WixrrepiA Bhimi (Buddhism) ‘Bho (Sanskrit: +4) is the 32 and 39 place (10 and 1 in simple coun) on the outgoings proces of Mahayana awakening. In Buddhism, initially the monks who arrived a hi were called éivakas in opposition to Brahminism. Sakro devin and Triyatrnga are together called "Bhi nivisin" ‘The Sanskait term Bhi iteraly means “ground” or “foundation”. Bach stage represents a level of attainment in that ease, and serves asa basis forthe next ‘one. Each level marks a definite advancement in one's ening, that is accompanied by progresively greater power and wisdom, ‘Another term use to describe the ten bodhisatva stages was "ihara (abode, dwelling). Contents Ten bhai “The fret ham the Very Joyous “The second bhi he Stainless The thr bam, the Light-Maker “The fourth bhomi he Racant ntllact “The fth bham, Ocul to Master The sch bhai the Manifest, “The seventh Bhim the Gone Afar “The eighth bhai the Immovable “The ninth bham, the Good intligence “The tenth bhumi the Cloud of Dharma ‘Additional Bhim! See so Ref Bibliography Five Paths The bhimis ae subcategories ofthe Five Paths (pafieamarga, Wylie Tibetan lam lnga)2 4. The path of accumulation (sambhara-marga, Wyle Tibetan: tshogs lam). Persons on this Path 1. Possess a strong desis to overcome suffering, ther heir own or others; 2. Renounce the woraly ie 21 2, The path of preparation o application (prayoga-msrge, Wyle Tibetan: sbyor lam), Persons on this Path 1. Start practicing meditation: 2, Have anaical knowledge of emptiness, 8. The path of seeing (daréans-marge, Wyle Tbetan: mong lam). Persons on this Path: 1, Practice profound conceniation meditation on the nature of realy 2 Realize the emptiness of eaiy.2 4. The path of meditation (bhavané-marga, Wyle Tibetan: sgom lam). Persons on this path pu themselves and accumulate wisdom 5. The path of no more learning or consummation (asaiksé-marga, Wylo Tibetan: mi slob pai lam or thar phyin pa lam), Persons on this Path havo completly pured themselves!) Passage through the grounds and paths begins with Bodhicta, the wish to liberate al sentient beings. Aspiring Bodhicita becomes Engaging Bodhicita upon sctal commitment tothe Bodhisattva vows. With these steps, the practitioner hecomes @ Bodhisattva, and enters upon the paths 9) ‘Before attaining the ten grounds, the bodhisatwa traverses the fist two ofthe fve Mahayana pats 4. The path of accumulation 2. The path of preparation “The ten grounds ofthe bodhisattva ae grouped within the three subsequent paths 4. Bhami 1: Te path of seeing 2. Bhim 2-7: The path of metation 5 Bhai 8-10: Te path of no more easing In Hua-yen Buddism there are some 4o previous stage before the first bhumt + 10 faihs + abodes + 10 practices +10 mertransterences In Tientei Buddhism the practioner ofthe so-alled “perfect teaching” is equal in atainment to arhatsby just the ath faith.Mahayana iterture often features an enumeration of two obstructions” (Wylie: sgrib anus 4. The “obatrutions of delusive emotions" (Sanskt Kesa-varane, Wyle nyen-mongs-pa' sgb-m9} 2. The “obstructions to knowledge" (Sanskrl: foyBvarapa, Wyle: shos-byal sana)! ‘The obstruction of dlusive emotions is overcome at the allainment of the path of seing, and the obstructions to knowledge are overcome over the course of ‘the path of meditation. This is nota statement agreed upon by all Buddhist school, eg. Korean Son's Kihwa states that the obstructions to knowledge are overcome by the 10th bhumi Ten bhimis “The Avatanskastra refers tothe following ten bins) The first bhami, the Very Joyous. (St pramuct, in which ane rojlces at ealing @ pari aspect of he tut ‘The second bhiimi the Stainless. (St. vimls, in which one is free fom all deflement: The third bhi, the Light-Maker. (Sk. prabhakar, in which one radiates the gl of wisdom, The fourth bhaml, the Radiant Intellect. (Sk. erelsmat, In which the radiant lame of wisdom bums away cart desves; The fith bhai, the Difficult to Master. (Sit sudurjay),n wich one surmounts the illusions of darkness, or ignorance asthe Midele Way The sixth Bhimi, the Manifest. (Sk. abhimukhi in wien supreme wisdom bogin fo manifest The seventh bhdmi, the Gone Afar. (St. diramgamé), In which one es above he states of he Two vehicles: The eighth bhi, the Immovable. (Si. acai), in which one dwells Flyin th tah of the Midle Way and cannot be perturbed by anything The ninth Bhai, the Good Intligonce. (Sx. SEahumat, in which one preaches the Law freely and without rstictin ‘The tenth bhai, the Cloud of Doctrine, (Skt. dharmemegha),n which one benefits al sentient beings wit the Law (Oharma), ust a a cloud sends own rain mpartaly on all tings. The first bhami, the Very Joyous The First Vhim, called "Very Joyous" i attained withthe first dieet perception of emptiness (Sunyata) and is simaltaneous with entry into the third ofthe five paths to awakening, the path of seeing iti called "very joyous" beeause the bodhinattva works a the perfetions of generosity and develops the ability to gve away everthing without regret and with no thought of praise or reward (for themselves). All phenomena ae viewed as empty and as subject to decay, suffering, and deat, and so bodhisattas lose all attachment to them. According to Tsong Kapa ist level bodhsattvas directly understand that persons do not exist by wy oftheir om nature, Due to this, they overcome the fale idea thatthe five aggregates constitute a truly existent person. They also eliminate predispositions toward corupted ethics so completly thatthe will no rise again!) Despite having directly and correctly perceived (but not yet realized) emptiness, bodhisattas onthe fist level are primarily motivated by faith, Wile they can return to the authentic perception of emptiness within the context of formal practice oF receiving instruction, during post-meditation thir aeareness of, empliness is largely ansltiesl or faith-based They trainin eties in order to cleanse their minds of negativity and, so they prepare themselves for the cultivation of mundane meditative absorption that comes onthe second level The second bhiimi, the Stainless ‘oghisattvas onthe second level the "Stainless, perfect ethies and overcome all tendencies towards engagement in negative ations. Their contol becomes so complet that even in dreams they have no immoral thoughts. According to Tsong Khapa for such a bodhisatta, ‘on all ocasions of waking and dreaming hi movements or activities of body, speech and mind are pure of even subtle infractions. he ful the three path of vituous actions-abandoning kiling, stealing and sexual misconduet-with his body; the middle four-abandons lying, divisive tlk, hareh speech, and senseless chattrwith his speech; andthe lat three-abandoning covetousnes, harml inten, and wrong viewscvith his ‘ind, Not only does he refrain from what i prohibited but he also fulfil all the postive achievements elated to proper etie."®] ‘And scconing to Nagarjuna, ‘The second is called the Stainless ecause all ten virtuous ations Of by, speech, and mind are stainless And they naturally abide in those eds of ethics Through the maturation of those [ood qualities] The perfection ofethies becomes supreme. They become Universal Monarchs helping beings, Masters ofthe glorious four continents and ofthe seven precious objet. Seeause ofthis, the badhisatva's mind besomes purified and equinanimous, which isa prerequisite for trtning inthe four dhyanas (meditative absorptions) and the four aripajhinas formless absorptions). The third bhimi, the Light-Maker “Tsong Kapa states thatthe tied him scaled the "Light-Make arises long wit light which by natures able to extinguish all elaborations of duality during meditative equipo perfection of patience. Their equanimity becomes s profound that esate when it it attained "the fre f wisdom burning al the fuel of objects of knowledge 8) Boghisatvas om this evel cultivate theven if someone..cuts from the body ofthis bodhsattva not just esh but also bone, not in larg sections but bit by bit, not continually but pausing in between, and not finishing in a shor time but cutting over along perio, the badhisatva would nt get angry at the muito." ‘The Bodhisatva realizes that his tormentor is motivate by aflicod thoughts and is sowing soedsof his own future suffering As a result, the bodhistwva feels rot anger, but a deep sadness and compassion for this eruel person, who is unaware ofthe operations of karma. Trainees on the third level overcome ll ‘tendencies toward anger, and never reset with hetred (or even annoyance) to any harmful acts or words, Rather, thelr equanimity remins constant, and al Sentient beings are viewed with love and compassion: All anger and resentment rebound on the person who generates them, and they do nothing to eliminate harms that one has aleeady experienced. They are ‘ounterproduetive in that they destoy one's peace of mind and Tea to unfavorable future situations. There is nothing to be gained through anger and resentment, revenge does nothing to change the past, and so the bodhisatva avoid them. Bochisttvas on this level alo trainin the four form meditations, the fur formless meditations, and the four immeseursbes, and the higher knowledges ‘The fourth bhimi, the Radiant Intellect (nthe fourts lve, the "Radiant Intell", bodbisatwas cultivate the perfection of effort and eliminate ufictions. According to Wonch'uk, this level s 0 ‘named because fourth bhumi bodhisatvas “constantly emit the radiance of exalted wisdom” He ao cites Maitrea's Ornament forthe Mahayana Sutras, ‘which explains that hodhsuttvas on ths evel bum up the fictive obstructions and the obstructions to omniscience with the radiance of thelr wisdom!" ‘They enter into progressively deeper meditative absorptions and attain a poworfl mental pliancy as a result. This eliminates Inziness and increases their ability to practice meditation fr extended periods of time. They destroy deeply rooted aflietons and eultivate the thirty-seven factors of awakening “Through taining in these thirty-seven practices, bodhsattvas develop great kil in meditative absorptions and euktivate wisdom, while weakening the artificial and innate conceptions of true existence The fifth bhami, Difficult to Master ‘The fith level is called the “Difficult to Master" becase it involves practices that are so arduovs and roquire a great deal of effort to perfect. 1s aso called the "Dfcalt to Overcome” because when one has completed the training ofthis level one has profound wisdom and insight that are dificult to surpass or ‘undermine, Aecording to Negisjuna, ‘The this called the Extremely Difficult to Overcome Since al vil ones find i extremely hard to conquer him He becomes shied in knowing the subtle Meanings ofthe noble rath and so forth" Boghisattvas on this level cultivate the pesestion of ‘They develop strong powers of mediative stabilization and overcome tendencies toward distraction. They achieve mental one-pointedness and they perfect calm abiding. Thy also fully penetrate the meanings of the four noble truths and the two truths (conventional truths and ultimate truths) and pereive all phenomena as empiy, transient and prone to suffering The sixth bhumi, the Manifest ‘The sixth lve sealed the "Manifst” because the bodhisatva clearly peresves the workings of dependent arising and dreetly understands "the signles" ttshan ma med pa, Thetan, Animitta, Sanskri), The sgnles refers to the fet that phenomena ser to posses their apparent qualities by way oftheir own nature, but when one examines this appearance one realizes that all qualities are merely mentally imputed and not & pat of the nature ofthe objects they appear to characterize. ‘Asa result ofthese understandings bodhisattas manifest meditative wisdom and avoid attachment to either eyelic existence or nirvan all attachments bodhssttvae on this level can attain nirvana, but because ofthe force ofthe mind of awakening they dese to remain in the world in order to benefit other sentient beings. They cultivate the Perfection of Wisdom, through which they perceive all phenomena as lacking inherent existence, as being ike ‘reams, ilusions, reflections, or magically created objects. all notions of and “other” are transcended, long with conceptions of “inerent existence” and "inhereat nonexistence.” These sixth level bodhsattvas abide in contemplation of suchness, with minds that are undisturbed by fale ideas, 41 Having overcome ‘The seventh bhiimi, the Gone Afar Bohisttas oa the seventh level develop the ability to contemplate sigalessnessunintrruptedly and enter into advanced meditative shsorptions for extended periods of time, thus passing beyond bath the mundane and supramundane paths of érvakas and ratyshabuddhas (Hearers and solitary ealizers). For this reason, this level i ealled the "Gone Afar. "®) According to Nagarjuna, ‘The seventh is the Gone Afar because “The number ofhis qualities has increased, Moment by moment he ean enter ‘The equpoice of essation|"") (n this level bodhisattvas perfec their sil in means of meditation and practice (Thabs la mhas pa, Tibetan; Upaya-Kausalya, Sanskrit) which is their ability to cleverly edapt their teaching tacts tothe individual procivities and needs oftheir audiences. They also develop the ability to know the thoughts of ‘others, and in every moment are able to practice all the perfectons All thoughts and sctions ae free from aflictons, end they constantly set spontaneously