7. Puṇya
How then, son of good family, does the merit of bodhisatvas become like the expanse of the sky (tatra kulaputra katamo bodhisatvānāṃ puṇyaṃ gaganasamam)?
The qualities of the Buddha (buddhadharma) are just like the expanse of the sky, and their potential, the thought of awakening (bodhicittabīja), is also like the expanse of the sky.
Because, son of good family, although he accumulates the merit of bodhisatva, he never forgets the thought of awakening (bodhicittāvirahita), and collecting the roots of good (kuśalamūla), he transforms (pariṇāmayati) those accumulations into omniscience (sarvajñātā), and thus establish them (pratiṣṭhita) in being like the immeasurable expanse of the sky.
The bodhisatva should think thus: “I will accumulate (abhisaṃkaromi) immeasurable merits in the same way as the expanse the sky is immeasurable.”
Since the effort is endless (apramāṇārambha), it increases into an immeasurable good (apramāṇārtha). Here the bodhisatva should strive (yogaḥ karaṇīyaḥ) for immeasurable accumulations of merit (aprameyapuṇyasaṃbhāra);
rigs kyi bu de la byaṅ chub sems dpa’ rnams kyi bsod nams nam mkha’ daṅ mtshuṅs pa gaṅ źe na |
rigs kyi bu saṅs rgyas kyi chos ni nam mkha’ daṅ mtshuṅs te | de dag gi byaṅ chub kyi sems kyi sa bon de yaṅ nam mkha’ daṅ mtshuṅs so ||
rigs (2) kyi bu byaṅ chub sems dpa’i bsod nams ji sñed mṅon par ’du byed pa de yaṅ byaṅ chub kyi sems daṅ mi ’bral te dge ba’i rtsa ba bsags śiṅ bsags pa de dag kyaṅ thams cad mkhyen pa ñid du sṅo bar byed ciṅ de dag thams cad kyaṅ nam mkha’ daṅ mtshuṅs par (3) tshad med par rab tu gnas so ||
de la byaṅ chub sems dpas ’di ltar nam mkha’ tshad med pa’i phyir bdag gis bsod nams tshad med pa mṅon par ’du bya’o sñam du sems bskyed par bya’o ||
de ci’i phyir źe na | tshad med par brtsams pas tshad med pa’i don ’phel ba yin (4) te | de la byaṅ chub sems dpas bsod nams kyi tshogs tshad med pa la brtson par bya’o ||
Through these ten immeasurables (daśāpramāṇa), son of good family, the bodhisatva completes (paripūrayati) the accumulations of merit (puṇyasaṃbhāra). What are these ten (katame daśa)?
a) completion (paripūraṇā) of the immeasurable ornaments for the body (kāyālaṃkāra) by fulfilling the characteristics of a great man and the marks of beauty (lakṣaṇānuvyañjanaparipūraṇa);
b) completion of the immeasurable ornaments of speech (vāgālaṃkāra) by purifying his sphere of speech (svaramaṇḍala) so it is in accordance with all beings (sarvasatvānugatasvaramaṇḍalaviśuddhi);
c) completion of the immeasurable ornaments for thought (cittālaṃkāra) in accordance with the thought of all beings (sarvasatvacittānuvartanatā);
d) completion of the immeasurable maturation (pariṇāmanā) of living beings through immeasurable behaviour (īryāpatha) of practice and knowledge;
e) completion of the immeasurable purity of Buddha-fields (buddhakṣetra) through immeasurable forms (ākāra);
f) completion of the immeasurable behaviour of the Buddha (buddheryāpatha) by infinitely reflecting (nidhyāna) and pondering on the thought of merits;
g) completion of the immeasurable embellishment of the place of awakening (bodhimaṇḍālaṃkāra) through all practices (sarvacaryā) with all arrangements of the ornaments (sarvālaṃkāravyūha);
h) completion of the immeasurable enjoyment (paribhoga) of the circle of hair between the eyebrows (ūrṇa) by accumulating endless offerings (anantayajña);
i) completion of the immeasurable, invisible crown of the head (anavalokitamūrdha) by serving teachers (guru) with endless homage and conquering pride (nihatamāna);
j) completion of the immeasurable unfailing courage (amoghavikrānti) by adequately grasping (pradakṣiṇagraha) the coming and going (āgatigati) without deception or guile (māyāśāṭhya);
Through those ten immeasurables (daśāpramāṇa), son of good family, the bodhisatva accumulates the collection of merit (puṇyasaṃbhāra).
Furthermore, son of good family, when the thought of the bodhisatva becomes like open space, all his undertakings (sarvārambha) are infinitely established everywhere since open space is infinite, and thus it is called merit like open space (gaganasamapuṇya).
rigs kyi bu tshad med pa bcu po ’di dag ni gaṅ byaṅ chub sems dpas bsod nams kyi tshogs kyis yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba ste | bcu gaṅ źe na |
’di lta ste | mtshan daṅ dpe (5) byad bzaṅ po yoṅs su rdzogs pas lus kyi rgyan tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
sems can thams cad kyi rjes su soṅ ba’i dbyaṅs kyi dkyil ’khor rnam par dag pas ṅag gi rgyan tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
sems can thams cad kyi (6) sems kyi rjes su ’jug pas sems kyi rgyan tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ ||
spyod pa daṅ ye śes daṅ spyod lam tshad med pas sems can yoṅs su smin par bya ba tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
rnam pa tshad med pa rnams kyis saṅs rgyas kyi (7) źiṅ yoṅs su dag pa tshad med pa la yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
bsod nams daṅ sems ṅes par rtog pa daṅ dpyod pa tshad med pas saṅs rgyas kyi spyod lam tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
rgyan bkod pa thams cad daṅ spyod pa thams cad kyis byaṅ chub (263a1) kyi sñiṅ po’i rgyan tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
gtan pa med pa’i mchod sbyin yoṅs su rdzogs pas mdzod spu yoṅs su spyad pa tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
bla ma la rim gro byed ciṅ ’dud pa tshad med pa daṅ ṅa rgyal bcom pa tshad (2) med pas dbu’i gtsug tor spyi gtsug bltar mi mthoṅ ba tshad med pa yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba daṅ |
sgyu daṅ g-yo med par ’oṅ ba daṅ ’gro ba daṅ ’thun par ’dzin pas don yod par rnam par gnon pa tshad med pa yoṅ su rdzogs par bya ba ste |
rigs kyi bu tshad med pa bcu po de (3) dag ni gaṅ byaṅ chub sems dpas bsod nams kyi tshogs kyis yoṅs su rdzogs par bya ba’o ||
gźan yaṅ rigs kyi bu nam byaṅ chub sems dpa’ sems nam mkha’ daṅ mtshuṅs par gyur ba de nam mkha’ tshad med pas de’i rtsom pa thams cad kyaṅ tshad med par kun du gnas (4) te | de bas na bsod nams nam mkha’ daṅ mtshuṅs źes bya’o ||