sake of the Dharma,
by keeping the Dharma treatises and their meaning in mind,
and by giving the Dharma immaculately,
you will come to remember your past lives.
(21) As much as possible, keep the meaning of the teachings in mind and contemplate them in meditation sessions and throughout your daily activities. Make your practice of giving the Dharma stainless by teaching solely with a wish to benefit others, free of expectations of receiving money, offerings, or service in return.
Through this you will attain the superknowledge of remembering your past lives. This superknowledge enables bodhisattvas to recall Dharma practices that they did before so they can continue doing them in this life. They also recall the destructive karma they have created and still need to purify.
297.Through correctly and truly understanding
that all things are essenceless,
you will attain the sixth superknowledge —
the supreme cessation of all defilements.
(22) By understanding the meaning of emptiness you will obtain the sixth superknowledge, the cessation of afflictive obscurations and/or cognitive obscurations. Make effort to correctly understand that all inner and outer phenomena are ultimately without any inherent essence. All phenomena have their own nature on the conventional level — for example, the nature of fire is hot and burning — but they do not exist by their own inherent nature. By realizing emptiness with an inferential reliable cognizer and continuing to meditate on it with the concentrated mind of serenity, in time you will realize emptiness directly. With this wisdom realizing emptiness, you will be able to gradually extinguish ignorance, afflictions, and polluted karma that cause rebirth in cyclic existence. Having attained the extinction of defilements, you will know with confidence that you have attained liberation.
The six superknowledges are important aids to benefit others in an expansive way — for example, by understanding their karmic tendencies and way of thinking. They are also used to further your own practice, since you can swiftly travel great distances to hear teachings or listen to teachings given in distant places. When bodhisattvas employ the first five superknowledges with compassion and skill, they can spread the Dharma to new places and help preserve and increase it where it already exists.
Four conditions are needed to work for sentient beings in a vast way — the six superknowledges, the five sublime eyes,32 fortitude in dealing with problems and hardships for the sake of the Dharma,33 and expertise in explaining Dharma.
298.In order to liberate all beings by meditating
on the uniform awareness of suchness
that has been moistened by compassion,
you will become a victor with supreme qualities.
(23) The uniform awareness of suchness refers to the wisdom realizing emptiness that sees all phenomena — afflicted and transcendental — as equally free of inherent existence. When this wisdom is supported by compassion, bodhichitta, and the method side of the path, it becomes the collection of wisdom that, together with the collection of merit, is capable of bringing forth the truth body and form bodies of a buddha.
Compassion moistens wisdom like water moistens a seed; it transforms wisdom from a cause for liberation into a cause of full awakening. That wisdom is now called the wisdom that possesses the supreme of all aspects, the wisdom that possesses the essence of compassion, and the wisdom with all supreme qualities, because it possesses all the excellent aspects of method.
299.Due to your unshakable resolve,
your buddha land will be pure.
By having offered precious gems to the King of Sages,
you will shine with infinite light.
(24) Unshakable resolve refers to making millions of aspirations, determinations, resolutions, and prayers through which you will purify your buddha land and make it excellent. Each bodhisattva creates a pure and excellent buddha land in which she will awaken. When she awakens in the aspect of the enjoyment body, at the same time her buddha land will arise. (25) By offering stainless sparkling jewels, you will have a body that radiates light.
300.Thus realize that a karmic effect
corresponds to its karmic cause.
Therefore, you should always benefit beings —
this will likewise benefit you.
In this section, Nagarjuna explained many ways for the king to improve the conditions of the country as a whole and to benefit the populace according to each person’s disposition and prominent need. If he practices in the manner described by Nagarjuna, the king will directly benefit the citizens in the present and amass the collections of merit and wisdom that will result in attaining the two buddha bodies.
This completes the commentary on part III of the Precious Garland, “The Collections for Awakening.”
_______________
32.The five sublime eyes are: the physical eye is the ability to see faraway objects; the divine eye is the ability to see where sentient beings have taken rebirth after death; the wisdom eye is the realization of the emptiness of inherent existence; the Dharma eye is the ability to see whether someone’s faculties are sharp or modest; the Buddha eye is omniscient wisdom.
33.For example, enduring wi
th a happy mind whatever problems you might face when traveling to teachings, offering housing to Dharma teachers, hosting Dharma events, building places for statues, texts, and stupas, and so on.
IV. Royal Policy: Instructions on the Practices of a Monarch
10. Practical Advice for Leaders
Nagarjuna begins this chapter by addressing the king in a heartfelt and straightforward way, telling him what he already knows but no one says — that most people will not give the king honest feedback or express their real thoughts to him. Instead, they will flatter him and say what they think he will like either because they are afraid of what the king will do if they say something he disagrees with or because they want to be on his good side to get something for themselves. Nagarjuna deferentially acknowledges that while he is a humble monk addressing a great monarch, out of affection for the king and care for the kingdom he will speak forthrightly. He then proceeds to give the king advice on royal policy.
LISTEN TO GOOD ADVICE
301.If the king acts in a way that contradicts the Dharma
or does something that does not make sense,
most of his subjects still praise him.
Hence, it is hard for him to know what is appropriate and what is not.
Since it is difficult to know what feedback a king will or will not tolerate, to be safe most subjects only praise him. Even if the king acts contrary to the Dharma, his ministers, officials, attendants, and others who depend on him will say he did well. They are afraid that he will be offended and will punish them with imprisonment or execution if they are honest. Thus it is hard for a king to receive honest feedback and good advice.
302.If it is even difficult to say something
beneficial but unpleasant to others,
how can I, a monk, hope to do so to you,
the monarch of a large realm?
303.But because of my affection for you,
and also due to my compassion for beings,
I myself will tell you what is quite helpful
but not very pleasant.
Nagarjuna says to the king, “Since whatever you do all you hear is praise, you don’t know which policies were useful and which were not. It is difficult to say anything unpleasant to anybody; how much more so is it to say such things to you, a king and lord of the earth? But I am now going to speak honestly and directly to benefit you, not out of jealousy, anger, or a wish to harm. As a monk, I want to give help that will be for your temporal and ultimate benefit, because by benefiting you I will also benefit others. So, without fearing your displeasure and without regard for my personal safety, I will tell you what is necessary for you to rule well, even though some of the advice may be unpleasant to hear at this moment.”
In general, the Buddha said that we should not criticize others when motivated by an afflictive mental state. Motivated by compassion that wants only to benefit the king and those in his kingdom and beyond, Nagarjuna will take the risk to speak honestly. This is a good example of the courage it takes to act with compassion for the benefit of others.
304.The Blessed One said that at the right time
one should say what is true, gentle, meaningful,
and useful to one’s disciples out of love.
Hence, I tell you these things.
Nagarjuna now explains why he will speak to the king. “As teacher and student, you and I have a harmonious relationship; if this were not the case, I would not give you advice because you would not listen. The Buddha said that in such a situation, we should give wise advice motivated by compassion, speaking words that are true, kind, and meaningful. This is what I will now do.”
305.If you remain steadfast while you listen
to a true statement that is [spoken without] anger,
then you will accept what you hear
as if it were pure water that cleanses you.
306.Realizing that what I tell you
is helpful in this context and others,
implement it for your own sake
and also for the sake of the world.
Nagarjuna recommends that the king be steadfast when he receives true advice and not become angry. Steadfastness is the mental stability derived from joyous effort, concentration, and wisdom. If someone says true words without anger, even if they sound harsh, it is suitable for you to listen closely and put the advice into practice.
“The advice I give you will enhance your qualities in this and future lives. It will help you in your Dharma practice as well as in ruling your kingdom. Understanding this, listen well. Through following this advice, you will benefit yourself and others, especially your subjects. You will also benefit your kingdom and the Dharma, making both of them stable and peaceful.”
INCREASE YOUR GENEROSITY
307.If you do not give away to supplicants
the wealth you gained through previous generosity,
then due to your greed and lack of gratitude,
you will not obtain that wealth again.
308.In this life, workers will not bear your provisions
without [receiving] their wages.
But a lowly beggar, though not paid wages,
bears a hundredfold good qualities to your future life.
The result of our generosity to the poor and needy in previous lives has ripened in having wealth this life. To ensure we have such excellent conditions in the future, it is imperative to create the causes now by being generous. If we are stingy and do not share our wealth, in future lives we will not experience such prosperity again.
Workers will not carry our luggage without being paid wages. Yet beggars will carry a wealth of good qualities to our future lives without asking for any compensation. How does this work? When we give to beggars and the poor with a good motivation, we create enormous merit that will result in our having wealth in future lives. Since we cannot create this merit without the beggars, we are indebted to them for being the objects of our generosity. They “convey” to our future lives a hundred times the possessions we give them. Seen in this way, beggars benefit us more than porters whom we pay to carry our worldly possessions.
One reason the Buddha prescribed generosity as an initial practice is that it is quite easy. All religions teach generosity, and secular people, too, admire those who share their wealth. The Buddha made giving possessions and wealth an essential practice for lay followers. While monastics are also encouraged to share what they have, their principal practice is giving the Dharma.
Bodhisattvas continually think about how wonderful it would be to find somebody to give to. Just hearing the words “Please give me something” fills them with joy far greater than the joy that hearer and solitary realizer arhats experience abiding in the personal peace of nirvana for eons. The happiness bodhisattvas feel upon actually giving away their possessions and wealth is immeasurable.
Giving possessions and the roots of virtue of the three times is easier than giving our body. But arya bodhisattvas don’t feel even the slightest suffering when they give their body away, even if it is dismembered. Ordinary bodhisattvas — those on the paths of accumulation and preparation — experience suffering when giving away their body, but they accept that voluntarily, thinking, “This suffering is nothing. It’s child’s play compared to the suffering of the hell beings and hungry ghosts.”
If we practice generosity well but neglect ethical conduct, there is danger that the result of our generosity will ripen during a lower rebirth. For example, a person may generously share her possessions, but due to not keeping pure ethical conduct she is reborn as an animal — a wealthy and comfortable animal, such as a rich naga or a pampered pet. Later when she is born as a human being, she may be poor and have difficulty procuring the necessities for Dharma practice because the karmic seeds from generosity had already ripened when she was an animal.
If we regularly practice generosity, it is quite possible that some of the recipients of our offerings and gifts are aryas. Giving to them creates powerful merit becau
se we establish a karmic link with them and they make prayers and dedications for us. Creating such a great root of virtue for liberation will help us in the future to cut the continuum of cyclic existence and attain nirvana.
Although at present we may not have an incredible amount of wealth with which to practice generosity, we can still enhance the mind of giving by repeatedly imagining giving away our body, possessions, and roots of virtue. Giving our time, energy, and expertise to those engaged in virtuous projects is also the practice of generosity.
309.Always keep your mind sublime
and delight in sublime deeds.
All sublime effects
come from sublime actions.
Training in Vast Actions and Thoughts
Even if your present actions are modest, try to make a habit of thinking big. Vast thoughts lead to vast actions, which bring vast results. Making far-reaching aspirations to do extensive deeds for the benefit of sentient beings will broaden your perspective and enhance your motivation. This will enable you to act whenever you encounter more moderate situations in which you can be of service. As you gradually expand both your perspective and motivation, you will be able to undertake greater and greater projects as time goes on.
310.Establish glorious Dharma sites
and famed centers of the Three Jewels
that have not even been imagined
by weaker kings.
Establish Magnificent Monasteries, Centers, and Educational Institutes
Nagarjuna advises the king to establish glorious monasteries, temples, educational institutes for Buddhist study, and centers for Dharma practice and meditation that cannot even be imagined by kings who lack the same wealth and power. Construct monasteries where the sangha can live, fill them with monastics, and provide all their material necessities so they can focus on Dharma study and practice. Build temples and fill them with statues, paintings, scriptures, and stupas. Statues and paintings represent the Buddha’s body; texts symbolize the Buddha’s speech, and stupas represent the Buddha’s mind. Make elaborate offerings to them; doing this will inspire your citizens to make offerings too, and the merit this creates will benefit them and the entire kingdom.
Practical Ethics and Profound Emptiness Page 30