Vow To Dedicate All of One’s Merits to (Benefit) All Beings
“The Ten Great Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra”, Avatamsaka Sutra
When the Ten Great Vows are expounded, the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra further explained to those who embraced these great vows into daily practice and be mindful of the Buddha, the vowers will be reborn in the Sukhavati, the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.
The 10th Vow: To Dedicate All of One’s Merits to (Benefit) All Beings
Again, O Noble-minded Man, what signifies “dedicating all of one’s merits to (benefit) all sentient beings”? This means that all of one’s merits acquired from the first vow of paying the highest homage and respect to all Buddhas, up to and including the vow to dedicating all of one’s merits to all beings.
All these shall be transferred to all beings throughout the Dharma-worlds and immeasurable spaces of the universe, wishing them to be constantly peaceful and happy without sickness or suffering. I will see all beings’ evil projects fail, and all their virtuous intentions will be quickly achieved. I will close the door against evil destinies, and open the right paths of Nirvana to men and devas. If the beings are suffering the most terrible tortures in expiation of their accumulated evil doings, I will substitute myself and take upon myself the sufferings that their evil deeds have brought upon them, so shall they be released (from their evil deeds), and finally attain the supreme Bodhi. Thus do all the Bodhisattvas devote themselves to the cultivation of virtue and merit, and dedicate all the rewards over to the benefit of all beings (in this way).
My loving embrace of all beings is eternal. Even though the void of space has ended, (or) the worlds of beings, (or) the karmas of beings, (or) the sorrows of beings all have ended, yet my compassion for all beings, by turning over my rewards of merit to them is endless. Thought succeeds thought without interruption, and in bodily, vocal, and mental deeds, without weariness.
O Noble-minded Man, such is the Ten Great Vows of all Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas in completion. The Bodhisattvas who achieve the performance of these Vows, will lead all beings to the fruition (of Bodhi), and attainment of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. He (whosoever is a Bodhisattva), can fulfill the ocean of Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra; therefore, O Noble-minded Man, you should comprehend the Truth, (and attain thereto).
If a good man or woman filled the incalculable Buddha-spheres in unutterable and innumerable numbers, equal to the dust-motes of the ten directions, with the seven exquisite gems and with the highest joys of men and devas all as gifts to the beings of all worlds. And offered the same in adoration to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of all worlds; and continued such offerings for a period of kalpas of Buddha-countries, equal to the dust-motes of the universe in number, and so produced great stores of merit. (Yet such an offering would be infinitesimal) in comparison with the merit acquired by one who has only listened to the very King of Vows. The measure of the stock of merit of the former one, would not equal one hundredth part (of the latter); nay, not one thousandth part, even not to an upanisandth part of the merit (of the latter).
Again, whosoever has profound faith in this Great Vows, and will accept, recite, or write, even one verse of four lines only. Such will quickly purify the five deadly sins, and all physical illness, or mental anguish, and afflictions of the (mundane) world, even his sinful deeds equal to the dust-motes of all Buddha lands in number, will all be blotted out.
All evil harmful forces, yakas (evil flying spirits), raksasas (evil night demons), kumdhadas (demons of greed and lust), pisacas (mad ghosts), bhutas (self-created ghosts), vampires and cannibals, all such evil spirits will keep afar from him, or even willingly protect him (by acting as his tutelary gods). Therefore, he who recites these Vows will have no obstacles (to impede his progress) wherever he goes in the world, as the moon comes out from the hazy clouds.
Praised by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; he will be honored by men and devas, and adored by all beings. This good man is well incarnated in a human body, and has been brought to perfection all the merits and virtues of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. He will soon become like the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, with the glorious body of bliss, resplendent with the thirty-two attributes of the Great One. If he be born in the devas or human worlds, such an one will always be born into most noble class; and he will destroy all evil influences, and keep away from wicked friends. He will be free from all passions; he will conquer the men of wrong doctrines, he will be like unto the King of Lions, able to subdue all animals, he deserves to receive gifts from all beings.
Again, when such a person is on the verge of death, at the last instant of life, when all his faculties scatter and he departs from all relatives, when all power and status are lost and nothing survives, his state-ministers and great officials, his inner palaces and outer cities, elephants and horses, carriages, jewels and the treasuries of precious jewels, can no longer accompany him, these Great Vows alone will stay with him. At all times they will guide him forward, and in a single instant he will be reborn in Sukhavati, the Land of Highest Bliss (the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha).
Arriving there (the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha), he will see the Lord Buddha Amitabha, surrounded by the Bodhisattva Manjusri, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Bodhisattva Maitreya, and others.
This man (the vower), will find himself born from a lotus flower, and favored by the Buddha with the prediction of attaining the Buddhahood (in the future). After having received the prediction he will pour out the power of his wisdom to benefit all beings according to their (faith, or the strength of their) minds. Such deeds he shall performed, throughout the duration of countless myriad of kalpas and throughout the ten directions of infinite and innumerable worlds.
Soon he will be sitting in the Bodhi-mandala, subduing the demonic forces of maras, attaining Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, and rotating the wondrous Wheel of Dharma. He will cause the living beings of the innumerable worlds of Buddha lands, as numerous as the infinitesimal dust-motes, to direct their minds towards the attainment of Bodhicitta. According to their ability and natures, he will teach, transform, and bring them to maturity. And he will continue (such doings) throughout coming Kalpas, and thus widely benefit all beings.
Commentary
This means dedicating all of our good deeds and merits to all the sentient beings in the universe. It means broadening our hearts so that the entire universe becomes one entity. Only when we have reached this state can we be said to have attained the Great Perfection.
Check out a sample chant of “Namo Amitabha” from the Amitabha Mindful Chanting music collection, and start your daily chanting practice today! It’s simple and easy to get started.
Resources:
The Practices and Vows of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, Chapter 40, Avatamsaka Sutra
Commentary on The Ten Great Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, excerpted from the book, Buddhism: The Awakening of Compassion and Wisdom
