Ananda, all Bodhisattvas at this point and beyond have completed their work in cultivation. Their merit and virtue are perfected, and so all the previous positions are also called the Level of ultivation.

Then with a wonderful cloud of compassionate protection one covers the sea of Nirvana. This is called the Ground of the harma Cloud.

The Thus Come Ones counter the flow as the Bodhisattvas thus reach this point through compliance with practice. Their nlightenments intermingle; it is therefore called equal enlightenment.

Ananda, you should understand that all Bodhisattvas at this point and beyond have completed their work in cultivation. From the beginning—the level of dry wisdom, also known as the initial vajra mind—to the culmination of the ninth ground, there are a total of fifty-four positions. When the Bodhisattvas have passed through to this point, they’ve come to the end of their cultivation. They’ve reached the effortless way and no longer need to apply effort in cultivation. They have graduated. Their merit and virtue are perfected. In their study leading toward Buddhahood, they are just about to earn this degree; they’re about to become Buddhas. And so all the previous positions are also called the Level of Cultivation.

“Wonder” and “compassion” are dharmas. “Protection” and “covering” belong to the analogy of the cloud and represent a sheltering influence. Then with a wonderful cloud of compassionate protection one covers the sea of Nirvana. One shelters all living beings. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas emerge from the sea of Nirvana, and so the tenth ground is called the Ground of the Dharma Cloud. At this level one shelters and protects all living beings.

The Thus Come Ones counter the flow. This means that the Thus Come Ones have already become Buddhas. But they counter the flow and appear in the world to rescue living beings. Thus from the Buddha-position, they come back along the Bodhisattva path in order to greet the Bodhisattva. That’s what’s meant by countering the flow. The Bodhisattvas thus reach this point through compliance with practice. The Bodhisattvas comply with the flow. This “flow” refers to going from an ordinary person to Arhatship, through Bodhisattvahood, and on to Buddhahood—which the Bodhisattvas have not yet experienced at this point. So they are going along with the flow that leads to the Buddha’s enlightened position. Now, they actually encounter the Buddhas. Their enlightenments intermingle. The enlightenment of the Buddhas and the enlightenment of the Bodhisattvas merge at this point. It is therefore called Equal Enlightenment. These Bodhisattvas are equal to the Buddha. But theirs is still not wonderful enlightenment. It is only similar to the Buddha’s enlightenment, because at this level they still have left one bit of ignorance of the arising of appearances that they must still destroy. So ignorance is difficult to leave behind. Once they smash it, however, they will be Buddhas.

When people claim to be Buddhas, I ask them, “How did you get there? What path did you take?” If they don’t even know the name of the first ground, have never seen the path that leads to the second ground, and don’t know how to get to the third ground, then how can they have arrived at Buddhhood? They took a plane, perhaps? In that case a rocket would have been even faster. I suspect that such people will never reach the Buddha position. Why not? It is because they say they are there when in fact they are not. Do they speak the truth, or do they lie? They have not cultivated or done anything within the Buddhadharma, and yet they profess to be Buddhas. It just doesn’t add up. How about those people who have practiced within the Buddhadharma for decades and still are not Buddhas? Maybe those people who say they are Buddhas have effected some scientific means to get themselves there so fast.

To be continued