bhūmi

▪ Mahāyāna Buddhism

      in Mahāyāna Buddhism, the stages of spiritual progress of the bodhisattva, or one who, though capable of enlightenment, delays his buddhahood in order to work for the salvation of others. The stages (which are also termed vihāras, “stations”) appear as 7, 10, and 13 in various texts, but the scheme that is most commonly agreed upon is the one given in the Daśabhūmika-sūtra (“The Sūtra on the Ten Spiritual Levels”). It lists the progressively superior stages as: (1) pramuditā (“joyful,” with the thought that, having begun the career of a bodhisattva, he will attain enlightenment and will help others), (2) vimalā (“free from impurities”), (3) prabhākarī (“luminous” with the noble doctrine), (4) arciṣmatī (“brilliant,” the rays of his virtue consuming evil passions and ignorance), (5) sudurjayā (“hard to conquer”), (6) abhimukhī (“turning toward” both transmigration and nirvana), (7) dūraṅgamā (“far-going”), (8) acalā (“immovable”), (9) sādhumatī (“good-minded”), and (10) dharmameghā (showered with “clouds of dharma,” or universal truth).

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