WHAT ARE THE “BHUMIS” OF A BODHISATTVA’S ASCENT?
QUESTION:
“What is the definition and overall concept of “bhumis” in Tibetan Buddhism?”
GEMINI RESPONSE:
Of course. The concept of the bhumis (Sanskrit for "grounds," "levels," or "stages") is a foundational element of Mahayana Buddhism, providing a detailed and systematic map of a Bodhisattva's spiritual development on the path to becoming a fully enlightened Buddha. It outlines a progressive journey of purifying the mind and cultivating enlightened qualities.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the definition and overall concept of the bhumis.
Definition and Overall Concept
In Tibetan Buddhism, the bhumis are the ten distinct levels of realization that an ārya Bodhisattva (a "noble" being who has had a direct perception of emptiness) traverses on their way to complete Buddhahood. This model transforms the path from a vague aspiration into a structured, developmental framework.
A Map of the Path: The bhumis serve as a spiritual map, detailing what qualities are perfected, what defilements are abandoned, and what incredible abilities are gained at each stage.
Integration of Wisdom and Method: The journey through the bhumis is not just about gaining wisdom; it's about the profound integration of that wisdom with boundless compassion and skillful action. Each bhumi is associated with the perfection of one of the Pāramitās (transcendent perfections).
The Five Paths: The ten bhumis are situated within the broader framework of the Five Paths(pañcamārga), which outlines the entire Mahayana journey:
Path of Accumulation: Gathering merit and wisdom as an ordinary being.
Path of Preparation: Developing meditative insight that leads to a direct realization of emptiness.
Path of Seeing: The attainment of the First Bhumi, where emptiness is perceived directly and non-conceptually for the first time. This is the moment a Bodhisattva becomes an ārya or "noble" being.
Path of Meditation: The journey through the Second to the Tenth Bhumis, where the practitioner repeatedly meditates on emptiness to eliminate the most subtle obscurations and cultivate enlightened qualities.
Path of No More Learning: The final attainment of Buddhahood.
The Ten Bodhisattva Bhumis
Each bhumi has a unique name that reflects the primary quality realized at that stage. As the Bodhisattva advances, their compassion becomes more profound, their wisdom deeper, and their ability to benefit beings expands exponentially.
The Very Joyous (Skt. Pramuditā)
Attainment: Reached with the first direct, non-conceptual realization of emptiness. The Bodhisattva experiences immense joy at having touched the true nature of reality and realizing their potential to benefit all beings.
Perfection Mastered: Generosity (Dāna Pāramitā). They can give away anything, including their own body, without regret.
The Stainless (Skt. Vimalā)
Attainment: Freedom from the stains of immoral conduct. The Bodhisattva's ethical discipline becomes effortless and perfect.
Perfection Mastered: Ethical Discipline (Śīla Pāramitā).
The Light-Maker (Skt. Prabhākarī)
Attainment: The light of wisdom shines forth, burning away the darkness of ignorance. They are said to achieve supreme patience and can withstand any hardship for the sake of the Dharma.
Perfection Mastered: Patience (Kṣānti Pāramitā).
The Radiant Intellect (Skt. Arciṣmatī)
Attainment: The flame of wisdom becomes even more powerful, incinerating any remaining subtle attachments and false conceptions.
Perfection Mastered: Joyful Effort / Diligence (Vīrya Pāramitā). Their dedication to the path becomes inexhaustible.
The Difficult to Master (Skt. Sudurjayā)
Attainment: The Bodhisattva achieves deep meditative stability and a profound understanding of the Two Truths (conventional and ultimate).
Perfection Mastered: Meditative Concentration (Dhyāna Pāramitā).
The Manifest (Skt. Abhimukhī)
Attainment: Supreme wisdom fully manifests. The Bodhisattva directly understands the nature of dependent origination and sees that all phenomena are without any self-essence.
Perfection Mastered: Wisdom (Prajñā Pāramitā).
The Gone Afar (Skt. Dūraṃgamā)
Attainment: The Bodhisattva has gone far beyond the subtle attachments of the lower vehicles and has mastered countless methods to help others. They are no longer bound by conceptual thought in their compassionate activity.
Perfection Mastered: Skillful Means (Upāya Pāramitā).
The Immovable (Skt. Acalā)
Attainment: The Bodhisattva's realization becomes "immovable." They cannot be perturbed by anything and are guaranteed to achieve Buddhahood. Their state is one of effortless spontaneity.
Perfection Mastered: Aspiration / Vow (Praṇidhāna Pāramitā). Their original Bodhisattva Vow reaches its ultimate fulfillment.
The Good Intelligence (Skt. Sādhumatī)
Attainment: The Bodhisattva achieves perfect, unimpeded intelligence, understanding all teachings and the minds of all beings, allowing them to teach the Dharma perfectly.
Perfection Mastered: Power / Strength (Bala Pāramitā).
The Cloud of Dharma (Skt. Dharmameghā)
Attainment: Like a great cloud, the Bodhisattva effortlessly rains down the Dharma, benefiting all beings impartially. They are on the verge of Buddhahood, receiving empowerments from all the Buddhas.
Perfection Mastered: Primordial Wisdom (Jñāna Pāramitā).
Upon completing the Tenth Bhumi, the Bodhisattva passes to the eleventh and final stage: the Buddha Bhumi, the level of perfect and complete enlightenment, embodying the qualities of the Three Kayas (bodies) of a Buddha.
AND, LEVELS — METAPHYSICALLY
QUESTION:
“I’m interested in the above answer in regards to types of “levels”. Do any Tibetan masters such as Asanga apply the concept of various heirarchical leves to the structure of the 10 bhumis?”
GEMINI RESPONSE:
Yes, absolutely. That is a very perceptive question. Ārya Asaṅga and the subsequent Tibetan masters who inherited his system do not view the Ten Bhumis as a simple, uniform ladder. They apply a distinct concept of "hierarchical levels" within the structure of the ten bhumis themselves.
This meta-structure marks several profound, qualitative shifts in a Bodhisattva's journey, turning it from a linear progression into a series of transformative leaps. The most important source for this is Asaṅga's own monumental work, the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra ("The Stages of the Yoga Practitioner"), which contains the Bodhisattvabhūmi.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the hierarchical levels applied to the Ten Bhumis.
The Primary Hierarchy: The Five Paths Framework
The most fundamental structure is how the ten bhumis are situated within the Five Paths (pañcamārga). This creates the first and most important set of levels.
Level 1: The Path of Seeing (Darśana-mārga) — The First Bhumi
The Great Turning Point: This is the single most significant hierarchical leap. Upon attaining the First Bhumi ("The Very Joyous"), a practitioner moves from being an ordinary being (pṛthagjana) to a noble being (ārya).
1 What Happens: This is the moment of the first direct, non-conceptual realization of emptiness (śūnyatā). Before this, any understanding of emptiness was intellectual. Here, it is a direct perception. This is the true entry point into the "supramundane" levels.
Level 2: The Path of Meditation (Bhāvanā-mārga) — The Second to Tenth Bhumis
The Main Journey: This vast level encompasses the majority of the Bodhisattva's path. During these nine stages, the Bodhisattva's work is to deepen, stabilize, and fully integrate the initial insight gained on the Path of Seeing.
Purpose: The goal is to repeatedly meditate on emptiness to systematically eliminate the progressively subtler layers of obscurations—both the emotional obscurations (kleśāvaraṇa) and the cognitive obscurations (jñeyāvaraṇa).
Level 3: The Path of No More Learning (Aśaikṣa-mārga) — The Buddha Bhumi
The Final Fruition: After traversing the Tenth Bhumi, the Bodhisattva attains the final level, the Eleventh Bhumi, which is Buddhahood itself. This is the ultimate hierarchical attainment, where there is nothing left to learn or purify.
The Internal Hierarchy Within the Path of Meditation
Even within the nine bhumis of the Path of Meditation, Asaṅga and later masters describe a crucial internal hierarchy, often creating three distinct groups.
Group A: The Path with Effort (Bhumis 2-7)
Nature of the Practice: During these six stages, the Bodhisattva is actively and consciously working to purify their mind and perfect the Pāramitās. While their realization is far beyond ordinary beings, there is still a subtle element of striving and applied effort involved in their practice. They are primarily focused on overcoming the emotional obscurations and their subtle seeds. They must apply diligence to deepen their meditation and expand their compassionate activity.
Group B: The Path of Spontaneity & Purity (Bhumis 8-10)
The Second Great Turning Point: Reaching the Eighth Bhumi ("The Immovable") marks another profound hierarchical leap. From this stage onward, the Bodhisattva's progress becomes spontaneous and effortless.
Why it's "Immovable": Their realization of emptiness is now so profound and stable that they can no longer be "moved" or disturbed by subtle conceptual thoughts or afflictions. They no longer need to apply deliberate effort to abide in the nature of reality.
The "Pure Bhumis": These last three stages (8, 9, and 10) are known as the "pure bhumis." The Bodhisattva has completely transcended all emotional obscurations.
2 Their work now consists of removing the most subtle cognitive obscurations to omniscience. Their compassionate activity is no longer something they do; it radiates automatically and on a cosmic scale, like the light from the sun.
Summary Table of the Hierarchical Structure
Hierarchical Level | Bhumis Included | Key Characteristic | Path Framework |
The Great Entry | 1st Bhumi | First direct vision of emptiness; becomes an ārya. | Path of Seeing |
The Path of Effort | 2nd - 7th Bhumis | Active purification; overcoming emotional obscurations. | Path of Meditation |
The Path of Spontaneity | 8th - 10th Bhumis | Effortless progress; overcoming cognitive obscurations. | Path of Meditation |
The Final Fruition | 11th (Buddha Bhumi) | Complete Enlightenment; state of No More Learning. | Path of No More Learning |
In conclusion, yes, Asaṅga and the entire Tibetan tradition view the Ten Bhumis through a sophisticated hierarchical lens. The path is not a simple, even climb but a series of major transformations: the initial breakthrough into direct seeing at the First Bhumi, the pivotal shift from effort to spontaneous, effortless perfection at the Eighth Bhumi, and the final culmination in complete Buddhahood.
THE IMPORTANT LEVELS OF THE THREE REALMS
QUESTION:
“Does the concept of the three worlds or realms (desire, form, & formless) figure at all in the path and technical realizations of Buddhahood in Tibetan Buddhism?“
GEMINI RESPONSE:
Yes, absolutely and profoundly. The concept of the three worlds or realms—the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm—is not just a background cosmology in Tibetan Buddhism. It is a fundamental and integral part of the technical framework for the path and the realizations of Buddhahood.
The three realms (Tridhātu in Sanskrit, Khams gSum in Tibetan) are used as a diagnostic tool for understanding samsara, a roadmap for meditative development, and ultimately, as the field for a Buddha's enlightened activity.
Here is a detailed breakdown of how they figure into the path.
1. The Three Realms as the Structure of Samsara (The Problem)
First, the three realms are understood as the complete map of samsara, the cycle of conditioned existence characterized by suffering.
Desire Realm (kāmadhātu): This is our realm, characterized by strong attachment to the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. It includes the hell realms, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and the lower six heavens of the gods.
Form Realm (rūpadhātu): A higher set of seventeen heavens where beings have subtle bodies of light and are free from the grosser desires and sufferings of the Desire Realm. However, they are still subject to a subtle form of attachment to existence and form.
Formless Realm (ārūpyadhātu): The highest set of four heavens within samsara. Beings here have no physical form whatsoever and exist as vast, disembodied consciousness. They are free from attachment to form but are still subtly attached to their own existence and are bound by karma.
The first crucial realization on the path is that all three realms are impermanent and unsatisfactory. Even the highest state of formless existence is not true liberation; it is a temporary state that will end, leading to rebirth once its causal karma is exhausted. The ultimate goal is to transcend all three realms completely.
2. The Three Realms as a Technical Map for the Path (The Solution)
This is where the three realms become a technical framework for practice and realization.
A. A Map for Meditative Attainment (Samatha)
The levels of the Form and Formless Realms provide a direct and precise roadmap for the development of profound meditative concentration (samatha).
The Four Meditative Absorptions (Dhyānas) are specific, blissful, and one-pointed states of mind. Mastering these dhyānas is the direct cause for being reborn in the heavens of the Form Realm. A yogi on the path practices these states not to be reborn there, but to develop the mental stability required to generate penetrative insight (vipassanā).
The Four Formless Absorptions are even deeper states of concentration focused on boundless objects: Infinite Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothingness, and Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. Mastering these is the direct cause for rebirth in the Formless Realm.
Thus, the cosmology of the higher realms serves as a direct, experiential guide for the practitioner's journey into the depths of their own consciousness.
B. The Blueprint for a Bodhisattva's Compassion
For a Mahayana practitioner, the Bodhisattva Vow is to liberate all sentient beings. The three realms provide the map of where those beings are trapped. A Bodhisattva must understand the specific types of suffering and delusion that characterize each realm in order to generate effective compassion and deploy the skillful means necessary to help the beings there.
C. The Internal Map of the Subtle Body (In Vajrayana)
In Highest Yoga Tantra, the three realms are mapped directly onto the practitioner's own subtle body. The body is seen as a microcosm of the cosmos.
The channels (nāḍīs) and energy centers (chakras) are seen as the internal representation of the realms. For example, the chakras from the navel downwards often correspond to the Desire Realm, the heart center to the Form Realm, and the crown center to the Formless Realm.
The technical practices of Tantra, which involve manipulating the winds (prāṇa) and drops (bindus) within these channels, are designed to purify the karmic traces associated with these three realms. By purifying the "inner realms" within one's own body, the yogi purifies their connection to the "outer realms" and gains mastery over them.
D. The Scope of a Buddha's Enlightened Activity (The Result)
The final realization of Buddhahood is a complete transcendence of the three realms. A Buddha is no longer subject to their laws of karma and rebirth. This state is described as being the "Lord of the Three Realms."
However, this lordship is not a passive state of removal. It is the basis for limitless compassionate activity. A fully enlightened Buddha can freely and intentionally manifest within any of the three realms to benefit beings.
The Nirmāṇakāya (Emanation Body) of a Buddha, such as Shakyamuni, is a manifestation that appears specifically in the Desire Realm to teach ordinary beings.
The Sambhogakāya (Enjoyment Body) appears in celestial pure lands (which can be seen as a purified version of the Form Realm) to teach high-level Bodhisattvas.
In conclusion, the concept of the three worlds is far from being a mere cosmological curiosity. It is a vital, multi-layered tool that is technically integral to the Tibetan Buddhist path, defining the problem (samsara), mapping the meditative journey, informing the tantric yogi's internal practice, and ultimately describing the boundless scope of a Buddha's compassionate activity.
No comments:
Post a Comment