What Behaviors of a Bodhisattva Constitute Offenses?

Original Text from *The Sutra on the Five Precepts and Dignified Conduct of the Bodhisattva Upāsaka: The Bodhisattva who sees thus and speaks thus: "A Bodhisattva should not delight in Nirvāṇa. One should turn away from Nirvāṇa. One should not fear afflictions (kleśa). One should not eliminate afflictions." Why? Because the Bodhisattva traverses birth and death for three asamkhyeya kalpas. One who speaks thus commits a grave defilement offense.

Explanation: If a Bodhisattva holds such a view and utters such speech, one commits a grave defilement offense: A Bodhisattva should not delight in and cling to Nirvāṇa; one should turn away from Nirvāṇa. A Bodhisattva should not fear afflictions, nor should one eliminate afflictions. Why is this said? Because the Bodhisattva is one who traverses birth and death for three great asamkhyeya kalpas. One who speaks thus commits a grave defilement offense.

This is because although the Bodhisattva delights in Nirvāṇa, one is able to refrain from entering Nirvāṇa, leading sentient beings in practice with a pure mind, guiding them to attain liberation. A Bodhisattva should not turn away from Nirvāṇa with a mind defiled by afflictions, for a defiled mind can harm the body and mind of sentient beings, rendering one incapable of guiding them and unable to exert a positive influence on sentient beings. If a Bodhisattva turns away from Nirvāṇa, one will sink into the cycle of birth and death, unable to save oneself, let alone save sentient beings. If one is not yet liberated oneself, how can one liberate sentient beings?

The Bodhisattva's attitude towards afflictions should be thus: A Bodhisattva should fear afflictions and should eliminate afflictions. One must eliminate afflictions, yet one cannot eliminate them completely. If one eliminates afflictions completely, one will attain the fourth fruition (of Arhatship), and upon death, one will inevitably enter the state of Nirvāṇa without residue (parinirvāṇa), thereby abandoning sentient beings and the path to Buddhahood. If a Bodhisattva does not sever afflictions, one cannot save oneself; how then could one save sentient beings? Therefore, a Bodhisattva must also sever afflictions, attaining the first, second, and third fruitions (of the Śrāvaka path), eliminating afflictions up to the level of the third fruition. One should not eliminate all afflictions and attain the fourth fruition.

A Bodhisattva only needs to cultivate up to the third fruition on the Śrāvaka path. This is sufficient to reach the stages from the First Ground (Bhūmi) to the Seventh Ground on the Mahāyāna path, which does not hinder the Bodhisattva's practice and makes it more convenient to guide sentient beings. Upon reaching the Seventh Ground, the Bodhisattva, empowered by the Buddha's power, then eliminates all remaining afflictions, attains the Eighth Ground, and refrains from entering the state of Nirvāṇa without residue. Although the Bodhisattva practices and guides sentient beings throughout the three asamkhyeya kalpas, one cannot roam within the three realms with a body still afflicted by kleśa. Otherwise, one cannot guarantee a human or heavenly rebirth, making self-liberation impossible and the liberation of others even more so.

Original Text: Why? If a Bodhisattva delights in Nirvāṇa and fears afflictions, compared to a Śrāvaka, [the Bodhisattva] surpasses [the Śrāvaka] by ten million times; it cannot be expressed by analogy. Why? Because Śrāvakas act according to their own self-interest, while Bodhisattvas constantly act for the sake of all beings. Although Bodhisattvas dwell in the state with outflows (āsrava), they attain mastery over the extinction of afflictions, surpassing Arhats who dwell in the state without outflows.

Explanation: Why is this said? Because if a Bodhisattva delights in Nirvāṇa and fears afflictions, their mental state and conduct surpass that of a Śrāvaka by more than ten million times. Why? Because Śrāvakas, after all, follow their selfish nature, considering only themselves and disregarding the life and death of sentient beings, whereas Bodhisattvas constantly consider all sentient beings. Although Bodhisattvas dwell amidst the outflows of afflictions, they are very much at ease regarding the elimination of afflictions; they can eliminate afflictions completely whenever they wish, because the final trace of affliction is deliberately retained. Therefore, Bodhisattvas surpass Arhats who dwell in the outflow-free state.

Original Text: If a Bodhisattva gives rise to bodily or verbal karma, one should guard oneself. Do not cause others to commit the offense [arising from] laziness and disrespect. If one intentionally does not guard oneself, causing others to commit the offense of laziness [and disrespect], one commits a grave defilement offense. If one does not apply mindfulness to guard oneself, acts carelessly, and causes others to commit offenses, one commits a minor defilement offense. Exceptions: If [the others are] non-Buddhists; or if acting according to the Dharma while following the monastic life; or if encountering many wrathful and evil people. These are non-offenses.

Explanation: If a Bodhisattva is about to give rise to bodily or verbal karma, one should properly guard oneself, not giving rise to unwholesome actions that cause sentient beings to criticize and disdain, thereby generating disrespect in them, leading them to incur offenses due to lack of reverence. If a Bodhisattva intentionally fails to guard one's bodily and verbal actions, causing sentient beings to commit the offense of disrespect, the Bodhisattva commits a grave defilement offense. If a Bodhisattva does not specifically apply mindfulness to guard one's bodily and verbal karma, acts carelessly and indulgently, allows the body and speech to act freely, and causes others to commit offenses, one commits a minor defilement offense.

Non-offenses occur only under the following circumstances: If encountering non-Buddhists and needing to admonish their non-Buddhist practices and wrong teachings, bodily or verbal conflict may occur – this is not an offense; or if the Bodhisattva, following conditions, has gone forth into monastic life and acts bodily and verbally in accordance with principle and Dharma – not an offense; or if encountering many wrathful and evil people, and in order to subdue these evil people, one does not restrain bodily or verbal actions, resulting in conflict – this is not an offense.

Considering this, if a person's bodily, verbal, and mental actions are frequently unchecked, displaying very obvious afflictions of the three poisons (greed, hatred, delusion), often causing sentient beings to slander and disrespect oneself, and subsequently slander the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha), the Buddhist scriptures, the Dharma principles, and other Bodhisattvas, is such a person a qualified Bodhisattva? Does one commit an offense? Such a person is not a qualified Bodhisattva and commits a grave defilement offense. If a person, due to their own impure bodily, verbal, and mental actions, causes many sentient beings to generate slander, even slander of the Dharma, is the offense not very great? It is indeed very great. If a person intentionally uses extreme greed, hatred, and delusion to cause many sentient beings to slander the Dharma and lose faith in the Dharma, is this person not a member of Māra's faction? They are indeed a member of Māra's faction. Those who, knowing that members of Māra's faction possess greed, hatred, and delusion and are harmful to sentient beings, still support them are accomplices and equally commit offenses.

Therefore, to determine whether someone is a true Bodhisattva or a virtuous teacher (kalyāṇamitra), one must consider them comprehensively from all angles; one cannot look only at one aspect while ignoring the rest. Among these, bodily, verbal, and mental actions are the most important criteria for evaluation. They most clearly reveal a person's true nature, are most telling, and have the greatest impact, concerning the reputation and prestige of Buddhism, as well as its flourishing and decline. Therefore, every Buddhist practitioner must focus on purifying their own bodily, verbal, and mental actions and must absolutely not create unwholesome karma arising from the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion.