THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
Volume 404
Chapter 3: Contemplation (3)
At that time Śāriputra asked:
“World-Honored One, from where do Great Bodhisattvas who are in accord with Prajñāpāramitā pass away before being born here? And after passing away from here, where are they born?”
The Buddha said:
“Śāriputra, some Great Bodhisattvas who are in accord with Prajñāpāramitā pass away from other Buddha lands and are born here; some pass away from Tuṣita Heaven and are born here; some pass away from the human realm and are reborn here.
Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva passes away from another Buddha land and is born here, that Bodhisattva quickly comes into accord with Prajñāpāramitā. Because of being in accord with Prajñāpāramitā, upon being born here, that Bodhisattva immediately realizes profound and wondrous Dharma gateways in the present life. Thereafter, the Bodhisattva continually and swiftly comes into accord with Prajñāpāramitā. Wherever born, the Bodhisattva always encounters the Buddhas, makes offerings to them, honors, respects, and praises them, thereby causing Prajñāpāramitā to grow ever more.
If a Bodhisattva passes away from Tuṣita Heaven and is born here, that Bodhisattva immediately attains the stage of ‘One Birth Remaining,’ never forgets the six Pāramitās, and gains complete mastery over all Dhāraṇī gateways and all Samādhi gateways.
If a Bodhisattva passes away from the human realm and is reborn here, then unless that Bodhisattva has already reached the stage of non-retrogression, one of dull faculties cannot quickly come into accord with Prajñāpāramitā and has not yet attained mastery over all Dhāraṇī gateways and all Samādhi gateways.
Śāriputra, are you asking where a Great Bodhisattva who is in accord with Prajñāpāramitā is born after passing away from here? Such a Bodhisattva, after passing away from here, is born in another Buddha land. Going from one Buddha land to another, wherever born, the Bodhisattva always meets the World-Honored Buddhas, makes offerings to them, honors, respects, and praises them, until attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, lacking skillful means, enter the First Dhyāna, Second Dhyāna, Third Dhyāna, and Fourth Dhyāna while also practicing the six Pāramitās. Because they attain meditative absorption, they are reborn in the Heaven of Long Life. When their lifespan there ends, they are reborn among humans, encounter the Buddhas, make offerings to them, honor, respect, and praise them. Although they practice the six Pāramitās, their faculties remain dull, and they are neither intelligent nor quick-witted.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas and practice the six Pāramitās. Lacking skillful means, they relinquish these meditative absorptions and are reborn in the Desire Realm. You should know that such Bodhisattvas also possess dull faculties and are neither intelligent nor quick-witted.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who enter the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Dhyānas; cultivate immeasurable loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; enter the absorptions of Infinite Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothingness, and Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Ten Powers of a Buddha, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Four Unobstructed Knowledges, Great Loving-kindness, Great Compassion, Great Joy, Great Equanimity, and the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha.
Because such Bodhisattvas possess skillful means, they are not reborn through the force of meditative absorption, immeasurable states, or formless attainments. They are born only in worlds where there are Buddhas, where they meet the Buddhas, make offerings to them, honor, respect, and praise them, and remain continually in accord with Prajñāpāramitā. You should know that such Bodhisattvas are certain to attain unsurpassed enlightenment during this Fortunate Aeon.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas, cultivate the Four Immeasurables, and enter the Four Formless Absorptions. Because they possess skillful means, they are not reborn by the force of those attainments but instead return to the Desire Realm, taking birth among noble Kṣatriya families, noble Brāhmaṇa families, noble householder families, or noble lay families for the purpose of teaching sentient beings, not because of attachment to future existence.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas, cultivate the Four Immeasurables, and enter the Four Formless Absorptions. Because they possess skillful means, they are not reborn by the force of those attainments. They may instead be born in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-three, Yāma Heaven, Tuṣita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformations, or the Heaven of Others’ Enjoyments of Their Transformations, in order to teach sentient beings and purify Buddha lands. Thus they constantly encounter the Buddhas, make offerings to them, honor, respect, and praise them without interruption.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā and, through skillful means, enter the First Dhyāna. After passing away here, they are reborn in the Brahmā world as Great Brahmā Kings, whose majestic virtue surpasses that of hundreds of thousands of other Brahmā beings. From there they travel among Buddha lands. If they find Great Bodhisattvas who have not yet attained unsurpassed enlightenment, they encourage them to do so. If they meet those who have already attained unsurpassed enlightenment but have not yet turned the Wheel of Dharma, they request them to turn the Wheel of Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā and, through skillful means, enter the First through Fourth Dhyānas, cultivate the Four Immeasurables, enter the Four Formless Absorptions, cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, and attain complete mastery over the liberations of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. They are not reborn by the force of meditative absorption, immeasurable states, or formless attainments. Such Bodhisattvas at the stage of One Birth Remaining personally attend, serve, approach, and make offerings to the Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the present age. They diligently practice the holy life in that Buddha land, pass away there, and are reborn in Tuṣita Heaven. When their lifespan there ends, their faculties remain unimpaired, they possess perfect mindfulness and right awareness, are surrounded by immeasurable and countless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of heavenly beings, abide in supernatural powers, descend to the human world, attain unsurpassed enlightenment, turn the wondrous Wheel of Dharma, and liberate innumerable sentient beings.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas endowed with the six supernatural powers who are not reborn in the Desire Realm, Form Realm, or Formless Realm. They travel to Buddha lands, going from one to another, making offerings to, honoring, respecting, and praising the World-Honored Buddhas while practicing the Bodhisattva path until they attain unsurpassed enlightenment.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas endowed with the six supernatural powers and complete mastery of miraculous transformations who travel from one Buddha land to another. In all the Buddha lands they visit, there are no disciples or solitary realizers; only practitioners of the pure One Vehicle. In those Buddha lands they make offerings to, honor, respect, and praise the World-Honored Buddhas. Their practice of Prajñāpāramitā gradually increases, they bring sentient beings to fulfillment, and they purify Buddha lands.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas endowed with the six supernatural powers and miraculous transformations who travel from one Buddha land to another. The lifespan of beings in those Buddha lands cannot be measured. In those lands they make offerings to, honor, respect, and praise the World-Honored Buddhas. Their practice of Prajñāpāramitā gradually increases, they bring sentient beings to fulfillment, and they purify Buddha lands.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas endowed with the six supernatural powers who go to worlds where even the Three Jewels are unknown. There they praise the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, causing sentient beings to manifest deep and pure faith, whereby they constantly obtain benefit and happiness. After passing away there, such Bodhisattvas are reborn in worlds where there are Buddhas and continue the Bodhisattva practice until they attain unsurpassed enlightenment.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, from the very moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, are courageous and diligent. They attain the First through Fourth Dhyānas, the Four Immeasurables, the Four Formless Absorptions, cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, cultivate the Ten Powers of a Buddha through the Knowledge of All Aspects. Such Bodhisattvas are not reborn in the Desire Realm, Form Realm, or Formless Realm, but are always born wherever they can benefit sentient beings and bring welfare and happiness to all beings.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who cultivated the six Pāramitās in previous lives and, upon first arousing the aspiration for enlightenment, enter the Bodhisattva’s Nirvāṇa until they attain the stage of non-retrogression.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who cultivated the six Pāramitās in previous lives and, upon first arousing the aspiration, gradually attain unsurpassed enlightenment, turn the Wheel of the True Dharma, liberate innumerable sentient beings, and enter the Great Nirvāṇa without remainder. After their Parinirvāṇa, the True Dharma they taught endures for one aeon or more than one aeon, benefiting immeasurable beings.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who cultivated the six Pāramitās in previous lives and, upon first arousing the aspiration, immediately come into accord with Prajñāpāramitā. Together with immeasurable and countless hundreds of thousands of millions of Great Bodhisattvas, they travel among Buddha lands, making offerings to, honoring, respecting, and praising the World-Honored Buddhas, bringing sentient beings to fulfillment and purifying Buddha lands.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā, attain the Four Dhyānas, the Four Immeasurables, and the Four Formless Absorptions, and freely enter and emerge from them in sequence: entering the First Dhyāna; emerging from it and entering the Cessation Attainment; emerging from Cessation and entering the Second Dhyāna; emerging again and entering Cessation; then the Third Dhyāna, Cessation, the Fourth Dhyāna, Cessation, Infinite Space, Cessation, Infinite Consciousness, Cessation, Nothingness, Cessation, Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, Cessation, and finally emerging from Cessation to re-enter the First Dhyāna.
Śāriputra, such Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajñāpāramitā with skillful means and abide in complete mastery of these profound meditative attainments, moving through them forward, backward, and in every sequence.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who have attained the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Ten Powers of a Buddha, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Four Unobstructed Knowledges, Great Loving-kindness, Great Compassion, Great Joy, Great Equanimity, the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha, the Knowledge of All, the Knowledge of the Path, and the Knowledge of All Aspects, yet they do not cling to the fruit of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddhahood, or even unsurpassed enlightenment.
Because they practice Prajñāpāramitā with skillful means, they enable sentient beings to cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path, attain the fruits from Stream-entry to Arhatship or Pratyekabuddhahood, or cultivate the Ten Powers of a Buddha through the Knowledge of All Aspects and ultimately attain unsurpassed enlightenment.
Śāriputra, these wisdoms and attainments of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas are themselves the patient acceptance (kṣānti) of the Great Bodhisattva.
Śāriputra, you should know that only Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the stage of non-retrogression and in accord with Prajñāpāramitā are capable of accomplishing such deeds.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the six Pāramitās who are born in Tuṣita Heaven. You should know that such Bodhisattvas are certain to become Buddhas during this Fortunate Aeon.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā who have attained the Four Dhyānas, the Four Immeasurables, the Four Formless Absorptions, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Ten Powers of a Buddha, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Four Unobstructed Knowledges, Great Loving-kindness, Great Compassion, Great Joy, Great Equanimity, the Eighteen Unique Qualities of a Buddha, the Knowledge of All, the Knowledge of the Path, and the Knowledge of All Aspects. Their minds are constantly directed toward Bodhi without weariness or negligence, yet they have not fully realized the Noble Truths.
Śāriputra, you should know that such Bodhisattvas are those bound to one final birth.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who practice the six Pāramitās throughout the worlds, traveling from one Buddha land to another, purifying Buddha lands and establishing beings in unsurpassed enlightenment.
Śāriputra, such Bodhisattvas must still pass through immeasurable and countless great aeons before attaining unsurpassed enlightenment.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the six Pāramitās who are always diligent in benefiting sentient beings. Their mouths never utter idle speech, and their bodies and minds neither perform nor conceive of meaningless actions.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas practicing the six Pāramitās who tirelessly benefit sentient beings and travel from one Buddha land to another, eliminating the three evil destinies for sentient beings.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, though abiding in all six Pāramitās, always place the Perfection of Giving first. Courageously cultivating the Bodhisattva practices, they bestow upon sentient beings whatever delights them without interruption: food for those needing food, drink for those needing drink, vehicles for those needing vehicles, clothing for those needing clothing, and according to their needs, flowers, incense, ornaments, rooms, houses, bedding, beds, chairs, lamps, grain, jewels, and every other necessity.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, though abiding in all six Pāramitās, always place the Perfection of Moral Discipline first. Courageously cultivating the Bodhisattva practices, they perfect the supreme precepts in body, speech, and mind, and encourage sentient beings to cultivate the same discipline so that they may quickly bring it to perfection.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, though abiding in all six Pāramitās, always place the Perfection of Patience first. Courageously cultivating the Bodhisattva practices, they abandon all anger and encourage sentient beings to cultivate patience so that they may quickly perfect it.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, though abiding in all six Pāramitās, always place the Perfection of Diligence first. Courageously cultivating the Bodhisattva practices, they fully cultivate every wholesome Dharma and encourage sentient beings to cultivate diligence so that they may quickly perfect it.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, though fully abiding in all six Pāramitās, always place the Perfection of Meditation first. Courageously cultivating the Bodhisattva practices, they perfect all supreme meditative absorptions and encourage sentient beings to cultivate those same supreme absorptions so that they may quickly perfect them.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, though fully possessing the six Pāramitās, always place Prajñāpāramitā first. Courageously cultivating the Bodhisattva practices, they perfect all contemplative wisdom and encourage sentient beings to cultivate such supreme wisdom so that they may quickly perfect it.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā, manifesting bodies like those of Buddhas and entering the hells, the animal realm, the realm of hungry ghosts, the human realm, or the heavenly realms. According to the language of each kind of being, they expound the True Dharma.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the six Pāramitās who manifest bodies like Buddhas and travel throughout Buddha worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, teaching the True Dharma to sentient beings and purifying Buddha lands. In those Buddha lands they listen to the Dharma, make offerings to, honor, respect, and praise the Buddhas, behold the wonderfully pure characteristics of those Buddha lands—the supreme among the ten directions—and then themselves manifest exceedingly magnificent and pure Buddha lands containing Great Bodhisattvas destined for only one more birth, guiding them so that they quickly attain unsurpassed enlightenment.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who practice the six Pāramitās, perfect the thirty-two marks of a Great Being, possess keen and pure faculties, are dignified in appearance, and are loved and respected by all who see them. Accordingly, they guide beings according to their capacities and aspirations, enabling them gradually to attain the Nirvāṇa of the Three Vehicles.
Thus, Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā should learn to purify the actions of body, speech, and mind.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas practicing the six Pāramitās who, although endowed with keen faculties, never exalt themselves or look down upon others.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration, constantly abide in the Perfections of Giving and Moral Discipline until they attain the stage of non-retrogression. At no time do they fall into the evil destinies.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration until they attain the stage of non-retrogression, never abandon the ten wholesome courses of action.
Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the Perfections of Giving and Moral Discipline who become Wheel-Turning Kings, possess the seven treasures, govern by means of the Dharma rather than by injustice, guide sentient beings to practice the ten wholesome courses of action, and also use their treasures to relieve the poor and needy.
O Śāriputra, furthermore there are Great Bodhisattvas who abide in the Perfections of Giving and Morality, and for countless hundreds of thousands of lifetimes become Wheel-turning Sage Kings, constantly encountering countless hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, making offerings, revering, honoring, praising them, and giving away both internal and external possessions without finding it difficult.
O Śāriputra, furthermore there are Great Bodhisattvas who abide in the six Perfections, constantly serving as a Dharma light that illuminates sentient beings who are deluded and hold wrong views, and also use this Dharma to illuminate themselves, until they attain the unsurpassed state of Awakening. This illuminating Dharma is never abandoned; therefore, these Great Bodhisattvas are constantly able to manifest the Buddha teachings before them.
Therefore, O Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas who practice the Perfection of Wisdom do not allow the three karmic faults of body, speech, and mind to manifest even for a moment.
At that time Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, what is meant by a Great Bodhisattva having faults in the karma of body, speech, and mind?
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
If a Great Bodhisattva thinks: “This is my body,” and thereby manifests bodily karma; “These are my words,” and thereby manifests verbal karma; “This is my mind,” and thereby manifests mental karma—then, O Śāriputra, this is called a Great Bodhisattva having faults in the karma of body, speech, and mind.
O Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom do not apprehend body or bodily karma, do not apprehend speech or verbal karma, do not apprehend mind or mental karma.
O Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom apprehends body, speech, and mind, and the karma of body, speech, and mind, then the mind of greed, the mind of breaking precepts, the mind of anger, the mind of laziness, the distracted mind, and the mind of evil wisdom arise. If these minds manifest, such a one is not called a Great Bodhisattva. Therefore, for a Great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom to give rise to such thoughts is impossible.
O Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the six Perfections are able to purify the three types of coarseness of body, speech, and mind.
At that time Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, why are Great Bodhisattvas able to purify the three types of coarseness of body, speech, and mind?
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
Great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom do not apprehend the body and the coarseness of body, do not apprehend speech and the coarseness of speech, do not apprehend mind and the coarseness of mind. Therefore, O Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom are able in this way to purify the three types of coarseness of body, speech, and mind.
Furthermore, O Śāriputra, if from the time a Great Bodhisattva first generates the aspiration, they constantly uphold the ten paths of wholesome action, do not give rise to the mind of the Śrāvaka or Pratyekabuddha, and constantly generate great compassion toward sentient beings, then, O Śāriputra, I say that this Great Bodhisattva is also able to purify the three types of coarseness of body, speech, and mind.
O Śāriputra, furthermore there are Great Bodhisattvas who practice the six Perfections and purify the path of Bodhi.
At that time Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, what is called the path of Bodhi of a Great Bodhisattva?
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
When Great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Wisdom, they do not apprehend any karma or the three types of coarseness of body, speech, and mind; they do not apprehend the Perfection of Giving, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Pure Discipline, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Patience, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Diligence, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Meditative Concentration, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Wisdom; they do not apprehend the Śrāvaka vehicle, they do not apprehend the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, they do not apprehend the Bodhisattva vehicle of Perfect Complete Awakening.
O Śāriputra, this is called the path of Bodhi of a Great Bodhisattva. Why? Because the path of Bodhi does not apprehend any phenomena.
O Śāriputra, furthermore there are Great Bodhisattvas who practice the six Perfections and proceed toward the path of Bodhi in a way that no one can obstruct.
At that time Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, why is it that Great Bodhisattvas practicing the six Perfections and proceeding toward the path of Bodhi cannot be obstructed by anyone?
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
When Great Bodhisattvas practice the six Perfections, they do not cling to the aggregate of form; they do not cling to the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; they do not cling to the eye sense base, nor to the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense bases; they do not cling to the form sense base, nor to sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena sense bases; they do not cling to the eye element, form element, and eye consciousness element; they do not cling to the ear element, sound element, and ear consciousness element; they do not cling to the nose element, smell element, and nose consciousness element; they do not cling to the tongue element, taste element, and tongue consciousness element; they do not cling to the body element, touch element, and body consciousness element; they do not cling to the mind element, Dharma element, and mind consciousness element.
They do not cling to the Noble Truth of suffering, they do not cling to the Noble Truth of origin, cessation, and path; they do not cling to ignorance, nor to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress.
They do not cling to the four applications of mindfulness, they do not cling to the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path.
They do not cling to the Perfection of Giving, they do not cling to Pure Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, or the Perfection of Wisdom.
They do not cling to the ten powers of the Buddha, they do not cling to the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unobstructed understanding, great Loving-kindness, great Compassion, great Joy, great Equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha, the wisdom of omniscience, the wisdom of knowing the paths, and the wisdom of knowing all aspects.
They do not cling to the fruit of Stream-entry, they do not cling to the fruit of Once-returning, Non-returning, or Arhatship; they do not cling to Pratyekabuddha Awakening; they do not cling to all practices of Great Bodhisattvas; they do not cling to the unsurpassed Awakening of all Buddhas.
O Śāriputra, because of this cause and condition, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the six Perfections increasingly develop their aspiration toward the path of Bodhi, and no one can obstruct them.
O Śāriputra, furthermore there are Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the Perfection of Wisdom who can quickly perfect the wisdom of omniscience. Because they have accomplished superior wisdom, they are never cast into the evil destinies, never receive the inferior bodies of gods or humans, and are forever free from poverty. The bodies they receive through birth possess beautiful appearances and complete faculties, and are loved and respected by gods, humans, and Asuras.
At that time Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, what is meant by a Great Bodhisattva accomplishing superior wisdom?
The Buddha taught Śāriputra:
Through accomplishing this wisdom, Great Bodhisattvas see all Thus-Gone, Worthy, Perfectly Awakened Buddhas throughout the Buddha worlds of the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River; they hear all the true Dharma taught by those Buddhas; they see all the assemblies of Śrāvakas and Bodhisattvas gathered there, and they also see the adornments of those lands.
Through accomplishing this wisdom, Great Bodhisattvas do not give rise to the perception of worlds, do not give rise to the perception of Buddha, do not give rise to the perception of Dharma, do not give rise to the perception of the Śrāvaka Sangha, do not give rise to the perception of the Bodhisattva Sangha, do not give rise to the perception of Pratyekabuddhas, do not give rise to the perception of self, do not give rise to the perception of non-self, and do not give rise to the perception of adorned Buddha lands.
Through accomplishing this wisdom, although Great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Giving, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Giving; although they practice the Perfection of Pure Discipline, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Pure Discipline; although they practice the Perfection of Patience, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Patience; although they practice the Perfection of Diligence, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Diligence; although they practice the Perfection of Meditative Concentration, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Meditative Concentration; although they practice the Perfection of Wisdom, they do not apprehend the Perfection of Wisdom.
Although they practice the four applications of mindfulness, they do not apprehend the four applications of mindfulness; up to and including although they practice the eightfold noble path, they do not apprehend the eightfold noble path; although they practice the ten powers of the Buddha, they do not apprehend the ten powers of the Buddha; up to and including although they practice the wisdom of knowing all aspects, they do not apprehend the wisdom of knowing all aspects.
O Śāriputra, this is called a Great Bodhisattva accomplishing superior wisdom. Through accomplishing this wisdom, Great Bodhisattvas can quickly perfect all Buddha qualities. Although they know all phenomena, they do not apprehend all phenomena, because their own nature is emptiness.
O Śāriputra, furthermore there are Great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom who can purify the five types of eyes: the physical eye, the divine eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, and the Buddha eye.
At that time Śāriputra said:
World-Honored One, what is the purified physical eye of a Great Bodhisattva?
The Buddha taught Śāriputra:
There are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see one hundred yojanas; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see two hundred yojanas; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see three hundred yojanas; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, and even a thousand yojanas.
There are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see one continent of Jambudvīpa; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see two great continents; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see three great continents; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see four great continents; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see a small thousandfold world; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see a middle thousandfold world; there are Great Bodhisattvas whose physical eyes can see a great thousandfold world.
O Śāriputra, this is called the purified physical eye of a Great Bodhisattva.
At that time Śāriputra again said:
World-Honored One, what is the purified divine eye of a Great Bodhisattva?
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
The divine eye of a Great Bodhisattva sees everything as the divine eye of the Four Great Kings has seen; sees everything as the divine eyes of the Thirty-Three Gods, Yāma gods, Tuṣita gods, gods of Enjoying Transformations, and gods of Mastery over Others’ Transformations have seen; sees everything as the divine eye of the Brahmā Assembly gods has seen; and up to seeing everything as the divine eye of the Akaniṣṭha gods has seen.
O Śāriputra, there are Great Bodhisattvas whose divine eyes can see things that the divine eyes of all gods from the Four Great Kings up to the Akaniṣṭha gods cannot see.
O Śāriputra, the divine eyes of Great Bodhisattvas can see sentient beings dying here and being reborn there throughout the Buddha worlds of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River.
O Śāriputra, that is the pure Divine Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.
At that time Śāriputra again said:
“World-Honored One, what is the pure Wisdom Eye of the Great Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
“The Wisdom Eye of the Great Bodhisattva does not see any dharma, whether conditioned or unconditioned, whether with outflows or without outflows, whether worldly or supramundane, whether sinful or without sin, whether defiled or pure, whether with form or without form, whether obstructed or unobstructed, whether past, future, or present, whether bound to the Desire Realm, bound to the Form Realm, or bound to the Formless Realm, whether wholesome or unwholesome, whether indeterminate, whether cut off by view, whether cut off by cultivation, whether not to be cut off, whether a learner, a non-learner, or neither learner nor non-learner, and up to all dharmas, whether by their own nature or by distinctions.
O Śāriputra, this Wisdom Eye of the Great Bodhisattva does not see any dharma that can be seen, heard, understood, or known.
O Śāriputra, this is called the pure Wisdom Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.”
At that time Śāriputra said:
“World-Honored One, what is the pure Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“The Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva can truly know the various differences among beings (pudgala). This one is a follower of faith; this one is a follower of the Dharma; this one practices the signless path; this one abides in emptiness; this one abides in signlessness; this one abides in wishlessness; this one, through the Dharma-door of liberation of Emptiness, manifests the five faculties. Through the five faculties, the uninterrupted concentration is manifested. Through uninterrupted concentration, liberation and insight are manifested. Through liberation and insight, the three fetters—identity view, attachment to rules and observances, and doubt—are forever cut off. By forever cutting off these three fetters, one attains the fruit of Stream-entry.
By cultivating the path and reducing sensual desire and anger, one attains the fruit of Once-returning. Again, through superior cultivation of the path, completely cutting off sensual desire and anger, one attains the fruit of Non-returning. Again, through the highest cultivation of the path, one completely cuts off the five higher fetters: attachment to form, attachment to the formless, ignorance, conceit, and restlessness. By completely cutting off the five higher fetters, one attains the fruit of Arhatship.
This is through the Dharma-door of liberation of Signlessness, whereby the five faculties are manifested. Through the five faculties, uninterrupted concentration is manifested, up to completely cutting off the five higher fetters and attaining Arhatship.
This is through the Dharma-door of liberation of Wishlessness, whereby the five faculties are manifested; through the five faculties, uninterrupted concentration is manifested, up to completely cutting off the five higher fetters and attaining Arhatship. The same applies to cultivating the second and third stages.
O Śāriputra, this is called the pure Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.
Furthermore, Śāriputra, the Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva can truly know that all dharmas that arise are dharmas of cessation. Because of knowing this, one obtains the five kinds of eyes.
O Śāriputra, this is called the pure Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.
Furthermore, Śāriputra, the Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva can truly know that this Great Bodhisattva, from the first generation of the aspiration for enlightenment, cultivates the perfection of Giving up to the perfection of Wisdom; by accomplishing the faculty of faith, the faculty of diligence, and skillful means, attains the ability to take birth according to intention and increases wholesome dharmas.
This Great Bodhisattva may be born into a great Kṣatriya lineage, or a great Brahmin lineage, or a great elder’s lineage, or a great householder’s lineage, or be born among the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, up to being born among the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Creations. Dwelling there, this Bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings, providing all kinds of excellent musical instruments according to the wishes of sentient beings; adorns and purifies Buddha-fields; makes offerings, gives reverence, honors, respects, and praises the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones; does not fall into the states of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas; and until attaining the highest enlightenment, never regresses.
O Śāriputra, this is called the pure Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.
Furthermore, Śāriputra, the Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva can truly know: this Great Bodhisattva has received a prediction of attaining the highest enlightenment; this Great Bodhisattva has not received such a prediction. This Great Bodhisattva has attained non-retrogression regarding the highest enlightenment; this Great Bodhisattva has not attained non-retrogression regarding the highest enlightenment. This Great Bodhisattva has reached the stage of non-retrogression; this Great Bodhisattva has not reached the stage of non-retrogression. This Great Bodhisattva has perfected supernatural powers; this Great Bodhisattva has not perfected supernatural powers.
This Great Bodhisattva, having perfected supernatural powers, can go throughout the Ganges-sand-like Buddha-worlds in the ten directions to make offerings, give reverence, honor, respect, and praise the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. This Great Bodhisattva, not having perfected supernatural powers, cannot go throughout the Ganges-sand-like Buddha-worlds in the ten directions to make offerings, give reverence, honor, respect, and praise the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones.
This Great Bodhisattva has attained supernatural powers; this Great Bodhisattva has not attained supernatural powers. This Great Bodhisattva has attained the patient acceptance of the unborn nature of dharmas; this Great Bodhisattva has not attained the patient acceptance of the unborn nature of dharmas. This Great Bodhisattva has obtained superior faculties; this Great Bodhisattva has not obtained superior faculties. This Great Bodhisattva has adorned and purified Buddha-fields; this Great Bodhisattva has not adorned and purified Buddha-fields. This Great Bodhisattva has taught and transformed sentient beings; this Great Bodhisattva has not taught and transformed sentient beings. This Great Bodhisattva has obtained great vows; this Great Bodhisattva has not obtained great vows.
This Great Bodhisattva has been praised by the Buddhas; this Great Bodhisattva has not been praised by the Buddhas. This Great Bodhisattva has drawn near to the Buddhas; this Great Bodhisattva has not drawn near to the Buddhas. This Great Bodhisattva has immeasurable lifespan; this Great Bodhisattva has a limited lifespan. This Great Bodhisattva, upon attaining enlightenment, has an immeasurable Bhikṣu Sangha; this Great Bodhisattva, upon attaining enlightenment, has a limited Bhikṣu Sangha. This Great Bodhisattva, upon attaining enlightenment, has a Bodhisattva Sangha; this Great Bodhisattva, upon attaining enlightenment, does not have a Bodhisattva Sangha.
This Great Bodhisattva exclusively practices the conduct benefiting others; this Great Bodhisattva practices both benefiting others and benefiting oneself. This Great Bodhisattva practices difficult and painful deeds; this Great Bodhisattva does not practice difficult and painful deeds. This Great Bodhisattva is one bound by a single birth; this Great Bodhisattva is one bound by many births. This Great Bodhisattva has already dwelt in the final body; this Great Bodhisattva has not dwelt in the final body. This Great Bodhisattva has already sat upon the wondrous Bodhi seat; this Great Bodhisattva has not yet sat upon the wondrous Bodhi seat. This Great Bodhisattva has been tested by Māra; this Great Bodhisattva has not been tested by Māra.
O Śāriputra, this is called the pure Dharma Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.”
At that time Śāriputra again said:
“World-Honored One, what is the pure Buddha Eye of the Great Bodhisattva?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
“The Bodhi-mind of the Great Bodhisattva is uninterrupted; entering the vajra-like concentration, attaining the wisdom of all aspects, accomplishing the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique Buddha qualities; the Buddha Eye is liberated, without obstruction or hindrance. Through this Buddha Eye, the Great Bodhisattva surpasses all wisdom realms of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. There is nothing not seen, nothing not heard, nothing not understood, nothing not known; all aspects of all dharmas are seen.
O Śāriputra, this is called the pure Buddha Eye of the Great Bodhisattva.
O Śāriputra, only when the Great Bodhisattva realizes the highest enlightenment does he attain such a pure Buddha Eye.
O Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva wishes to obtain these five kinds of pure eyes, he should diligently cultivate the six perfections. Why? Because these six perfections encompass all wholesome dharmas, namely all wholesome dharmas of Śrāvakas, wholesome dharmas of Pratyekabuddhas, wholesome dharmas of Bodhisattvas, and wholesome dharmas of the Tathāgata.
O Śāriputra, if someone asks the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One, what dharma can encompass all wholesome dharmas, the Buddha immediately answers truthfully: It is Prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because this Prajñāpāramitā is the mother of all wholesome dharmas and can give rise to the merits of the other five perfections and the five kinds of eyes.
O Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva wishes to obtain the five kinds of pure eyes, he should study Prajñāpāramitā. If a Great Bodhisattva wishes to attain the highest enlightenment, he should study these five kinds of pure eyes.
O Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva can study these five kinds of pure eyes, he will certainly attain the highest enlightenment.
O Śāriputra, there are also Great Bodhisattvas who, while cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, can manifest the six supernatural-power perfections: the supernatural power of miraculous abilities, the divine ear, knowing the minds of others, recollection of past lives, the divine eye, and extinction of outflows.
At that time Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how does a Great Bodhisattva, while cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, manifest the supernatural power of miraculous abilities?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
“There is a Great Bodhisattva who has attained the supernatural power of miraculous abilities and can manifest various transformations: causing the great earth and all things within the Ganges-sand-like worlds throughout the ten directions to tremble; transforming one into many and many into one; becoming hidden or visible, moving swiftly without obstruction; passing through mountains and walls as through empty space; traveling through the sky as birds fly; entering and emerging from the earth as one enters and emerges from water; walking on water as one walks on land; emitting smoke and fire from the body like flames blazing upon a high plain; flowing streams of water from the body like melting snow mountains. The majesty and power of the sun and moon cannot compare; raising the hand to touch the moon and cover its light; even transforming the body and reaching the Pure Abode heavens freely. Such supernatural transformations are infinite in number.
O Śāriputra, although this Great Bodhisattva possesses such supernatural powers, he does not become arrogant because of them, does not cling to the nature of supernatural powers, does not cling to the activity of supernatural powers, does not cling to having attained such supernatural powers, and is unattached even to attachment or non-attachment. Why? Because their own nature is empty, their own nature is relinquishment, and their own nature has never been graspable from the beginning.
O Śāriputra, this Great Bodhisattva does not think: ‘Now I manifest supernatural powers for my own enjoyment and amusement,’ but only does so in order to attain the wisdom of omniscience.
O Śāriputra, this is called the manifestation of the supernatural power of miraculous abilities by a Great Bodhisattva cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.”
At that time Śāriputra again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how does a Great Bodhisattva, while cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, manifest the divine ear?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
“There is a Great Bodhisattva with the supreme divine ear, purer than the divine ears of ordinary beings, who can truly hear all kinds of sounds of sentient and non-sentient beings throughout the Ganges-sand-like worlds in the ten directions. This means hearing all sounds: the sounds of hell beings, animals, hungry ghosts, humans, gods, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas; the sounds that reproach saṃsāra, the sounds that praise Nirvāṇa, the sounds that abandon conditioned existence, the sounds that move toward Bodhi, the sounds that are weary of defiled existence, the sounds that delight in the undefiled, the sounds that praise the Three Jewels, the sounds that subdue wrong paths, the sounds of discussion and decisive analysis, the sounds of reciting scriptures, the sounds encouraging abandonment of evil dharmas, the sounds encouraging cultivation of wholesome dharmas, the sounds of rescuing beings from suffering and difficulties, the sounds of joy and delight… All such sounds, whether great or small, are completely heard by the Bodhisattva without obstruction or hindrance.
O Śāriputra, although this Great Bodhisattva possesses such power of the divine ear, he does not become arrogant because of it, does not cling to the nature of the divine ear, does not cling to the activity of the divine ear, does not cling to having attained such a divine ear, and is unattached even to attachment or non-attachment. Why? Because their own nature is empty, their own nature is relinquishment, and their own nature has never been graspable from the beginning.
O Śāriputra, this Great Bodhisattva does not think: ‘Now I manifest the divine ear for my own enjoyment and amusement,’ but only does so to attain the wisdom of omniscience.
O Śāriputra, this is called the manifestation of the divine ear by a Great Bodhisattva cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.”
At that time Śāriputra again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how does a Great Bodhisattva, while cultivating Prajñāpāramitā, manifest the knowledge of the minds of others?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
“There is a Great Bodhisattva with the knowledge of the minds of others who can truly know the minds and mental factors of all sentient beings throughout the Ganges-sand-like worlds in the ten directions: knowing all other sentient beings.
If there is a mind of greed, he truly knows there is a mind of greed. If separated from the mind of greed, he truly knows separation from the mind of greed. If there is a mind of anger, he truly knows there is a mind of anger. If separated from the mind of anger, he truly knows separation from the mind of anger. If there is a mind of delusion, he truly knows there is a mind of delusion. If separated from the mind of delusion, he truly knows separation from the mind of delusion.
If there is a mind of attachment, he truly knows there is a mind of attachment. If separated from the mind of attachment, he truly knows separation from the mind of attachment. If there is a grasping mind, he truly knows there is a grasping mind. If separated from the grasping mind, he truly knows separation from the grasping mind.
If the mind is concentrated, he truly knows the concentrated mind. If the mind is scattered, he truly knows the scattered mind. If the mind is narrow, he truly knows the narrow mind. If the mind is vast, he truly knows the vast mind. If the mind is exalted, he truly knows the exalted mind. If the mind is inferior, he truly knows the inferior mind.
If the mind is tranquil, he truly knows the tranquil mind. If the mind is not tranquil, he truly knows the untranquil mind. If the mind is agitated, he truly knows the agitated mind. If the mind is not agitated, he truly knows the non-agitated mind. If the mind is concentrated in meditation, he truly knows the meditative mind. If the mind is not concentrated, he truly knows the unconcentrated mind.
If the mind is liberated, he truly knows the liberated mind. If the mind is not liberated, he truly knows the non-liberated mind. If the mind has outflows, he truly knows the mind with outflows. If the mind is without outflows, he truly knows the mind without outflows. If the mind has faults, he truly knows the mind with faults. If the mind has no faults, he truly knows the mind without faults. If there is a superior mind, he truly knows there is a superior mind. If there is no superior mind, he truly knows there is no superior mind.
O Śāriputra, although this Great Bodhisattva has the ability to know the minds of others in this way, he does not become arrogant because of it, does not cling to the nature of knowing the minds of others, does not cling to the activity of knowing the minds of others, does not cling to having attained such knowledge of the minds of others, and is unattached even to attachment or non-attachment. Why? Because their own nature is empty, their own nature is relinquishment, and their own nature has never been graspable from the beginning.
O Śāriputra, this Great Bodhisattva does not think: ‘Now I manifest knowledge of the minds of others for my own enjoyment and amusement,’ but only does so to attain the wisdom of omniscience.
O Śāriputra, this is called the manifestation of the knowledge of the minds of others by a Great Bodhisattva cultivating Prajñāpāramitā.”