[eBook] All May Attain Buddhahood: Commentary on the Fifty-Two Stages of Bodhisattvas

[eBook] All May Attain Buddhahood: Commentary on the Fifty-Two Stages of Bodhisattvas

Introduction

This book teaches us how to be a bodhisattva. Its content is drawn from Dharma Master Cheng Yen's morning lectures from September to November, 2005, in which she taught about a passage from the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance. The passage reads, "We have engaged in all wrongdoing because of the six heretical practices." For the sake of clarity, Master Cheng Yen gave a detailed explanation of the Buddha's Six Sets of Practices to stand in contrast with the six heretical practices and show us the correct direction for our spiritual practice.

The Buddha's Six Sets of Practices are the fifty-two stages of bodhisattvas. They form the most important guide for spiritual practitioners learning to become bodhisattvas. Therefore, this passage was singled out from the Water Repentance text so that everyone could have it in hand and learn from it with ease. After reading this book, you will be aware of the hardships you might encounter as a bodhisattva, and you will learn how to stand firm in your resolve. Once you are replete in faith and the power of vows, you can also become a bodhisattva.

About Author

Dharma Master Cheng Yen was born in 1937 in a small town in Taichung County, Taiwan. When she was twenty-three years old, she left home to become a Buddhist nun, and was instructed by her mentor, Venerable Master Yin Shun, to work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” In 1966, she founded a charity, which later turned into the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, to “help the poor and educate the rich”—to give material aid to the needy and inspire love and humanity in both givers and recipients.


In recent years, Master Cheng Yen’s contributions have been increasingly recognized by the global community. In 2011, she was recognized with the Roosevelt Institute’s FDR Distinguished Public Service Award and was named to the 2011 TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. In 2014, she was presented with Rotary International’s Award of Honor in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and contributions to world peace.