The Method and Retribution of Attaining Supreme Bodhi

If one does not listen to the sūtras and hear the Dharma, and does not delve deeply into the treasury of the sūtras, one will not know how to practice diligently. Delving deeply into the treasury of the sūtras and using right mindfulness to contemplate in accordance with reality—merely delving into the treasury of the sūtras is not enough; contemplating with right mindfulness is very important, for it enables the faculty of faith and the faculty of diligence to grow unceasingly. The Buddha said that by relying on this, one can attain the realization of unsurpassed bodhi. In particular, the dharma gate of all dharmas being like dreams and illusions, as taught by the Buddha in this sūtra, when contemplated deeply in meditative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) within samādhi, enables one to realize the illusion-like contemplation, and further, one can then enter the first bhūmi.

The retribution of attaining unsurpassed bodhi is extremely extraordinary. First, the worldly retribution is that one can obtain all riches and happiness; those who study the Buddha-dharma and attain the fruits of the Path will not fall into the evil destinies. Second, wherever one is born, one enjoys the retribution of wealth, honor, glory, and splendor. In the past, after the Chan masters realized the fruit of the Mahāyāna, when they were reborn in the human world they could all become kings or ministers; the higher the fruit they attained, the higher their status in the heavens and the human world—this is called worldly wealth and happiness.

We who study Buddhism should also cultivate much merit and wisdom. The merit from cultivating blessings will also bring us worldly wealth and honor. The Buddha is the "Honored One of the Two Feet"—which two feet? The two feet of merit and wisdom. If one has only wisdom without merit, one cannot become a Buddha; and without merit, one also cannot attract the respect, reverence, and offerings of everyone in the world. Therefore, when we recite sūtras, we are cultivating both merit and wisdom; sitting in meditation is also cultivating merit; prostrating to the Buddha is also cultivating merit. Not to mention the giving of wealth and the giving of Dharma, which benefit and bring joy to sentient beings—these are even more so the cultivation of merit. Only when both merit and wisdom are complete and perfect does one become the "Supreme One" (anuttara).

Diligently studying and practicing the Buddha-dharma enables one to attain unsurpassed bodhi and to eliminate all craving in the world. Craving is thirst and greedy attachment—an intense longing for the worldly dharmas of the three realms. Longing to possess them and giving rise to greedy attachment, clinging and unwilling to let go, one cannot escape the three realms, resulting in ceaseless transmigration and suffering within the three realms.

This unsurpassed bodhi can eliminate all conceit of self in the world. Ordinary sentient beings all have deep and heavy conceit of self. What is conceit of self? First, sentient beings believe that a self exists, taking the five aggregates as the self: the physical body is the self, feelings are the self, seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing are the self, the aggregate of perception is the self, bodily, verbal, and mental actions are the self, and the discriminating and discerning nature of the six consciousnesses is the self. Ordinary beings take these as the self, and then grasp severely at the self. Because of the mind of self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) and self-grasping, they give rise to a mind of conceit, believing that their own five aggregates and eighteen realms are superior to those of other sentient beings, that they excel over other sentient beings in certain worldly aspects; therefore, they inwardly exalt themselves and bully other sentient beings.