The Realm of the Eighth Bhūmi Bodhisattva

If one contemplates and investigates where all phenomena in the world come from, where the discerning mind originates, and how the five aggregates and all phenomena in the world manifest, one can attain a great vehicle fruition. It would be even better to follow the example of the World-Honored One’s father, achieving the tolerance of non-arising Dharma and becoming a First Ground Bodhisattva. What fruition is attained when one is reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss after realizing the First Ground Bodhisattva stage? By listening to Amitabha Buddha personally expound the profound Dharma of Consciousness-Only, one can swiftly attain the fruition of an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva. An Eighth Ground Bodhisattva can, in a single thought, transform and create a trichiliocosm; countless planets can be instantly manifested. Holding the Earth in one hand and sentient beings in the other, the Bodhisattva can move sentient beings to other galaxies without them being aware of it. When an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva opens his mouth, the waters of the four great oceans pour into it; fish, shrimp, dragons, and other sentient beings are drawn into the Bodhisattva’s belly without realizing it. When a planet is about to be destroyed, the Eighth Ground Bodhisattva moves all sentient beings on that planet to another planet, and they remain unaware. One billion Earths, one billion Mount Sumerus, one billion six-layered desire heavens—all heavenly realms exist in one billion instances; one billion hells, one billion Yama realms, one billion four great oceans—together form a trichiliocosm, which is immensely vast. An Eighth Ground Bodhisattva can manifest all of this entirely.

The states attained by great Bodhisattvas are difficult for us to imagine. When we cannot conceive of them, it is hard to believe such inconceivable things exist. In truth, when our roots of goodness, merit, and conditions are genuinely complete, realizing these Dharmas is not difficult, let alone believing in them. We must have faith in the Buddha and the Dharma, faith in the Bodhisattva Sangha, and also faith in ourselves. Diligently cultivate precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom. Merit is the foundation; we must continuously perfect and complete our provisions and conditions for practicing the Bodhisattva path and becoming Bodhisattvas, enabling the conditions for realization to manifest sooner, thus fulfilling our aspirations.