Anya Langmead
The Buddha told Śāriputra. “A thousand worlds from here to the east, there is a Buddha-land named Wonderful Joy, where Tathāgata Great Eyes, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, once appeared to expound the subtle, wonderful Dharma to Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, beginning with the six pāramitās.
The Buddha is referencing to Śāriputra another Noble Tathāgata whose magnificent Buddha-land (Wonderful Joy) lies to the east. Tathāgata Great Eyes is about to expound the Buddhadharma to Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who are present in that particular Buddha-assembly. Notice how all-Buddhas, regardless of their particular origins, main task is to expound the Buddhadharma.
“Śāriputra at that time, a monk rose from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said, ‘World-Honored One, I am determined to follow the way of the Bodhisattva as taught by the Buddha.”
This reveals that Akṣhobhya’s Dharma-career began as a lowly monk. A most auspicious sign given that most Buddhas-to-be have their origins in mortal form. It states here that his spirit is now resilient in taking-on the course of Bodhisattvahood.
“That Buddha said, ‘Now, good man, you should know that the way of the Bodhisattva is very difficult to follow. Why? Because a Bodhisattva bears no malice against sentient beings.’
“Thereupon, the monk said to the Buddha, ‘World-Honored One, I now engender supreme bodhicitta. I will seek all-knowing wisdom by doing away with crookedness and deceit, and by invariably speaking the truth. If I bear malice against sentient beings from now until my attainment of supreme enlightenment, I will be disobeying all the Buddhas, Tathāgatas, who are now expounding the Dharma in numberless, countless, boundless worlds.
“‘World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursue all-knowing wisdom and dedicate myself to this. If, during this pursuit, I feel any inclination to be a Sravaka or Pratyckabuddha, I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
“‘World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursue all-knowing wisdom and am dedicated to this. If I generate any desire, hatred, or ignorance toward sentient beings, or am prone to stupor, arrogance, or misdeeds from now until my attainment of supreme enlightenment, I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
“‘World-Honored One, now I have resolved to pursue all-knowing wisdom and am firmly dedicated to this goal. If I generate any doubt, any intention to kill or steal, any wrong view or impure deed; or if I am prone to lying, duplicity, or harsh language; or if I hurt others in other ways from now until my attainment of supreme enlightenment, I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
Tathāgata Great Eyes expounds upon the realization that Bodhisattvas, as part of their constitution, never bear any malice—regardless of the circumstances—towards any sentient being. The monk (pre-Akṣhobhya) responds that he is “now engendering supreme bodhicitta”; this is another auspicious sign that he is no ordinary monk dreaming about becoming a Bodhisattva. To be empowered with the ability to engender “supreme bodhicitta”—which is in nature, Mahābodhicitta—one is now in perfect tune with the Enlightened Mindstream of all Tathāgatas. As such, one now supra-perceives sentient beings AS the Tathāgatas do—without any human imperfections like malice towards another. The monk is also stating that he is seeking “all-knowing wisdom”, which is constitutive of the prajñāpāramitā; accompanied with this is his resolve to unequivocally follow the precepts without fail.
“ Śāriputra, at that time, certain other monks thought, ‘After he has first brought forth bodhicitta, this Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva will wear the armor of vigor, and will never be moved by hatred or the like toward any sentient being.‘ [emphasis mine]
Śāriputra, then, because of their thought, the Bodhisattva was called Akṣhobhya of the Land of Wonderful Joy. When Tathāgata Great Eyes, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, saw that this Bodhisattva had obtained the name ‘Akṣhobhya,’ he rejoiced over the name and acclaimed it as excellent. The four deva kings, Śakra, and Brahmā, upon hearing his name, also rejoiced over it. [emphasis mine]
As stated earlier, ‘wearing the armor of vigor’ is spiritual-refinement of bodhicitta, which the monk (pre-Akṣhobhya) has clearly won. What we find here is another astounding *Auspicious-Sign* that the monk is so named *Akṣhobhya*, not as the result of some kind of divine blessing from the Tathāgata Great Eyes, but rather as a form of sublime-initiation that the rest of the monks themselves confer [because of their Bodhi-thoughts—meaning they were undividedly awakened to his supreme potential] upon him, since he has indeed won ‘the armor of vigor’ through his “immovable resolve” to procure Mahābodhicitta. Yea, as such, the Great Immovable One, Akṣhobhya, was so named.