Continuing our discussion, when you enter the state of emptiness, I liken it to a white cloud. In its purest form, this cloud symbolises the state of emptiness. Can you feel what it comprises when you touch it? You cannot, but you can see it, just as when we stand atop Mount Lu and a white cloud obscures our view. You can’t dispel the cloud; it only clears when it passes, revealing all – this is the nature of emptiness. However, this state of emptiness is formed by the convergence of numerous points of light. Where do these points come from? They arise from the good deeds you perform and the merit and virtue you accumulate. The more merit and virtue, the purer your state of emptiness. Without a significant infusion of merit and virtue into your spirit, your cloud remains invisible in the sky. By engaging in good deeds, accumulating merit and virtue, and helping awaken sentient beings, continuous points of light gather in your cloud layer, making it a beautiful, visible, yet intangible cloud that can be felt. Consequently, in the later stages, the spirit manifests in such a way, transcending the physical body. In the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West, when demons appear, they are accompanied by dark clouds, whereas Bodhisattvas arrive on auspicious clouds. As described in Journey to the West, before Bodhisattvas are seen, an auspicious cloud appears first, and then the Bodhisattvas emerge from these clouds.
What I am teaching you is how to gather these points of light and merge them with the cosmic light. The cosmic light is natural, inherent to the universe. Merging it with these points of light creates a state of mutual illumination. For example, the heart of Guan Yin Bodhisattva is immensely kind. If our hearts are equally kind, we can connect with Guan Yin Bodhisattva and receive her energy field. Conversely, if your heart is tainted and your conscience is corrupt, you cannot expect to receive the positive energy field of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Light resonates with light and becomes increasingly brighter as they correspond and harmonise. Stage designers understand this: if a white light and a darker light shine on the same spot on stage, the area becomes dimmer and less bright.
Always remember, this light involves combining the Buddha-light cultivated in your heart with the cosmic light. This convergence leads to a marvellous phenomenon where all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest in the heavens, which, in fact, exist within your heart. When your inner light, the light of the Buddha, and the cosmic light unite, your eyes and heart can perceive the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the heavens, as their light illuminates your heart.
A common example I give is that you are currently at an elementary school level; how can you expect to meet a professor? Once you’ve graduated from university and pursued higher education, you’ll naturally spend your days with professors. Similarly, when you reach the level of a Bodhisattva, you will naturally be able to see Bodhisattvas. It’s simple; if you’re always in the company of those with elevated thinking or advanced spiritual understanding, your own level of thought will rise. Conversely, what can you learn from being with those who know nothing and learn nothing?
Transmit the light of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into your body. When your light merges with the light of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the heavens, it’s like a meteor entering your inner spirit. What is the inner spirit? It’s the latent thought in your heart. And what is the outer spirit? It’s the superficial thought. Bundles of light enter your body like meteors, illuminating your inner spirit. Only when your inner spirit is lit can your outer spirit shine. Like a small wick, when first lit, represents the inner spirit, and as the flame grows, it represents the outer spirit. When the light is on, what is seen from outside is the flame. So, when the Buddha-light enters your inner spirit, you become the light of emptiness, and your body becomes empty. This is the state of luminousness in the Formless Realm.
What I’m discussing now is just the material aspect of the Formless Realm, not its essence. Once you cultivate to the level of the Formless Realm and have this foundation, you can proceed to the path of Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas and transcend the cycle of rebirth in the Six Realms of Existence, achieving Nirvana. Only high-level Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can attain Nirvana, which is direct entry into the Buddha’s world, the tenth realm, the realm of the Buddha.
Studying the Bodhisattva path means learning the different stages of the Bodhisattvas. If you specifically cultivate the Third Ground Bodhisattva path, you can directly attain the stage of the Third Ground Bodhisattva upon passing. It’s not about aiming for the Tenth Ground Bodhisattva level and gradually cultivating step by step. If you cultivate as a Third Ground Bodhisattva in this life, and if your spiritual state reaches the Third Ground upon passing, you will directly attain that stage. It’s like military schools for soldiers and officers – if you study as an officer, you graduate as one. If you study as a soldier, you graduate as one. It depends on your cultivation in this life.
I previously discussed the Second Ground Bodhisattva and will now add a bit more. The Second Ground Bodhisattva embodies purity and accomplishment in observing precepts. They are characterised by their tranquillity, purity, and strict adherence to precepts. Have you abided by the precepts? Have you refrained from actions that should be avoided? Avoiding crimes is just the basic expectation. I’ve previously spoken about the ten wholesome and unwholesome kinds of actions. You should not only abstain from unwholesome actions but also actively engage in the ten wholesome kinds of actions.
The Second Ground Bodhisattva benefits themselves and others through these ten wholesome kinds of actions. To engage in wholesome deeds and abstain from evil is fundamental. However, merely abstaining from evil does not equate to upholding the Bodhisattva precepts; it is, rather, a fundamental condition inherent to being human. Does being a human mean you can commit evil? Absolutely not. The Second Ground Bodhisattva’s accomplishment is in abiding by precepts to the end. To become a Second Ground Bodhisattva, you also need a pure heart – your conscience and nature must be pure.
If you aspire to be a Second Ground Bodhisattva, first and foremost, cultivate deep tranquility and kindness. Remember, it’s not just goodness, but “pure” goodness you should aim for. This goodness is characterized by its purity. Many young people, when pursuing someone they are interested in, may pretend to be considerate, especially when the other person is sick. But is this really pure goodness? It’s a form of goodness, yet it’s driven by a motive. It is true that actively helping by buying medicine and assisting them with various needs is good. However, it doesn’t necessarily qualify as pure goodness if it’s influenced by ulterior motives.
“With honesty, gentleness, capability, subjugation, tranquillity, and pure goodness, quickly escape the cycle of birth and death, with a grand intention, enter the Second Ground with these ten minds.” This means your nature should be gentle but upright, called honest gentleness. You’re studying the Bodhisattva path, whose nature is straightforward, upright, gentle, and subdued. The Second Ground Bodhisattva has power of vow, mindfulness and wisdom. Wisdom must be powerful. If you have mindfulness but lack wisdom, you can’t reach the Second Ground Bodhisattva’s level. Then there’s the power of fortune and virtue – a person must have both fortune and morality, another form of power.
To study the Bodhisattva path, first learn to quieten down. Although you haven’t been following my teachings for long, your temperament is changing, and your spiritual state is elevated. First, you speak less; second, you’re calm and tranquil. Your tranquillity stems from desiring less; as desires grow, so does the impurity in your heart. Bodhisattvas are desireless. The mind of a more mature Second Ground Bodhisattva naturally gravitates towards tranquillity and pure goodness, leading to an escape from the cycle of birth and death.
Can Second Ground Bodhisattvas cultivate in the human realm? Of course, everyone here can cultivate. For example, today, if you think of nothing, are very tranquil, kind-hearted, and purely good, without any desires, you’ve already entered the realm of the Second Ground Bodhisattva. Unfortunately, you can only maintain this state temporarily, lasting only for fifteen minutes, half an hour, or perhaps an hour, but not permanently. As soon as you leave this practice centre, you immediately enter the human world, right? If you can maintain this, you are a Bodhisattva. If you can maintain this pure goodness, you are a Second Ground Bodhisattva. The logic is simple. Achieving transcendence from the cycle of birth and death means that once you fully understand, you stop dwelling on your birth or fearing death. Enlightened, you are a Bodhisattva; unenlightened, you are a mere mortal.