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The Aura of Wisdom
- Book 154: The Aura of Wisdom
- Chapter 63: The Nine Levels of Accomplishment of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma
- Written by Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated and edited by True Buddha Foundation
- Translation Team (Cheng Yew Chung, Victor Hazen, Dance Smith)
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Question: `When one cultivates the True Buddha Tantric Dharma and achieves spiritual response, what will be the accomplishment?`
My answer, `You can classify this into nine levels of accomplishment.` I shall elucidate on these grades starting from the initial state of accomplishment to the highest state as follows:
First level of accomplishment. Anything you wish for shall be granted. Your wishes are accomplished by the Dharma protectors. The eight classes of beings - the devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras and mahoragas - will offer respect. You can exorcize evil spirits, bind ghosts, and perform healings.
Second level of accomplishment. You can command ghosts and celestial beings. You can summon celestial beings to descend and you can gain access to the Dharma scriptural treasures kept in the celestial or earthly realms and read them. You can enter the dragon palace and the palaces of the mountain gods.
Third level of accomplishment. You have full knowledge of your past lives. You know your past lives and those of others. You have attained the accomplishment of an earthly immortal. You can travel freely in space and ascend to the celestial realms. You have attained the way of the immortal.
Fourth level of accomplishment: an illuminated immortal lord. One holds the status of a heavenly lord in the celestial realms, and one? merits and wisdom are unsurpassed in the Triloka or three realms. One is accomplished in spiritual travel.
Fifth level of accomplishment: a Cakravarti (Universal Monarch). One has attained the five supernatural powers and one? life span is infinite. However, one still lives in the imperfect finite world of creation and enjoys great freedom. One? features are simply flawless.
Sixth level of accomplishment: the attainment of the first through fourth bodhisattva stages of fruition.
Seventh level of accomplishment: the attainment of the fifth through seventh bodhisattva stages of fruition.
Eighth level of accomplishment: the attainment of the eighth bodhisattva stage and above.
Ninth level of accomplishment: the attainment of the Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment, teacher of gods and men. A Buddha.
(The ten stages of the development of a bodhisattva are: 1. Pramudita (joy) 2. Vimala (purity) 3. Prabhakari (enlightenment) 4. Arcismati (widsom) 5. Sudurjaya (no difficulty) 6. Abhimukhi (open way) 7. Duramgama (far reaching) 8. Acala (unperturbed) 9. Sadhumati (discriminatory wisdom) 10. Dharma megha (law cloud)
Let me say this. These nine stages of accomplishment attained through the cultivation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma are only a broad and general classification. This is due to the fact that such realms of attainment are simply incredible. There are individuals who have already attained the Divine Sight upon reaching the second level and others have attained the Buddha Eye upon attaining the seventh level. Hence, this classification can only serve as a reference, due to unforeseen permutations.
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