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The Second Bodhicitta Ground: The Stainless Ground
Having expounded the First Bodhicitta Ground, we now proceed to the Second. The verse states:
Because of perfect precepts and pure virtues, even in dreams one is free from the stain of transgression.
All grounds are essentially characterized by superior wisdom; here, however, the distinguishing features of the Second Bodhicitta Ground are revealed through its supporting qualities—namely, the Perfection of Moral Discipline (Śīla-pāramitā) and others. Śīla is so named because it is intolerant of afflictions, prevents suffering, extinguishes the burning fire of sorrow and remorse, thereby bringing coolness and peace—or because it constitutes the cause of well-being and is practiced by noble beings. Its defining characteristic is the “sevenfold abandonment” (i.e., abstention from the seven nonvirtuous physical and verbal actions), while non-greed, non-hatred, and right view constitute the three factors that give rise to these seven abandonments. Thus, śīla is defined both by what it abandons and by the mental factors that initiate such abandonment—namely, the Ten Wholesome Courses of Action. “Perfect precepts” signifies precepts brought to their utmost perfection. “Pure virtues” refers to purified, stainless merits. The term “pure” also applies directly to precepts themselves, indicating precepts perfected and purified. Because one’s own virtuous qualities are thus purified, one’s precepts become supremely excellent. Having cultivated such precept-virtues, the bodhisattva attains such purity that even in dreams he remains unstained by the defilement of transgression.
How, then, does this bodhisattva attain perfect precepts and purified virtues? It is precisely when the bodhisattva abides upon the second bodhisattva ground—the Stainless Ground—that this occurs. The verse states:
Body, speech, and mind—all are pure; all ten wholesome courses of action are fully gathered.
As described in the exposition of the bodhisattva’s second ground: “O sons of the Buddha! When a bodhisattva abides upon the Stainless Ground, by nature he completely refrains from killing any living being. He keeps no weapons or sharp instruments, harbors no resentment or ill will, possesses moral shame and moral dread, and is endowed with kindness and forbearance. Toward all sentient beings possessing life, he consistently cultivates beneficial, compassionate, and caring thoughts. He would not even entertain harmful intentions toward other beings, let alone deliberately commit acts of killing while holding them as objects of killing. By nature he refrains from stealing: the bodhisattva knows contentment regarding his own possessions and treats others with compassion and forbearance, never desiring to infringe upon or damage their property. If an object belongs to another, he regards it as belonging to someone else and never entertains even the slightest intention to steal—even a blade of grass is not taken without permission, how much less other necessities for sustaining life. By nature he refrains from sexual misconduct: the bodhisattva remains content with his own spouse and seeks no other’s spouse. Regarding another’s wife or concubine, a woman under another’s protection, a female relative, a woman betrothed through matchmakers, or a woman safeguarded by Dharma, he does not even generate lustful or impure thoughts, let alone engage in sexual activity, or indulge in unnatural acts. By nature he refrains from false speech: the bodhisattva consistently speaks truthfully, sincerely, and appropriately—even in dreams he cannot bear to speak words intended to conceal or obscure truth; he has no intention to do so, let alone deliberately violate this precept. By nature he refrains from divisive speech: the bodhisattva harbors no intent to create discord among sentient beings nor any wish to harm them. He does not convey one person’s words to another with the intention of causing division, nor relay another’s words to the first person for the same purpose. He neither causes harmony to break apart nor allows existing divisions to deepen; he takes no delight in separation nor finds pleasure in discord. Whether true or false, he neither engages in nor utters divisive speech. By nature he refrains from harsh speech: namely, speech that is poisonous, coarse, painful to others, inciting anger in others, spoken face-to-face or behind backs, vulgar, base, unpleasant to hear, displeasing to listeners, wrathful, scorching like fire, filled with grudges, feverish with agitation, unlovable, disagreeable, destructive to oneself or others—such speech he entirely abandons. Instead, he habitually employs soothing, gentle, pleasing, delightful, joyful, penetrating, elegant, refined, widely beloved, universally appreciated, and heart- and mind-uplifting speech. By nature he refrains from idle chatter: the bodhisattva delights in thoughtful, timely, truthful, meaningful, Dharmic, reason-congruent, skillfully transformative, and contextually appropriate speech. Even in jest, he constantly reflects carefully before speaking; how much more so would he avoid intentionally uttering scattered, frivolous words. By nature he refrains from covetousness: the bodhisattva feels no greed toward others’ wealth or resources, neither desires nor seeks them. By nature he refrains from hatred: the bodhisattva continually generates loving-kindness, benefit-mindedness, compassion, joy, gentleness, and caring concern toward all sentient beings. He permanently abandons hatred, resentment, harm, and agitation, constantly aspiring to act harmoniously, benevolently, protectively, and beneficially. Furthermore, he abandons wrong views: the bodhisattva abides on the correct path, does not practice divination, does not adopt improper precepts, maintains upright perception, is free from deceit and flattery, and holds unwavering faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.”
Through bodily conduct, the first three wholesome courses of action are perfectly fulfilled; through speech, the next four; and through mind, the final three—thus enabling full cultivation of the Ten Wholesome Courses of Action.
Do beginners on the bodhisattva path not cultivate these ten wholesome courses of action? Though they do cultivate them, the verse states:
These ten wholesome courses of action are most exalted and pure upon this ground.
Beginners on the bodhisattva path have not yet attained such excellence.
The verse states:
Like the autumn moon, ever pure and clean, serene and radiant, supremely adorned.
“Serene” means guarding the sense faculties; “radiant adornment” refers to the luminous manifestation of virtue.
Even though such pure precepts exist, the verse states:
If one clings to a notion of self while upholding pure precepts, then those precepts are not truly pure.
As stated in the Ratnakūṭa Sūtra: “Kāśyapa, suppose there is a bhikṣu who observes pure precepts, abiding in the Prātimokṣa discipline, whose rules of conduct and dignified comportment are all immaculate, who feels great fear even toward minor transgressions, diligently studies and masters all training precepts, whose bodily, verbal, and mental activities are perfectly pure, and whose livelihood is pure—but who nonetheless asserts theories of a permanent self. Kāśyapa, this is called the ‘First Type of Broken Precept Disguised as Pure Precept-Holding.’ Likewise, Kāśyapa, suppose there is a bhikṣu who fully practices the twelve dhūta (ascetic) practices, yet still clings to notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ Kāśyapa, this is called the ‘Fourth Type of Broken Precept Disguised as Pure Precept-Holding.’”
The verse states:
Therefore, he constantly abandons dualistic clinging within the three spheres.
That is, he abandons clinging to extremes—whether substantialist or nihilistic—within the three spheres: the subject (who performs the practice), the object (the specific antidote applied), and the agent (the one who accomplishes the abandonment).
Thus, we have explained the bodhisattva’s perfect and pure precepts. Next, we shall discuss the merit of pure precepts held by others, which surpasses that of generosity and other perfections and serves as the foundation for all virtuous qualities. The verse states:
Sentient beings who lose the “feet” of precepts experience the fruits of generosity in lower realms.
Those who practice generosity—if they uphold pure precepts—will reap the most complete and supreme wealth and status in human and celestial realms. Yet some fall into lower realms while enjoying abundant wealth and high status—for instance, solitary hells, animals such as dragons, elephants, horses, cattle, monkeys, and powerful ghosts—whose accumulation of such wealth and status results precisely from having practiced generosity while losing the “feet” of precepts.
Hence, the verse states:
When the root of life is utterly exhausted, no further wealth or resources can arise.
Just as someone seeing a few small seeds yielding abundant fruit may plant many more seeds to secure greater future harvests—thereby continuously increasing the yield—so too, if a foolish person, ignorant of sowing, consumes the seeds as food, then, with the root of life entirely exhausted, how could abundant fruit ever again be produced? Similarly, the most foolish persons, lacking pure precepts, enjoy wealth and status in inappropriate places (i.e., lower realms). Once their prior karmic fruits are exhausted and no new virtuous roots are planted, they thereafter find it exceedingly difficult to generate further conditions for wealth and resources.
Moreover, those who lack the “feet” of precepts not only rarely attain perfect wealth and status but even struggle to emerge again from lower realms. The verse states:
When one enjoys freedom and favorable conditions, yet fails to exercise self-restraint,
One falls into perilous places, driven helplessly by others—
Then, by what cause can one possibly escape thence?
When one enjoys unrestricted freedom in human or celestial realms, independent of others—like a courageous warrior dwelling in favorable circumstances, unbound by fetters—if one fails to restrain oneself at such a time, it is as if the warrior were bound and cast into a mountain ravine. After falling into lower realms, by what cause could one possibly emerge? One thus endlessly cycles within the lower realms. As stated in the sūtra: “Even if reborn later as a human, one will still undergo two types of retributive suffering.”
Since violation of precepts is the root of all miseries, the verse states:
Therefore, the Victorious One, after teaching generosity, immediately teaches precepts.
Thus, the Conqueror—who has triumphed over all afflictions—teaches precepts immediately after generosity, ensuring that merits such as generosity remain uncorrupted.
The verse states:
Precepts constitute the fertile field where merit grows; its fruits and benefits last eternally without exhaustion.
Because precepts serve as the basis for all virtuous qualities, they are likened to fertile soil. If merits such as generosity are cultivated in this field, cause and effect mutually reinforce each other, growing endlessly without interruption, culminating in vast fruits enjoyed over long durations.
Hence, the verse states:
Both ordinary beings and those born from the Buddha’s word,
Self-realized Buddhas and bodhisattvas—
Whether attaining higher rebirth or definitive liberation,
Their causes lie exclusively in precepts, with no other alternative.
As stated in the sūtra: “The ten unwholesome courses of action lead to rebirth in hell (upper level), animal realm (middle level), or hungry ghost realm (lower level). Among these, killing causes rebirth in hell, animal, or hungry ghost realms; if reborn as a human, one suffers two consequences: short life and frequent illness. Stealing likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one suffers poverty and inability to control shared resources. Sexual misconduct similarly leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one suffers an unfaithful spouse and inability to choose one’s companions freely. False speech likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one suffers slander and deception by others. Divisive speech likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one suffers estranged family members and wicked relatives. Harsh speech likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one constantly hears unpleasant sounds and frequently engages in disputes. Idle chatter likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one’s words go unheeded and speech lacks clarity. Covetousness likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one suffers insatiability and endless craving. Hatred likewise leads to rebirth in hell—and if reborn as a human, one constantly faces criticism and harassment by others. Wrong views likewise lead to rebirth in hell, animal, or hungry ghost realms; if reborn as a human, one suffers two consequences: birth in a family holding wrong views, and a deceitful, crooked mind. These ten unwholesome courses of action generate countless, immeasurable masses of intense suffering.”
It further states: “The ten wholesome courses of action serve as causes for rebirth in human and celestial realms—even up to the highest heaven of the formless realm. Moreover, when the upper-level ten wholesome courses of action are cultivated with wisdom but with a narrow mind, out of fear of the three realms, lacking great compassion, and relying solely on teachings heard from others, they lead to the Śrāvakayāna. When the upper-level ten wholesome courses of action are purified and practiced independently—not relying on others’ instruction, arising from self-awakening, yet lacking full skillful means and great compassion, and grounded in deep insight into dependent origination—they lead to the Pratyekabuddhayāna. When the upper-level ten wholesome courses of action are purified and practiced with a vast, boundless mind, complete compassion, skillful means, great vows, non-abandonment of sentient beings, purification of all bodhisattva grounds, and cultivation of all perfections, they lead to the vast conduct of the bodhisattva.”
By this reasoning, it is asserted that apart from the ten wholesome courses of action, there exists no other method enabling ordinary beings, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas—according to their respective capacities—to attain either higher rebirth (saṃsāric happiness) or definitive liberation (nirvāṇa, characterized by non-suffering and non-bliss).
The verse states:
Just as the ocean rejects corpses, and auspiciousness shuns black-ear,
So too do great practitioners of precepts disdain dwelling with transgressors.
“Black-ear” is an alternate name for inauspiciousness.
We now proceed to explain the distinction between worldly and transcendent precept-perfection. The verse states:
By whom, toward whom, and what is abandoned—
If any of these three spheres is apprehended as real,
It is termed the worldly pāramitā;
Only when all three attachments are empty is it transcendent.
If any of the three spheres—the agent, the object, or the act—is apprehended as substantially real, it is termed the “worldly pāramitā.” Conversely, if none of these three spheres is apprehended as substantially real, it is termed the “transcendent pāramitā.”
By explaining the merits of this ground, the perfection of pure precepts is made clear. The verse states:
The bodhisattva-son’s moon emits stainless light,
Neither part of saṃsāra nor separate from its auspiciousness.
Just as the autumn moon’s light dispels sentient beings’ mental heat and agitation—
So too, the stainless light radiating from the bodhisattva-moon dispels the mental heat and agitation generated by transgression.
“Stainless” means stainless due to the ten wholesome courses of action; this is the actual designation of the bodhisattva on the Second Ground. Just as the autumn moon emits stainless light, dispelling sentient beings’ mental heat and agitation, so too does the stainless light emanating from the bodhisattva-moon dispel the mental heat and agitation caused by transgression. Since this is not included within saṃsāra, it lies outside the three realms; yet it is auspicious within the three realms, as all perfect merits revolve around it—making it the causal basis for becoming a universal monarch ruling over the four continents.