This article was converted by SimpRead; the original source is www.xianmixuezi.com
The Third Bodhisattva Ground: The Radiant Ground
We shall now explain the third bodhicitta. The verse states:
The fire of wisdom utterly consumes the fuel of knowables;
Hence, this third ground is named “The Radiant.”
“Radiance” is the name of the bodhisattva on the third ground. To demonstrate that this name corresponds precisely to its meaning, it is said that on this ground the fire of wisdom burns up the fuel of knowables, emitting a tranquil, radiant light—thus it is called “The Radiant.”
Regarding the arising of the third bodhicitta, the verse states:
Upon entering this ground, the Buddha’s child
Radiates golden-red light, like the rising sun.
Just as the red-golden light appears before sunrise, so too does the bodhisattva on this ground radiate the light of wisdom.
To highlight the bodhisattva who embodies such radiance, the perfection of patience (kṣānti-pāramitā) becomes especially predominant on this ground. The verse states:
Even if, in an impossible situation, someone were to become enraged,
And slice this body—flesh and bone—into pieces,
Over a prolonged period,
Patience toward that one increases even more.
Moreover, since this bodhisattva skillfully guards others’ minds and possesses the aforementioned wisdom, there truly exists no occasion—past, present, or future—for anyone else to become angry with him. Thus, harmful physical, verbal, and mental actions directed against others do not arise at all. Hence, it is stated: “Even if, in an impossible situation, someone were to become enraged.” Suppose such an extremely vicious sentient being were to gradually cut the bodhisattva’s flesh and bones into pieces over a long duration; nevertheless, the bodhisattva not only refrains from anger toward the cutter but also recognizes that, due to the karmic consequences of this act, the cutter will suffer in hell and other miserable realms—and thus generates even greater patience.
Furthermore, the verse states:
Having realized non-self, bodhisattvas ask:
At what time, by whom, and in what manner is cutting performed?
Seeing all phenomena as mere reflections,
They thereby cultivate profound patience skillfully.
Not only does patience intensify through recognizing that the cutter, due to negative karma, will suffer in hell and elsewhere, but also because they see all phenomena as illusory reflections, entirely free from notions of self and possession—thereby generating great patience. The word “also” here includes the causes of patience.
Moreover, this patience is not merely a virtue corresponding to the bodhisattva’s practice; it is also the cause protecting others’ virtues; therefore, anger must be restrained. The verse states:
If one becomes angry at another who has already inflicted harm,
Will anger remove the harm already done?
Thus, anger toward another is certainly useless,
And contradicts benefit in future lives.
If another has already caused harm, and one then becomes angry at that person, since the harm has already occurred, how could anger possibly undo it? Anger serves no practical purpose. Moreover, this anger is not only futile in the present but also contradicts benefit in future lives, because anger gives rise to undesirable karmic results.
Some foolish people, presently experiencing the painful fruit of their own evil deeds, mistakenly believe others are harming them, and consequently generate anger toward those perceived as causing harm and retaliate, wishing for their harm to fail. To counteract this mistaken view, the verse states:
Since you accept that this suffering can permanently exhaust
The karmic fruit of past evil deeds,
Why, then, become angry and harm others,
Thereby planting seeds for future suffering?
If one currently experiences extreme, excruciating pain—such as being slashed with a knife—one should understand this arises from past acts of killing and similar misdeeds, having previously endured intense suffering in the hells, animal realm, and hungry ghost realm; the present suffering represents the remaining ripened effect (anuvyañjaka-phala). This final karmic result exhausts all previous effects, just as the last medicine cures residual illness. Why then generate anger and seek to harm others, thereby planting seeds for future suffering far more severe than what one has already experienced—as if, upon recovering from illness, one deliberately consumes unsuitable food? Just as physicians perform painful procedures such as incisions to cure serious diseases, one must endure present suffering with utmost fortitude.
Moreover, impatience not only serves as the cause for undesirable karmic results but also destroys the vast stores of merit accumulated over a long time. The verse states:
If a bodhisattva harbors anger toward another bodhisattva
Who has already generated bodhicitta,
Even a single moment of anger—whether based on ignorance of the other’s inner qualities, or despite knowing them yet overwhelmed by habitual afflictions—can instantly destroy the merit accumulated over one hundred eons through generosity and ethical discipline.
No other transgression surpasses impatience.
If a bodhisattva, due to ignorance of another bodhisattva’s inner distinctions—or even while aware of them yet overpowered by habitual afflictions—exaggerates the other’s faults (whether real or imagined), and thus generates even a single moment of anger, this alone can instantly destroy the merit accumulated over one hundred eons through the perfections of generosity and ethical discipline. How much more so if a non-bodhisattva becomes angry at a bodhisattva—the resultant karmic retribution would be immeasurable, like the ocean. Therefore, no transgression exceeds impatience in its capacity to produce undesirable results and destroy wholesome roots. As stated in the sūtra: “Mañjuśrī, because it destroys the merit accumulated over one hundred eons, anger is so named.”
Furthermore, impatience, when lacking power to harm others, harms only oneself; if powerful yet devoid of compassion, it harms both self and others. The verse states:
It makes one’s appearance unattractive, leads to unwholesome outcomes,
And deprives one of wisdom discerning right from wrong.
After the body disintegrates and life ends,
Impatience swiftly propels one into lower realms.
Having thus explained the faults of impatience, what are the merits of its opposite—patience? The verse states:
Patience brings about merits contrary to those above;
It produces beautiful form and pleases noble beings;
It develops skill in distinguishing what is reasonable and unreasonable;
After death, one is reborn among humans and gods;
All previously created misdeeds are completely exhausted.
As described above regarding the faults of impatience, its opposite—patience—possesses precisely these corresponding merits.
Hence, the verse states:
Knowing the faults of anger toward ordinary beings and bodhisattvas,
And the merits of patience,
One should permanently eradicate impatience and constantly practice patience—
The various forms of patience praised by the noble ones.
Since the faults of anger have been explained above, its opposite—patience—possesses the corresponding merits; therefore, one should permanently eradicate impatience and continually practice patience at all times.
We shall now explain the distinctions within the perfection of patience (kṣānti-pāramitā). The verse states:
Even if dedicated toward perfect enlightenment,
If the three spheres remain graspable, it remains worldly.
Even if one dedicates patience toward Buddhahood, if one still apprehends the three spheres—the object of patience, the subject practicing patience, and the act itself—as inherently existent, then this patience is termed “worldly patience-pāramitā.”
The verse states:
The Buddha taught: if there is no apprehension of any sphere,
Then it is the transcendent (supramundane) pāramitā.
Thus, the bodhisattva on this ground practices patience-pāramitā in its utmost purity. Likewise, he attains deep concentration (dhyāna), etc. The verse states:
On this ground, the bodhisattva attains meditative absorption and psychic powers,
And thoroughly eradicates all attachment and aversion.
He constantly subdues all worldly desires.
By “meditative absorption,” the text also refers to samādhi, the four immeasurables, etc. As stated in the sūtra on the third ground: “When a bodhisattva abides on this Radiant Ground, he abandons sensual desire and unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first dhyāna—accompanied by thought and examination, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and bliss. He abandons thought and examination, attains internal purity and one-pointedness, free from thought and examination, born of concentration, filled with rapture and bliss, and dwells in the second dhyāna. He abandons rapture, dwells in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, experiencing bodily bliss—described by the noble ones as ‘equanimous, mindful, and blissfully experiencing’—and dwells in the third dhyāna. He abandons bliss and suffering, extinguishes joy and sorrow, dwells in neither-suffering-nor-bliss, with pure mindfulness and equanimity, and dwells in the fourth dhyāna.
“The four formless absorptions are: transcending all perceptions of form, eliminating perceptions of opposition, not attending to diverse perceptions, entering boundless space and dwelling in the sphere of infinite space; transcending the sphere of infinite space, entering boundless consciousness and dwelling in the sphere of infinite consciousness; transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, entering the sphere of nothingness and dwelling therein; transcending the sphere of nothingness, entering the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and dwelling therein. These are the four formless absorptions.
“The four immeasurables refer to the bodhisattva’s mind pervading loving-kindness (maitrī), vast, immeasurable, and nondual—free from enmity, opposition, obstruction, and affliction—extending everywhere, throughout the entire Dharma-realm and虚空 (space), pervading all worlds. Similarly, he abides in compassion (karuṇā), joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekṣā).
“The five psychic powers refer to the bodhisattva’s attainment of immeasurable spiritual powers: he can shake the earth, transform one body into many, consolidate many bodies into one, appear or disappear at will; pass unobstructed through walls, mountains, and other barriers as if through empty space; travel through the sky cross-legged like a bird; enter the earth as if water, walk on water as if land; emit smoke and flames from his body like a blazing fire, and pour down rain like a great cloud; extinguish the raging fire consuming the entire trichiliocosm; touch and stroke the sun and moon, which dwell in the sky and possess immense power; and move freely even up to the Brahmā realm—this is the divine foot power (ṛddhi-vidyā).
“Furthermore, this bodhisattva’s divine ear is purer than the human ear, enabling him to hear all sounds of gods and humans, whether near or far—even the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies. This is the divine ear power (divya-śrotra).
“Also, with the power of knowing others’ minds (paracitta-jñāna), he accurately perceives the minds of other sentient beings: he knows clearly whether a mind is imbued with craving or free from craving, with aversion or free from aversion, with delusion or free from delusion, afflicted or unafflicted, narrow or expansive, great or immeasurable, concentrated or unconcentrated, liberated or not liberated, faulty or faultless, coarse or not coarse—knowing each accordingly. Thus, with the power of knowing others’ minds, he comprehends the minds of sentient beings—this is the ‘power of knowing others’ minds.’
“Also, this bodhisattva recollects countless past lives: one life, two lives, three, four, up to ten, twenty, thirty, up to one hundred, one thousand, countless hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, aeons of formation, dissolution, formation-and-dissolution, countless formation-and-dissolution aeons. He recalls: ‘I was born in such-and-such a place, with such-and-such a name, clan, food, lifespan, duration, joys and sorrows; I died there and was reborn here; I died here and was reborn there.’ He remembers shapes, appearances, speech, and countless other past details—this is the power of recollection of past lives (pūrva-nivāsa-anusmṛti).
“Also, this bodhisattva’s divine eye is purer than the human eye, enabling him to see sentient beings at birth and death, their good and bad appearances, their rebirth in fortunate or unfortunate realms, and their karmic destinations. If a sentient being engages in bodily, verbal, and mental unwholesome actions, slanders noble beings, and holds wrong views and wrong-view-based karma, upon death he will certainly fall into lower realms and be reborn in hell. Conversely, if a sentient being engages in bodily, verbal, and mental wholesome actions, does not slander noble beings, holds right views and right-view-based karma, upon death he will certainly be reborn in favorable realms, among the gods. The bodhisattva’s divine eye perceives all this accurately.
“This bodhisattva can enter and emerge from all meditative concentrations (dhyānas), samādhis, and samāpattis, yet he does not take rebirth according to their power alone; instead, he takes rebirth wherever most fulfills the requisites for enlightenment, empowered solely by aspiration. Because this bodhisattva skillfully cultivates his mind through skillful means, he attains mastery over all these concentrations.” Thus, one should understand that the bodhisattva on this ground achieves mastery over meditation and psychic powers.
How does he thoroughly eradicate worldly attachment and aversion? The “and” also includes the eradication of ignorance. As stated in the sūtra: “This bodhisattva contemplates all phenomena as arising dependently, without inherent origination or cessation; seeing the bonds of affliction dissolve first, all bonds—of desire, form, existence, and ignorance—become progressively weakened. While dwelling on this Radiant Ground, the bodhisattva completely eliminates wrong attachment, wrong aversion, and wrong ignorance—defilements that would otherwise require countless kalpas of immeasurable nayutas to eliminate.” Thus, one should understand that this bodhisattva completely eradicates the afflictions of attachment, aversion, and ignorance.
How does he subdue worldly desire? As stated in the sūtra: “Children of the Buddha, this is the name of the bodhisattva’s third Radiant Ground. When dwelling on this ground, the bodhisattva often assumes the role of the ruler of the Thirty-three Heavens, skillfully guiding sentient beings to abandon desire.” Thus, one should understand that this bodhisattva subdues all worldly desire.
Having thus explained how the bodhisattva on the third ground attains pure patience-pāramitā, meditative concentration, the four immeasurables, the four formless absorptions, psychic powers, and eradicates attachment, etc., we shall now explain the distinct bases, intrinsic natures, and resultant fruits of the first three pāramitās. The verse states:
Such practices as generosity and the like
Are frequently taught by the Buddha to householders,
And constitute the accumulation of merit,
As well as the cause of the Buddhas’ rūpakāya.
Although all bodhisattvas serve as the basis for generosity and the like, they fall into two categories: householders and renunciants; hence, distinctions are made. Householder bodhisattvas find it relatively easier to practice generosity, ethical discipline, and patience; renunciant bodhisattvas find it relatively easier to practice diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom—but they are not incapable of practicing the others. The two accumulations constituting the causes for Buddhahood are the accumulation of merit (puṇya-saṃbhāra) and the accumulation of wisdom (jñāna-saṃbhāra). The first three pāramitās constitute the accumulation of merit; meditative concentration and wisdom constitute the accumulation of wisdom; diligence serves as the common cause for both accumulations. The accumulation of merit is the cause for the Buddha’s rūpakāya—adorned with one hundred auspicious marks and subtle, magnificent form; the accumulation of wisdom is the cause for the Buddha’s dharmakāya—beyond arising and ceasing.
Now, summarizing the distinctive qualities of the third-ground bodhisattva—such as its unique basis, etc.—the verse states:
The radiant bodhisattva abides like the sun,
First dispelling the darkness of ignorance within himself,
Then striving to dispel the darkness obstructing others’ attainment of the third ground—
This ground is supremely sharp and yet never angry.
The bodhisattva on the Radiant Ground resembles the sun disc. At the very moment of entering this ground, all ignorance—the darkness obstructing attainment of this ground—is immediately dispelled. Furthermore, motivated by the wish to dispel the darkness obstructing others’ attainment of the third ground, he expounds the conduct characteristic of this ground.
Thus, having eradicated the darkness of afflictions obstructing the growth of virtuous qualities, the bodhisattva’s radiance shines with supreme intensity, like the sun. Yet he never grows angry toward sentient beings who commit transgressions, because he has thoroughly trained in patience and his continuum is moistened by great compassion.