Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes 鈥渢he ten powers (bala) of the bodhisattva鈥� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. 鈥渢he treatise on the great virtue of wisdom鈥�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
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II. The ten powers (bala) of the Bodhisattva
Question. 鈥� The Buddha possesses ten powers (bala) and four fearlessnesses (惫补颈艣腻谤补诲测补). Does the bodhisattva possess them?
Answer. 鈥� He does possess them. What are they?
1) He makes the resolution [to reach] omniscience (蝉补谤惫补箩帽补迟腻): this is the power of high resolve (诲峁涐笉丑腻诲丑测腻艣补测补-产补濒补).
2) Because he is endowed with great loving-kindness (尘补丑腻尘补颈迟谤墨蝉补尘补苍惫腻驳补迟补), he possesses the power of not abandoning beings (蝉补谤惫补蝉补迟迟惫腻辫补谤颈迟测腻驳补-产补濒补).
3) Because he does not seek any benefit by way of worship (辫奴箩腻) or veneration (蝉补迟办腻谤补), he possesses the power of great compassion (尘补丑腻办补谤耻峁嚹�-bala). [246a]
4) He believes in all the attributes of the Buddha and his mind never tires in order to reproduce them completely in himself; this is why he possesses the power of great exertion (尘补丑腻惫墨谤测补-bala).
5) He is mindful (蝉尘峁泃颈尘补迟) and he conducts himself intelligently[1] and does not transgress the attitudes (墨谤测腻辫补迟丑补); this is why he possesses the power of the concentrations (蝉补尘腻诲丑颈-产补濒补).
6) He avoids the pairs of extremes (antadvaya), he acts in conformity with the twelve-membered [辫谤补迟墨迟测补蝉补尘耻迟辫腻诲补], he destroys false views (尘颈迟丑测腻诲峁涐梗峁璱), he suppresses all thought (尘补苍补蝉颈办腻谤补), all discursiveness (vikalpa) and all idle proliferation (辫谤补辫补帽肠补); this is why he possesses the power of wisdom (辫谤补箩帽腻-产补濒补).
7) He ripens beings (sattv膩n parip膩cayati), he takes on innumerable births and deaths (aprama峁嚹乶i j膩timara峁嚹乶y 腻诲补诲腻迟颈), he relentlessly accumulates the roots of good (ku艣alam奴l膩ny 膩cinoti), he knows that the whole world is like a dream (svapnasama): this is why he possesses the power of being tireless in the voyage through transmigration (蝉补峁僺腻谤腻辫补谤颈办丑别诲补-产补濒补).
8) He sees the true nature (产丑奴迟补濒补办峁峁嘺) of dharmas; he knows that there is neither one鈥檚 self (腻迟尘补苍) nor beings (sattva); he is convinced (adhimucyate) that dharmas do not arise, are unborn: this is why he possesses the conviction that things are unborn (补苍耻迟辫补迟迟颈办补诲丑补谤尘补办峁Ｄ乶迟颈-产补濒补).
9) He has passed through the gates of liberation (惫颈尘辞办峁尘耻办丑补), namely, emptiness (艣奴苍测补迟腻), signlessness (腻苍颈尘颈迟迟补) and wishlessness (补辫谤补峁噄丑颈迟补); he knows and sees the liberation of the 艣谤腻惫补办补蝉 and pratyekabuddhas: this is why he possesses the power of deliverance (vimukti-bala).
10) He has mastery over the profound dharmas (驳补尘产丑墨谤补诲丑补谤尘补惫补艣颈迟补), he knows the wanderings of the mind and the behavior of beings (sattvavittacaritragati): this is why he possesses the power of the unhindered knowledges (辫谤补迟颈蝉补峁僾颈诲-bala).
These are the ten powers of the bodhisattva.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Adopting the variant houei hing.