Thirteen bhumis

Thirteen bhumis (Tib. ས་བཅུ་གསུམ་, sa chu sum, Wyl. sa bcu gsum) are stages in the path of the bodhisattva, according to the Sarma schools of Tibetan Buddhism. This system adds three additional stages to the ten bhumis of the sutra system, which mark degrees of increase in qualities.

The thirteen bhumis are:

• The ten bhumis:
  1. Joyous (pramuditā)
  2. Stainless (vimalā)
  3. Luminous (prabhākarī)
  4. Radiant (arciṣmatī)
  5. Hard to Conquer (sudurjayā)
  6. Clearly Manifest (abhimukhī)
  7. Far Progressed/Reaching (dūraṅgamā)
  8. Immovable (acalā)
  9. Perfect Intellect (sādhuṃatī)
  10. Cloud of Dharma (dharmameghā)

• Plus three additional bhumis:
  1. Universal Radiance (T. kun tu 'od)
  2. Lotus of Non-Attachment (T. ma chags padma can)
  3. Vajra Holder (Tib. dorje dzin, Wyl. rdo rje 'dzin)—buddhahood itself, according to the inner secret mantra.

Tsele Natsok Rangdrol describes the three additional grounds that follow the 10th ground as follows:

The defilement of not knowing the nonconceptual nature, the subtle tendency for dualistic knowledge, then also dissolves into great self-existing self-knowing, the essence of vajra-like wakefulness, and you are permanently free of all obscurations. The power of the wakefulness of the nature as it is and of all that exists, as well as the strength of knowledge, compassion, and capacity are fully perfected. The outer and general vehicles describe this point as the supreme path of completion, the actual state of perfect buddhahood, which here, in the context of Mahamudra, is called the greater Nonmeditation.

According to the general Secret Mantra, you are now free from the obscurations of karma, disturbing emotions, and habitual tendencies, and have therefore no more path to train in, traverse, or realize. But in terms of the particular degree of increase in qualities, there is the 11th bhumi of the Universal Light and the 12th bhumi of the Lotus of Nonattachment. Having from one moment to the next realized these two extraordinary inner bhumis, the rupakayas for the benefit of others as an expression of having perfected the dharmakaya for the benefit of yourself, you then continuously accomplish the great welfare of beings throughout space for as long as samsara has not been emptied. This is called the 13th bhumi of the Vajra Holder, buddhahood itself.

Sources

• Tsele Natsok Rangdrol (2009), Heart Lamp: Lamp of Mahamudra and Heart of the Matter, Rangjung Yeshe Publications 

Further reading

Print:

• Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thayé (2022), Sakya: The Path with Its Result, Part One, Treasury of Precious Instructions, Volume 5, translated by Malcolm Smith, Snow Lion 
• Tsele Natsok Rangdrol (2009), "Lamp of Mahamudra", Heart Lamp: Lamp of Mahamudra and Heart of the Matter, Rangjung Yeshe Publications 

Web:

• Thirteen bhumis, Rigpa Shedra Wiki
• ས་བཅུ་གསུམ་, Christian-Steinert Dictionary