The Twelfth Main Stage: Foundation of Actualization of Cultivation 本地分中修所成地第十二

Dear friends,

Below is the English translation of the chapter “本地分中修所成地第十二 The Twelfth Main Stage: Foundation of Actualization of Cultivation”.

Note

This text is meant for those who have decided that the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path is the way to go and Nirvana is the goal.  It does not contain fluffy rah-rah feel good inspirational text.  Instead, it gives the practitioner, monastic and lay alike, the steps needed for one’s practices.

This chapter by itself is in my opinion quite self-contained, but the reader would benefit even more if taken together with the other chapters in the Yogacara Bumi Sastra.  With various quotes from the Agamas, it pieces together the appropriate practices and reflections needed at different stages.

May this translation attempt be for the benefit and welfare of all sentient beings!

 

Old releases (File and info)

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  • May Li

    Dear Venerable,

    I chanced upon your website recently and I’m very keen to know more about the background of Yogācārabhūmi śāstra. Would greatly appreciate it if Venerable could enlighten me on this.

    I’ve only recently started delving into the more advanced Dharma texts (beyond the basics of Buddhism which I learnt way back in my secondary school and NUSBS days) and I’m pretty overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Teachings available. Frankly, I don’t really know where to start and how to progress systematically in order to avoid a fragmented learning path. I’ve recently been introduced to the lamrim chenmo.

    With Metta,
    May Li

  • Dear May Li,

    Thanks for writing and highlighting your questions.

    First of all, I would commend you on attending the classes at KMSPKS. It can definitely serve as a good foundation to start off with, and allow you to progress with other learnings and practices.

    The lamrim chenmo is a Tibetan Buddhist commentary under the Gelupa lineage although many others also use it. Its teachings can be directly linked to the Buddha’s teachings or are inspired by them and hence provide many good teachings even for those who do not practice under the tibetan tradition. It’s name “Gradual Path to Enlightenment” tells us that its content is a coverage of the gradual path towards enlightenment.

    The Yogacarabhumi sastra is an Indian Buddhist commentary mostly taught in the Chinese Mahayana tradition. It features a comprehensive coverage of teachings from the fundamental world view to development of Samadhi, followed by the cultivation path spanning Sravaka, Paccekabuddha and Bodhisattva path, leading up to SammasamBuddhahood.

    If you need more info about the Yogacarabhumi sastra, you can read more of it at our monastery site http://www.fayun.org .
    If you wish to find out more, you can also visit us at the Buddhist Library. Do make a prior appointment.

    Hope this clarifies your questions.

    With metta,

  • Master, a period (.) is missing in the file name in one of the old releases: “Stage of Cultivation.20110411pdf”. It should read “Stage of Cultivation.20110411.pdf” instead. Thank you for your great work.

    • Thanks Clapton … got it fixed.

      • Thanks master again for the great work, which is so important that I can’t help putting it on my blog ( http://blog.yahoo.com/amituo/articles/669654 ).
        By the way, it seems that a sentence “令思所成若智、若見不得清淨” as well as its translation is missing, after “如是疑隨逐故，障礙能遣疑因緣故；此四種法，是思所成慧俱光明想之所對治” in “巳二、釋”, p. 33 in Version 1.0.
        Please check it when you find time. Amituofo _/_
        Oh, one more thing, in the same page, in the middle, last line of point 3, it reads, “coupled with craving.” Just take out the extra period.

        • Oh dear … let me check it out.
          Thanks Clapton for the headsup. 🙂

          With metta,

          • Master, please check email _/_

          • Hi Clapton,

            We’ve got the translation printed by Buddha Dharma Education Foundation in Taiwan. Do drop by the Buddhist Library if you would like a printed copy.

        • Hi Clapton, found the missing line and got it translated. Will be updating on this blog soon.

          In the meantime, please use the following translation fragment for your blog:

          [129]
          Thus, due to the lingering of doubt and the ability to obstruct the causes and conditions for dispelling of doubt, these four types of dharma, countered by “Wisdom due to Contemplation coupled with Reflection of Light”, cause the wisdom or views actualized by contemplation not to be purified.

          Thanks again! 🙂

  • Leo_Rivers

    Thank you for this amazing entrance into the path of those who follow in the footsteps of the Buddha. I come by you by way of http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=9544&view=unread#unread
    Thanks again and again.

    • Hi there,

      We’ve got the translation printed by Buddha Dharma Education Foundation in Taiwan. Do drop by the Buddhist Library if you would like a printed copy.

  • sian_nua

    Where can we access the rest of the yogacara bumi sastra?