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Dharma Wisdom Bodhisattva, relies on the Buddha’s awesome powers and expounds upon the Ten Dwellings.
- The Dwelling of first bringing forth the Resolve.
- The Dwelling of the ground of Regulation.
- The Dwelling of Cultivation.
- The Dwelling of Noble Birth.
- The Dwelling of Endowment with skill-in-means.
- The Dwelling of Rectification of the mind.
- The Dwelling of Non-Retreat.
- The Dwelling of Pure Youth.
- The Dwelling of Dharma Prince.
- The Dwelling of Anointment of the Crown.
Annotation
When the Buddha was about to enter Nirvana, the Venerable Ananda asked him four questions. One of the questions is,
‘When the Buddha was in the world we dwelt with the Buddha. When the Buddha enters Nirvana, where shall we dwell?’
The Buddha answered,
‘When the Buddha leaves the world, you should dwell in the Four Applications of Mindfulness.’
The Four Applications of Mindfulness are:
- Contemplate the body as impure.
- Contemplate feelings as suffering.
- Contemplate thoughts as impermanent.
- Contemplate dharmas as being without a self.
If one has true faith in the Buddha’s final instructions and constantly dwells in these Four Applications of Mindfulness, one’s samadhi power would be quite formidable.
Now, the Sutra is referring to the Ten Dwellings of Bodhisattvas which are explained in great detail by Dharma Wisdom Bodhisattva. The Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua says the Ten Dwellings refer to:
- The dwelling of the great thought for Bodhi.
- How in the past a Bodhisattva eliminated all the greed, hatred, and delusion, the ignorance and affliction in his mind, little by little lessening and never increasing them.
- Constantly practicing all kinds of doors of conduct. Because you cultivate, you have all kinds of good roots, and as a result,
- you are born into the household of a Buddha. Because you are born into the Buddha’s household,
- You are endowed with all skill-in-means and have expedients to teach and transform living beings.
- At that time you dwell in the samadhi of proper
- thought, and cultivate without retreating in thought, position or practice.
- Never marrying and always remaining a pure youth.
- Attaining the Dwelling of Pure Youth, one becomes a disciple of the Dharma King. That is, one becomes a Dharma Prince.
- When you attain the position of Dharma Prince, the Buddhas anoint your crown and aid you.
© 2000 Soo Hoong Liung. All Rights Reserved.
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