As an actively triyana gal, I find this segment from the Vimutimagga, which predates Buddhaghosa's famous treatise, the Visuddhimagga, incredibly moving and beautiful; and it blurs the sometimes hard and fast line imposed by some between the "Theravada" (not to use the personally unacceptable term "Hinayana") and the "Mahayana." A friend read it out loud to me once and asked if I thought it was a Mahayana text or a Theravada one.
The Path of Freedom
(Vimuttimagga)
by the Arahant Upatissa
Translated into Chinese as
Cie-to-tao-lun by Tipitaka Sanghapiila of Funan
Translated from the Chinese by Rev. N.R.M. Ehara,
Soma Thera, and Kheminda Thera
Soma Thera, and Kheminda Thera
published by the Buddhist Publication Society;
reprinted by The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation; Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
(I have edited very slightly for the sake of clarity.)
pp. 188-189
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings and resolve to benefit all beings and give them fearlessness. Thus they fulfill the perfection of giving.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they cause separation from suffering and do not lose the faculty of truth. It is like the relation of a father to his children. Thus they fulfill the perfection of virtue.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they acquire non-greed, and in order to remove the non-merit of beings, they attain to meditation, jhana and enter into homelessness. Thus they fulfill the perfection of renunciation.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they consider merit and non-merit. Understanding in accordance with truth, devising clean expedients they reject the bad and take [up] the good. Thus they fulfill the perfection of wisdom.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they, without abandoning energy, exert themselves at all times. Thus they fulfill the perfection of energy.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they practise patience and do not grow angry when others blame or hate them. Thus they fulfill the perfection of patience.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they speak the truth, dwell in the truth, and keep the truth. Thus they fulfill the perfection of truth.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they do not break their promises but keep them faithfully unto life's end. Thus they fulfill the perfection of resolution.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they identify themselves with all beings and fulfill the perfection of loving-kindness.
The Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta develop loving-kindness for all beings. For the sake of benefitting all beings, they regard friends, strangers, and those who would harm them, equally, without hatred, and without attachment. Thus they fulfill the perfection of equanimity.
In these ways do the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta practise loving-kindness and fulfill the ten perfections.
