THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 467
Chapter 74: THE MARKLESSNESS OF EMPTINESS (2)
Furthermore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, the great Bodhisattvas can, with an undefiled mind free from marks, uphold pure precepts; that is, they attain the undefiled Noble Path naturally, and their precepts are completely pure. Such pure precepts are not deficient, not leaking, without blemish, not defiled, without attachment to anything, worthy of receiving offerings, and praised by the wise. Because of these pure precepts, they do not grasp any phenomena whatsoever. That is, they do not grasp form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; they do not grasp the eye-base up to the mind-base; they do not grasp the form-base up to the dharma-base; they do not grasp the eye-element up to the mind-element; they do not grasp the form-element up to the dharma-element; they do not grasp the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; they do not grasp the thirty-two marks of excellence or the eighty minor marks of a Great Being; they do not grasp the great lineages of Kṣatriyas, Brahmins, Elders, or householders; they do not grasp the heavens of the Four Great Heavenly Kings up to the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others’ Creations; they do not grasp the Brahma Assembly Heaven up to the Heaven of Neither Thought nor Non-thought; they do not grasp the Heaven of Infinite Space up to the Heaven of Neither Thought nor Non-thought; they do not grasp the fruit of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha Bodhi; they do not grasp the position of a Wheel-turning King or the positions of lesser kings, officials, and others. Instead, they dedicate the merit of upholding precepts equally to all sentient beings and together dedicate it toward the unsurpassed enlightenment.
When dedicating, they use marklessness, non-attainment, and non-duality as skillful means; they use phenomena that have marks, attainment, and duality as skillful means, only according to conventional truth and not according to ultimate truth. Through this cause and condition, all Buddha-dharmas become perfected. Through this skillful means of the perfection of pure precepts, great Bodhisattvas give rise to the four levels of meditative concentration leading to higher progress; by using non-attachment as a skillful means, they give rise to various supernatural powers.
This great Bodhisattva, using the purified divine eye from the ripened body, constantly sees the present Buddhas abiding peacefully in countless worlds throughout the ten directions, teaching the true Dharma to sentient beings until they attain the wisdom of omniscience. They also do not forget what they have seen.
This great Bodhisattva, using the purified superhuman divine ear, constantly hears the Buddhas in countless worlds throughout the ten directions teaching the Dharma. Until attaining the wisdom of omniscience, they do not forget the Dharma they have heard and use the Dharma heard to benefit themselves and others without letting it be wasted.
This great Bodhisattva, using knowledge of others’ minds, can know the minds and mental factors of the Buddhas and all sentient beings throughout the ten directions. Having known them, they perform beneficial acts for all sentient beings.
This great Bodhisattva, using knowledge of past lives, knows the karma created by sentient beings. Because the karma they have created is not lost, they are born throughout various places and experience suffering and pleasure. Having known this, the Bodhisattva explains the causes and conditions of their former karma, helping them remember and benefiting them.
This great Bodhisattva, using the knowledge of the extinction of outflows, establishes sentient beings and helps them abide in the fruit of Stream-entry, or helps them abide in the fruit of Once-returning, or helps them abide in the fruit of Non-returning, or helps them abide in the fruit of Arhatship, or helps them abide in Pratyekabuddha Bodhi, or helps them abide in the superior stage of a Bodhisattva, or helps them abide in the wisdom of omniscience.
In summary, this great Bodhisattva, wherever they are born, according to the different capacities of sentient beings, seeks ways to help them abide in superior attainments.
Therefore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of the undefiled mind free from marks, this great Bodhisattva can, within phenomena that have no marks and no creation, perfect the perfection of pure precepts, and can also perfect other virtues.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas can, with an undefiled mind free from marks, cultivate patience. From the time this great Bodhisattva first generates the mind of enlightenment until they sit upon the wondrous Bodhi seat, suppose all sentient beings bring various kinds of knives, sticks, tiles, and bricks and come together to harm them; this great Bodhisattva does not generate even a single thought of anger or resentment.
At that time, the Bodhisattva should cultivate two kinds of patience. What are these two? First, they should accept all insults and harms from sentient beings without giving rise to resentment or hidden anger. Second, they should arouse the patience with the Dharma of non-arising.
If they encounter various evil words of insult or are harmed by various knives and sticks, this great Bodhisattva should carefully reflect: “Who can insult? Who can harm? Who is insulted? Who is harmed? Who gives rise to resentment? Who must endure?”
They should also carefully contemplate that the nature of all phenomena is completely empty; phenomena cannot even be grasped, much less can there be a nature of phenomena. Since the nature of phenomena does not exist, how could there be sentient beings?
When contemplating in this way, whether the insulter or the insulted, the harmer or the harmed, all are without ownership. Even if their body were cut and severed into many pieces, their mind would remain patient. Completely without any other thought, they observe the nature of phenomena as it truly is and can attain the patience with the Dharma of non-arising.
What is the patience with the Dharma of non-arising? It means causing all afflictions not to arise, with wondrous wisdom continuously uninterrupted, and contemplating that all phenomena are completely unborn; therefore it is called the patience with the Dharma of non-arising.
This great Bodhisattva, abiding in these two kinds of patience, can quickly cultivate and fully perfect the perfection of generosity up to the perfection of wisdom; can quickly cultivate and perfect the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path; can quickly cultivate and perfect the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; can quickly cultivate and perfect the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; can quickly cultivate and perfect the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; can quickly cultivate and perfect all Bodhisattva stages; can quickly cultivate and perfect all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings; can quickly cultivate and perfect the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; can quickly cultivate and perfect the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; can quickly cultivate and perfect the qualities of not forgetting and constant equanimity; can quickly cultivate and perfect the wisdom of all, the wisdom of paths, and the wisdom of all aspects; can quickly cultivate and perfect the thirty-two marks of excellence and the eighty minor marks of a Great Being.
After this great Bodhisattva has abided in such Buddha-dharmas, all undefiled transcendent supernatural powers of the noble ones, unlike those of all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, become perfected.
After abiding in such superior supernatural powers, they use the purified divine eye and constantly see the present Buddhas in countless worlds throughout the ten directions abiding peacefully and teaching the true Dharma to sentient beings. Until attaining the wisdom of omniscience, the realms of the Buddhas appear according to thought and never cease.
They use the purified divine ear and constantly hear the Buddhas throughout the ten directions teaching Dharma. After hearing, they uphold it without forgetting and fully teach it to sentient beings.
With the knowledge of others’ minds, they can correctly measure the minds and mental factors of the World-Honored Buddhas. They can also correctly know the minds and mental factors of Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and other sentient beings. According to their capacities, they teach the true Dharma and help them give rise to superior understanding.
They use knowledge of past lives to know the different wholesome roots planted by sentient beings in previous lives. Having known this, they seek ways to reveal, encourage, praise, and rejoice with them, helping them attain superior peace and benefit. According to the capacities of sentient beings, they use the knowledge of the extinction of outflows to establish them in the Dharma of the three vehicles and help them become liberated from birth, aging, sickness, and death.
This great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, accomplishes supreme skillful means, brings about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorns and purifies Buddha-fields, quickly fulfills the wisdom of all aspects, attains unsurpassed enlightenment, turns the wondrous Dharma wheel, and saves sentient beings.
Therefore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of the undefiled mind free from marks, great Bodhisattvas can, within phenomena without marks and without creation, perfect the perfection of patience and can also perfect other virtues.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas can, with an undefiled mind free from marks, cultivate diligence. This great Bodhisattva accomplishes heroic vigor and bodily and mental diligence, thereby being able to enter the first meditative absorption and completely abide in it, up to being able to enter the fourth meditative absorption and completely abide in it. Based on the four meditative absorptions, they generate countless varieties of miraculous transformations, even to the extent of touching the sun and moon with their hands and turning them freely without any difficulty.
Through accomplishing heroic vigor and bodily and mental diligence, in an instant they can use supernatural power to travel to countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions. They then use various kinds of food, drink, clothing, bedding, medicines, and other articles to respectfully make offerings, honor, and praise the World-Honored Ones who are teaching the true Dharma. Because of this, the results of wholesome roots continue until attaining the wisdom of omniscience.
Through the superior power of these wholesome roots, after becoming a Buddha, they again receive the respectful offerings, honor, and praise of countless heavenly beings, humans, Asuras, and others in the world using countless kinds of food, drink, clothing, bedding, medicines, and other articles.
Through the superior power of these wholesome roots, after entering Nirvāṇa, their relics and the relics of their disciples continue to receive the respectful offerings, honor, and praise of countless heavenly beings, humans, Asuras, and others in the world.
This great Bodhisattva again uses supernatural power to travel to countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, listen to the true Dharma in those Buddha-fields, and after hearing it, uphold it without forgetting until attaining unsurpassed enlightenment.
This great Bodhisattva again uses supernatural power to travel to countless Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings and adorning and purifying Buddha-fields. Diligently cultivating the wisdom of omniscience until it is perfected, they attain unsurpassed enlightenment, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and liberate sentient beings.
Therefore, Subhūti, by practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā and accomplishing powerful bodily diligence, these great Bodhisattvas can cause the perfection of diligence to be quickly perfected.
Furthermore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā and accomplishing courageous diligence of mind can quickly perfect the undefiled paths of the noble ones and other path factors belonging to the perfection of diligence. Through this, they can prevent unwholesome actions of body, speech, and mind from arising.
Regarding phenomena, this great Bodhisattva does not cling to permanence or impermanence, pleasure or suffering, self or non-self, purity or impurity; quiescence or non-quiescence; separation or non-separation; conditioned realms or unconditioned realms; the desire realm, form realm, or formless realm; contaminated realms or undefiled realms; the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations, four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, eightfold Noble Path; liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; the perfection of generosity up to the perfection of wisdom; emptiness of the internal up to emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature; suchness up to the inconceivable realm; the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; eight liberations, eight bases of mastery, nine successive concentrations, ten totalities; the stages from pure contemplation up to Tathāgata; the stages from Joyful Ground up to Dharma Cloud Ground; all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings; the five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers; the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and eighty minor marks; the qualities of not forgetting and constant equanimity; the wisdom of all, wisdom of paths, and wisdom of all aspects; impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self; the fruit of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha Bodhi, or all practices of great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed enlightenment of Buddhas.
This great Bodhisattva also does not cling: “This is Stream-entry, this is Once-returning, this is Non-returning, this is Arhatship, this is Pratyekabuddha Bodhi, this is the Tathāgata.” They also do not cling to thoughts such as: “These sentient beings manifest through inferior Dharma, these sentient beings manifest through intermediate Dharma, these sentient beings manifest through superior Dharma, these sentient beings manifest through the upper portion, these sentient beings manifest through the lower portion, these sentient beings manifest through the Śrāvaka vehicle, these sentient beings manifest through the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, these sentient beings manifest through the unsurpassed vehicle.”
Regarding such phenomena and such sentient beings, this great Bodhisattva does not cling. Why? Because the phenomena grasped and sentient beings are without self-nature and cannot be grasped.
Because this great Bodhisattva accomplishes courageous diligence of mind, although they constantly perform beneficial deeds for all sentient beings, they completely have no attainment regarding sentient beings. Although they constantly perfect the practice of the perfection of diligence, they completely have no attainment regarding the perfection of diligence. Although they constantly perfect all Buddha-dharmas, they completely have no attainment regarding Buddha-dharmas. Although they constantly adorn all Buddha-fields, they completely have no attainment regarding Buddha-fields.
This great Bodhisattva, having accomplished such bodily and mental diligence, although able to abandon all evil phenomena and protect all wholesome phenomena, does not cling to them. Because they do not cling, they go from one Buddha-field to another, from one world to another, in order to benefit sentient beings.
If they wish to manifest supernatural activities, they can freely manifest them without obstruction. That is, they manifest rain of wondrous flowers, scatter various fragrant incenses, create various kinds of music, manifest thunder and lightning shaking the great earth, or manifest various wondrous seven treasures adorning worlds; their bodies emit light illuminating darkness, their wondrous Dharma-fragrance bodies transform foul-smelling objects into fragrant ones, or they manifest great sacrificial ceremonies without disturbing sentient beings.
Through this, they teach countless sentient beings, helping them enter the right path and abandon killing living beings up to wrong views, or they use generosity up to wisdom to assist sentient beings.
For the benefit of sentient beings, they give up treasures, give up wives and children, give up royal positions, give up parts of their bodies, or give up their lives. According to what means are needed by sentient beings in order to benefit them, they immediately use those means to benefit them.
Therefore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of the undefiled mind free from marks, within phenomena without marks and without creation, great Bodhisattvas can perfect the perfection of diligence and can also perfect other virtues.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas can, with an undefiled mind free from marks, cultivate meditative concentration. Apart from the concentrations of the Buddha, all other concentrations can be perfected by this great Bodhisattva.
This great Bodhisattva, abandoning evil and unwholesome desires, with thought and investigation, with joy and happiness born from seclusion, enters the first meditative absorption and fully abides there. Thus, up to abandoning pleasure and suffering, with former joy and sorrow disappearing, without suffering or pleasure, with pure equanimous mindfulness, they enter the fourth meditative absorption and fully abide there.
This great Bodhisattva, with a mind of loving-kindness and compassion, extends throughout one direction up to all worlds throughout the ten directions and completely abides there. Thus, up to joy and equanimity, extending throughout one direction up to all worlds throughout the ten directions and completely abiding there.
This great Bodhisattva surpasses perceptions of form, eliminates perceptions of opposition, does not contemplate various perceptions, enters the realm of infinite space, the Sphere of Infinite Space, and fully abides there. Thus, up to surpassing all realms of nothingness, entering the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception and fully abiding there.
This great Bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, can enter and emerge in forward and reverse order from the eight liberations, eight bases of mastery, nine successive concentrations, and ten totalities, and fully abide in them.
This great Bodhisattva can fully abide in the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; can fully abide in the uninterrupted samādhi, the lightning-like samādhi, the noble right samādhi, and the vajra-like samādhi.
This great Bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, cultivates the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment and wisdom of paths, causing them all to become perfected. Using wisdom of paths to protect all samādhis, they sequentially cultivate and surpass the stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of Pratyekabuddha and enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature free from arising.
After entering the Bodhisattva’s right nature free from arising, they cultivate the stages and fully practice the Buddha stage. Although this great Bodhisattva gradually cultivates and surpasses the stages, while cultivating they do not grasp the fruits attained until reaching the wisdom of omniscience.
The great Bodhisattva abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration goes from one Buddha-field to another to respectfully make offerings, honor, and praise the Buddhas, plant wholesome roots before the Buddhas, accomplish sentient beings, purify Buddha-fields, and from one world to another benefit sentient beings. Their body and mind do not become weary.
They use generosity, pure precepts, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, or wisdom to assist sentient beings; or they use the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision to assist sentient beings; or they teach sentient beings to abide in the fruit of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha Bodhi, the stage of a great Bodhisattva, or unsurpassed enlightenment. According to the wholesome roots and growth of virtuous Dharma in sentient beings, they create all kinds of skillful means to help them abide.
This great Bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, can generate all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings, and can attain unobstructed understanding and superior ripened supernatural powers.
This great Bodhisattva, having accomplished superior ripened supernatural powers, definitely will not again enter a mother’s womb and become stained by sensual pleasures and sinful karma in life.
Why is this so? This great Bodhisattva clearly sees and clearly knows that the nature of all phenomena is like illusion. Although knowing that all formations are like illusion, they rely on compassionate vows to benefit sentient beings.
Although relying on compassionate vows to benefit sentient beings, the sentient beings helped and established cannot be grasped. Although the sentient beings helped and the acts of establishing them cannot be grasped, they can establish all sentient beings in abiding in phenomena that cannot be grasped. This is based on conventional truth, not ultimate truth.
This great Bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, practices all concentrations, liberations, equalities of concentration, and equalities of wisdom until perfecting the unsurpassed enlightenment they seek, constantly never leaving the cultivation of the perfection of meditative concentration.
This great Bodhisattva practices wisdom of paths, seeks ways to generate the wisdom of all aspects, abides within it, permanently cuts off the continuity of all habitual tendencies, correctly accomplishes benefit for self and others, and can create a pure field of merit for all worlds of heavenly beings, humans, and Asuras, worthy of receiving offerings and respect from the world.
Therefore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through the undefiled mind free from marks, within phenomena without marks and without creation, this great Bodhisattva perfects the perfection of meditative concentration and can also perfect other virtues.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas can, with an undefiled mind free from marks, cultivate wisdom. This great Bodhisattva does not see even the smallest phenomenon as truly accomplished.
That is, they do not see form as truly accomplished; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as truly accomplished; they do not see form arising; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness arising; they do not see form ceasing; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness ceasing; they do not see form as a phenomenon of increase; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as phenomena of increase; they do not see form as a phenomenon of decrease; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as phenomena of decrease; they do not see form as having accumulation; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as having accumulation; they do not see form as having dispersal; they do not see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as having dispersal.
Thus, up to not seeing all contaminated phenomena as truly accomplished, not seeing all undefiled phenomena as truly accomplished; not seeing all contaminated phenomena arise, not seeing all undefiled phenomena arise; not seeing all contaminated phenomena cease, not seeing all undefiled phenomena cease; not seeing all contaminated phenomena as phenomena of increase, not seeing all undefiled phenomena as phenomena of increase; not seeing all contaminated phenomena as phenomena of decrease, not seeing all undefiled phenomena as phenomena of decrease; not seeing all contaminated phenomena as having accumulation, not seeing all undefiled phenomena as having accumulation; not seeing all contaminated phenomena as having dispersal, not seeing all undefiled phenomena as having dispersal.
They contemplate truly and see that form is false, not solid, and not autonomous; they contemplate truly and see that feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are false, not solid, and not autonomous.
Thus, up to contemplating truly and seeing all contaminated phenomena as false, not solid, and not autonomous, and contemplating truly that all undefiled phenomena are false, not solid, and not autonomous.
When contemplating truly, this great Bodhisattva does not grasp the self-nature of form, does not grasp the self-nature of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; thus up to not grasping the self-nature of all contaminated phenomena and not grasping the self-nature of all undefiled phenomena.
When practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, this great Bodhisattva deeply believes and understands that all phenomena use emptiness as their self-nature.
After giving rise to faith and understanding regarding this, they can practice the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature.
While practicing in this way, they do not cling to any phenomena whatsoever. That is, they do not cling to form; they do not cling to feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; they do not cling to the eye-base up to the mind-base; they do not cling to the form-base up to the dharma-base; they do not cling to the eye-element up to the mind-element; they do not cling to the form-element up to the dharma-element; they do not cling to the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; they do not cling to eye-contact up to mind-contact; they do not cling to feelings arising from conditions of eye-contact up to feelings arising from conditions of mind-contact; they do not cling to the earth element up to the consciousness element; they do not cling to causes and conditions up to dominant conditions; they do not cling to ignorance up to aging and death; they do not cling to the perfection of generosity up to the perfection of wisdom; they do not cling to the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature; they do not cling to suchness up to the inconceivable realm; they do not cling to the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; they do not cling to the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path; they do not cling to the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations; they do not cling to the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; they do not cling to the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they do not cling to the stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata; they do not cling to the Joyful Ground up to the Dharma Cloud Ground; they do not cling to all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings; they do not cling to the five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers; they do not cling to the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; they do not cling to the thirty-two marks of excellence and eighty minor marks of a Great Being; they do not cling to the qualities of not forgetting and constant equanimity; they do not cling to the wisdom of all, wisdom of paths, and wisdom of all aspects; they do not cling to the fruit of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha Bodhi; they do not cling to all practices of great Bodhisattvas; they do not cling to the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas.
When practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā without anything to possess, this great Bodhisattva can perfect the Bodhisattva path. That is, they can perfect the six perfections; they can also perfect the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature; they can also perfect suchness up to the inconceivable realm; they can also perfect the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; they can also perfect the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path; they can also perfect the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, and four formless concentrations; they can also perfect the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; they can also perfect the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they can also perfect all Bodhisattva stages; they can also perfect all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings; they can also perfect the five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers; they can also perfect the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; they can also perfect the qualities of not forgetting and constant equanimity; they can also perfect the wisdom of all, wisdom of paths, and wisdom of all aspects; they can also perfect the thirty-two marks of excellence and eighty minor marks of a Great Being.
After perfecting this Bodhi path, this great Bodhisattva can again perfect the Buddha path free from darkness, meaning they can perfect the six perfections and countless, boundless other Buddha-dharmas.
This great Bodhisattva, abiding in such a Buddha path free from darkness, generates superior ripened supernatural powers. According to what sentient beings need—whether generosity up to wisdom—the Bodhisattva immediately uses generosity up to wisdom to assist them. Those needing the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision are assisted with those respectively.
Those needing help to abide in the fruit of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha Bodhi, or unsurpassed enlightenment are helped to abide in those attainments.
This great Bodhisattva can perform various supernatural transformations. If they wish to go to countless worlds equal in number to the sands of the Ganges, they can go there at will. If they wish to manifest treasures in the worlds they have visited, they can manifest them at will. If they wish sentient beings in those worlds to enjoy various treasures, they help them all obtain what they desire.
From one world to another, this great Bodhisattva benefits and brings happiness to countless sentient beings. Seeing the magnificent and beautiful adornments of various worlds, they can protect and adorn Buddha-fields according to their wishes.
Just as the heavenly beings in the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others’ Creations have beautiful objects and necessities appear according to their needs, so too this great Bodhisattva can receive countless Buddha-fields adorned in various ways according to their wishes.
Within these received Buddha-fields, wondrous, pure phenomena free from defilement can appear according to their wishes.
This great Bodhisattva, through the perfection of generosity up to the perfection of wisdom of the ripened body, through the wondrous supernatural powers of the ripened body, and through the Bodhisattva path of the ripened body, practices wisdom of paths.
Because wisdom of paths becomes mature, they can attain the wisdom of all aspects.
Because they attain this wisdom, they do not hold onto any phenomena whatsoever. That is, they do not hold onto form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; thus they do not hold onto wholesome phenomena or unwholesome phenomena, determined phenomena or indeterminate phenomena, worldly phenomena or supramundane phenomena, contaminated phenomena or undefiled phenomena, conditioned phenomena or unconditioned phenomena. They also do not hold onto the attainment of unsurpassed enlightenment, nor do they hold onto all objects enjoyed within Buddha-fields.
The sentient beings within those Buddha-fields also do not hold onto all phenomena. Why? Because great Bodhisattvas must first not hold onto all phenomena, having no attainment regarding all phenomena, and correctly teach sentient beings about the non-graspability of the nature of all phenomena.
Thus, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of the undefiled mind free from marks, within phenomena without marks and without creation, great Bodhisattvas can perfect the perfection of wisdom and can also perfect other virtues.
Chapter 75: THE NON-MIXEDNESS OF EMPTINESS (1)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
O Blessed One, how can one, within the Dharma that has no self-characteristic, no mixture, and no characteristic, perfect the six pāramitās? Why, among all dharmas that are without distinction, are distinctions created? How can one clearly know the differentiated characteristics of such dharmas? How can one, within the Prajñāpāramitā, grasp all such six pāramitās, and even grasp all worldly and supramundane dharmas? Why, among all dharmas that have different characteristics, is one characteristic created called “no-characteristic,” and within the Dharma of no-characteristic, how does one characteristic create the differentiated characteristics of all dharmas?
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when practicing Prajñāpāramitā, the great bodhisattvas abide in the five aggregates subject to attachment as if they were dreams, echoes, reflections, images, mirages, illusions, and transformations. For the sake of sentient beings, they practice giving, maintain precepts, endure patience, cultivate diligence, cultivate concentration, and learn wisdom. They know truly that the five aggregates, like dreams and magical transformations, all have the same characteristic, called the characteristic of emptiness. Why is this so? Dreams and all the way to illusions and transformations have no intrinsic nature. Whatever dharma has no intrinsic nature is a dharma without characteristics. A dharma without characteristics is precisely the one characteristic called ‘no-characteristic.’
For this reason, one should know that all givers, recipients, things given, the nature of giving, the result of giving, and the conditions of giving are all equally without characteristics. Whoever knows this and practices giving can perfect the perfection of giving. If one can perfect the perfection of giving, one does not become separated from the perfections of pure morality, patience, vigor, meditative absorption, and wisdom. Abiding in these six pāramitās, one can perfect the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; one can also perfect the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; one can also perfect the three liberation doors; one can also perfect emptiness within up to the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness; one can also perfect suchness up to the inconceivable realm; one can also perfect the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; one can also perfect the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; one can also perfect the bodhisattva stages; one can also perfect the five hundred dhāraṇī gateways of all dharmas and the five hundred samādhi gateways of all dharmas; one can also perfect the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; one can also perfect the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; one can also perfect the non-forgetting quality and the nature of always equanimous relinquishment; one can also perfect all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects.
This great bodhisattva, abiding in the fruition of all undefiled noble dharmas, can go to countless Buddha realms throughout the ten directions, using innumerable kinds of wondrous offerings to respectfully make offerings to, honor, and praise the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings. Those who need giving through wisdom pāramitā to help them, he uses giving through wisdom pāramitā to help them. Those who need other kinds of wholesome dharmas to help them, he uses those other wholesome dharmas to help them.
This great bodhisattva accomplishes all supreme roots of virtue and is completely sovereign over all dharmas. Although he undergoes birth and death, he is not defiled by the calamities of birth and death. In order to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, he accepts the自在 wealth and power of gods and humans. Through the authority of this自在 wealth, he can perform beneficial deeds for sentient beings and assist them through the four means of attraction.
Because he knows that all dharmas have no characteristics, although he knows the fruition of stream-entry, this great bodhisattva does not abide in the fruition of stream-entry, and although he knows the enlightenment of a solitary buddha, he does not abide in solitary-buddha enlightenment. Why is this so? This great bodhisattva has truly understood all dharmas. Because he wishes to attain omniscient wisdom, he does not stand together with all śrāvakas and solitary buddhas.
Thus, Subhūti, because they know that all dharmas have no characteristics, these great bodhisattvas truly understand that the six pāramitās, such as giving and so forth, and the immeasurable and boundless other Buddha dharmas, all have no characteristics. For this reason, they can perfect all Buddha dharmas and then attain omniscient wisdom.
Furthermore, Subhūti, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, the great bodhisattvas abide in the five aggregates subject to attachment as if they were dreams, echoes, shadows, images, mirages, illusions, and transformations, and perfect the pāramitā of pure morality. These great bodhisattvas truly understand the five aggregates, from dreams to illusions and transformations, and thus can perfect the characteristicless perfection of pure morality.
This morality is not defective, not leaking, not flawed, not impure, and without attachment. It is worthy of offerings, praised by the wise, skillfully upheld, completely perfected, the undefiled morality of noble beings, and maintained by the path leading beyond the world. Abiding in this morality, one can uphold all kinds of precepts, such as established precepts, natural precepts, received disciplinary precepts, manifest precepts, non-manifest precepts, active precepts, inactive precepts, dignified conduct precepts, and non-dignified conduct precepts.
Although this great bodhisattva fully accomplishes such precepts, he does not cling to these dharmas and does not think: ‘Through these precepts I will be born into great lineages of kṣatriyas, brāhmaṇas, wealthy elders, or householders and enjoy wealth and sovereignty.’ He does not think: ‘Through these precepts I will become a minor king, or a great king, or a wheel-turning king, or a wealthy and powerful minister.’ He does not think: ‘Through these precepts I will be born among the Four Great Kings, up to the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others’ Creations, possessing wealth and sovereignty.’ He does not think: ‘Through these precepts I will attain the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, solitary-buddha enlightenment, enter the bodhisattva’s right nature of leaving birth, attain the bodhisattva’s patience with unborn dharmas, or attain supreme perfect enlightenment.’
Why is this so? Such dharmas all share the same characteristic called no-characteristic, without abiding and without attainment. A dharma without characteristics cannot attain a dharma without characteristics. A dharma with characteristics cannot attain a dharma with characteristics. A dharma without characteristics cannot attain a dharma with characteristics, and a dharma with characteristics cannot attain a dharma without characteristics. Due to this cause and condition, all dharmas are ultimately unattainable.
Therefore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, the great bodhisattvas can quickly perfect the characteristicless perfection of pure morality. After they have perfected the characteristicless perfection of pure morality, they quickly enter the bodhisattva’s right nature of leaving birth. After entering the bodhisattva’s right nature of leaving birth, they attain the bodhisattva’s patience with unborn dharmas. Having attained this patience, they cultivate knowledge of the path up to knowledge of all aspects, attain the five ripened supernatural powers, attain the five hundred dhāraṇī gateways of all dharmas, also attain the five hundred samādhi gateways of all dharmas and abide in them. They can also attain the four unobstructed knowledges, go from one Buddha land to another, draw near and make offerings to Buddhas, bring sentient beings to completion, and purify Buddha lands.
In order to teach and transform sentient beings, although this great bodhisattva appears to circulate through the paths of birth and death, he is not defiled by their calamities. Just as a magical creation appears to perform the actions of walking, standing, lying, and sitting, yet truly has no coming-and-going activities, so too is the bodhisattva. Although he manifests acts that benefit sentient beings, regarding sentient beings and their establishments, he is completely without attainment.
For example, there was a Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One named Good Tranquility, who attained supreme enlightenment, turned the wondrous Dharma wheel, liberated countless beings, helped them escape birth and death, and attain nirvāṇa. Yet there was no sentient being capable of receiving the prediction of supreme enlightenment. At that time, the Tathāgata manifested a transformed Buddha who remained in the world for a long time and then relinquished his lifespan and entered the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder. After abiding for one kalpa, the transformed body of that Buddha gave a prediction of supreme enlightenment to a bodhisattva and only then entered nirvāṇa. Although that transformed Buddha performed deeds benefiting sentient beings, he had no attainment—meaning he did not grasp form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness, nor any conditioned or unconditioned dharmas, nor any sentient beings. Likewise, although a great bodhisattva performs actions, all are without attainment.
Therefore, Subhūti, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, the great bodhisattvas perfect the perfection of pure morality. Because this perfection of pure morality is perfected, they can receive all Buddha dharmas and thereby attain omniscient wisdom.
Furthermore, Subhūti, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, the great bodhisattvas abide in the five aggregates subject to attachment as if they were dreams, echoes, shadows, flashes of lightning, mirages, illusions, and transformations, in order to perfect the perfection of patience. These great bodhisattvas truly understand the five aggregates, from dreams to illusions and transformations, and thus can perfect the characteristicless perfection of patience.
Subhūti, why is it that when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, a great bodhisattva truly understands the five aggregates as dreams and illusions, and thereby immediately perfects the characteristicless perfection of patience?
Subhūti, because they truly understand that these five aggregates subject to attachment have no real characteristics, these great bodhisattvas cultivate two kinds of patience and thereby perfect the characteristicless perfection of patience. What are the two? They are patience in enduring acceptance and patience through contemplation.
Patience in enduring acceptance means that from the time a great bodhisattva first generates the aspiration for enlightenment until sitting upon the wondrous bodhi seat, even if all types of sentient beings come together to scold him, insult him with harsh words, humiliate him, and then use bricks, stones, knives, and sticks to harm him, at that time, in order to perfect the perfection of patience, this bodhisattva does not give rise to even a single thought of anger, nor does he generate a mind of retaliation. He only thinks: ‘Those sentient beings are truly pitiable. Afflicted by powerful disturbing emotions in their minds, they are not free, and therefore they commit such harmful actions toward me. Now I should not become angry with them.’
He further thinks: ‘Because I myself created groups of enemies and adversaries, causing those sentient beings to generate such harmful actions toward me, I should only blame myself and not become angry with them.’ When contemplating deeply in this way, the bodhisattva gives rise to profound compassion toward those sentient beings. This is called patience in enduring acceptance.
Patience through contemplation means that great bodhisattvas reflect as follows: ‘All conditioned phenomena are like illusions, false and unreal, without autonomy, just like space. There is no self, no sentient being, no life continuum, no arising, no nurturing, no growth, no transmigrating agent, no mind-born being, no childlike being, no creator, no experiencer, no knower, and no seer. They cannot be grasped. They arise only from false discrimination. All are manifestations of one’s own mind. Who destroys me? Who insults me? Who humiliates me? Who harms me with tiles, bricks, knives, and sticks? Who is harmed or humiliated by that person? All of these are only false discriminations of my own mind. Now I should not give rise to attachment. Because of emptiness of intrinsic nature and emptiness in ultimate meaning, such dharmas completely do not exist.’
When contemplating carefully in this way, the bodhisattva truly understands that conditioned phenomena are empty and peaceful, and does not generate any other concept regarding such dharmas. This is called patience through contemplation.
Through cultivating these two kinds of patience, this great bodhisattva can perfect the characteristicless perfection of patience. Because he can perfect the characteristicless perfection of patience, he attains the patience with unborn dharmas.
The venerable Subhūti asked:
“World-Honored One, what is the patience with unborn dharmas? What does this dharma eliminate, and what kind of wisdom is it?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, because even the smallest unwholesome evil dharma does not arise due to its power, it is called patience with unborn dharmas. This dharma causes all afflictions, such as self, what belongs to self, pride, and so forth, to completely not arise. It merely patiently endures conditioned phenomena like dreams and illusions. This patience is called wisdom because, upon attaining this wisdom, one is said to have attained patience with unborn dharmas.”
The venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, what is the difference between the patience with unborn dharmas of śrāvakas, solitary buddhas, and bodhisattvas?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, whether it is the wisdom virtue or the severance virtue of stream-enterers up to solitary buddhas, all of these are included as the patience of great bodhisattvas. Furthermore, the patience of great bodhisattvas is the patience that all dharmas are completely unborn. That is the difference.
Subhūti, you should know that because great bodhisattvas accomplish such supreme patience with dharmas, they surpass all śrāvakas and solitary buddhas. These great bodhisattvas abiding in such ripened patience, having practiced the bodhisattva path, can perfect knowledge of the path. Through accomplishing this knowledge of the path, they never become separated from the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path, nor from the three liberation doors. They do not become separated from ripened supernatural powers. Because they do not become separated from ripened supernatural powers, they go from one Buddha land to another, draw near and make offerings to Buddhas, bring sentient beings to completion, and purify Buddha lands. Having accomplished these deeds, they use a single moment of mind corresponding with Prajñā to attain supreme perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, Subhūti, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, great bodhisattvas can quickly perfect the characteristicless perfection of patience. Because this perfection of patience is perfected, they can immediately perfect all Buddha dharmas and thereby attain omniscient wisdom.”