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Contributed by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated, Australia
Mentor: Bennie Spirit
Editor: Yinyue(Ivy)
With gratitude to Google AI Gemini
With gratitude to NotebookLM
Draft Date: June 11, 2025
Location: BPI Meditation Center

Abstract

This is an extensive treatise that meticulously details the essential points to be mastered at every stage of cultivation, from the level of an ordinary being to the ultimate attainment of Buddhahood.

Why is this path termed “Mahayana” (the Great Vehicle)? The Lotus Sutra (Chapter 10, “The Dharma Preacher”) states: “If a good man or good woman… enters the Tathagata’s room, puts on the Tathagata’s robe, and sits on the Tathagata’s seat, then they may broadly expound this sutra to the four groups. The ‘Tathagata’s room’ is the great compassionate heart toward all living beings; the ‘Tathagata’s robe’ is the gentle and patient heart; the ‘Tathagata’s seat’ is the emptiness of all phenomena.”

Furthermore, the Avatamsaka Sutra (Chapter 40) explains: “All Buddhas and Tathagatas take the great compassionate heart as their substance… All living beings are the roots of the tree, while all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are its flowers and fruits. By nourishing living beings with the water of great compassion, one can accomplish the flowers and fruits of the wisdom of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas… Therefore, if

there were no living beings, no Bodhisattva could ever attain Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi).”

In essence, the core of Buddha-Dharma lies in practicing great compassion amidst living beings. Its ultimate goal is to assist all beings in truly transcending suffering and attaining happiness, ultimately achieving the same perfect enlightenment as the Buddhas. This embodies the mission and core objective of our Association, to which we remain steadfastly committed.

Preface

The contents of the Buddhist Sutras are records of the Buddha-Dharma proclaimed by the Buddha while He was in the world. However, in every Dharma assembly, the Buddha expounded the teachings specifically tailored to the roots and capacities of the audience present at that time, rather than presenting a systematic outline of the

1、The Treatise on the Hundred Dharmas and the Gateway to Understanding Reality

2、The Method for the Eradication of Suffering Applicable to All Beings

3、The Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra

Dharma applicable to beings of all distinct natures in a single setting.

For instance, the Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Adornment Sutra) tends to emphasize “Characteristics” (Lakshana—meaning matters, phenomena, and appearances), whereas the Shurangama Sutra tends to emphasize “Principle” (the underlying truth or noumenon).

Because each Sutra has its specific emphasis, it can be difficult for beginners to grasp the complete picture. Practitioners are prone to falling into the error of “favoring principle while discarding phenomena” or “grasping at phenomena while obscuring the principle.”

Currently, as there is no clearly defined systematic process for practicing Mahayana Buddhism, we have synthesized this path based strictly on scriptural authority. Our aim is to facilitate people of insight to practice smoothly and attain perfect accomplishment.

I. Arousing the Bodhicitta

1-1 Bodhicitta

Bodhi means awakening; it also means understanding. The mind that is capable of awakening to and understanding all things is the Bodhicitta (The Mind of Enlightenment).

1-2 True Bodhicitta

“True” means unchanging and immutable.

For example, consider Space. When planets appear, Space does not compress; when planets disappear, Space does not expand. Therefore, Space is immutable.

To thoroughly understand the True Bodhicitta, one must master what the Shurangama Sutra describes as the “Wonderful Enlightened True Mind,” the “Nature of True Suchness” (Bhūtatathatā), and the “Reality of True Suchness.” This is the True Bodhicitta.

See another book, A Plain Language Commentary on the Shurangama Sutra”(《楞嚴經》白話註解), for details.

1-3 Perfect Bodhicitta

“Essence” (Ti) and “Function” (Yong) are in a state of Oneness; they appear as two but are not two (Non-dual).

Just as a computer screen represents the “Essence,” while the displayed text, pictures, and images represent the “Function.”

The “Function” can change in thousands of ways, yet it never departs from its “Essence.” Although the “Essence” is pure and unconditioned (Asamskrta), it is capable of manifesting thousands of illusory appearances.

The Perfect Bodhicitta is just like this: relying on the “Essence” to clearly perceive everything, establish everything, and accomplish everything. Therefore, Essence and Function are One Suchness—two, yet not two.

1-4 Arousing the Bodhicitta

This means to discover, reveal, and excavate (to establish one by one) all of the Buddha’s wisdom, all of the Buddha’s blessings, all of the Buddha’s capabilities, and all of the Buddha’s virtues.

Whether it is the Tathagata wisdom and virtuous characteristics that you intrinsically possess—such as All-Knowledge (Sarvajna), Spontaneous Wisdom, and Teacherless Wisdom—or qualities you do not currently seem to have, you can excavate them all from the Buddha.

For detailed content, please refer to the Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Adornment Sutra).

See the webpage for details:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vhV9W2dumUfhw8Hv4AkOygN00R-5-BpE/view?usp=drive_link