The special features of their good qualities are as follows: if the accumulated merit through which one becomes a universal monarch ruling the four continents is great, there is no need to mention that the merit required for all beings on earth to so would be greater The merit of a Bodhisattva who has generated the first ultimate altruistic intention far exceeds the merit that would make all beings on earth become universal monarchs It is like the following analogy: A king issued an edict which made it easy to know what was permitted and not permitted This brought the king wealth [and his subjects security Similarly the altruistic intention of Bodhisattvas on the first ground acts as a cause for everything up to the attainment of Buddhahood by sentient beings and thus allows what is of great importance to transmigrators to occur.19] Some, failing to differentiate between the attributes of conventional and ultimate Bodhisattvas, claim that if they are common beings, they cannot be fully qualified Bodhisattvas Since this is a grave ill deed, it should be thrown out like a gob of spittle Question: How much merit is there in inspiring others to develop the altruistic intention of the Great Vehicle? Answer: It is said that the merit of one who builds a reliquary for the Buddha's relics, as vast as the three thousand great thousand world systems20 and as high as the world "Beneath None,"21 made of the seven precious substances such as gold and lapis lazuli22 and adorned with every kind of ornament is surpassed, because it is more excellent, by the merit of one who trains others to develop the altruistic intention It is like the following analogy: A man died and one of his friends cremated his body, while the other looked after all his children Just as this was best, the merit of causing others to generate the intention to attain supreme enlightenment, so that the Buddha's lineage may not be broken, is superior to cremating the body of a Buddha Question: How Bodhisattvas act to benefit sentient beings? Answer: They act according to those beings' dispositions A spiritual guide who wishes to help must be physically and verbally attentive to students in keeping with their dispositions They are called students because they not know what actions are of benefit and need someone else's advice [An elephant is made submissive by first giving it sweets and sugar cane The training hooks are used on it later.23] It is like the following analogy: Through miraculous feats the Teacher gradually took care of Uruvilva-Kasyapa.24 Even if students are recalcitrant, one must endeavor to overcome their disturbing emotions Though a possessed patient rages at him, a physician will not be upset with this sick person of whom a demon has taken hold Similarly, Subduers see that because they make sentient beings unruly, the disturbing emotions in a trainee's mindstream are at fault and not the person who has them Those who wish to take care of trainees must learn to act like this It is like the analogy of a lion who attacks the one who throws the weapon, not the weapon that is thrown A spiritual guide teaching students should discuss whatever practice, such as giving, appeals to a particular trainee Having first taught this properly, an assessment should be made One should only discuss the profound later, after initial and subsequent instruction has been given Those whose minds are disinclined because of being deterred by discussion of the profound at the outset will not be receptive vessels for the ultimate teaching The miserly dislike talk of generosity [The angry not like to hear about patience, nor those with loose morality about ethical conduct.25] Therefore those who desire resources should be told to give [Those who want high status will like to hear about ethics and those who desire a good appearance will enjoy hearing about patience.26] It is like the following analogy: The Bodhisattva Kesava gradually guided a merchant's daughter according to her disposition A merchant's daughter, crazed by attachment, carried her husband's corpse on her shoulders To relieve her suffering, the Bodhisattva Kesava, who was a doctor, carried a woman's corpse on his shoulders for six months.27 A Bodhisattva is particularly compassionate to one who, despite having been stopped from doing wrong a hundred times, again and again engages in improper actions A mother, for instance, feels especially anxious about a sick child Similarly, Bodhisattvas are especially compassionate toward the unwise It is like the following analogy: A Candala woman greatly feared that the king would put her sixth son to death because of his wrong deeds A Candala woman, five of whose sons were Exalted ones, was not anxious when the king threatened to put them to death if they did wrong, for she had no fear of them doing so However she was worried when he threatened the sixth son, because he was an ordinary person and she feared he might wrong.28 Since people's dispositions, interests and capacities differ, when Bodhisattvas act for their good, they teach some what is of benefit after first becoming their students They act as spiritual guides to those who feel inferior and teach them by pointing out their special attributes Through all kinds of skillful means and knowledge in training, they make sentient beings who not understand the suchness of phenomena understand it It is like the following analogy: A good physician will prescribe different diets to his patients, such as rich food or bland food A Bodhisattva with a well-developed capacity for maturing sentient beings is like an experienced physician who only rarely finds a disease incurable and beyond treatment Similarly, one should understand that when Bodhisattvas who are able to discern superior and inferior aptitudes and are skilled in the four ways of gathering stu- dents29 have found their strength, those they cannot train are extremely few It is like the following analogy: While all the other physicians did not realize it, the Master Nagarjuna recognized that desire for a woman had caused the mental illness of a king's son and was able to pacify it If a Bodhisattva possessing the special ability to train sentient beings encourages trainees within his or her sphere of influence, they will not go to bad transmigrations If some, lacking encouragement, go to bad rebirths, the promise to help all sentient beings will have been impaired Therefore that Bodhisattva will be criticized by others with intelligence Thus one should encourage people by teaching them appropriate practices It is like the following analogy: A leader who does not assist those in his care will be criticized If out of jealousy a Bodhisattva who is a beginner is unwilling to admit that it is good to act compassionately toward other sentient beings who are oppressed by suffering and its causes, how could that Bodhisattva later, out of compassion, give protectorless beings his or her body, possessions and root-virtues? It is like stealing a blind man's things or killing for a pair of boots Thus one should endeavor to increase the strength of one's compassion Question: What are the faults of hating a Bodhisattva who is governed by compassion? Answer: It is a great loss for those who, through indifference, not appreciate and render service to one who is motivated by the wish for all sentient beings without exception to attain the final state of nirvana in which the aggregates not remain,30 and who, to help transmigrators, has the power to stay in worldly existence while it lasts for others' benefit This being so, what doubt can there be that hostility toward one like that is an ill deed? The Miraculous Feat of Ascertaining Thorough Pacification Sutra3l and the Seal of Engagement in Augmenting the Strength of Faith Sutra32 say that one will definitely experience the misfortune of suffering in bad rebirths more than a hundred times It is like the following analogy: Someone begged some men in charge of many elephants to look after his cattle and sheep Later when he asked the men if they were well, they replied, "How can we be well? The rain caused a flood which carried all the elephants away." Hearing this he knew about the other animals and did not inquire further It is also like the analogies of sweets fried in oil and the walking stick A man left a walking stick in a bag at a friend's house When he went there later and asked about his health, his friend replied, "How could I be well? The rats have been causing so much damage, they even ate the walking stick you left here." The man went away without asking about the bag.33 Seeing some old men eating the flowers of the spider wisp plant,3" another person said: It is proper to rid oneself of animosity toward Bodhisattvas and develop strong appreciation for them, since they what is most difficult ... four ways of gathering stu- dents29 have found their strength, those they cannot train are extremely few It is like the following analogy: While all the other physicians did not realize it, the. .. well? The rats have been causing so much damage, they even ate the walking stick you left here." The man went away without asking about the bag.33 Seeing some old men eating the flowers of the. .. take care of trainees must learn to act like this It is like the analogy of a lion who attacks the one who throws the weapon, not the weapon that is thrown A spiritual guide teaching students should