16 Path Crux
Catalog of Path Crux：16.0 Preface；16.1 Bliss Heartland；16.2 Leave Filth Heartland；16.3 Glory Heartland；16.4 Flaming Gnosis Heartland；16.5 Onerous Heartland；16.6 Manifestation Heartland；16.7 Hike Heartland；16.8 Immovability Heartland；16.9 Benevolent Gnosis Heartland；16.10 Juristic Cloud Heartland.
Path Crux talks about the path to salvation. For a mortal to become a Buddha, he or she must go through three A Monk Index Catastrophes. Catastrophe means lame, and bumpy, ancients also considered it as Big Time.
The first “A Monk Index Catastrophe” is from beginningless time to when one understands the Four Victorious Cruxes, and arouses Bodhicitta, so aboard the first land of Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva is a Sanskrit word, meaning real human.
The second “A Monk Index Catastrophe” is from arousing Bodhi Heart, aboard the first land of bodhisattva to the seventh land. Migrators at this stage often think of themselves as a Pudgala. Pudgala is a Sanskrit word meaning a chunk of habits, translated in Chinese as Hobbyhorse (see Figs. 16.0-13, 36, 37, and 38), and used by Europeans as unicorn (see Fig. 35).
The third “A Monk Index Catastrophe” is when the Bodhisattva on the seventh land arouses “Philosopher-Stone Metaphor Stillness”, ousting dusts completely, ascends to the eighth land, and becomes a Mahasattva, up to the tenth land, so on to the exhaustion of time. The “Philosopher-Stone Metaphor Stillness”, also known as the “Philosopher-Stone Bridge”, “Philosopher-Stone Non-Intermittent Path”, “The Big Flood”; readers also can do this by reading the “Arrival Ark". Mahasattva is a Sanskrit word meaning great bodhisattva, great real human.
To put it simply, Path Crux means that the bodhisattva uses these ten lands as the basis for holding, practicing the ten Arks, breaking the ten hindrances, testifying the ten true suchness, and achieving Non-Upper Correct-Equality Correct-Perception, which in Sanskrit is Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi.
16.0.2 Bodhicitta Eulogy
The study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism require the development of bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is “Non-Upper Correct-Equality Correct-Perception”, Sanskrit as Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi. To develop bodhicitta is to make these four great vows: Sentient beings are edgeless, I vow: I ferry them all! Annoyances are endless, I vow I sever them all! Juristic doors are limitless, I vow I study them all! Buddha’s path is non-upper, I vow I endeavour to succeed! This article briefly explains Bodhicitta in terms of the Bodhicitta Eulogy.
(1) Such as the earth, which can grow all things, so is the bodhicitta, which can grow assimilating and holding all Buddha’s laws.
(2) Such as pure gold, the color of which does not deteriorate, so is bodhicitta, which benefits comforts and pleases all sentient beings without deterioration.
(3) Such as the new moon, which grows in brightness, so is bodhicitta, which grows in all benevolent laws in accordance with diligence.
(4) Such as the fire that increases in intensity; so is bodhicitta that intelligence burns all annoyances, the more cultivations the intelligence more victorious.
(5) Such as the great treasure, there is no exhaustion to what can be taken; so is bodhicitta, practicing Donation Ark, there is no end to helping sentient beings.
(6) Such as a treasure mine that produces all kinds of jewels; so is bodhicitta, practicing and holding immaculate Precept Ark (see fig. 16.0.2-6; cf. 16.2), giving birth to all kinds of fortune and virtues.
(7) Such as the great sea, can accommodate all things; Bodhicitta is also like that, to study and cultivate Countenance Ark, even encountering crowds of besiegement and adversities, all can be countenanced and tolerated, because mind does not move.
(8) Such as the Philosopher’s Stone, is indestructible; Bodhicitta is also like that, to study and cultivate Effort Ark (see fig. 16.0.2-8), brave and adamant because others can not damage.
(9) Such as the mountain king, nothing can move it; Bodhicitta is also like that, to study and cultivate Meditation Ark, in all winds of changing environments, because heart is not agitated.
(10) Such as the medicine king, which can cure all diseases, the bodhicitta is also like that, studying and practicing Gnosis Ark (see fig. 16.0.2-10; cf. 16.6), can cure Know and Annoyance, the two kinds of hindrances.
(11) Such as benevolent friend, which never abandons friends; bodhicitta is also like that, studying and cultivating four infinite hearts (i.e., mercifulness, sorrowfulness, delightfulness, and renunciation), because of never giving up on all sentient beings.
(12) Such as As-Wish Pearl, which can fulfill all desires; bodhicitta is also like that, practicing the four assimilative laws (see fig. 16.0.2-12; i.e., donation, lovable language, benefiting behavior, and comrade) to mature all sentient beings.
(13) Such as great sun, assimilating-correspondence arousing-bodhicitta is also like that, like blazing sun ripens all crops, all capable bodhicitta matures crowds of sentient beings.
(14) Such as beautiful music that attracts listeners; bodhicitta is also like that, corresponding to the Four Non-Hindrance Interpretations (cf. section 16.9), speaking laws to teach can attracts crowds of sentient beings.
(15) Such as a king who enacts the laws of the nation, bodhicitta is also like that, preaching Present Quantity (see section 11.4.5), can be the cause of all correct paths undamageable.
(16) Such as a storehouse, is a place of accumulation of wealth; so is the bodhicitta, which is capable of accumulating fortune and intelligence, the two kinds of capital and food, can aggregate and accumulate limitless juristic assets.
(17) Such as the king's road, the king is pioneer, others follow; so is the bodhicitta, practicing 37 Enlightenment Branch Laws (cf. 16.4), which is the path migrated by Great Sage Social Honor first, others follow.
(18) Such as a chariot ride, with two wheels, can go anywhere; so is the bodhicitta, corresponding to Still View (i.e., Samatha Vipassana in Sanskrit), can arrive at easefully laughable place.
(19) Such as a springing fountain, inexhaustible water can be fetched; so is the bodhicitta, corresponding to generally hold door, even though many people come to listen the laws, the juristic speaking has no end.
(20) Such as the delightful sounds, crowds of sentient beings love to hear; so is the bodhicitta, speaking of Buddha’s Juristic Seals (i.e., impermanence, no-I, nirvana), sentient beings pursuing liberations love to hear.
(21) Such as a river, the water flows naturally; so is the bodhicitta, corresponding to self-nature, no need to make attention, “Non-Birth Juristic Countenance Intelligence” (i.e., Buddha’s intelligence) flows out naturally.
(22) Such as a great auspicious cloud (see fig. 16.0.2-22) that can transform into many forms, rain to nurture all living things; the bodhicitta is also like that, revealing the “Eight Phenomena of Established Paths” (cf. 17.3 Countenance Ark), to convert and transcendently ferry crowds of sentient beings.
Posted Jul 2, 2024, 3:38 AM UTC · edited