Practical Ethics and Profound Emptiness

by Jampa Tegchok

  Each of these perfections is to be practiced with the others. We’ll use the example of generosity to demonstrate this as follows. The generosity of generosity refers to giving the roots of virtue we’ve accumulated from being generous to all sentient beings. The ethical conduct of generosity means to abandon wrong attitudes such as wishing for our own liberation when practicing generosity. The fortitude of generosity involves not retaliating if the recipient of our generosity is ungrateful or harms us; it also means having the ability to endure any suffering that may arise while being generous, such as being cold or getting sick. The joyous effort of generosity is maintaining enthusiasm and taking delight in being generous. The meditative stability of generosity refers to maintaining our focus and concentration while giving, especially maintaining our motivation of bodhichitta. The wisdom of generosity sees the agent, object, and action of generosity as empty of true existence yet arising dependent on one another.

  438.From generosity comes wealth; happiness from ethical conduct.

  From fortitude comes beauty; splendor from joyous effort.

  Through meditation, one is peaceful; through wisdom comes liberation.

  Compassion accomplishes all aims.

  The Temporal Effects of Each Good Quality

  These temporal results of each good quality occur while we are practicing the path, before we attain awakening. Generosity leads to great wealth, which we can then use to benefit others and create more merit. The result of ethical conduct is the happiness of a higher rebirth as a human being or god. While stainless prayers and our general practice of the six perfections also lead to higher rebirth, ethical conduct is principal.

  The practice of fortitude leads us to having a body with a pleasing appearance. Due to this, others will be attracted to us, which gives us the opportunity to share the Dharma and benefit them. From joyous effort comes brilliance. A peaceful mind is a result of meditative stability, and wisdom is the principal cause of liberation from cyclic existence. Compassion enables us to accomplish all aims of ourselves and others. Knowing these results inspires us to create their causes as much as we can by practicing the six perfections.

  This brings us to an interesting point. As discussed earlier, there are three kinds of phenomena: evident, slightly obscure, and very obscure. Each one is known through a different reliable cognizer: evident phenomena through our senses, slightly obscure phenomena through inference, and very obscure phenomena through scriptural authority or the authoritative testimony of a highly realized being.

  When we look at the statements above — for example, that generosity in our present life leads to wealth in future lives — which of the three kinds of phenomena is at play? It definitely isn’t an evident phenomenon, because we can’t know this through our five senses — we can’t see it or hear it. Since it must be understood by the mental consciousness, it must be either a slightly obscure or very obscure phenomenon.

  For sure, the specific details of generosity leading to wealth is very obscure. Let’s say Pat makes an offering to a charity today. Knowing exactly when this karma will produce its result, what kind of wealth Pat will receive, and what rebirth this karmic seed will produce can only be known by the authoritative testimony of a fully awakened being who can clearly see everything in the past, present, and future. Only a buddha has the omniscience necessary to know these specific details.

  But we know there must be a reason that supports the general principle that wealth comes from generosity. But what is that reason? Is it the authoritative testimony of the Buddha — that he stated this and since only he has the full ability to know this and has no reason to deceive us, we can accept it? On the other hand, it makes sense that generosity leads to wealth — but how can we explain this using a syllogism such as “generosity leads to wealth because…”?

  We don’t need to rely on the authoritative testimony of the Buddha to understand, for example, that a table is impermanent. Although he did state this, we know it is true because we use various reasons such as “the table is impermanent because it is changing moment by moment.” But the reason that proves happiness comes from virtue and suffering comes from nonvirtue is not as clear. We can take it further and ask, “Is the fact that suffering arises from afflictions and karma slightly obscure or very obscure? Is the fact that we attain liberation through practicing the true path slightly obscure or very obscure?”

  As mentioned in chapter 1, highest good is realized first, then higher rebirth, because we ascertain the highest good by inference and higher rebirth by referring to a valid scripture. Thus the former is easier to ascertain.

  Liberation and full awakening are slightly obscure phenomena that can be realized through inference by the power of the fact. With respect to the four truths, liberation — or true cessation — attained through meditating on the wisdom that understands emptiness — true path — is a slightly obscure phenomenon. True duhkha coming from afflictions and karma — true origin — is also a slightly obscure phenomenon. These can all be known through inference by the power of the fact, as explained by Nagarjuna in chapter 24 of Treatise on the Middle Way. Similarly, that happiness comes from virtue and suffering comes from nonvirtue is also slightly obscure. This would make it seem that wealth arising from generosity and the happiness of higher rebirths resulting from ethical conduct are also slightly obscure.

  Citing scriptures that say these are actually very obscure phenomena, some people make the syllogism, “The scriptural passage ‘from generosity arises wealth’ is nondeceptive with respect to its indicated meaning, because it is a scripture that passes the three analyses.” The three analyses are the criteria that demonstrate a scripture is valid. If we conclude that “from generosity arises wealth” is very obscure, it would seem that virtue yielding happiness and nonvirtue yielding unhappiness would also be very obscure. In that case, are the four truths very obscure? We can’t say that.

  Other people say that knowing the specifics of when a certain act of generosity will ripen into wealth and other such details are very obscure, but the general principle that wealth arises from generosity and suffering arises from nonvirtue are slightly obscure phenomena. However, giving the reason to prove this with a syllogism is very difficult. On the other hand, it seems reasonable and makes sense, so it’s hard to say that it’s very obscure. This is a controversial topic and there is much to think about here.

  439.Through the simultaneous

  perfection of all seven,

  one attains the sphere of inconceivable wisdom —

  lordship over the world.

  The General Result of the Six Perfections and Compassion

  All seven refers to the six perfections and compassion. By becoming familiar with these on the learner paths — the bodhisattva paths of accumulation, preparation, seeing, and meditation — and continually enhancing them, we will finally attain the sphere of inconceivable wisdom, the wisdom of a completely perfect buddha. Lordship over the world indicates that we will also become the protector of the three worlds of sentient beings37 by attaining the state of peerless awakening. Ordinary beings cannot know the state of full awakening as it is — it is beyond our thoughts. Only other buddhas can actually see it directly.

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  37.The three worlds of sentient beings refers to the desire, material, and immaterial realms, or alternatively to the world under, on, and above the ground.

  13. Excellent Qualities of the Ten Bodhisattva Grounds

  Having encouraged us by explaining the temporal results of the excellent qualities that arise from practicing the six perfections and compassion, Nagarjuna now turns to the special excellent qualities of the arya bodhisattvas on the ten grounds. These qualities are difficult to fathom, but if we practice well, we will definitely attain them because causes bring their results.

  INTRODUCTION

  In this section we will discuss the entity of the bodhisattva grounds and the way that each ground attains its various qualities. But first, a
n introduction to the bodhisattva grounds will prepare us to delve more deeply into the subject.

  A bodhisattva’s unpolluted wisdom that directly realizes emptiness and is supported by the special method of compassion, bodhichitta, and so forth is called an ultimate ground and ultimate bodhichitta. A person who has this ultimate bodhichitta is an ultimate bodhisattva, a bodhisattva on any of the ten bodhisattva grounds. The first bodhisattva ground begins at the time a bodhisattva becomes an arya and actualizes the bodhisattva path of seeing.

  This wisdom realizing emptiness is called a “ground” because it is the ground or basis for attaining higher qualities, just as the earth is the basis for harvests. It is called an “arya ground” because it is the basis or foundation for attaining the higher qualities of aryas.

  On the arya path, bodhisattvas have periods of meditative equipoise on emptiness and times when they do other activities, the latter being called “subsequent attainment.” The wisdom of meditative equipoise is of three types: (1) uninterrupted paths that eliminate certain levels of afflictions, (2) liberated paths that occur when a certain level of afflictions has been forever abandoned and can never arise again, (3) meditative equipoise which is neither of those two — for example, the meditative equipoise that occurs after a liberated path and before the next uninterrupted path. All three of these are unpolluted by either the appearance of true existence or true-grasping. Aside from that, all other consciousnesses — including those of an arya in the time of subsequent attainment — are polluted by ignorance or its latencies. Ignorance here is the true-grasping ignorance, which is not completely abandoned until the eighth ground. The latencies of ignorance are the stains of ignorance that remain even after ignorance itself has been eradicated. They are completely eliminated just before attaining buddhahood.

  We can compare ignorance to onions in a pot and the latencies of ignorance to the smell of onions that remains after the onions have been removed. Ignorance and other afflictions are afflictive obscurations that are eradicated upon attaining arhatship if someone is a hearer or solitary realizer, or upon attaining the eighth bodhisattva ground if one follows the bodhisattva path. The latencies of ignorance as well as the appearance of true existence that they cause are both cognitive obscurations. Bodhisattvas eliminate them during the eighth, ninth, and tenth grounds, which are called “pure grounds” because they are no longer polluted by ignorance and other afflictive obscurations, even during subsequent attainment. Full awakening is attained after the tenth ground, upon the eradication of the cognitive obscurations. Hearer and solitary realizer arhats are also no longer polluted by ignorance, although their mindstreams are still polluted by the latencies of ignorance when they are not in meditative equipoise on emptiness. The only type of mind in the continua of sentient beings — beings who are not buddhas — that is unpolluted and free from the influence of ignorance and its latencies is an arya’s meditative equipoise on emptiness.

  The wisdom of subsequent attainment functions after bodhisattvas arise from meditative equipoise on emptiness. This wisdom is of two types: the wisdom that engages in the method aspect of the path — it practices generosity, ethical conduct, and fortitude, teaches the Dharma, and so forth — and the wisdom that pertains to the wisdom aspect of the path — it sees all phenomena as like illusions. After aryas arise from meditative equipoise on emptiness, phenomena still appear truly existent to them due to their cognitive obscurations. However, they know that such appearances are false and like illusions.

  Although ultimate bodhichitta — the wisdom realizing emptiness — is not manifest during arya bodhisattvas’ subsequent attainment, the mind at this time is still referred to as a ground. Bodhisattvas progress sequentially through the ten grounds by the force of their collection of merit and the gradual eradication of defilements. Each ground abandons its own portion of defilements. Ignorance and afflictions are not abandoned all at once but gradually throughout the first seven grounds. The latencies of ignorance and the subtle dualistic appearance are eliminated gradually during the last three grounds, which are called “pure grounds” because they are free from afflictive obscurations.

  The division of ultimate bodhichitta into ten grounds is done on the basis of the increase of four types of good qualities that occur from one ground to the next:

  1.A set of twelve qualities that increases from one ground to the next. On the first ground, in one instant, these arya bodhisattvas are able to: directly see the faces of a hundred buddhas, receive the blessings of those hundred buddhas, go to a hundred buddha realms, see a hundred buddha fields, vibrate a hundred worldly realms, live for a hundred eons, see a hundred eons into the past and a hundred eons in the future, enter into and arise from a hundred different concentrations due to their great mental agility, open a hundred different doors of doctrine, mature a hundred sentient beings, emanate a hundred bodies, and surround each of those bodies with a retinue of a hundred arya bodhisattvas.

  On the first ground, arya bodhisattvas can to do all twelve amazing activities, listed above, in an instant. On the second ground, bodhisattvas receive the blessings of one thousand buddhas, go to one thousand buddha realms, see one thousand buddha fields, and so on. On the third ground, the number is one hundred thousand; on the fourth, one billion; on the fifth, ten billion; on the sixth, one trillion; on the seventh, one quadrillion; on the eighth ground, the number of all the atoms of one hundred quadrillion worlds; on the ninth, the number of atoms in one quintillion worlds; on the tenth, the number of atoms in an inexpressible number of buddha lands. In addition, these bodhisattvas have the incredible qualities of spontaneous, uncontrived bodhichitta and the wisdom realizing emptiness nondually.

  2.The ability of each ground to purify different levels of defilements and to progress to a higher path. Each ground has the power to purify a specific portion of defilements, thus making the mind progressively purer. This is compared to the waxing moon, where more and more of the moon appears while the shadow decreases.

  3.The perfection that is brought to a superior level of excellence. On the first ground the practice of the perfection of generosity reaches a superior level of excellence; on the second, ethical conduct; the third through the tenth respectively are fortitude, joyous effort, meditative stability, wisdom, skillful means, unshakable resolve, power, and exalted wisdom.

  The six perfections exist in a complete form only at the Buddha’s ground. However, the practice of the six perfections exists from the bodhisattva path of accumulation through the end of the continuum of a sentient being. On each of the ten grounds the practice of one of the perfections reaches a superior level of excellence.

  4.The ripening rebirth that the bodhisattvas are able to take by choice through the power of their aspiration and roots of virtue in order to benefit others. Just as the power of bodhisattvas’ prayers and virtuous roots increase as they progress through the ten grounds, so does their ability to intentionally take different ripening rebirths to benefit sentient beings.

  Bodhisattvas on the first ground are able to take rebirth as a wheel-turning monarch with control over the southern continent, Jambudvipa; on the second ground, as a wheel-turning monarch with control over all four continents; on the third ground, with control over the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; on the fourth, with control over the Heaven Free of Combat; on the fifth, with control over Tushita; on the sixth, with control over the Heaven Delighting in Emanations; on the seventh, with control over the Heaven Controlling Others’ Emanations. The two wheel-turning monarchs are human rebirths, whereas the next five are lords of the five levels of the desire realm gods. Bodhisattvas are born as the chief among those gods and work for their benefit.

  On the eighth ground, bodhisattvas can be born as a wheel-turning monarch with power over the three thousand worlds. One world consists of the sun, moon, Mount Meru, and everything from Brahma’s world downward. A thousand of these is called “one thousand worlds.” Two thousand worlds is one thousand worlds squared — that is, a
million. Three thousand worlds is one thousand worlds to the third power — that is, a billion. This is called the worldly realm of the great thousand of the three thousand worlds. Sometimes it is simply referred to as the “three thousand worlds.”

  On the ninth ground, bodhisattvas’ ripening rebirth is as a great Brahma, lord of a million worlds; on the tenth ground, it is as Maheshvara, king of the gods in the Highest Land.

  The purpose of being born as a monarch with control over Jambudvipa or any of the other places is that you have the power to do a lot of good. Even on our planet, the leaders of countries have tremendous power to affect the citizens for the better or for the worse. One reason Nagarjuna taught the Precious Garland to a king is that if arya bodhisattvas are in governing positions, they will serve the people well and improve conditions on the planet. Of course, as long as we are in cyclic existence, suffering will still exist; but for bodhisattvas who want to benefit sentient beings in a temporal way and ultimately lead them to the highest good, worldly power is an asset. When a wheel-turning buddha appears in the world, the power of the wheel-turning monarchs and of all leaders diminishes and their magnificence is outshone. All beings who have created good karma, including celestial beings, humans, demigods, and gandharvas (heavenly musicians who dwell in the wilderness), bow down to the Buddha.

  THE TEN GROUNDS

  440.Just as the eight grounds of the hearer

  are discussed in the hearer vehicle,

  so too the ten grounds of the bodhisattva

  are taught in the universal vehicle.

  The Ten Bodhisattva Grounds: Their Entities and Qualities

  The hearer vehicle explains eight grounds, each with its individual name and qualities: stream-enterer, once-returner, and so on. Similarly, the ten grounds of arya bodhisattvas are explained in the universal vehicle. These grounds surpass the practice and attainments of ordinary bodhisattvas on the paths of accumulation and preparation.