Do You Aspire To Be A Mud Bodhisattva Or Great Bodhisattva? 您愿作泥菩萨还是大菩萨？

自利利他偈
Verses On Self-Benefitting And Benefitting Others

[泥菩萨]
[‘Mud’ Bodhisattvas]

不往西方去，登不退转地，
直轮回娑婆，得隔阴之迷。

If not reborn in the Western Pure Land, to ascend non-retrogression’s ground, direct rebirth in this Sahā World, obtains confusions of separation (from past lives) by death.

[Note 1: If one does not practise (with the Three Provisions: 三资粮) to be reborn in Amitā(bha) Buddha’s (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó) Western Pure Land (净土) Of Ultimate Bliss (西方极乐世界) at the end of this life, where spiritual non-backsliding will be attained, karmic rebirth back to this world, where we endure much suffering, will lead to total forgetting of all learnt, practised and aspired in the past life, thus making spiritual recollection and progress difficult.]

泥菩萨过江，自身已难保，
何况度众生，利他难做好。

A ‘mud’ Bodhisattva crossing a river, is with oneself already difficult to protect, moreover, to deliver sentient beings, benefitting of others is difficult to do well.

[Note 2: One will thus be like a Bodhisattva (statue) made of unfirm mud, trying to cross a river, which represents seeking liberation from the cycle of birth and death for oneself. Not only will one be likely to dissolve and disintegrate in the rough waters, thus not able to save oneself due to not being spiritually well-trained, like the Bodhisattvas in Pure Land, the greater goal of guiding all other beings to liberation is even much more challenging, if not impossible.]

[金刚大菩萨]
[Great ‘Vajra’ (Firm And Steady) Bodhisattvas]

先生极乐国，直阿鞞跋致，
速回入娑婆，宿命等通持。

If first born in the Land Of Ultimate Bliss, to directly become an Avaivartika, quickly return to enter this Sahā World, with past lives’ recollection and other supernormal powers upheld.

[Note 3: If born in the Pure Land instead, one will instantly attain spiritual non-backsliding, with the swiftest progress towards being a Great Bodhisattva (大菩萨), who is able to most quickly manifest in this and other worlds, as an already liberated Bodhisattva, capable of delivering other beings with many skilful means (方便). Not only will spiritual and worldly memories of all past lives of all beings be recollected, one will be empowered with all supernormal powers (神通) for expediting self-deliverance and deliverance of others (自度度他) too.]

成’金刚’菩萨，自身即得保，
苦海度众生，利他易做好。

Becoming a ‘vajra’ (indestructible) Bodhisattva, is with oneself immediately attaining protection, in suffering’s ocean delivering sentient beings, benefitting of others is easy to do well.

[Note 4: With reaching of the Pure Land, one will become an invincible Bodhisattva, both spiritually and physically. Being liberated already, one thus has the best personal protection constantly. With Great Compassion (大悲) equal to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas’, one will be most motivated, equipped and efficient in guiding all other beings to the Pure Land too, through which they will attain Buddhahood eventually. This is the swiftest path to Buddhahood for all.]

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