Cultivating Trust in the Great Vehicle
Classifications of Trust

Then the bodhisattva Great Skillful Trust said, “Blessed One, what are the different aspects of the bodhisattvas’ trust in the Great Vehicle that allow them to accomplish the Great Vehicle?”

The Blessed One replied, “Noble son, there are four aspects of the bodhisattvas’ trust in the Great Vehicle that allows them to accomplish the Great Vehicle. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: (1) the trust that comes from resting, (2) the trust that arises upon birth, (3) the trust that emerges at another time, and (4) the trust that appears naturally.

1. “Among these, noble son, the trust that comes from resting is as follows: Consider how water collecting in a hoofprint is at first murky but later clears if it is left undisturbed and calm. Likewise, bodhisattvas who have gained trust in the Great Vehicle that allows them to accomplish the Great Vehicle may become attached to many temporary activities, whereby their trust in the Great Vehicle is shaken. [F.25.a] However, whenever they are freed from this attachment, it no longer disturbs them, and they can once again focus one-pointedly on the Dharma of the Great Vehicle. At that point they will certainly be restored to their former state.

2. “The trust that arises upon birth, noble son, is as follows: Think of how beer and other such drinks can undergo change, so that they become clear. In the same way, whenever bodhisattvas who have attained the trust in the Great Vehicle that allows them to accomplish the Great Vehicle take a new birth, they will naturally develop trust in the Great Vehicle and therefore gain accomplishment.

3. “The trust that emerges at another time, noble son, is as follows: Consider, for example, how the rivers become clear in autumn. Likewise, bodhisattvas who have first developed the trust in the Great Vehicle that allows them to accomplish the Great Vehicle and have become accustomed to this trust will also reconnect with this trust at a later time. As they do so, they will be purified and gain accomplishment.

4. “The trust that appears naturally, noble son, is as follows: Think of how beryl and precious gems are naturally pure. Likewise, the bodhisattvas’ nonconceptual state is essentially connected with trust in the Great Vehicle that transcends the world.

“Noble son, there are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: vast trust, clear trust, peaceful trust, and pure trust. Vast trust occurs when a bodhisattva is devoted to the Great Vehicle and practices accordingly. Clear trust occurs when the bodhisattva performs the activities of the Dharma of the Great Vehicle at all times. Peaceful trust occurs when the bodhisattva is free from thoughts of I and mine. Such faith is present in those who have realized the intrinsic nature. Pure trust occurs when the bodhisattva has obtained stainless wisdom.

“Noble son, there are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: precipitating trust, initiating trust, accepting and devoted trust, and interested trust. Precipitating trust is the trust in the Great Vehicle felt by those who naturally, from previous times, have created and familiarized themselves with the roots of virtue. [F.25.b] Initiating trust is the trust in the Great Vehicle caused by bodhisattvas’ arousal of the mind of unsurpassed and completely perfect awakening and their recollection of that mind of awakening after they have already aroused it. Accepting and devoted trust is the trust in the Great Vehicle created when beings embrace and respect the bodhisattva who has accepted them. Interested trust is the trust in the Great Vehicle of the bodhisattvas felt by those who are interested in the teaching of the profound realm of phenomena.

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: the trust by seeing and hearing, the trust of recollecting the spread of the teaching, the trust of recollecting the increase of virtuous factors, and the trust of recollecting hopes and wishes. ‘The trust by seeing and hearing’ refers to gaining trust in the Great Vehicle when one sees or hears the buddhas’ and bodhisattvas’ forms or radiance. ‘The trust of recollecting the spread of the teaching’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that comes about by recollecting that beings ought to be ripened. ‘The trust of recollecting the increase of virtuous factors’ refers to the trust in the bodhisattva Great Vehicle caused by recollecting the continuous increase of one’s factors of awakening and virtuous qualities. ‘The trust of recollecting hopes and wishes’ refers to hoping and wishing to attain all pure buddha realms and the entire Dharma of the Buddha because of one’s virtuous qualities. In this way, the bodhisattvas feel trust in the Great Vehicle by bringing their hopes and wishes to mind.

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: the trust caused by recollecting statements, the trust caused by recollecting the ability to resolve doubts, the trust caused by recollecting how the Dharma is planted, and the trust caused by recollecting practice. ‘The trust caused by recollecting statements’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is summoned when one fondly recollects those bodhisattvas who are motivated by all gateways to the Great Vehicle. ‘The trust caused by recollecting the ability to resolve doubts’ [F.26.a] refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is summoned by remembering how bodhisattvas who have heard much, memorized, and become learned are able to resolve doubts. ‘The trust caused by recollecting how the Dharma is planted’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is summoned by bringing to mind how the sacred Dharma is planted in the minds of others by reading aloud, reciting, explaining, and chanting the Dharma of the Great Vehicle to others. ‘The trust caused by recollecting practice’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is summoned by recollecting how bodhisattvas diligently practice and accomplish the Dharma of the Great Vehicle.

“Noble son, there are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: the trust of heeding spiritual practice, the trust of engaging in physical activity embraced by skillful means, the trust of engaging in verbal activity embraced by skillful means, and the trust of engaging in mental activity embraced by skillful means. ‘The trust of heeding spiritual practice’ refers to the trust one develops by observing bodhisattvas who have attained the tranquility and insight that is focused on the Dharma of the Great Vehicle. ‘The trust of engaging in physical activity embraced by skillful means’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle one develops by observing how conscientious bodhisattvas offer advice and constructive criticism in order to tame those bodhisattvas who are not conscientious in terms of their physical actions. ‘The trust of engaging in verbal activity embraced by skillful means’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle one obtains by observing how conscientious bodhisattvas offer advice and constructive criticism in order to tame those bodhisattvas who are engaged in misguided verbal activity. ‘The trust of engaging in mental activity embraced by skillful means’ refers to trust in the Great Vehicle created by observing how conscientious bodhisattvas offer physical and verbal advice and constructive criticism in order to tame those bodhisattvas who are engaged in mistaken mental activity.

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: the trust of recollecting disregard, the trust of recollecting subjugation, [F.26.b] the trust of recollecting enjoyment, and the trust of delightfully recollecting the connection. ‘The trust of recollecting disregard’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle gained by recollecting the practice of the six perfections when they are practiced without any regard for life or limb. ‘The trust of recollecting subjugation’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle gained by recollecting how bodhisattvas subdue all the factors that conflict with the six perfections. ‘The trust of recollecting enjoyment’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle gained by recollecting the earnestness with which bodhisattvas who practice the six perfections apply themselves to the six perfections. ‘The trust of delightfully recollecting the connection’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle gained by recollecting how bodhisattvas cause other beings and people to adopt and practice the six perfections.

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: the trust of recollecting an undisturbed mind, the trust of recollecting genuine discernment, the trust of recollecting an absence of weariness, and the trust of recollecting happiness free from negative actions. ‘The trust of recollecting an undisturbed mind’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle caused by recollecting the undisturbed mind itself and how bodhisattvas gather the accumulations with an undisturbed mind. ‘The trust of recollecting genuine discernment’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle in general, the undisturbed mind, and the gathering of the accumulations. Since this trust causes genuine discernment regarding the accumulations and clarifies them unmistakably, one becomes diligent in one’s practice. ‘The trust of recollecting an absence of weariness’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle caused by not being weary with those who act wrongly and then recollecting that absence of weariness. ‘The trust of recollecting happiness free from negative actions’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle caused by recollecting one’s connection with the accumulations, having abandoned all worries about personally being harmed as well as all wishes for happiness. [F.27.a]

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what they are, they are as follows: the trust of recollecting qualities, the trust of recollecting perfect objects, the trust of recollecting inspiration, and the trust of recollecting that which benefits many beings. ‘The trust of recollecting qualities’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in paying homage and offering service to the Buddha as they recollect the qualities of the Buddha. ‘The trust of recollecting perfect objects’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in paying homage and offering service to the Buddha as they recollect witnessing perfect offerings. ‘The trust of recollecting inspiration’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in paying homage and offering service to the Buddha as they recollect their own inspired minds and the inspired minds of others. ‘The trust of recollecting that which benefits many beings’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who benefit many beings by diligently paying homage and offering service to the Buddha and then recollect doing so.

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what those four are, they are as follows: the trust of recollecting the perfect qualities of the master, the trust of recollecting one’s own perseverance, the trust of recollecting gratitude, and the trust of recollecting the fulfillment of the master’s wishes. ‘The trust of recollecting the perfect qualities of the master’ refers to trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in following a spiritual friend as they recollect seeing the complete perfect qualities of the spiritual friend. ‘The trust of recollecting one’s own perseverance’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in following a spiritual friend as they recollect their own pure perseverance in terms of paying respect to the spiritual friend when approaching such a person [F.27.b] and listening to the Dharma and when subsequently practicing in accordance with the teaching received. ‘The trust of recollecting gratitude’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in following a spiritual friend as they recollect their gratitude because of having obtained oral instructions and education from a master. ‘The trust of recollecting the fulfillment of the master’s wishes’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle that is felt by bodhisattvas who are diligent in following a spiritual friend as they recollect how the oral instructions benefit many beings.

“There are four further types of trust. If you wonder what those four are, they are as follows: the trust caused by recollecting how others were made happy, the trust caused by recollecting how others were freed from suffering, the trust caused by recollecting how others were not separated from happiness, and the trust caused by recollecting how others are freed from pollution. ‘The trust caused by recollecting how others were made happy’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle felt by bodhisattvas who diligently meditate on love as they recollect accomplishing the happiness of beings while motivated by the wish for their happiness. ‘The trust caused by recollecting how others were freed from suffering’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle felt by bodhisattvas who diligently meditate on compassion as they recollect successfully freeing beings from suffering. ‘The trust caused by recollecting how others were not separated from happiness’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle felt by bodhisattvas who diligently meditate on joy as they recollect successfully ensuring that others are not separated from happiness. ‘The trust caused by recollecting how others are freed from pollution’ refers to the trust in the Great Vehicle felt by bodhisattvas who diligently meditate on equality as they recollect ensuring that beings are free from pollution.

“In this way, noble son, the bodhisattva’s trust in the Great Vehicle takes infinite forms. [F.28.a] Based on these divisions, you should understand that there are limitless types of trust in the Great Vehicle. One could not understand their extent even in one trillion eons. Noble son, you should understand that these are the classifications of the bodhisattvas’ trust in the Great Vehicle that allows them to accomplish the Great Vehicle.”