V. Establishing what is Beneficial in oneself and others
[Expounded by Bodhisattva Aksayamati unless otherwise stated]
IMPERISHABLE COURAGE
The Bodhisattva, with resolute determination, enters the system of [threefold thousand great thousand worlds], even when they are filled with combustible hazards. For what purpose? [yadartham):] in the bold resolve to see the Tathagata, such is the bodhisattva’s imperishable courage.
combustible hazards: natural or entering into the emotional upheavals of sentient beings.
The Bodhisattva’s courage is to hear and proclaim the Buddhadharma.
*Especially in heated situations that are undesirable to perform such a noble activity.
In so doing, his efforts help to establish a mature-spirit in the minds of sentient beings. His courage instills the gift of an effortless-effort for the sake of the Holy Gnosis that gives birth to a spirit of omniscience.
The Bodhisattva’s courage is renowned for entering into and remaining in extreme saha-realms for the sole benefit of awakening others. In so doing, he instills peace of mind and self-discipline for the sake of the afflicted. His courageous fortitude is empowered by the Compassion of the Tathagatas, hence all intentions never backslide into attitudes of the unwholesome.
This is a salient realization to bear in mind. When one refers to the compassion of a Bodhisattva, it is all inherent with a capital C [passion], since what is being conferred for the sake of others is not one’s own but the very Compassion of the Tathagatas themselves. This is how a Bodhisattva remains in samsaric-realms until every last sentient being is liberated. Not his [body] consciousness, but the Amala-consciousness of the Shining Ones remains for all time. Hence, a Bodhisattva’s [body] does not reincarnate, but rather his supernal-Compassion in functional-garb housing the Omnipresent Salvific-Spirit.
This, then, is the Bodhisattvas Imperishable Courage.
IMPERISHABLE MEDITATION
The Bodhisattvas’ imperishability of the perfection of meditation has sixteen forms, Noble Śāriputra, but it is not found among disciples [sravakas] and isolated [pratyekabuddha] buddhas. What are the sixteen?
The meditation of a Bodhisattva is never attached to anything unwholesome.
The Bodhisattva’s meditation is the amalgamation of the Tathagatas own transcendent meditation.
The meditation of a Bodhisattva never has as its object nothing perishable, like pleasurable taste.
The Bodhisattva’s meditation is never about self-absorption.
The meditation of a Bodhisattva has a special affinity with Compassion, since its object in this instance is other-directed for the sake of the worldling’s emancipation from all vices.
The Bodhisattva’s meditation is always an altruistic one.
The meditation of a Bodhisattva is returning from concentrative equipoise since it transcends all desire-realms of the higher stages.
No point is higher than the already enjoinment stage within the Sugatagarbha.
[pure by power of supernormal knowledge and great magic (abhijhavikurva-navasitavisuddha):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva has observed the completion-stage, thus being instilled with supernal Buddha-gnosis that clearly discerns the types of mental behaviors of all sentient beings.
A Bodhisattva now discerns the entire spectrum of knowledge events through the Wisdom-eye of the Tathagatas.
[the pure excellence of power to attain power of thought (cittavasitapraptivasita-visuddhavisesa):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva is in essence the portal of Right-Thought itself, since it has the gnosis that is prior to all thought patterns.
Being in the generative power of the pure knowledge stream of the Tathagatas.
[the excellence of power of how to enter, stay in and emerge from (pravesasthitivyutthanavisesa):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva is the Knowledge-King over [all meditations, liberations, and concentrations; attaining the states of meditation and emerging from them, since it conquers both the world of forms and the world without forms.]
It supersedes both form and formless realms since it operates from the knowledge-bed of the Dharma-King over all dhyana-realms.
[the excellence of power distinguished in being supramundane (lokottaravisistavasitavisesa):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva is absolutely peaceful, since it transcends all the states of meditation of the disciples [sravakas] and the isolated [pratyekabuddha] buddhas.
IT IS Peace Itself with no-thing arising or descending.
[the excellence of power not to lose meditation (acyutivasitavisesa) though getting out of meditation:] The meditation of a Bodhisattva is undisturbed [since its certitude is infinite.]
It is both beyond normal circles of meditation while at the same time having the infinite power to drop any form of them. *Please take careful note: This is an indication that the [forms] of meditation the Extraterrestrial Bodhisattva Aksayamati engages in are far beyond the ken of mortal experience.*
[the excellence of power of no (hindrances concerning) objects to be known and vices (jneyanisklesavasitavisesa):) The meditation of a Bodhisattva contravenes any poorly executed practice since it [obliterates all habits of vice which are connections to new births.]
It smashes to pieces all meditative practices that are initiated by the evil one. This includes all ill-conceived habits of the lazy and clouded mind.
[the pure excellence of views grasping neither for a living being nor for moments of existence (sattvadharmagrahapagatadrstivisuddhavisesa):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva is penetration into [supernal] insight since it transcends all worlds.
Such a form empowers the Bodhisattva to penetrate through the veil of all energy-signatures of any sentient being.
The meditation of a Bodhisattva is [preceded by intentions regarding all living beings since it is saving all living beings]
Jens Braarvig says, “Saved from the suffering of lower existence and existence generally.”
[the pure excellence of power not to interrupt the tradition of the three jewels] The meditation of a Bodhisattva never negates the unbroken tradition of the Three Jewels.
This is because of the imperishability of the Tathaghata’s own meditation. Once again reinforcing that the meditations of the Bodhisattvas-Mahāsattvas are one-in-spirit with the Tathagatas.
[the pure excellence of not losing it (acyutivisuddhavisesa):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva never perishes due to its centered-concentration in the Unborn Mind.
Jens Braarvig says, “This is true in every situation, whether going, sitting, etc.”
[the state of excellence of knowledge (Jhana- visesasthiti):] The meditation of a Bodhisattva is always perpetual self-mastery since it reflects the qualities of a Buddha.
Once again, it is always in league with the omniscient qualities of the Tathagata.
The meditation of a Bodhisattva is all pervading in the ten-directions because of its perfected Buddha-gnosis.
When a Bodhisattvas’ Buddha-gnosis is self-perfected it reflects the completion-stage of being in union with the Three-Jewels.
This then, Noble Śāriputra, is the Bodhisattvas’ perfection of meditation in sixteen forms, which does not belong to the disciples [sravakas] and isolated [pratyekabuddha] buddhas.