Selections from The Sutra of Complete Enlightenment: Practice and Realization, Part 1 of 2

Today we are delighted to present selections from Chapter 5, from The Sutra of Complete Enlightenment, where Bodhisattva Maitreya (vegan) asks the Lord Buddha (vegan) to expound on the method for getting out of the cycle of birth-and-death.

“Bodhisattva Maitreya asks the Lord Buddha, ‘Buddha! If there are Bodhisattvas and the beings in the era that Buddhism is going to extinguish who want to travel Buddha’s great sea of Nirvana, then what should they do to cut off the source of the cycle of birth-and-death?’ The Lord Buddha replies: ‘Good man, if the being in the era that Buddhism is going to extinguish can abandon all desires, remove “dislike” and “like,” cut off the cycle of birth-and-death, and diligently seek the state of Buddha’s complete Enlightenment, then they will be enlightened with their pure and clear mind.’”

“The Lord Buddha explained further: ‘All beings can prove complete Enlightenment. When they meet the people who can instruct them to become Buddhas and practice the way that Buddhas practiced before they become Buddhas, at that time, the practice is divided into sudden enlightening and gradual enlightening. If they meet the correct practicing way of Buddha’s highest Enlightenment, no matter what capacities they are, they are able to become Buddhas. If there are beings who seek for the people who can instruct them Buddhism, but they meet the people who have wrong views, then they will not attain the correct Enlightenment; these beings are named ‘in the category of other doctrines.’”

“Shakyamuni Buddha then explains further: ‘Good man, Bodhisattvas return to the world by the expedient ways of great compassion, and in order to enlighten the beings who are not enlightened, they even manifest with various different features, make satisfactory or opposite states, and live together with those beings to make the beings become Buddhas. These Bodhisattvas do this by the power of their pure and clear wishes that are generated from long, long ago. If there are beings in the era that Buddhism is going to extinguish who generate the thought of seeking progress in attaining the great complete Enlightenment, then they should give rise to Bodhisattvas’ pure great wish and should say like this, “Now, I am in Buddha’s complete Enlightenment and seeking for the people who can instruct the way of Enlightenment. And they should practice according to the wish and gradually cut off obstacles. After the obstacles are extinguished, their wishes will be accomplished, and they will enter the pure dharma palace of relieving and prove the wonderful, dignified state of great complete Enlightenment.”’”