The Ten Stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path
The First Stage
Stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path are similar to the Theravada idea of the Noble Eight-fold Path, although not the same in the order of the stages, as well as the aim of the various stages that comprise the total trajectory that the Bodhisattva has to traverse. The idea of the Bodhisattva path is linked to the idea of bodhicitta, the aspiration of becoming enlightened, and this aim is for the benefit of all sentient beings—when compared to the Arahant idea it is distinguished by the fact, that the Bodhisattva holds off on attaining final non-returning Nirvana until all sentient beings are brought along the journey of the Bodhisattva path towards enlightenment.
Various Mahayana texts discuss the stages of the path in varying detail and order. For this third article in the series, I’ve mainly followed the stages of the Path as explained in the Dasa Bhumika Sutra. Dasa bhumika in Sanskrit means ten stages. Prior to these ten stages, and similar to how the Theravada Eight-fold Path had the gotrabhu (becoming of the lineage), some texts define two preliminary stages that were explained in Part 1 of this series. I’ve also consulted the abhidharmsamuccaya text of Asanga that provides additional information for the stages, as well as the Sutralamkara text.
In this article, I’ll cover the first stage of the 10 Stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path.
Stage 1. The stage of Great Delight (pramudita bhumi)
The first stage is called Great Delight, because the Bodhisattva realizes and becomes aware of one’s attainment of perfecting their work in giving (dana paramita). This is one of the six perfections that is often referred to in Mahayana Buddhism. The Bodhisattva realizes the emptiness of the individual self (pudgala nairatmya) as well as the emptiness of all mundane entities and objects (dharma nairatmya).
To have Great Delight is considered to be great, because it is not a selfish affair. It means to have joy and be pleased not only for oneself, but also for the benefit of all sentient beings. The satisfaction of this stage goes beyond ordinary mundane delight that one might experience momentarily from desire or sensual pleasure. The Great Delight is a permanent form of delight that might be more subtle, at first, but stays with you everlasting.
The Bodhisattva, after having completed the preliminary stage of the path, goes beyond the stage of worldly existence and becomes a Mahayana initiate of the bodhisattva-clan. The Bodhisattva is now regarded as being a member of the spiritual followers of the Buddha and is no longer affected by the defilement of birth and becoming. The transcendental path (lokottara) is now entered and to be followed, and the Bodhisattva fully understands the sameness-nature of all Dharmas. One has become devoid of false-pride, devoid of wrong-doing, and devoid of anger.
The Great Delight is from the fact of remembering [literally: recollecting] the previous Buddhas, their wonderful teachings, the various practices of previous Bodhisattvas, as well as the value of the Bodhisattva perfection practices (paramita). Furthermore, the pleasure and joy of realizing that they are no longer bound by the worldly attachments to existence in suffering. They can no longer transgress to lower levels of rebirth, and realize that their new purpose is to be the refuge for help to all sentient beings.
The charity aspect of the first stage is typified by the idea of true giving, in the sense that one gives [offers services of helping others towards the path] freely and do not expect any help from others in return. The helping of others is being done with great aspiration and great compassion for all sentient beings.
As the Bodhisattva continues the development on the path in the first stage, they take on and strengthen 10 practices that will help them along the Mahayana path:
The development of loving kindness and great compassion help with the perfection of giving, even when applied to oneself in giving up attachment to materialistic notions of possession of acquired wealth, fame, and fortune. Those are to be transcended as such, and the Bodhisattva develops the acquisition of transcendental qualities through the study of the Mahayana teachings and practices.
Out of the development of the ten perfections (paramita) that are incorporated as practices in the stages of the Mahayana Bodhisattva path, their perfection of giving (dana paramita) is considered to be excellent at this stage.
The Sutralamkara mentions that this first stage is still endowed with signs (nimitta), because the Bodhisattva still develops qualities that lead up to the full understanding of dependent origination and the true-nature of of all formations being empty of real identification (signs).
The bodhisattva feels great joy on seeing the approach towards Awakening to be one step closer, and the possibility of helping other sentient beings and lead them to Enlightenment.
In the next article, I’ll be discussing The Second Stage of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path in full detail.
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I do not know much about all this, but whenever you publish these post I try to read them and learn a little more, What I liked the most and called my attention was the image of the clouds ... I have a great love for this guy of pictures. I hope you have a great night and especially thank you for sharing all this with us. It looks like you've been researching and reading about all this for many years
I have been reading this stuff for years and going to meditation retreats...I know one thing, I am no where near the Bhumi stages of a Bodhisattva even though I took the vows with my first teacher....I still have a lot of work becoming a good person and being generous...I am too forgetful and I have a temper...hehehe
Have a great day @denissemata.
But the good thing is that you work on your temperament. I sometimes forget that I am a good person and I lose patience but every day I work to be a better person and have more patience. Although I do not know you personally, I think you are a great person with a good heart♥
We can only try our best and not give up @denissemata, you are so easy to get along with, I would love to come and bake bread in your kitchen <3
I wish we lived nearby and I would be happy to prepare bread for you! Right now I am preparing a small chocolate cake. It is not easy to try to lose weight by cooking so many delicious things. And I just remembered that you do not eat after 4 o'clock that's really being strong!
I get migraines if I eat late so the pain is a good reminder...hahah I practice intermittent fasting, it is easy to do, keep the meals small and only eat within a six hour window...I can’t eat sugar because my health.
The good thing is that you already know how to control all that and thus avoid migraines. Within a week I will start a regime of change of habits to lose weight. I hope to do things well and lose some weight
All you need to keep in mind is you are learning about yourself, how you work, what works best. I didn't keep a journal of my eating habits and how I felt when I started changing my behavior. However I know a lot of people who say this helps them understand their habits and how to change them. What I did was find out the foods that cause my body pain-inflammation, which causes me to gain weight as well. I suspect that this may be true for a lot of people. Look up the lectin diet, I just found out about lectins, most are beneficial but many cause allergic reactions for humans, the inflammatory lectins are in grains, beans, and the nightshade family, oh, and also sunflower seeds and many nuts. All these foods are my favorite as well...I still eat them but only once in a while...I love peanuts but they don't love me...hahaha
i think life as a bodhisattva is tough. According to Mahayana tradition, a bodhisattva needs to be able to give up absolutely anything for the sake of other beings, including his own life over and over again. If the bodhisattva is not yet generous enough to do this, he/she still has a way to go. The bodhisattva also needs infinite reserves of patience, because it will take a countless number of lifetimes to reach his/her goal
By the time the Bodhisattva gives up everything he/she has realized things, all things are empty of any thing that brings lasting happiness. It is easy for them to walk the path of enlightenment so they can help others find relief from the suffering of grasping at things as me or mine..
You know things, even our body is made up of bits and pieces of other things, and these things are made up of other things. All beings and worlds are made up of tiny bits of this and that... There is no self in the flux of things, they are constantly shifting and changing...but there is what is not a thing and that is the aim of the teaching to stop grasping at things and see without our eyes what is not a thing ...hahaha
So what does it mean to give ones life for the sake of other beings? Give me an example.
Can you clarify your question within the context of the Bhumis @baah, I don't understand...
As in becoming a renunciate? Or giving up householder life to teach the Dharma like the Buddha did...he gave up his kingdom and family but in the end saved them from war and death
Or you could be like Vimalakirti and be a rich merchant and give up everything he held dear and still continue on as a rich layperson...the sutra makes me laugh because it makes fun of bodhisattvas and arahants...hehehe
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Vimalakirti.htm
I was actually asking moon-girl what she means by "giving ones life", it seemed to imply a trade in some extraordinary circumstance of one's life for another, not necessarily devoting ones life to helping beings escape samsara.
In the Jatakas there are stories of giving ones life but not in the sutras I’ve read @moon-girl what sutra are you referring too? Extremes of hurting oneself for the sake of salvation are not what Buddha taught and Buddha can’t save other beings, he teaches others how to save themselves.
Reading the Vimalakirti story, thank you for sharing.
I strongly share the following "7. Clearly comprehend the variations and distinctions of all that exists in all world systems" that's the key of success in almost all you do. Regards
I still have issues with my temper....lololol, I am not even on the pre bhumi levels...hahaha
Hehehe that's a big problem dear red you have to control that. Regards
I try and keep my mouth shut and my guns in a safe :p
Stage by stage is have very important value in mahayana bodhisatva, wish you success in learning buddhist, thank you very much for your sharing to us valuable post about buddhist, hopefully you always success and in healthy mrs @reddust
From what I get from researching and meditation it is extremly difficult to become enlightened...hahaha
But I have found some equanimity that is level headedness in my practice, I understand people when they act out and are cruel and greedy, which makes it easier to keep my temper in check, it is easier for me to have compassion for others who are difficult to get along with but that doesn't mean I hang around them, and my temper is not so bad, that I am greatful for!
If you want enlightened, islam also have the way to you get its, sufism, maybe you can read the book of Annemarie schimel or other scholar about sufism in islam, greeting friendship and brotherhood from me @abialfatih in aceh indonesia
Thank you @abialfatih, I have a practice and I am sticking with it...however I love talking to people of faith no matter what their religion, especially if they are enlightened <3
Thank you too...
I think Mahayana buddhism have some different with Theravada buddhism. But Both have same summaries.
Thank you @reddust.
There are some differences but Theravada and Mahayana do share like the Eightfold path, the 4 Noble Truths, Dependent Origination...The Bhumis are a Mahayana path of purification. Theravada has a Bodhisattva stage but one has to actually meet a Buddha who only shows up once the Dhamma teachings of a previous Buddha has died out and get the okay to walk the path to Buddhahood. In Mahayana you might meet a Buddha in a previous lifetime and have been practicing the path of a Bodhisattva for many life times and pick a time to take birth and become a Buddha...it is kinda complicated because there are many schools with different teachings, not just on the Bhumis but on the path of the Bodhisattva.
http://thubtenchodron.org/2007/05/five-paths-and-ten-grounds/
Do you following Mahayana Buddhism @reddust. I'm a Therevada Buddhist. Still both of Buddhist paths have some differences. But I don't think lot of differences. Every religions hope finally be peaceful and kindness. Your introducing better @reddust.
@templeflower I have a Theravada Meditation teacher who taught me from the Pali Canon Satipatthana sutta along with my first Dharma teacher a Mahayana Korean Zen teacher who was a master of Pali and Sanskrit.
After ten years of going to meditation retreats once or twice a year and study I found teachers in the Vajrayana Dzogchen tradition. So I have had teachers in all 3 traditions. You could call me a Dhamma/Dharma mutt...hahaha
The practitioner of Buddhism and the growth in his teachings inhibits him from participating in worldly activities, the use of technology; and consequently, the use of social networks such as steemit. There is no "modern" Buddhist teaching.
The first stage to which he refers is intimately linked to total surrender. It is a level of consciousness, where the well-being of others is above one's own.
Much like a mother who walks close to death when birthing her child...women understand this easier than men ...hahaha <3
Life is a real mystery, no one will know what lies beyond until their time comes. As long as we are on earth, let us live in peace.....
Buddhist teachings about love are very interesting, if all Buddhists practice the teachings of Buddhism, and if all Muslims adhere to Sufi teachings, how peaceful the world is, no more enmity and killing each other for the sake of lust ,,
Sometimes I am ashamed to see my brother performing a disgraceful act, a behavior that was never taught in Islam,
I know my friend, I know, it is hard to see those of our faith walk away from the path of wisdom and loving kindness, but as my teacher said those who are the most challenging to get along with are our teachers. I worked in groups of Buddhist and helped arrange teachers visits and teachings...the gossip and competition between various groups of Buddhist and their teachers tired me out. Although I don't know any violent Buddhist, culture and tribes play into different views and behaviors within Buddhist sects and I think that is the same for Muslim communities. The Muslims I have met when I worked in Chicago and some Persians from Iran were very well educated and so nice...I was invited to family parties and gatherings, I swear Iranian people are so fun! Many of the family members were practicing Muslims and the women wore head scarfs..I forget the name for the head coverings for modesty.
yesterday in Semarang-Indonesia there was a suicide bomb attacking the church congregation in the name of Islam, I am very sad, Islam does not teach so. Islam that I learned teaches love and tolerance .. thank you for the greatness of your heart to us (Muslims)
It is easy to love good people no matter what their path is @steemitcountry <3
the stage of spiritual journey in the teachings of budha is really impressive, only the lucky ones who come to the stage by stage, I deeply pray you @reddust to undergo the ten stages of mahayana, I love to follow your post about budha,
a teaching that teaches about love, forgives, gives, and mutual respect
I was taught Karma is the force that motivates someone to walk the Buddhist path. Those who walk the Bodhisattva path have met and were taught by Buddha's in previous lifetimes...there is no luck involved just the merit of virtious behavior and understanding and integrating the teachings of a Buddha.
Charity is much of why we are here. We come into this world with nothing and leave without our worldly attachments. Thanks @reddust.
@enjoywithtroy, the virtues are the core of all religions and that is where even atheists can find common ground to work together to make this world a better place for all of us to live.