བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་ས་བཅུ། | Glossary of Terms

In this text, two sets of ten levels are mentioned. One set pertains to the progress of an individual practitioner who, starting from the level of an ordinary person, sequentially follows the path of a śrāvaka, a pratyekabuddha, and then a bodhisattva on their way to complete buddhahood (see “ten levels” for a detailed explanation of this set).

The other set is more common in Mahāyāna literature, although there are variations, and refers to the ten levels traversed by an individual practitioner who has already become a bodhisattva: (1) Pramuditā (Joyful), in which one rejoices at realizing a partial aspect of the truth; (2) Vimalā (Stainless), in which one is free from all defilement; (3) Prabhākarī (Light Maker), in which one radiates the light of wisdom; (4) Arciṣmatī (Radiant), in which the radiant flame of wisdom burns away earthly desires; (5) Sudurjayā (Invincible), in which one surmounts the illusions of darkness, or ignorance, as the Middle Way; (6) Abhimukhī (Directly Witnessed), in which supreme wisdom begins to manifest; (7) Dūraṃgamā (Far Reaching), in which one rises above the states of the lower vehicles of srāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; (8) Acalā (Immovable), in which one dwells firmly in the truth of the Middle Way and cannot be perturbed by anything; (9) Sādhumatī (Auspicious Intellect), in which one preaches the Dharma unimpededly; and (10) Dharmameghā (Cloud of Dharma), in which one benefits all sentient beings with Dharma, just as a cloud rains impartially upon everything.

In this text, two sets of ten levels are mentioned. One set pertains to the progress of an individual practitioner who, starting from the level of an ordinary person, sequentially follows the path of a śrāvaka, a pratyekabuddha, and then a bodhisattva on their way to complete buddhahood (see “ten levels” for a detailed explanation of this set).

The other set is more common in Mahāyāna literature, although there are variations, and refers to the ten levels traversed by an individual practitioner who has already become a bodhisattva: (1) Pramuditā (Joyful), in which one rejoices at realizing a partial aspect of the truth; (2) Vimalā (Stainless), in which one is free from all defilement; (3) Prabhākarī (Light Maker), in which one radiates the light of wisdom; (4) Arciṣmatī (Radiant), in which the radiant flame of wisdom burns away earthly desires; (5) Sudurjayā (Invincible), in which one surmounts the illusions of darkness, or ignorance, as the Middle Way; (6) Abhimukhī (Directly Witnessed), in which supreme wisdom begins to manifest; (7) Dūraṃgamā (Far Reaching), in which one rises above the states of the lower vehicles of srāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; (8) Acalā (Immovable), in which one dwells firmly in the truth of the Middle Way and cannot be perturbed by anything; (9) Sādhumatī (Auspicious Intellect), in which one preaches the Dharma unimpededly; and (10) Dharmameghā (Cloud of Dharma), in which one benefits all sentient beings with Dharma, just as a cloud rains impartially upon everything.