What Behaviors of a Bodhisattva Constitute Offenses?

Original text from The Sutra on the Five Precepts and Dignified Conduct of Bodhisattva Upāsakas: The Bodhisattva who sees thus and speaks thus: "A Bodhisattva should not delight in Nirvana. They should turn away from Nirvana. They should not fear afflictions. They should not eradicate afflictions. Why? Because a Bodhisattva traverses the cycle of birth and death for three asamkhyeya kalpas." One who speaks thus commits a grave offense of defilement.

Explanation: If a Bodhisattva holds such a view and utters such words, they commit a grave offense of defilement: A Bodhisattva should not delight in or cling to Nirvana; they should turn away from Nirvana. A Bodhisattva should not fear afflictions, nor should they eradicate afflictions. Why is this said? Because a Bodhisattva is to traverse the cycle of birth and death for three great asamkhyeya kalpas. One who speaks thus commits a grave offense of defilement.

This is because although a Bodhisattva delights in Nirvana, they are able to refrain from entering it, guiding sentient beings in practice with a pure mind and leading them to liberation. A Bodhisattva should not turn away from Nirvana while possessing a mind defiled by afflictions, for a defiled mind can harm the body and mind of sentient beings, rendering them incapable of guiding others and unable to exert a positive influence on sentient beings. If a Bodhisattva turns away from Nirvana, they will sink into the cycle of birth and death, unable to save themselves, let alone save others. If they themselves are not yet liberated, how can they liberate sentient beings?

A Bodhisattva's attitude towards afflictions should be that they should fear afflictions and should eradicate afflictions; they must eradicate afflictions, yet they cannot eradicate them completely. If they eradicate afflictions completely, they will attain the fourth fruition of Arhatship, and upon death, they will inevitably enter the remainderless Nirvana, thereby abandoning sentient beings and the path to Buddhahood. If a Bodhisattva does not sever afflictions, they cannot save themselves; how then could they save others? Therefore, a Bodhisattva must also sever afflictions, attaining the first, second, and third fruitions, severing afflictions up to the level of the third fruition. They should not eradicate afflictions completely to attain the fourth fruition.

It is sufficient for a Bodhisattva to cultivate up to the third fruition in the Hinayana path. This is sufficient to reach the stages from the First Ground (Bhūmi) to the Seventh Ground Bodhisattva on the Mahayana path, without hindering their Bodhisattva practice and making it more convenient to guide sentient beings. Upon reaching the Seventh Ground Bodhisattva stage, they can then, with the Buddha's power and blessings, eradicate all afflictions completely, attain the Eighth Ground Bodhisattva stage, and yet not enter the remainderless Nirvana. Although a Bodhisattva practices and guides sentient beings throughout three great asamkhyeya kalpas, they cannot roam the Three Realms with a body afflicted by defilements. If they do, they cannot guarantee a human or heavenly body, rendering them incapable of self-liberation and even less capable of liberating others.

Original text: Why? Because a Bodhisattva's delight in Nirvana and fear of afflictions surpass that of a Śrāvaka by ten million times, beyond comparison. Why? Because Śrāvakas act according to their own self-interest, while Bodhisattvas constantly act for the sake of all beings. Although Bodhisattvas dwell amidst outflows (āśrava), they attain mastery over the eradication of afflictions, surpassing Arhats who dwell in the outflow-free state.

Explanation: Why is this said? Because if a Bodhisattva delights in Nirvana and fears afflictions, their mind and conduct surpass those of a Śrāvaka by ten million times, far beyond comparison. Why? Because Śrāvakas, after all, follow their selfish nature, considering only themselves and disregarding the life and death of sentient beings, whereas Bodhisattvas constantly consider all sentient beings. Although Bodhisattvas dwell amidst the outflows of afflictions, they are very much at ease with the task of eradicating afflictions; they can eradicate afflictions completely whenever they wish, because the last trace of affliction is deliberately retained. Therefore, Bodhisattvas surpass Arhats who dwell in the outflow-free state.

Original text: If a Bodhisattva gives rise to bodily or verbal karma, they should guard themselves. They should not cause others to commit the offense of laziness and disrespect through their own fault. If they intentionally fail to guard themselves, causing others to commit the offense of laziness, they commit a grave offense of defilement. If they fail to apply mindfulness to guard themselves, acting carelessly and causing others to commit offenses, they commit a minor offense of defilement. Exceptions: If [the others are] non-Buddhists; or if acting in accordance with the Dharma while following the monastic life; or if encountering many angry and evil people. These are non-offenses.

Explanation: When a Bodhisattva is about to give rise to bodily or verbal karma, they should guard themselves well, not giving rise to evil conduct that causes sentient beings to criticize or disdain them, thereby generating disrespect and incurring offense. If a Bodhisattva intentionally fails to guard their bodily and verbal actions, causing sentient beings to commit the offense of disrespect, the Bodhisattva commits a grave offense of defilement. If a Bodhisattva does not deliberately apply mindfulness to guard their bodily and verbal karma, acting carelessly and indulgently, allowing their body and speech to act freely, causing others to generate evil, they commit a minor offense of defilement.

Non-offenses occur only when encountering non-Buddhists, where actions involving conflict in body or speech are necessary to reprimand their non-Buddhist practices and wrong doctrines – this does not constitute an offense; or when a Bodhisattva, following conditions, renounces household life, and their bodily and verbal actions accord with principle and Dharma – no offense is committed; or when encountering many angry and evil people, where restraining bodily and verbal conduct is waived in order to subdue these evil people, and actions involving conflict occur – this does not constitute an offense.

Thus, if a person's bodily, verbal, and mental actions are often unchecked, displaying very obvious greed, hatred, and delusion (the three poisons), frequently causing sentient beings to slander and disrespect them, and subsequently slander the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), the Buddhist scriptures, the Dharma's meaning, and other Bodhisattvas – is such a person a qualified Bodhisattva? Do they commit offenses? Such a person is not a qualified Bodhisattva and commits a grave offense of defilement. Due to their own impure bodily, verbal, and mental actions, causing many sentient beings to generate slander, even slander of the Dharma – is the sin not great? It is indeed great. If a person intentionally uses extreme greed, hatred, and delusion to cause many sentient beings to slander the Dharma and lose faith in the Dharma – are they not a member of Māra's faction? They are indeed a member of Māra's faction. Those who, knowing that members of Māra's faction possess greed, hatred, and delusion and harm sentient beings, still support them are accomplices and equally guilty.

Therefore, to judge whether a person is a true Bodhisattva or a virtuous teacher (kalyāṇamitra), comprehensive consideration is required; one cannot look at only one aspect and ignore the rest. Among these, bodily, verbal, and mental actions are the most important criteria for assessment, as they most readily expose a person's true nature, are most telling, and have the greatest impact, concerning the reputation, prestige, and the rise and fall of Buddhism. Therefore, every Buddhist practitioner must focus on purifying their own bodily, verbal, and mental actions and must never create evil karma of greed, hatred, and delusion.