Uttaratantra: Buddha-Nature

The remainder of the first chapter, then, is on Buddha-nature, the source or the cause that allows us to become enlightened. It explains that since everyone has this essential nature, it is possible to achieve enlightenment gradually through stages, such as with the ten bodhisattva bhumi-levels of mind. The chapter presents the cause that will allow for gaining purification and the circumstances that help this purification to occur.

The next chapter is about the state of purified growth itself, called bodhi in Sanskrit. There are two aspects of a state of purification and growth. There is the state of purification and growth that refers to an actual place. This is the Vajra Seat of Bodh Gaya, the actual place where the states of purification, growth and enlightenment were achieved. Then, there is the state of purification and growth that is a realization. This refers to the state of full enlightenment with its double purity – natural purity and the purity gained by the removal of the stains. Double purity is the nature of that state of purification and growth, the nature of the state of enlightenment.

The state that can be attained refers to the meditative states of total absorption and subsequent realization. The result is that we are free from obscurations. The actualization of our own and others’ purposes is the action. The basis for this action is having good qualities.

The profound Dharmakaya, the extensive Sambhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya of Great Nature are ways to differentiate states of enlightenment in terms of a system of three aspects. This subject matter is very profound and to go into it in great detail would take a great deal of time. This state of purification and growth or enlightenment is something discussed in eight points in the text.

A Dharmakaya can only be known as an object by other Buddhas; therefore, we refer to it as inconceivable, beyond all thought. The dominant condition or basis for producing a Corpus of Supreme Emanations is the Sambhogakaya, a Corpus of Full Use. In order to be able to benefit others and to appear in a form visible to ordinary beings, we need to arise in the forms of a Corpus of Supreme Emanations. So, a Nirmanakaya comes from a Sambhogakaya. Such a Supreme Emanation Body works for the benefit of others through the twelve enlightening deeds. Once we have achieved the enlightened state of a Buddha, we never arise from total absorption on voidness.

• In the first of the twelve enlightening deeds, Buddha is born into the highest godly rebirth in the Tushita realm, which is the last place before manifesting on Earth. Before the Buddha descends from this Tushita or Ganden realm, he passes on the responsibility for teaching there to Maitreya, who will be his substitute in Tushita. When Buddha gave Maitreya full empowerment, the depression of gods in Tushita, who were sad that Buddha was leaving, was lifted. As a result, Maitreya is called the “one who dispels depression.”
• The second deed is to descend from the Tushita realm.
• The third deed is to enter his mother’s royal womb.
• The fourth deed is to take birth at Lumbini.
• The fifth deed is to become skilled in all of the arts and fields of knowledge.
• The sixth deed is to enjoy life with his wife and entourage.
• The seventh deed is seeing the four sights outside of the palace: old age, sickness, death and a robed renunciate.
• After seeing these, the Buddha saw that there was no lasting essence to the life he was leading, and therefore the eighth deed is to leave the palace and princely life.
• He traveled with his horseman to a certain stupa and there he performed the ninth deed of cutting off his princely topknot, becoming a renunciate. In his way, he performed the renunciation of the world and the determination to be free.
• The tenth deed is to follow severe ascetic practices for six years.
• The eleventh deed was his going to an essential place to gain purified growth, referring to the Vajra Seat at Bodh Gaya. After this, he vanquished or overcame the hosts of Maras, the demonic forces. Next, he demonstrated at dawn the full enlightenment followed by turning the Wheel of the Dharma, which means he set flowing the rounds of transmission of the teachings.
• Finally, he demonstrated passing away into parinirvana.

If we consider the Buddha coming onto the plane of sensory objects of desire, the desire realm, we have thirteen, which includes the first deed, taking rebirth in the Tushita realm. If we take entering into his mother’s womb and being born together as one deed, then it comes to twelve. In another commentary tradition, there is a mention of another of Buddha’s deeds, his own teachings setting like the sun. Regardless, the Buddha continues to act for the benefit of beings in impure realms without any break in the continuity.

We can never tell where we will be reborn. Now, we are in a position where we can meet with the teachings, but we could be reborn in a realm where they are not found. The animals, hungry ghosts and hell beings are in realms where they cannot meet with the teachings. We can never tell where those beings will be reborn. It may be in a place where they can meet with the teachings.

We can visit the holy places on the Indian subcontinent where the Buddha lived, namely Lumbini where he was born, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Varanasi where he first taught, and Kushinagar where he demonstrated his passing away. Visiting these places is very good, especially when once there, to offer pure prayers. For instance, if we go to Sarnath, there are many beggars and people in very difficult situations; however, there are also many people with realizations. If we go there, we should make offerings, give charity to the beggars and circumambulate the stupa. This will build up a tremendous amount of positive force.

This is the time for us to build up our positive potentials, and not the time to sit back and enjoy the results of our previous positive acts. If we recklessly sit back and enjoy the result of previous positive acts, we will quickly exhaust them all, finishing them. This is a time to build up as much positive potential as we can.

We can do that very well at the holy pilgrimage sites by making offerings and also by having a great deal of trusting belief and respect in front of various Buddha statues and paintings. Meeting with Buddha statues and paintings can be extremely beneficial for building up positive potential. For instance, it is very rare to meet an actual Buddha, and we might only meet him once. However, we can see the statues and paintings all of the time. If we were to see a Buddha, we might think he was just an ordinary person having all of the faults of an ordinary person. If we have a Buddha statue or painting and regard it with a great deal of respect and belief, then we will not regard it as something false. The positive potential built up by constant contact with Buddha images will help to develop a strong wish to actually meet with the Buddhas. Observing Buddha statues and paintings, along with the proper attitude towards them, is an opportunity to build up a great deal of positive potential.

If we meet with any representation of a Buddha, from a tiny drawing on upward, and regard it with the proper attitude, we can build up a great deal of positive potential. We can purify ourselves of all obscurations. From that point it is possible, if we have the proper attitude, to purify all of the stains that are obscuring the family trait that allows for enlightenment. In fact, we will be able to meet with the actual Buddhas with their stainless Dharmakayas and their clear, full Corpuses of Form with all of the major and minor marks. This is the reason why I made the statement of how it is more beneficial to meet with paintings and other representations of the Buddhas then to meet with the Buddhas themselves.

This completes the second chapter, which is the chapter on the state of purification and growth or enlightenment. I have received the lineage and transmission of both the root text and its explanatory commentary. You are receiving the full oral transmission which will make a big difference in the future when you study this text. The great pandits, masters and translators of the past have been extremely kind and the pandits, masters and translators of today are too.

There is a difference between a lotsawa, an eye-opening translator, and just a translator. A translator is simply someone who changes things from one language to another. However, if a translator has the quality of understanding the essential points of the Dharma teachings and a strong intention to work for future lives and beyond, this makes a huge difference. Such a translator is very rare as we can see; there are thousands of people who know languages, but a true Dharma translator is very exceptional.

The eye-opening translators of the past were those who placed a great deal of effort into studying the essence of all of the great texts, gathering them into the vowels and consonants of the alphabet. Out of these, they composed translations that were of great benefit to others. This is like a master physician who gathers together the essence of all the different types of medicinal plants and puts them together in a tiny pill that is the essence of all of those plants. These pills can then be given to others for great benefit. To be an ordinary translator is easy, but to truly be an eye-opening translator is extremely difficult.

We have great masters. If we study and work hard with all of the texts, we can gain great qualities and realizations based on the source within that makes it possible for us to attain enlightenment.