Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Rājagṛha, on Vulture Peak Mountain, along with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks. At that time Venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings strive to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, how should they train in the perfection of concentration? Blessed One, how should they practice the perfection of concentration?”
EN
The Blessed One said to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood rest evenly in the first concentration, they should think to themselves, ‘Previously I have also rested in this concentration, and as I rested in this first concentration, I nevertheless took birth in saṃsāra, which is without beginning or end.’ Contemplating in this manner, they should refrain from resting in this equipoise and instead use it as a basis for awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Likewise, when resting evenly in the second, third, and fourth concentrations, those bodhisattvas should think, ‘In the past I likewise rested in this concentration and, although I did so, I nevertheless took birth in saṃsāra, which is without beginning or end. In the past I already developed these concentrations.’ As they consider this, they should avoid resting in these concentrations and instead utilize them for awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Based on the fourth concentration, they must then accomplish the five superknowledges.
EN
“Furthermore, bodhisattvas should think, ‘Just as the bodhisattvas of the past trained by resting evenly in the perfection of concentration, so I will also train now.’ When bodhisattvas wish in this way to practice the perfection of concentration, they must also accomplish the perfection of insight. Śāradvatīputra, using the fourth concentration as a basis, bodhisattva great beings should not rest within it in order to actualize the exhaustion of defilements, but rather regard it as their foundation for attaining unsurpassed and perfect awakening. When bodhisattvas rest in the fourth concentration, they should never savor the experience of concentration, the bliss of concentration, or the related results of concentration. Nevertheless, they should still use the concentration as a basis. With the fourth concentration as a basis, they should rest evenly in the attainment of the field of limitless space and accomplish that state. Gradually, they should then rest in and accomplish the attainments of the field of limitless consciousness, the field of nothing whatsoever, and the field of neither perception nor non-perception. However, even though they use these attainments of the formless realm as a basis, they should not savor these experiences.”
EN
Venerable Śāradvatīputra then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings perceive the significance of this, they will not rest evenly in the attainment of the state of cessation.”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, because bodhisattva great beings are afraid to fall into the levels of the hearers and the solitary buddhas, they should not rest in the blissful attainment of the cessation of perceptions and feelings. They should recognize that if they come to rest in the blissful attainment of the cessation of perceptions and feelings, they will actualize the result of a worthy one. Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattva great beings see these implications, they will avoid resting in the attainment of the cessation of perceptions and feelings.”
EN
Śāradvatīputra said, “Blessed One, it is amazing how bodhisattva great beings use these states of attainment as a foundation, yet do not savor the experience of attainment, nor have any attachment to these states.”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, that is correct. That is how it is. It is amazing how bodhisattvas use these states of attainment as a foundation without savoring the experience of attainment and without developing any attachment to these states. It is truly amazing. Śāradvatīputra, therefore, I shall give you an analogy in order to elaborate on and clarify this point. Śāradvatīputra, for this analogy, imagine if a person from this Jambu continent, who is not free of desire and craving, were to travel to the Unpleasant Sound continent to the north. Upon arrival there, he would witness all the available riches of the northern continent, such as the unclaimed women, the fabrics that emerge from the wish-fulfilling tree, the fruits that appear without being cultivated, the ornamented trees, along with all the other pleasures and enjoyments and all the unclaimed gold and gems. Śāradvatīputra, although he would see the full extent of the scenery of the Unpleasant Sound continent, since he had to return, he would feel no attachment or craving. Even though he had seen all the pleasures and enjoyments of those living in the Unpleasant Sound continent, he would nevertheless return here to the Jambu continent. Śāradvatīputra, likewise, even though bodhisattva great beings practice the four concentrations as well as the four attainments of the formless realm, they do not savor the experience of them. When bodhisattva great beings cultivate the four concentrations and the four attainments of the formless realm as foundations, they focus on the world of those who experience desire. In doing so, they will once again manifest a physical body in the realm of desire when their current body disintegrates. Śāradvatīputra, this is how bodhisattvas adopt and practice the six perfections.”
EN
Venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Honorable Blessed One, why do the bodhisattva great beings abandon such special abodes and such unique levels, only to take birth in the desire realm once again?”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings do not take birth among the long-lived gods. Why is that? Because they fear that it will delay their practice of the perfections and postpone their full awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”
EN
Śāradvatīputra said, “Blessed One, it must be very difficult for bodhisattvas to abandon such a sublime place and instead turn their attention to this awful place. Honorable Blessed One, as an analogy, when a person who is not free of desire and craving sees a fine woman, beautifully adorned with all sorts of jewelry, he will surely observe her and scan her entire appearance, but he would nevertheless not act lasciviously toward her. At another time, he might come across a repulsive female servant or laborer in a deserted area. Looking at her he will of course not find her very beautiful or attractive and yet he might act lasciviously toward her. Blessed One, I think this is a suitable analogy to illustrate how bodhisattva great beings abandon the blissful and joyful abodes of the four concentrations and the four attainments of the formless realm and once again turn their attention to the desire realm.”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings turn their attention from these abodes and focus on the desire realm instead, that, Śāradvatīputra, is the skillful means of the bodhisattvas. Why is that? Because this is how they avoid abandoning omniscience.”
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Rājagṛha, on Vulture Peak Mountain, along with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks. At that time Venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings strive to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, how should they train in the perfection of concentration? Blessed One, how should they practice the perfection of concentration?”
EN
The Blessed One said to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood rest evenly in the first concentration, they should think to themselves, ‘Previously I have also rested in this concentration, and as I rested in this first concentration, I nevertheless took birth in saṃsāra, which is without beginning or end.’ Contemplating in this manner, they should refrain from resting in this equipoise and instead use it as a basis for awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Likewise, when resting evenly in the second, third, and fourth concentrations, those bodhisattvas should think, ‘In the past I likewise rested in this concentration and, although I did so, I nevertheless took birth in saṃsāra, which is without beginning or end. In the past I already developed these concentrations.’ As they consider this, they should avoid resting in these concentrations and instead utilize them for awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Based on the fourth concentration, they must then accomplish the five superknowledges.
EN
“Furthermore, bodhisattvas should think, ‘Just as the bodhisattvas of the past trained by resting evenly in the perfection of concentration, so I will also train now.’ When bodhisattvas wish in this way to practice the perfection of concentration, they must also accomplish the perfection of insight. Śāradvatīputra, using the fourth concentration as a basis, bodhisattva great beings should not rest within it in order to actualize the exhaustion of defilements, but rather regard it as their foundation for attaining unsurpassed and perfect awakening. When bodhisattvas rest in the fourth concentration, they should never savor the experience of concentration, the bliss of concentration, or the related results of concentration. Nevertheless, they should still use the concentration as a basis. With the fourth concentration as a basis, they should rest evenly in the attainment of the field of limitless space and accomplish that state. Gradually, they should then rest in and accomplish the attainments of the field of limitless consciousness, the field of nothing whatsoever, and the field of neither perception nor non-perception. However, even though they use these attainments of the formless realm as a basis, they should not savor these experiences.”
EN
Venerable Śāradvatīputra then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings perceive the significance of this, they will not rest evenly in the attainment of the state of cessation.”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, because bodhisattva great beings are afraid to fall into the levels of the hearers and the solitary buddhas, they should not rest in the blissful attainment of the cessation of perceptions and feelings. They should recognize that if they come to rest in the blissful attainment of the cessation of perceptions and feelings, they will actualize the result of a worthy one. Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattva great beings see these implications, they will avoid resting in the attainment of the cessation of perceptions and feelings.”
EN
Śāradvatīputra said, “Blessed One, it is amazing how bodhisattva great beings use these states of attainment as a foundation, yet do not savor the experience of attainment, nor have any attachment to these states.”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, that is correct. That is how it is. It is amazing how bodhisattvas use these states of attainment as a foundation without savoring the experience of attainment and without developing any attachment to these states. It is truly amazing. Śāradvatīputra, therefore, I shall give you an analogy in order to elaborate on and clarify this point. Śāradvatīputra, for this analogy, imagine if a person from this Jambu continent, who is not free of desire and craving, were to travel to the Unpleasant Sound continent to the north. Upon arrival there, he would witness all the available riches of the northern continent, such as the unclaimed women, the fabrics that emerge from the wish-fulfilling tree, the fruits that appear without being cultivated, the ornamented trees, along with all the other pleasures and enjoyments and all the unclaimed gold and gems. Śāradvatīputra, although he would see the full extent of the scenery of the Unpleasant Sound continent, since he had to return, he would feel no attachment or craving. Even though he had seen all the pleasures and enjoyments of those living in the Unpleasant Sound continent, he would nevertheless return here to the Jambu continent. Śāradvatīputra, likewise, even though bodhisattva great beings practice the four concentrations as well as the four attainments of the formless realm, they do not savor the experience of them. When bodhisattva great beings cultivate the four concentrations and the four attainments of the formless realm as foundations, they focus on the world of those who experience desire. In doing so, they will once again manifest a physical body in the realm of desire when their current body disintegrates. Śāradvatīputra, this is how bodhisattvas adopt and practice the six perfections.”
EN
Venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Honorable Blessed One, why do the bodhisattva great beings abandon such special abodes and such unique levels, only to take birth in the desire realm once again?”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings do not take birth among the long-lived gods. Why is that? Because they fear that it will delay their practice of the perfections and postpone their full awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”
EN
Śāradvatīputra said, “Blessed One, it must be very difficult for bodhisattvas to abandon such a sublime place and instead turn their attention to this awful place. Honorable Blessed One, as an analogy, when a person who is not free of desire and craving sees a fine woman, beautifully adorned with all sorts of jewelry, he will surely observe her and scan her entire appearance, but he would nevertheless not act lasciviously toward her. At another time, he might come across a repulsive female servant or laborer in a deserted area. Looking at her he will of course not find her very beautiful or attractive and yet he might act lasciviously toward her. Blessed One, I think this is a suitable analogy to illustrate how bodhisattva great beings abandon the blissful and joyful abodes of the four concentrations and the four attainments of the formless realm and once again turn their attention to the desire realm.”
EN
The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings turn their attention from these abodes and focus on the desire realm instead, that, Śāradvatīputra, is the skillful means of the bodhisattvas. Why is that? Because this is how they avoid abandoning omniscience.”
Sutraya