The Fourth Abode
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4. The Abode of the Precious Life
The Flower Garland Sutra says:
"These Bodhisattvas study and learn the Noble Doctrine and they realize these ten things:
- Never retreating from the presence of the Buddhas
- Deeply bearing pure faith
- Skillfully observing all things spiritual (dharmas)
- Thoroughly understanding living beings
- Thoroughly understanding the country and the land
- Thoroughly understanding the world
- Thoroughly understanding karmic deeds
- Thoroughly understanding retribution
- Thoroughly understanding Life & Death
- Thoroughly understanding Nirvana
Bodhisattvas are encouraged to study these ten things:
- Thoroughly understanding the Buddha’s teachings of the past
- Thoroughly understanding the Buddha’s teachings of the present
- Thoroughly understanding the Buddha’s teachings of the future
- Cultivating and training in the Buddha’s teachings of the past
- Cultivating and training in the Buddha’s teachings of the present
- Cultivating and training in the Buddha’s teachings of the future
- Totally fulfilling the Buddha’s teachings of the past
- Totally fulfilling the Buddha’s teachings of the present
- Totally fulfilling the Buddha’s teachings of the future
- Thoroughly understand the equality of all the Buddhas
This is to make Bodhisattvas progress in understanding the equanimity of the mind through the past, the present and the future so that they grasp what they hear without having to depend upon others to explain it."
