Today, I will continue to discuss the Bodhisattva of the Second Ground. Let me first describe the state of the Second Ground Bodhisattva. The Second Ground is also referred to as the Ground of Freedom from Defilement. “It is named the Ground of Freedom from Defilement due to their marvellous cultivation of the Middle Way and the elimination of Dharma defilements. Through applied intelligence, the Bodhisattva severs the ignorance of wrong conducts arising among all sentient beings, thereby realising supreme merit and virtue, and excelling in the perfection of morality (Śīlapāramitā).” This describes the state of the Second Ground Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva at this level benefits themselves and others through the practice of the ten wholesome kinds of actions, using these actions to assist others and themselves. In other words, they draw on the benefits of the ten wholesome kinds of actions to extend help, completing these benefits. The state of the Second Ground Bodhisattva signifies a transformation from the First Ground, heralding a new transformation – that is their luminous mind.
The Second Ground Bodhisattva possesses a luminous mind – a radiant, awakened mind. This luminous mind gradually transforms into great compassion. While compassion exists in everyone, what is absent is the “greatness” – the great compassionate heart, the heart of great vows, great blessings, and great renunciation. This means that one must constantly cultivate loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, but it must be on a grand scale. What is the difference between great and small? For instance, vowing to Guan Yin Bodhisattva to eat vegetarian once a year or twice a month is minor. A great vow is: “Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I vow to guide and awaken all sentient beings who have affinity for Buddhism.” It is crucial to understand the importance of the power of vows. Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva vowed, “Not until the hells are empty, will I become a Buddha.” Although the hells are not yet empty, his power of vow has realised his spiritual attainment. Why then, without fulfilling one’s vow, does it still bear karmic fruit? Because sincerely aspiring to accomplish something, despite failing, accrues merit and virtue. One must therefore bring forth the power of great vows.
Furthermore, when your hearts of great renunciation, great blessings, great vows, and great compassion emerge, you are gradually cleansing your soul, purifying your mind. When your true nature becomes clean, you will see your pure nature and gradually detach from the defilements of the Desire Realm. As you go through these purifications, your spiritual state slowly begins to transcend the Desire Realm in Heaven.
Monks in the past could transcend the Desire Realm because they cultivated their minds in the mountains and temples, staying away from women and financial temptations, indifferent to worldly matters, knowing well that diligent cultivation leads to detachment from the Desire Realm. Attachment is defilement. Nowadays, every household has newspapers. Will you still indulge in inappropriate content? As my disciples, if you indulge in these inappropriate sections, you are not cultivating your minds properly as a disciple. If someone defends that they read them only to criticize, I tell you, such a person lacks spiritual state and will be despised by the world. Those are the filthiest things, the most shameful, and should not be viewed. Think about it, if a person likes the dirtiest part of the body, isn’t that person filthy? Animals indulge in these matters.
Thus, as Buddhists, we must move beyond the realm of worldly defilement, achieve purity. Be free of desire and practise holy lifeway (brahmacharya), distancing yourself from desires. The word ‘brahmacharya‘ signifies true faith, genuinely cultivating one’s behaviour. Complete observance of precepts is essential; all your actions must be guided by precepts. The Buddha’s teaching is “to take precepts as the foundation.” Therefore, you must observe precepts completely. That is, abide by precepts comprehensively, encompassing your thoughts, actions, and speech. Only then can you enter the realm of the Second Ground Bodhisattva’s cultivation, just beginning the practice of the Second Ground Bodhisattva.
Many people say they wish to ascend to the realm of Bodhisattvas, but can they truly reach it? Now, I have pointed out the goals for you; it is up to you to cultivate and see if you can ascend. It’s like sifting sand in the surf; some people cannot persevere and are naturally eliminated; some, due to improper conduct, withdraw themselves; others lack the initiative or confidence to amend their faults and retreat. Those who cultivate well, with the Buddha in their hearts and following the path of Bodhisattvas, will overcome all obstacles and march forward bravely. For instance, you have all seen boats; the pointed bow of a boat is like a path. Learning and practising Buddhism is like this boat, moving forward, cutting through the waves, parting the waters on both sides. This is akin to studying the path of the Buddha. If the bow were flat, imagine the resistance? In learning Buddhism, one must find the true Buddhist path, the path of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, to move forward bravely.
The Buddhist scriptures state that all Buddhist practices should be founded on the ten wholesome kinds of actions. I have previously explained these ten kinds of actions to you. A Second Ground Bodhisattva benefits themselves and others through these ten wholesome kinds of actions. I won’t elaborate on the ten unwholesome kinds of actions today. The ten wholesome kinds of actions are: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in improper sexual conduct, not lying, not using divisive speech, not using harsh words, not engaging in idle chatter, not being greedy, not being angry, and not being ignorant.
A practitioner must first cultivate the ten wholesome kinds of actions to follow the Dharma properly. In other words, by practising the ten kinds of actions you can find the true Dharma. “Properly” means to find. To follow the Dharma properly is to find the correct path, and then to attain the Dharma, gradually purifying your mind. In reality, all the hustle and bustle revolves around this mind. What causes all your troubles and problems today? It’s because the mind is unsettled, impure. If your mind were a little cleaner, you wouldn’t have these problems.
Many human faults arise from an impure mind; this is why it’s said: the mind is the root of illness, the source of trouble, the origin of faults. Thus, calming the mind can cure all illnesses. Even bearing myriad diseases, a settled mind brings recovery. Understand? For example, one person had cancer, and the family decided not to tell him, treating him well and encouraging him to be strong, and he recovered. In contrast, another person, upon suspecting they had cancer, was informed by their family that it might be malignant, but it wasn’t yet confirmed, and this person died within a week. This shows how your mind shapes your karma; if your mind dies, so will you. Never let your heart die, so you can live a meaningful life.
First, you must transcend the defilements of the Desire Realm. To transcend the defilements of the Desire Realm means your spiritual state must rise above the Desire Realm in Heaven, above the worldly defilements. People stop progressing in their cultivation because they cannot elevate their spiritual state. How do you elevate your spiritual state? Let me tell you a simple scenario so you will know how – consider why you no longer spit randomly in public spaces though maybe you once did. What changed? This is the elevation of your state. How did it elevate? It reached a certain level where you knew as a person you shouldn’t spit on the ground, that you should care for hygiene – this is the elevation of your inner state, and gradually, you naturally stop spitting on the ground. How is this state cultivated? Can you see it? Can you touch it? The elevation of your state is invisible, intangible; it only comes from your gradual realisation and cultivation. Why do some people get upset over minor issues? Why are others calm and patient? This is the difference in their spiritual states. People with high spiritual states, even if insulted directly, just smile and say nothing.
Why can one become a Tenth Ground Bodhisattva? Because it’s a gradual progress. The higher your spiritual state, the faster you ascend; the lower your state, the slower you ascend. Just like in the human world, why do different people react differently to the same situation? Their reactions signify their spiritual level.
Cultivating towards the states of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas is the supramundane state of the sages. A sage is a holy person. Do you know why, after attaining the state of Arhat in the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha paths, not many sages come down to save people? It’s because they fear that once they descend, they might not return, falling back into the cycle of rebirth within the six realms of existence. Bodhisattvas in the ninth realm and Buddhas in the tenth realm vow to descend to guide and awaken sentient beings. Their vows are powerful, but even Bodhisattvas risk not returning when they descend to save people. However, their state is so high that they brave the jeopardy to rescue beings. Only a Buddha, once descended, is never lost in the human world, never falling into the cycle of rebirth within the six realms of existence because a Buddha is fully awakened, attaining the unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment.