“Great enlightening beings preserve ten things: they preserve all the virtues they have accumulated, all the teachings spoken by all buddhas, all similes, all means of access to true principles, all means of generating mental command, all means of removing doubt and confusion, means of perfecting all enlightening beings, the equal doors of concentration explained by all buddhas, the ways of ingress into the illumination of all truths, and the free exercise of spiritual powers of all buddhas. Based on these principles, enlightening beings can attain the power of preservation of supreme knowledge of buddhas.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of intellectual power: the intellectual power of not arbitrarily discriminating among things; the intellectual power of not fabricating anything; the intellectual power of not being attached to anything; the intellectual power of realizing emptiness; the intellectual power of freedom from the darkness of doubt; the intellectual power of receiving support from Buddha in all things; the intellectual power of spontaneous awareness of all truths; the intellectual power of skill in differentiation of expressions of all truths; the intellectual power of truthfully explaining all things; the intellectual power of gladdening all sentient beings according to their mentalities. Based on these principles, enlightening beings can attain the supremely skillful intellectual powers of buddhas.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of mastery: mastery of educating and civilizing all sentient beings; mastery of illumining all truths; mastery of cultivating all virtuous practices; mastery of extensive knowledge; mastery of the discipline of nonreliance; mastery of directing all roots of goodness to enlightenment; mastery of undiminishing energy; mastery of wisdom crushing all demons; mastery of inducing the determination for enlightenment according to inclinations; mastery of manifesting attainment of true enlightenment according to the needs of those to be taught. Based on these principles, enlightening beings can attain the mastery of the supreme knowledge of buddhas.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of nonattachment: nonattachment to all worlds, all sentient beings, all phenomena, all actions, all roots of goodness, all places of birth, all vows, all practices, all enlightening beings, and all buddhas. Based on these principles, enlightening beings can quickly overturn all concepts and attain supreme pure wisdom.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of equanimity: equanimity in accumulating all virtues; equanimity in undertaking all different vows; equanimity in regard to all living beings; equanimity in regard to the consequences of actions of all living beings; equanimity in regard to all phenomena; equanimity in regard to all pure and defiled lands; equanimity in regard to all phenomena; equanimity in regard to the understandings of all sentient beings; equanimity in regard to nonconceptualization of all practices; equanimity in regard to the nondifference of all buddhas’ powers; equanimity in regard to the wisdom of all buddhas. If enlightening beings rest in these, they will attain the supreme great equanimity of buddhas.
“Great enlightening beings have ten ways of generating knowledge: they generate knowledge by knowing the understandings of all sentient beings; knowing the various distinctions of all buddha-lands; knowing the domains of the network of the ten directions; knowing all worlds, inverted, upright, and so on; knowing the unity, variety, and universality of all things; knowing all the various physical forms; knowing the misconceptions and delusions of all worldlings without clinging to them; knowing that all truths ultimately lead to emancipation by one path; knowing the spiritual power of the enlightened can enter all universes; knowing that the seed of enlightenment in all sentient beings, past, present, and future, does not die out. Based on these principles, enlightening beings can comprehend all things.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of magical displays: magical display of all sentient beings, all bodies, all lands, all gifts, all voices, all practical undertakings, all education and civilization of sentient beings, all attainments of true enlightenment, all explanations of truth, and all empowerments. Based on these phenomena, enlightening beings can acquire all means of supreme magical displays.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of support of power: support by the power of buddhas, support by the power of truth, support by the power of sentient beings, support by the power of acts, support by the power of practices, support by the power of vows, support by the power of the environment, support by the power of time, support by the power of good, and support by the power of knowledge. Based on these, enlightening beings can gain the support of the power of supreme mastery of all truths.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of great joy and solace. Enlightening beings determine to follow, serve, and please all buddhas that emerge in the world throughout the future; thinking of this, they become very happy. They also determine to honor those buddhas with the best of offerings; thinking of this, they become very happy. They also think, ‘When I make offerings to those buddhas, they will surely teach me, and I will faithfully listen with respect and practice according to the Teaching, and will surely always be born in the state of enlightening beings,’ and thinking this they become very happy. They also think, ‘I shall carry out the practices of enlightening beings for untold eons and always be with the enlightening beings and buddhas,’ and they become very happy at this thought. They also think, ‘The fears I had in the past before I set my heart on supreme enlightenment—fear of not being able to live, fear of a bad reputation, fear of death, fear of falling into miserable conditions, fear of the authority of the crowd—have all gone since I set my mind on enlightenment, so that I no longer fear, am not afraid, cannot be intimidated, and cannot be hurt by any demons or cultists.’ With these thoughts they become very happy. They also think, ‘I shall enable all sentient beings to attain supreme enlightenment; after they attain enlightenment, I shall cultivate the practices of enlightening beings in the company of those buddhas for as long as they live, faithfully provide them with offerings appropriate to buddhas, and, after they pass away, set up innumerable monuments to each of them, honor their relics, and preserve the teachings they leave.’ With these thoughts they become very happy. They also think, I shall array all worlds with the finest adornments, filling them with all kinds of marvels, equally pure. I shall also cause all kinds of spiritual powers, sustaining forces, tremors, and shining lights to pervade them all.’ With these thoughts they become very happy. They also think, ‘I shall put an end to the doubts and confusions of all sentient beings, purify all sentient beings’ desires, open up all sentient beings’ minds, annihilate all sentient beings’ afflictions, close the doors of the states of misery for all sentient beings, open the doors of states of felicity for all sentient beings, break through the darkness of all sentient beings, give light to all sentient beings, cause all sentient beings to get free from the action of demons, and cause all sentient beings to reach the abode of peace.’ With these thoughts they become very happy. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘The buddhas are as rare and difficult to meet with as the udumbara flower, which one can hardly get to see once in countless ages. In the future, when I want to see a buddha, I will immediately be able to do so; the buddhas will never abandon me, but will always be with me, allow me to see them, and constantly expound the Teaching to me. After I have heard the Teaching, my mind will be purified, free from deviousness, straightforward, and free from falsehood, and I will always see the buddhas in each moment of thought.’ With these thoughts they become very happy. They also think, ‘In the future I shall attain buddhahood, and by the spiritual power of the enlightened will show the attainment of enlightenment individually to all sentient beings in all worlds, pure and fearless, roaring the great lion’s roar, pervading the cosmos with my original universal undertaking, beating the drum of truth, showering the rain of truth, performing the giving of true teaching, perpetually expounding the truth, with physical, verbal, and mental action, sustained by great compassion, untiring.’ With these thoughts they become very happy. Based on these
ten kinds of great joy and solace, enlightening beings can attain the unexcelled great joy and solace of the knowledge and wisdom of true enlightenment.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of profound penetration of the buddhas’ teachings: they penetrate all worlds of the past; they penetrate all worlds of the future; they penetrate the numbers, patterns, explanations, and purities of worlds of the present; they penetrate the variety of all worlds; they penetrate the various actions and consequences of all sentient beings; they penetrate the various practices of all enlightening beings; they know the order of appearance of all buddhas of the past; they know the order of appearance of all buddhas of the future; they know the lands and congregations of all buddhas present in the cosmos, their teaching and training; they know principles of the world, principles of Buddhist disciples, principles of individual illuminates, principles of enlightening beings, and principles of buddhas, but though they know all these principles, they have no discrimination, and yet expound various principles. They thoroughly penetrate the realm of reality because there is nothing to penetrate. According to these principles they penetrate the most profound essence of the great knowledge and wisdom of unexcelled, complete perfect enlightenment.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of basis on which they carry out their practices: they carry out the practices of enlightening beings based on honoring all buddhas, taming all sentient beings, associating with all good companions, accumulating all roots of goodness, purifying all buddha-lands, entering deeply into all transcendent ways, fulfilling all vows of enlightening beings, and on infinite will for enlightenment and the enlightenment of all buddhas. Based on these, enlightening beings carry out their practices.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of development of fearlessness: they develop fearlessness annihilating all obstructing actions, preserving the true teaching after the extinction of buddhas, conquering all demons, not begrudging their bodies and lives, smashing all the false arguments of heretics, gladdening all sentient beings, causing all congregations to rejoice, taming all spirits, goblins, titans, sprites, and serpents, leaving the states of the two lesser vehicles of individual salvation and entering the most profound teaching, and carrying out enlightening practices tirelessly for untold eons. Based on these enlightening beings can attain the supreme fearlessness of great knowledge of buddhas.
“Great enlightening beings have ten ways of developing a mind free from doubt. They make this determination: ‘I shall take care of all sentient beings by giving; I shall take care of all sentient beings by ethical conduct, tolerance, vigor, meditation, wisdom, benevolence, compassion, joy, and equanimity.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is their first way of developing a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘When the future buddhas appear in the world, I shall serve and honor them in all ways.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is their second development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I shall adorn all worlds with various marvelous webs of light.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the third development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I shall cultivate the practices of enlightening beings throughout all future ages and fully develop countless sentient beings throughout the entire cosmos by means of the supreme methods of teaching and taming.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the fourth development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I shall cultivate the practices of enlightening beings, fulfill the great vows, acquire omniscience, and abide therein.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the fifth development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I shall carry out the practices of enlightening beings for the sake of all beings in the world, become a pure light of all truths, and illumine all the teachings of buddhas.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the sixth development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I should know all things are Buddha teachings and explain them to sentient beings according to their mentalities to enlighten them all.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the seventh development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I shall attain the way to nonobstruction in the midst of all things, by knowing that all obstructions are ungraspable.’ Thus their minds are free from doubt and they abide in the essence of truth, finally to attain supreme complete perfect enlightenment. When they make this determination they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the eighth development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I should know that all things are transmundane things, get rid of all false notions and delusions, and adorn myself with the adornment of unity, there being nothing to adorn.’ Here they understand by themselves and not through another. When they make this determination they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the ninth development of a mind free from doubt. Great enlightening beings also think, ‘I should realize supreme enlightenment in regard to all things, by getting rid of all false notions and delusions, by attaining instantaneous knowledge, because unity and difference cannot be grasped, by transcending all categories, by ultimate nonfabrication of false descriptions, by detachment from all words, and by dwelling in the realm of ineffability.’ When they make this determination, they are definitely free from doubt—no doubt can arise in their minds. This is the tenth development of a mind free from doubt. Based on these, enlightening beings can be free from all doubt and confusion regarding all Buddha teachings.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of inconceivability. All their roots of goodness are inconceivable. All their vows are inconceivable. Their knowledge that all things are like illusions is inconceivable. Their arousal of aspiration for enlightenment and cultivation of enlightening practice without losing roots of goodness and without arbitrary notions is inconceivable. Their not grasping extinction and liberation in spite of having profoundly penetrated all things, because all their vows are not fulfilled, is inconceivable. They cultivate the path of enlightening beings and manifest the appearances of incarnation, birth, leaving home, austere practices, going to the site of enlightenment, conquering demons, achieving supreme enlightenment, teaching, and passing away, their spiritual transformations free, unceasing, not abandoning their vow of compassion, saving and protecting sentient beings—all of this is inconceivable. Though they are able to manifest the ten powers of buddhas and their freedom of mystical projection, yet they do not give up the mind equal to the cosmos, and teach sentient beings—this is inconceivable. They know that in all things signlessness is their sign, their signs are signless, nondiscrimination is discrimination, discrimination is nondiscrimination, nonexistence is existence, existence is nonexistence, inaction is action, action is inaction, nonexplanation is explanation, explanation is nonexplanation—this is inconceivable. They know mind is equal to enlightenment, they know enlightenment is equal to mind, they know mind and enlightenment are equal to sentient beings, yet they do not give rise to confusion of mind, confusion of thoughts, or confusion of views—this is inconceivable. From moment to moment they enter absorption in extinction and exhaust all contamination, yet they do not experience ultimate reality and do not end roots of goodness with contamination: though they know all things are free from contamination, yet they know the end and extinction of contaminations; though they know the principles of buddhas are identical to the things of the world and the things of the world are identical
to the principles of buddhas, yet they do not form notions of worldly things within the principles of buddhas, and do not form notions of principles of buddhas in the things of the world—all things enter the realm of reality because there is nothing entered; they know all things are nondual because there is no change: this is the tenth inconceivable. These are the ten inconceivabilities of enlightening beings; if enlightening beings abide in them, they will attain the supreme inconceivable qualities of all buddhas.
“Great enlightening beings have ten kinds of skillful esoteric sayings: the skillful esoteric sayings in all the discourses of buddhas; skillful esoteric sayings about all places of birth; skillful esoteric sayings about all enlightening beings’ spiritual manifestations and attainment of enlightenment; skillful esoteric sayings about the consequences of actions of all sentient beings; skillful esoteric sayings about the defilement and purity produced by all sentient beings; skillful esoteric sayings about how to be ultimately unobstructed in the midst of all things; skillful esoteric sayings about how in every place in space are worlds, some becoming, some decaying, without any gaps in between; skillful esoteric sayings about how everywhere in all places in all universes, in all phenomena, even in microscopic points, there are buddhas manifesting birth, attainment of buddhahood, and entry into final nirvana, filling the cosmos, each distinctly seen; skillful esoteric sayings about seeing all sentient beings as equally nirvanic, being unchanging, yet not giving up great aspirations, causing them to be fulfilled by the vow for omniscience; skillful esoteric sayings about not abandoning teachers in spite of knowing that truths are not realized through the agency of another, honoring the enlightened even more, becoming one with spiritual friends in cultivating, dedicating, and living by virtues, with the same actions, the same essence, the same emancipation, the same fulfillment. Based on these, enlightening beings can master the unexcelled skillful esoteric speech of the buddhas.
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