Translations: A W o rd C o m m entary 429 In te n tio n , beneficial things, A n equal m in d to w a rd sen tien t beings, [1.48] G iving away, serving friends, Searching f o r th e genu ine d h a rm a as focal object, A c o n sta n t m in d set o f leaving, Longing fo r th e b u d d h a k y a, [1.49] Teaching th e d h a rm a , a n d tru e speech, W h ic h is a sserted to be th e te n th T h ro u g h n o t observing an y n a tu re , These are to be u n d e rsto o d as purifications [1.50] A given bhüm i is purified by way o f m aking a n already attained [bhümi] special, pro d u cin g the elem ents that are the qualities o f said b hüm i, and elim inating the elem ents th a t are its flaws Therefore, at the tim e o f purifying [through] this first tenfold purification, th e first b h ü m i is attained You m ay w onder, “W hat are these ten?” They are (1) the in te n tio n th at is n o t m ixed with the states o f m ind o f sràvakas an d pratyekabuddhas who prioritize their ow n welfare, (2) seizing the th in g s th at are beneficial fo r oneself and o th ers—the m ahàyàna dh a rm a as the cause o f the knowledge of all aspects, (3) a n equal m in d to w a rd all sen tien t beings b y way of the four im m easurables, (4) giving away all m aterial things by v irtue of not conceiving o f the three spheres, (5) delighting the [spiritual] friend s w ho exhort one tow ard the knowledge o f all aspects, (6) searching f o r th e genuine d h a rm a contained in the three yànas as focal object and not falling into the levels o f sràvakas and pratyekabuddhas, {502} (7) taking ordination in the teachings o f the B uddha th ro u g h being endow ed w ith a c o n sta n t m in d se t o f leaving one’s hom e, (8) m entally engaging in th e b u d d h ak ày a th ro u g h constantly longin g fo r accom plishing it and delighting in it w hen seen, (9) teaching th e genuine d h a rm a that is virtuous in the beginning, the middle, and the end, a n d (10) speaking the t r u t h that does not deceive others, as one has promised T h ro u g h these ten, [bodhisattvas] realize that all said objects o f purification are n o t o b se rv able as an y real n a tu re whatsoever Therefore, they are to be u n d e rsto o d as the means of p u rificatio n 867 I pay hom age to the guru The purifications o f the second b hüm i are as follows Ethics, g ratitu d e, patience, U tte r joy, g reat com passion, 430 Groundless Paths Respectful service, listening to the g u ru w ith reverence, A nd the eighth, vigor fo r generosity a n d such [1.51] They consist of e ig h t—(1) the pure ethics o f controlling [flawed conduct], gathering [virtue], and prom oting the welfare [of others], which is free from the mental engagements o f sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, (2) g titu d e for what others have done to benefit one, (3) patience tow ard h arm done [to oneself] and relinquishing m en tal states of h a rm in g sentient beings, (4) not regretting, and u tte r joy about, establishing sentient beings in the three yanas, (5) the great c o m p assio n of not becom ing w eary of suffering fo r m any eons for the sake o f each single sentient being, (6) through breaking ones pride, paying respectful service and bow ing to those w ho are w orthy of service, (7) understanding spiritual friends as being on es teachers an d thus listening to w hat they teach w ith reverence, a n d (8) enthusiasm f o r practicing the six param itas for the welfare o f others.868 {503} T h e purifications o f th e third b hum i a re as follows In satiab le desire to study, Giving th e d h a rm a w ithout expecting any rew ard, Purification o f th e b u d d h a realm , N o t being weary o f sam sara, [1.52] A nd sham e a n d e m b a rra ssm e n t R epresent th e fivefold lack o f conceit [I.53ab] T hey consist o f (1) the insatiable desire to listen to and study the d h a rm a with the buddhas o f all ten directions, (2) teaching th e d h a rm a w ith o u t consider ing a n y rew ard in term s o f any gain and also not hoping for enlightenm ent as its result, (3) p u rifica tio n o f the b u d d h a rea lm —the roots o f virtue that purify said realm being dedicated as the causes of that realm, (4) n o t being w eary o f sam sara by virtue o f not being disheartened, even if [others] harm one in response to having benefited them , an d (5) by virtue o f sh am e (which is based on oneself) a n d e m b a rra ssm e n t (which is based on others), not giv ing rise to the m ental engagem ents o f sravakas and pratyekabuddhas These five lack any state of m ind that takes them as param o u n t and is conceited about them 869 The purifications o f the fourth [bhumi] are as follows Dwelling in forests, having little desire, being co n ten t, R esorting to strict abstinence, [I.53cd] Translations: A W o rd C om m entary 431 N ot a b a n d o n in g th e tra in in g , D espising sense pleasures, T u rn in g away, re n o u n c in g all there is, Being uncow ed, a n d d isre g a rd [1.54] They are te n — (1) dwelling in forests (th e outer solitude o f [remaining] an earshot away from tow ns a n d the inner solitude of being free fro m th e m ental engagem ents of inferior yânas), (2) h a v in g little desire [in the sense of] ones m ind not being unhappy even w hen one obtains [only] poor and few [daily necessities] and having little desire [in the sense of] not giving rise to desire for enlightenm ent, (3) being c o n te n t [in the sense of] not being unsatisfied even w hen one obtains excellent and m any [daily necessities] and being content [in the sense of] not being conceited even w hen one attains the knowledge o f all aspects, (4) strictly re so rtin g to the com m on twelve qualities o f a b sti nence and resorting to the uncom m on qualities o f abstinence [in the sense] o f not being afraid o f the actuality o f the pro fo u n d freedom from reference points, (5) n o t a b a n d o n in g th e vows o f one s own tr a in in g even at the cost of ones life and {504} not clinging to th em as having characteristics, (6) despis ing sense p leasures th ro u g h regarding them as shortcom ings, (7) establishing those to be guided in purified phen om ena (tu rn in g aw ay870 [from samsara]), (8) re n o u n c in g all th e re is through not clinging to the body and so on as having characteristics, (9) being u n co w ed w ith regard to practicing virtuous dharm as and no t clinging to it, a n d (10) disre g ard 871 in term s o f all entities having characteristics.872 The purifications o f the fifth [bhùmi] are as follows In tim a cy , jealousy in te rm s o f families, Places th a t in v ite crow ds, P raising oneself, disparaging others, T h e ten p a th s o f n o n v irtu o u s actions, [1.55] C onceit a n d arrog ance, m istakenness, Deficient states o f m in d , a n d to lerance f o r afflictions— If these te n are relinq uished, T he fifth b h ù m i is attained [1.56] They are te n —(1) refraining from in tim acy with, a n d closeness to, o rdained or lay persons for the sake o f h o n o r and gain, (2) lacking jealousy in te rm s o f the families o f sponsors due to th in k in g about w hat others have gained [from them ], (3) relinquishing places th a t invite outer crowds (m any people) and inner crow ds (the arising o f the m ental engagem ents o f sràvakas and 432 Groundless Paths pratyekabuddhas), (4) praising oneself through proclaim ing ones qualities, (5) disparaging oth ers through proclaim ing their flaws, (6) being aware that th e ten paths o f n o n v irtu o u s actions are flaws [by thinking,] “If they obscure even the higher realms, w hat need is there to speak about the path of the noble ones?,” (7) not missing to bow to others due to conceit a n d arrogance ab o u t one s studies, ethics, and so on, (8) [lacking] the m istakenness o f reversing the virtues to be adopted and the nonvirtues to be rejected, or lacking clinging to real entities, (9) relinquishing deficient states o f m in d such as w rong views, a n d (10) lacking any tolerance f o r afflictions due to allowing ones m ind to be wide open [for them ].873 {505} T h e purifications o f th e sixth [bhümi] are as follows T h ro u g h generosity, ethics, patience, vigor, Dhyána, and p jñ being perfected, T he m in d o f longing fo r the disciples a n d the rhinos A nd being afraid are relinquished, [1.57] O n e is uncow ed b y beggars, N o t sad even w hen one has given aw ay everything, A nd n o t rejecting beggars even w hen poor T h ro u g h these, th e sixth b h ü m i is attained [1.58] They are twelve (1) T h rough perfecting th e generosity o f giving away all o n e s material things for the welfare o f others, (7) the longing for the path o f the disciples (the srávakas) is relinquished (2) T hrough perfecting the ethics of relinquishing the m ental engagem ent in o nes own welfare, (8) the longing for being a rh in o (pratyekabuddha) is relinquished (3) T hrough per fecting the patience o f not being afraid o f emptiness, (9) the m in d o f being a fra id o f the lack o f nature is relinquished (4) T hrough perfecting the vigor of being enthusiastic about giving, (10) on e is uncow ed by beggars begging (5) T hrough perfecting the dhyán a o f being one-pointed with regard to the m ental state o f giving, (11) one is n o t sad even w h e n o ne has given away everything (6) T hrough perfecting the p jñ o f realizing the benefit of gen erosity, (12) one does n o t refuse beggars even w h e n oneself is p o o r.874 The purifications o f the seventh [bhümi] consist o f the tw o [sets of] re m edies and factors to be relinquished C ling ing to a self, se n tie n t being, Soul, person, ex tin ctio n , a n d perm anen ce; W ith regard to characteristics, causes, skandhas, D hátus, áyatanas, [1.59] Translations: A W o rd C om m entary 433 A n d the th re e realm s, dw elling on, Being a tta c h e d to, a n d one’s m in d being cow ed by them ; C linging to views ab o u t th e th re e jewels A n d ethics as b eing such, [1.60] D isp u tin g em ptiness, A n d op p o sin g it— T hose in w h o m these tw e n ty flaws are rem oved A ttain the seventh bhüm i [1.61] K now ing th e th ree d o o rs to liberation, Being p u re o f th e th ree spheres, C om passion , no conceit, Knowing the equality of phenom ena an d the single principle, [1.62] K now ing n o n a risin g a n d poised readiness, T he single flow o f d h a rm a s, O v erc o m in g conceptions, R elin q u ish in g d isc rim in a tio n s, views, a n d afflictions, [1.63] Fam iliarizing w ith c a lm abiding, Being skilled in su p e rio r insight, A ta m e d m in d , w isdom U n o b stru c te d in all respects, [1.64] N o t b eing a g r o u n d fo r a tta ch m en t, G oing all a t once to o th e r realm s as one pleases, A n d d isplaying one’s o w n being everyw here— These are th e tw enty [1.65] ( 1) T hrough k n ow ing th a t all p h en o m en a are em p ty o f a nature o f their own, the clinging to a self is relinquished (2) T h roug h not m entally engaging in any characteristics o f phenom ena, the clinging to se n tie n t beings, thinking, “This is a m an and [that] is a w om an,” is relinquished (3) T hro u g h lacking any wishes of craving for the three realms, the clinging to a soul that makes one abide in the three realms is relinquished (4) T h rou gh b eing p u re o f the th ree spheres, the clinging to a pe rso n as the one w ho adopts and rejects the path o f the ten virtuous actions {506} is relinquished (5) T h ro u g h the c o m passion o f wishing for suffering sentient beings to be free from suffering in all their lifetimes, the desire fo r the e x tin c tio n o f the co ntinu a o f sentient beings after they have died an d transited is relinquished (6) T h ro u g h having no ... there to speak about the path of the noble ones?,” (7 ) not missing to bow to others due to conceit a n d arrogance ab o u t one s studies, ethics, and so on, (8 ) [lacking] the m istakenness o. .. sense] o f not being afraid o f the actuality o f the pro fo u n d freedom from reference points, (5 ) n o t a b a n d o n in g th e vows o f one s own tr a in in g even at the cost of ones life... generosity o f giving away all o n e s material things for the welfare o f others, (7 ) the longing for the path o f the disciples (the srávakas) is relinquished (2 ) T hrough perfecting the ethics of