The Dwelling in the Dharma King's House - Upholding the Tathagatagarbha

Part 1. The Dwelling in the Dharma King's House

(A Brief Introduction to the Paramitas)

The true disciples of the Buddha, Bhikkhu, should all be "Dwellers in the House of the Dharma King (Buddha)". The above sentence is found in the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Chapter 10 entitled "The Dharma Teacher". "The House of the Tathagata" is the practice of compassion (mettā - karuṇā cariyā). The compassion mentioned here is the image of a practitioner practicing the Mahayana Bodhisattva path. Compassion is to give joy, compassion is to relieve suffering based on the sentence:

 

From the ability to bring happiness to sentient beings.

Compassion can relieve sentient beings of suffering.

From there, "Dwelling in the Dharma King" is to establish oneself in the vow of compassion - to relieve suffering and give happiness to sentient beings.

That is according to the spirit of the Mahayana Bodhisattva path.

Based on this idea, we can understand in a broader sense that any good intention directed towards cultivating the Paramitas is a "Dharma King's House". It is because the Dharma King is the Buddha of Perfect Enlightenment. To enter the Buddhist house, people must have a key to open the door, that key is forged by materials called Paramitas.

According to Mahayana Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra, the six Paramitas are:

 

1. Dana-paramita (zh. 布施波羅蜜多, sa. dāna-pāramitā): Perfection in giving and providing things to others.

2. Sila-paramita (zh. 戒波羅蜜多, sa. śīla-pāramitā): Perfection in strictly observing precepts, discipline, literally in Buddhism the five precepts for lay people and the prohibitions for monks, nuns, and home-left persons. 

3. Patience-paramita (zh. 忍波羅蜜多, sa. kṣānti-pāramitā): Perfect patience/endurance/acceptance.

 

4. The perfection of diligence (zh. 精進波羅蜜多, sa. vīrya-pāramitā): The effort, the perseverance.

5. The perfection of meditation (zh. 禪波羅蜜多, sa. dhyāna-pāramitā): The perfection in the field of meditation/concentration.

6. Prajñā-pāramitā (zh. 慧波羅蜜多, sa. prajñā-pāramitā): Perfection of wisdom.

Later, the Daśabhūmikasūtra (zh. 十地經, sa. daśabhūmikasūtra) lists four more sutras:

7. Expedient means paramita (zh. 方便波羅蜜多, sa. upāya-pāramitā): Perfection in using expedient means (to teach).

 

8. The perfection of aspiration (zh. 願波羅蜜多, sa. praṇidhāna-pāramitā): The determination, the wish to perfect.

9. The perfection of power (zh. 力波羅蜜多, sa. bala-pāramitā): The perfection of power.

10. The perfection of wisdom (zh. 智波羅蜜多, sa. jñāna-pāramitā): The perfection of intellectual power.

According to the Theravāda, the ten Paramitas (Pāramī) are:

1. Dāna (sa. dāna): giving

2. Sīla (sa. śīla): upholding the precepts.

3. Nekkhamma (sa. niṣkramaṇa): renunciation (leaving the householder's life).

4. Paññā (sa. prajñā): wisdom.

5. Viriya (sa. vīrya): diligence.

6. Khanti (sa. kṣānti): patience.

7. Sacca (sa. satya): truthfulness

8. Adhiṭṭhāna (sa. adhiṣṭhāna): determination.

9. Mettā (sa. maitrī): loving-kindness.

10. Upekkhā (sa. upekṣā): equanimity.

Here, we can somewhat understand the practice of the phrase "Dwelling in the Dharma King". The next part will continue with the remaining part, "Upholding the Tathagata-garbha" (a general introduction to the Tripitaka).

 

Tâm Cung

 Translated into English by Huynh Thi Khanh Phung