The Questions of Sāgaramati
Chapter Two: Accepting Harm and Gaining Certainty

“Sāgaramati, how does one accept challenges to the jewel of developing the mind directed toward omniscience? What are the challenges to the jewel of developing the mind directed toward omniscience?

“Sāgaramati, once bodhisattva great beings have engendered the jewel of developing the mind directed toward omniscience in the aforementioned manner, they will not lose their development of the intention to awaken in the face of ignoble beings who have corrupt discipline, māras, gods of the echelon of māra, those blessed by māras, threats from Māra’s messengers, menaces, disturbances, violent disturbances, agitation, violent agitation, threats, or abuse. [F.14.a] They will not lose their compassionate diligence that seeks to free all beings. They will not lose the effort needed to keep the lineage of the Three Jewels unbroken. They will not lose their training in the roots of virtue that manifest the qualities of buddhahood. They will not lose their accumulation of merit that manifests the major and minor marks of perfection. They will not lose the effort needed to actualize the purification of buddha realms. They will not lose their effort to give up concern for body and life and uphold the sublime Dharma. They will not lose the effort to ripen all beings nor will they lose their lack of attachment to their personal happiness.

“Because they have such abundant motivation, even if all beings were to belittle, blame, slander, or curse them, they will accept it. They will accept any ridicule, threats, bad words, or cruel words spoken by beings. They will accept all harm caused by beings. They will accept the burden of all beings. Since they are liberated, they reveal their strength by not becoming sad, discouraged, depressed, disheartened, or doubtful. They will arouse their strength, develop their diligence, bring forth their effort, inspire enthusiasm, and not engage in any deluded states of mind. Though mocked, they will not return it with ridicule. Though struck, they will not strike back. Though shown anger, they will not be angry in return. Though others may fight with them, they will not fight back. In this manner they don the armor that is considerate of beings.

“The point is that the Great Vehicle is a vehicle that does not conform to the world. Why is this? Beings always go along with the stream. I wish to deliberately go against the stream. Beings cannot manage to be harmonious with one another. [F.14.b] I wear the armor that allows me to discard whatever would cause disharmony with beings. Beings act like heroes when it comes to malice. I seek out acceptance and gentleness. Beings are always fed up with one another. I seek to appease them by means of insight.

“If all the beings from every point throughout the ten directions were to brandish swords, clubs, and arrows, and hound me wherever I stood, sat, walked, or lay, still the mind of awakening would arise. The mind of generosity, the mind of discipline, the mind of patience, the mind of diligence, the mind of concentration, the mind of insight, and the mind of the roots of virtue that come from study would arise. In such places, then even if beings were to chop my body up into a hundred pieces, and crush and scatter it like juniper leaves‍—even if those beings were to do nothing but scold me, slander me, belittle me, complain about me, and speak nothing but nasty things about me‍—still I would not allow my mind to become disturbed. Why is this?

“Since the beginning, countless time has passed in saṃsāra. Wherever I have taken a body‍—in the realms of hell, animals, the Lord of Death, or that of humans‍—I have been stained by the enjoyment of desire. I lacked the study of Dharma and sustained myself on dangerous forms of livelihood that ended up being fruitless. Even though my limbs and digits were shredded, cut, divided, and torn into small pieces, I continued pursuing my own ends, and not the ends of others. So now, if all these beings henceforth [F.15.a] shred, cut, scatter, and crush my16 body, I will not give up on omniscience. I will not give up on sentient beings. I will not give up our pursuit of virtuous phenomena. Why is this?

“All the harm of having one’s body cut apart does not represent even one percent of the suffering endured by beings in hell; no comparison would suffice. Yet I am delighted to stay in the hell realms, and I will not give up on the qualities of buddhahood. I will not give up on great compassion that aims to free all beings. Why is this?

“The Blessed One has said that there are many obstacles to virtue. There are many who would accompany me to nonvirtue, and few who would accompany me to virtue. So, I will not be a companion for the journey to nonvirtue. I will be a companion for the journey to virtue. I will accept all beings. I will not allow malice to crop up in the mind. I will give away everything that I have, even though others may not give me anything. Even though beings who are filled with malice, rage, and spite cannot give their things away, I will give what I have with patience and gentleness. I intend to teach the power of patience, not malice.

“Sāgaramati, unsurpassed and perfect awakening is not difficult to attain for bodhisattvas who are ready to give up their bodies and life. They intend to eliminate any phenomena that support the development of malice. What are these phenomena? They are taking joy in the body, being settled in the body, and being attached to the body. If one gives up the body, malice is also given up.

“Sāgaramati, bodhisattva great beings [F.15.b] who share this outlook accept the harm of beings and do not become depressed or angry. They accept three forms of harm. What are these three? Physical, verbal, and mental harm.

“What is the bodhisattvas’ acceptance of physical harm, Sāgaramati? When their limbs or digits are cut, they rely on reality and look into the identity of the being who is cutting their body. Sāgaramati, when the bodies of bodhisattvas who are skilled in means are cut, they complete their cultivation of the six perfections. Sāgaramati, when the bodies of bodhisattvas who are skilled in means are cut, how do they complete their cultivation of the six perfections?

“Abandoning the body, giving away the body, and ignoring the body is their perfection of generosity. Filling themselves with love for all beings and not getting overwhelmed by the physical sensation when the body is cut is their perfection of discipline. Accepting the cutting of the body for the sake of becoming free, not letting their minds be marred, and displaying their power of acceptance is their perfection of patience. Utilizing diligence to not lose their passion for omniscience, holding to the strengthening of mind, embracing saṃsāra, and engaging in roots of virtue is their perfection of diligence. As their bodies are cast aside, not forgetting the jewel of developing the mind of omniscience, focusing on awakening itself, and contemplating peace and utter peace is their perfection of concentration. When the body is cut, contemplating how the body is like grass, a wall, wood, stone, or a visual distortion; engaging with the body as having the nature of an illusion; and contemplating how the body is actually impermanent, [F.16.a] suffering, devoid of self, and peace is their perfection of insight.

“Thus, Sāgaramati, when the bodies of bodhisattvas who are skilled in means are cut, they complete their cultivation of the six perfections and do not fall away from the Great Vehicle. This is the bodhisattvas’ acceptance of physical harm.

“What is the bodhisattvas’ acceptance of verbal harm, Sāgaramati? It is inviting all meanly spoken words. It is accepting being scolded, slandered, belittled, complained about, and intimidated. It is not getting angry when somebody says something negative about them, whether true or false. It is casting aside all forms of holding a grudge, including the habitual tendencies for doing so.

“Sāgaramati, when bodhisattva great beings who are skilled in means hear mean utterances, mean words, scolding, and words of intimidation spoken by someone else, they perfect their cultivation of the six perfections. How do bodhisattva great beings who are skilled in means perfect their cultivation of the six perfections as they hear mean utterances, mean words, scolding, and words of intimidation spoken by someone else, Sāgaramati?

“Sāgaramati, when bodhisattva great beings hear mean utterances, mean words, scolding, and words of intimidation spoken by someone else they bring the following to mind: ‘This person has long been stingy and miserly. His life revolves around this stain of stinginess, such that he has now also developed malice. As such, he does not follow spiritual friends who can teach him the Dharma, nor does he respect or serve them. As for myself, I must remain inspired to give and not be stingy. [F.16.b] I must continue to rely on, honor, and serve spiritual friends.’ Thus they are cautious and discard their malice, and this is their perfection of generosity.

“They also have the following thought: ‘This person has nothing but perverse morality and yet he is scolding and intimidating me. But I will not retreat from how I keep to my trainings of discipline and asceticism. I will not become malicious. I will uphold the mind of awakening. I will trust in the ripening of karma.’ This is their perfection of discipline.

“They also have the following thought: ‘This person is aggressive and has so much malice, so he scolds and intimidates me. Yet I will develop the strength of my patience. I will keep to love.’ This is their perfection of patience.

“They also have the following thought: ‘This person is lazy and devoid of virtuous qualities, so he scolds and intimidates me. Yet I will remain diligent. I will never be satisfied in my pursuit of roots of virtue. Sooner or later, I wish to make this person arrive at the seat of awakening, and thus make him fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ This manner of donning armor is their perfection of diligence.

“They also have the following thought: ‘This person is forgetful and not introspective. He does not consider his afflictive emotions, so he scolds and intimidates me. Yet I can consider my afflictive emotions. I can be mindful and introspective. I will one-pointedly remember the mind of awakening. I will don strong armor for the sake of this untamed, aggressive, uncontrolled, and wild person.’ [F.17.a] This is their perfection of concentration.

“They also have the following thought: ‘This person has faulty insight. He advocates the existence of a self and believes in the existence of a sentient being. So, he scolds and intimidates me. Yet I will base myself on reality.’ Thus, examining who is scolding or being aggressive, they fail to find anyone. This acceptance that is free of any apprehension of self and other is their perfection of insight.

“Thus, Sāgaramati, when bodhisattvas who are skilled in means hear mean utterances, mean words, scolding, and words of intimidation spoken by someone else, they complete their cultivation of the six perfections and do not fall away from the Great Vehicle. This is the bodhisattvas’ acceptance of verbal harm.

“What is the bodhisattvas’ acceptance of mental harm, Sāgaramati? All māras, who unwaveringly try to separate others from the mind of awakening, and all obstructers, who are attached to ideologies, will continually attempt to undermine those who have set forth with a genuine intention to gain omniscience. Nevertheless, such bodhisattvas do not forget their goal and even if they were to meet the Buddha in person, he would not be able to diminish their unequaled attitude. Such māras of incredible magical power will say, ‘You cannot authentically accomplish the Great Vehicle! You should give up cherishing this goal! Give up your diligence! Awakening is difficult to attain. The qualities of buddhahood are difficult to find. You will continue to experience the suffering of saṃsāra. The state of nirvāṇa is blissful. Sublime being, you should hasten to nirvāṇa.’ Thus they try to influence and sway the bodhisattva.

“Sāgaramati, if bodhisattva great beings [F.17.b] do not relinquish their armor, or let themselves become disturbed, when the māras attempt to destroy and undermine their intention, they will think, ‘I must reach the seat of awakening! I must defeat the māras and their hordes and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood! I will definitely turn the wheel of Dharma! I will explain the great message of the Dharma to the trichiliocosm. I will regale all beings and satisfy them with the gift of Dharma! All buddhas and bodhisattvas, as well as the gods who are cognizant of their own and others’ minds, realize my intention to awaken. I will accept all challenges to the mind of omniscience. No buddha, god, or any other being will cheat me of this!’

“Sāgaramati, such is the bodhisattvas’ acceptance of mental harm; thus they cannot be separated from the Great Vehicle. Sāgaramati, this is how they accept all challenges to the jewel of developing the mind directed toward omniscience. It is by perfecting the armor of the perfection of patience and the unsurpassable perfection of diligence that bodhisattvas accept mental harm.”

The Blessed One then expressed these verses:

“Sāgaramati, how does one internalize the jewel that develops the mind directed toward omniscience? Sāgaramati, bodhisattva great beings avoid becoming conceited through the jewel that develops the mind directed toward omniscience. They do not depend on, settle in, take up, discard, ponder, think about, or conceptualize the mind directed toward omniscience. They sustain the pacification of conceptuality. They mentally investigate profound subjects. [F.19.b] What are these profound subjects?

“They are; the occurrences of dependent origination, the understanding of causes, what is not eternal, what is not disrupted, what is free from extreme views, what is naturally without a self, and the fact that all phenomena are unreal, primordially unborn, and nonarising because the self is unreal. They are: devotion to emptiness, trust in signlessness, confidence in wishlessness, the mind exclusively absorbed in the unconditioned, and utter impermanence. They are: the contemplations on how form is similar to bubbles, how feeling is similar to bubbles, how perception is nondual and similar to visual distortions, how formations are like the plantain tree, how consciousness is illusory, how the elements are unmoving, how the sense faculties are without mutual knowing, and how the mind has no basis.

“They are: not engaging in pride, not thinking oneself superior, realizing sameness to be sameness, the absence of multiplicity, one taste, staying on the path with a single destination, seeking knowledge of the accumulations on the path, relying on the truth of the definitive meaning, the mind that follows the truth, engaging without language in all languages, knowing that no sound relates to the past or the future, and realizing the inexpressible meaning with the knowledge of how meaning and expression are beyond duality.

“They are: knowledge of suffering‍—being without self-clinging; knowledge of origin‍—bringing it to complete exhaustion; knowledge of cessation‍—being without conceptual impositions; and knowledge of the path‍—penetrating the sameness of the conditioned and the unconditioned. [F.20.a]

“They are: mindfulness that considers the body and how it does not transfer from the past to the future, mindfulness that considers sensations and how they do not exist in terms of birth and destruction, mindfulness that considers the mind and how it fabricates reference points, and mindfulness that considers phenomena and how they are not the realm of phenomena.

“They are: right abandonment and utter sameness, and the bases of miracles and how one gains power over the mind.

“They are: the faculty of faith and how all desire is transcended, the faculty of diligence and how one escapes through isolation, the faculty of mindfulness and how it is without mindfulness, the faculty of absorption and how it refrains from mental engagement, and the faculty of insight and how it transcends conceptual elaborations.

“They are: the strength of faith and how it is not led along by others, the strength of diligence and how it does not conceive a narrow focus, the strength of mindfulness and how it does not decline, the strength of absorption and how it contemplates with certainty, and the strength of insight and how it accords with an unshakable cause.

“They are: the branch of awakening of mindfulness and how it neither recalls nor forgets, the branch of awakening of discrimination and how it understands the sameness of all phenomena, the branch of awakening of diligence and how it neither takes up nor avoids anything, the branch of awakening of joy and how it does not vacillate, the branch of awakening of pliancy and how it is present in body and mind, the branch of awakening of absorption and how it masters sameness, and the branch of awakening of equanimity and how it is nondual.

“They are: right view and how it relinquishes all views; right thought and how it is beyond thought, concepts, and reasoning; right speech and how it realizes the sameness of all language and sound; right action and how it is beyond all physical and mental action; right livelihood and how it puts an end to all striving; [F.20.b] right effort and how it neither undertakes nor abstains from anything; right mindfulness and how it does not conceive of virtue or nonvirtue; and right absorption and how it realizes the sameness of all mental reference points.

“They are: reaching the culmination of peaceful tranquility and purifying the view of special insight.

“They are: the meaning of the unborn, the meaning of impermanence, the meaning of the primordially unborn, the meaning of suffering, the meaning of stillness, the meaning of selflessness, the meaning of pacification, and the meaning of peace.

“They are: generosity that is gentle, discipline that cools, patience that has the property of exhaustion, diligence that fully discriminates, concentration that pacifies affliction, and insight that accurately knows the nature of things.

“They are: love that is primordially pure toward all beings, compassion that is vast as space, joy that is beyond joy, and equanimity that ends all strife.

“They are: how all phenomena are pure of the three spheres, the emptiness of the past, the isolation of the future, and the lack of self in the present.

“Sāgaramati, these profound subjects are discontinuous, beyond linguistic description, and like space. To realize, understand, engage, investigate, contemplate, assess, quantify, reflect upon, and diligently inquire into these phenomena is to internalize the jewel that develops the mind directed toward omniscience. When one internalizes the jewel that develops the mind directed toward omniscience in this manner, one will spontaneously gain dominion over all phenomena.

“Sāgaramati, I will draw an analogy. The celestial mansions of the sun and the moon move naturally and thus illuminate all of Jambudvīpa. However, these gods‍—the sun and the moon‍—do not conceptualize that ‘we would like to proceed [F.21.a] or recede.’ Rather, they proceed solely due to the ripening of beings’ merit. Likewise, Sāgaramati, bodhisattva great beings who have internalized this knowledge enact the benefit of beings naturally in immeasurable buddha realms. However, these bodhisattva great beings display these acts without performing any conditioned action.

“In this manner, Sāgaramati, the internalized knowledge of bodhisattva great beings seeks out the perfections of concentration and insight. Why is this? When bodhisattvas rest in equipoise, they see the phenomena of special insight, yet when they are not resting in equipoise they do not. This type of vision is insight, and insight functions to make it evident. What does it make evident? It makes the true character of all phenomena evident. What is the true character of all phenomena? It is devoid of any engagement with the basis of the character. What is the basis of the character of all phenomena? Cognizance is the basis of the character of all phenomena. The true character of this cognizance is said to be the true character of all phenomena.

“When the continuity of all feeling is cut, there is no experience nor nonexperience. In this context, what are experience and nonexperience? What we are calling experience is birth. What we are calling nonexperience is cessation. When one undergoes neither experience nor nonexperience, one also undergoes neither birth nor cessation. When one undergoes neither birth nor cessation, one settles in reality, does not disturb the realm of phenomena, does not vacillate from suchness, and does not destroy the limit of reality. What we are calling the realm of phenomena [F.21.b] is realized as dependent origination. Suchness is to understand thusness. The limit of reality is to realize true nonduality.

“Sāgaramati, bodhisattva great beings who cognize this knowledge directly are said to have reached full internalization of knowledge.”

When the Blessed One gave this teaching on training, adversity, and internalization, one trillion two hundred billion gods and humans developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, while six hundred thousand beings gained acceptance.

The Blessed One then spoke these verses: