The Nine Levels of Attainment of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma

Written by Lian-shen Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung edited by Victor Hazen
True Buddha Foundation Translation Team

Question: “When one cultivates the True Buddha Tantric Dharma and achieves spiritual union, what is the attainment?”

My answer, “You can classify the attainment into nine levels.”

I shall elucidate on these levels starting from the initial state to the highest state as follows:

First level of attainment. Anything you wish for shall be granted. Your wishes are accomplished by the Dharma protectors. The eight classes of beings – the devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras and mahoragas – shall pay their respect to you. You canexorcise evil spirits, bind ghosts, and perform healings.

Second level of attainment. You can command ghosts and celestial beings. You can summon celestial beings to descend and you can gain access to the Dharma scriptural treasures kept in the celestial or earthly realms and read them. You can enter the dragon palace and the palaces of the mountain gods.

Third level of attainment. You have full knowledge of your past lives. You know your past lives and those of others. You have attained the attainment of an earthly immortal. You can travel freely in space and ascend to the celestial realms. You have attained the way of the immortal.

Fourth level of attainment: an illuminated immortal lord. You hold the status of a heavenly lord in the celestial realms, and our merits and wisdom are unsurpassed in the Triloka or three realms. You are also accomplished in spiritual travel.

Fifth level of attainment: a Cakravarti (Universal Monarch). You have attained the five supernatural powers and your life span is infinite. However, you still live in the imperfect finite world of creation and enjoys great freedom. Your features are simply flawless.

Sixth level of attainment: the attainment of the first through fourth bodhisattva stages of fruition.

Seventh level of attainment: the attainment of the fifth through seventh bodhisattva stages of fruition.

Eighth level of attainment: the attainment of the eight bodhisattva stage and above.

Ninth level of attainment: the attainment of the Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment, teacher of gods and men.

A Buddha.
(The ten stages of the development of a bodhisattva are: 1. Pramudita (joy) 2. Vimala (purity) 3. Prabhakari(enlightenment) 4. Arcismati (wisdom) 5. Sudurjaya (no difficulty) 6. Abhimukhi (open way) 7. Duramgama (far reaching) 8. Acala (unperturbed) 9. Sadhumati (discriminatory wisdom) 10. Dharma megha (law cloud)

Let me say this. These nine stages of attainment attained through the cultivation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma are only a broad and general classification, for these spiritual realms of realisation are simply inconceivable in the first place. There are individuals who have already attained the Divine Sight upon reaching the second level and others have attained the Buddha Eye upon attaining the seventh level; the permutations are anyone’s guess. Hence, this classification can only serve as a broad reference.