Seven great qualities of the Mahayana
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The Seven Great Qualities of the Great Vehicle (chen po bdun) : Asanga explains in the Ornament of Mahayana Sutras that Mahayana is superior to the fundamental vehicle in seven ways:
- Great object of focus (dmigs pa chen po): understanding arises by focusing on the texts that express, the boundless collections of the bodhisattva teachings, and the vast and profound meaning that these texts express.
- Great practice (sgrub pa chen po): Mahayana practitioners accomplish the two benefits: the welfare of the practitioner and the benefit of all other sentient beings.
- Great wisdom (ye shes chen po): Through the power of complete realization of both types of identitylessness, Mahayana practitioners realize the wisdom of their own rigpa, the great simplicity in which emptiness and compassion are indivisible.
- Great diligence (brtson 'grus chen po): Mahayana practitioners train in perfecting, ripening and cultivating for three immeasurable kalpas and so on.
- Great skill in means (thabs la mkhas pa chen po): By training on the path that rests neither in existence nor peace, Mahayana practitioners never abandon sentient beings yet perfect their own meditation.
These five qualities are distinguished from the perspective of the vehicle as a path that is the means for journeying on the path to enlightenment.
- 6. Great, perfect accomplishment (yang dag 'grub pa chen po): the accomplishment of the boundless qualities of buddhahood, such as the strengths.
- 7. Great enlightened activity ('phrin las chen po): the constant accomplishment of activities for the benefit and happiness of all sentient beings, as long as samsara lasts.
The last two qualities are established from the perspective of the vehicle as fruition that is the destination.