Samdhinirmocana-sutra

Chapter VIIThe Buddha answered the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara andsaid: "Good son, there are two reasons: in order to benefit sentientbeings and in order to counteract all the passions, for the first 705bthree precepts benefit sentient beings, while the latter three counteractall the passions. The first three benefit sentient beings, forby giving, all bodhisattvas provide requisites to benefit sentientbeings. By being disciplined, they benefit sentient beings in sparingthem from injury, oppression, and irritation. By their patienceunder abuse, they are able to benefit sentient beings, enablingthem to patiently sustain injury, oppression, and irritation. Thelatter three counteract all the passions, for by zeal the bodhisattvas,although they may not yet have suppressed all their passions foreveror may not yet have eliminated all their passionate inclinations,are able diligently to cultivate good qualities, and all thosepassions become incapable of reversing their efforts toward goodness.By meditation they do suppress their passions forever, andby wisdom they eliminate their passionate inclinations forever."The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara addressed the Buddha andsaid: "World-honored One, why have you presented the other perfectionsas four?"The Buddha answered the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and said:"Good son, it is because they are aids to the former six perfections.Bodhisattvas, who assist sentient beings by means of the first threeperfections [of giving, discipline, and patience], establish [sentientbeings] in good by means of taking care of them in the skillful methodsof all the [four] kinds of attractions [which are giving to beings,encouraging them with speech, benefiting them with action, andidentifying with them]. Therefore, I have taught that the perfectionof skillful methods is an aid to the first three perfections."But because of bodhisattvas' present condition [in the world],their passions are numerous, and they are yet incapable of uninterruptedpractice. Because of their fragile commitment and theworldly quality of their understanding, they are incapable of abidingwithin their [own] minds. Because they are incapable of properlypracticing the exercises heard in the bodhisattva canon, the85