THE RADIANT LIGHT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SUTRA
VOLUME 2
Chapter 4: LEARNING THE FIVE TYPES OF EYES
The Venerable Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
“From where do great Bodhisattvas who are in accord with Prajñāpāramitā come here, and where do they go from here?”
The Buddha told Śāriputra:
“Bodhisattvas who are in accord with Prajñāpāramitā come here from the Tuṣita Heaven, or from other Buddha-lands enter this world, or they are born here from among human beings. If they come here from the Tuṣita Heaven, they fully retain Prajñāpāramitā, all dhāraṇī teachings, all samādhi teachings, and all wisdom teachings. If they come from another Buddha-land, they quickly accomplish Prajñāpāramitā. Their wisdom increases day by day, they become complete in profound teachings, and later they accomplish Prajñāpāramitā. Wherever they are born, they always encounter Buddhas and never separate from the Buddhas. If they come from among human beings, then the Bodhisattvas have not yet attained the irreversible stage; their faculties are dull and obscure, they cannot accomplish Prajñāpāramitā, and they do not encounter the dhāraṇī teachings.
Śāriputra! Your question regarding where a Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā in this world will later be born is answered as follows: This Bodhisattva will be born in another Buddha-land, going from one Buddha-land to another, and will always encounter and never be separated from the World-Honored Buddhas. There are also Bodhisattvas who lack skillful means and, practicing the six pāramitās from the four dhyānas, preserve the merit of meditation and are born in the Long-Life Heaven. In this heaven where they live for an immeasurably long time, they later come to the human world to make offerings to Buddhas. These Bodhisattvas have faculties that are slow and are not very intelligent.
Śāriputra! There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, the four formless meditations, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, great loving-kindness, and great compassion. By preserving the skillful means of meditative merit, they cannot remain there for long, but are constantly born among the places where Buddhas teach. They will be born during the Worthy Kalpa and become Enlightened Ones, never departing from Prajñāpāramitā.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless concentrations, using skillful means, and therefore are not born into meditative heavens but are born into noble families, into Brahmin households, or into households of elders. Wherever they are born, they always teach and transform sentient beings.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless concentrations, using skillful means, and therefore are not bound by meditation. They are born in the heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of Trāyastriṃśa, and the sixth heavenly realm. They constantly teach the devas, purify Buddha-lands, and teach sentient beings to respect and make offerings to Buddhas.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā and, using skillful means, practice the first dhyāna and are born in noble places, in the Brahmā Heaven. From there they travel throughout the ten directions, inviting the World-Honored Buddhas to turn the Dharma wheel. They are again born as one-life-away Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā. Using skillful means, they possess the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, the four formless concentrations, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and fully practice samādhi. They are not attached to any level of meditation, always encounter Buddhas, serve the World-Honored Ones, maintain pure conduct, and therefore are born in the Tuṣita Heaven. In that heaven they live as long as they wish, possess complete faculties, and expound the Dharma to the devas and humans surrounded by their retinues. Later, they are born among humans and become Perfectly and Fully Enlightened Ones.
Śāriputra! There are also Bodhisattvas who, although they have attained the six supernatural powers, are not born into the form realm or formless realm of the desire realm, but instead travel from one Buddha-land to another to pay homage to Buddhas. There are also Bodhisattvas who have attained the six supernatural powers and travel throughout Buddha-lands, going to realms without the names of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas in order to teach and transform beings.
There are also Bodhisattvas who cultivate the six supernatural powers and are born in Buddha-lands. Wherever they are born, their lifespans are immeasurable. There are also Bodhisattvas who use the six supernatural powers to travel throughout the realms, going to places without Buddhas to spread the Dharma, causing those beings to hear the virtues of the Three Jewels. After hearing them, they rejoice and are born in Buddha-lands.
There are also Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, attain the four dhyānas, the four purities, the four formless concentrations, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, and up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. They are not born within the three realms but are born in places where they can benefit all sentient beings.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, immediately attain the Bodhisattva stages up to the stage of non-retrogression.
There are also Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, immediately attain Perfect Enlightenment, turn the Dharma wheel to benefit hundreds of thousands of millions of beings, and then enter Nirvāṇa from the realm of remainderless liberation. This Dharma remains for half a kalpa to one kalpa.
There are also Bodhisattvas who, immediately upon arousing the aspiration for enlightenment, become in accord with Prajñāpāramitā and, together with ten billion Bodhisattvas, travel to Buddha-lands to purify them.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās, from the four dhyānas and the four immeasurable minds up to the four formless concentrations, enjoying these teachings and abiding in the four dhyānas. From the four dhyānas they enter liberating meditation; from liberating meditation they enter formless concentration; from formless concentration they enter liberating meditation; from liberating meditation they enter the meditation of non-conceptual wisdom; and again from this they return to liberating meditation. Using skillful means, they enter the Bhukṣa-jāra samādhi. This is a Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, without clinging to the fruits of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice Prajñāpāramitā and, using skillful means, practice the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, enabling those who have recently aroused the aspiration for enlightenment and whose capacities are limited to be liberated. The paths and wisdom of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas are all achieved through the perseverance of Bodhisattvas. Therefore, one should know that those who practice Prajñāpāramitā are Bodhisattvas of the irreversible stage.
Śāriputra! There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and are born in the Tuṣita Heaven. You should know that these are the Bodhisattvas of the Worthy Kalpa.
There are also Bodhisattvas who use the four meditative merits up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, without clinging to the fruits they have attained. You should know that these are one-life-away Bodhisattvas.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and travel from one Buddha-land to another, guiding sentient beings toward the place of enlightenment. These Bodhisattvas, from the time they first aroused the aspiration for enlightenment until now, have passed through countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas before attaining Buddhahood.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and do not speak words that are useless for sentient beings.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and therefore go from one Buddha-land to another, eliminating the three evil destinies for sentient beings.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and constantly practice generosity, bringing happiness to all. They joyfully provide elephants, horses, vehicles, clothing, money, food, cities, fortresses, and jewels to those who ask.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and can manifest many forms of Buddhas entering the three evil destinies. According to the languages of beings, they teach the Dharma and enable them to be liberated.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and manifest Buddha bodies throughout the ten directions to teach and transform sentient beings and purify Buddha-lands. Then they go everywhere observing the excellent and inferior, pure and impure dignified appearances of Buddhas, creating different wondrous and supreme realms, and using only the One Vehicle to teach one-life-away Bodhisattvas.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the six pāramitās and immediately attain the body of a Great Being, complete with the thirty-two marks of excellence and perfect faculties. When sentient beings see them, they all respect and rejoice. Because they bring forth joy in beings, the Bodhisattvas use the teachings of the Three Vehicles to enable them to attain liberation and enter Nirvāṇa.
Śāriputra! Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā first make their body, speech, and mind pure; after their faculties are perfected, they make them even more perfect. They do not exalt themselves and do not disparage others.
There are also Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, through practicing the pāramitās of generosity and morality, are never born into the three evil destinies until they attain Perfect and Complete Enlightenment.
There are also Bodhisattvas who, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment until they attain Perfect Enlightenment, never forget to practice the ten wholesome deeds.
There are also Bodhisattvas who practice the pāramitā of generosity and become Wheel-Turning Kings who give without obstruction, teaching sentient beings to practice the ten wholesome deeds and widely giving material possessions to sentient beings.
Again, there are Bodhisattvas who practice Giving and the Perfection of Morality; for hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas they are Wheel-Turning Kings, always giving without hesitation, constantly making offerings, never falling into the three evil paths, and respectfully honoring all Buddhas.
Again, there are Bodhisattvas who practice the six Perfections, teaching and transforming sentient beings, illuminating the True Dharma, until the time they attain Perfect and Complete Enlightenment, never departing from the torch of wisdom.
Therefore, Bodhisattvas make the Buddha Dharma shine brightly. Great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Prajñā. Those who cultivate the Bodhisattva path constantly guard body, speech, and mind, preventing all unwholesome deeds from arising.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
Why must Bodhisattvas guard body, speech, and mind?
The Buddha replied:
If a Bodhisattva does not intentionally guard body, speech, and mind, then through unfavorable causes and conditions faults and offenses easily arise.
A Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Prajñā also does not perceive body, speech, and mind; although there are body, speech, and mind, there does not arise jealousy or wrong views, nor divisive speech, harsh speech, false speech, or frivolous speech; there is no killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct; there is no laziness, and the mind never thinks of doing evil. If a Bodhisattva does not abandon these evil actions, then that person is not a Bodhisattva.
Again, there are Bodhisattvas who practice the six Perfections, abandoning evil actions of the body, evil speech, and evil thoughts.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
How does a Bodhisattva eliminate body, speech, and mind?
The Buddha said:
Because a Bodhisattva is not dependent on body, speech, and mind, they are able to cut them off. From the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment until now, Bodhisattvas have constantly upheld the ten wholesome deeds; therefore they surpass the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas.
A Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Prajñā uses the six Perfections to purify the Buddha realm.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
How does a Bodhisattva purify the Buddha realm?
The Buddha taught:
A Bodhisattva is not dependent on body, speech, and mind; is not dependent on the six Perfections; is not dependent on Arhats or Pratyekabuddhas; is not dependent on Bodhisattvas and is not dependent on Buddhas. Why is this so? Because with regard to all dharmas there is no dependence; this is the Bodhisattva path.
Śāriputra! Again, there are Bodhisattvas who constantly practice the teachings of the Perfection of Prajñā, and because of this no one can subdue them.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
Why is it that when Bodhisattvas practice the six Perfections, no one has the ability to subdue them?
The Buddha taught:
When Bodhisattvas practice the six Perfections, they have no thought of the five aggregates, no thought of the six sense faculties; no thought of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; no thought of the eighteen elements; no thought of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment; no thought of the six Perfections; no thought of the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, or the eighteen uncommon qualities; no thought of the teachings of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas; no thought of the Buddha path, and no thought of Perfect Universal Knowledge.
O Śāriputra! Bodhisattvas practicing the six Perfections have merits and virtues that continually increase and bring greater benefit; therefore no one can subdue them.
Furthermore, Śāriputra! Bodhisattvas abiding in the Perfection of Prajñā are endowed with All-Knowing Wisdom. Because of this wisdom, they are not born into the evil destinies, are not born into poverty, are born as humans with complete faculties, are not hated by others, and are always respected and loved by gods and asuras.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
What is the wisdom of a Bodhisattva like?
The Buddha taught:
A Bodhisattva with complete wisdom sees all the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, and follows the World-Honored Ones to hear and uphold the teachings of all Buddhas. A Bodhisattva with wisdom has no conception of Buddha, no conception of Bodhisattva, no conception of Śrāvaka, no conception of Pratyekabuddha, no conception of self, no conception of person, and no conception of Buddha lands.
Through wisdom, Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Prajñā and practice the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, yet they do not hear the names of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, nor do they see the eighteen uncommon qualities. Śāriputra! This is the wisdom of a Bodhisattva. Because of this wisdom, they become complete in all dharmas, yet do not become proud, thinking that they see all dharmas.
Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Prajñā purify the five kinds of eyes: the Flesh Eye, the Divine Eye, the Wisdom Eye, the Dharma Eye, and the Buddha Eye.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
How does a Bodhisattva purify the Flesh Eye?
The Buddha replied:
There are Bodhisattvas who use the Flesh Eye to see one hundred yojanas, and see two hundred yojanas; there are also Bodhisattvas who use the Flesh Eye to see one Jambudvīpa, two Jambudvīpas, and see throughout the four continents.
There are Bodhisattvas who use the Flesh Eye to see one thousand worlds, see two thousand worlds, and see the entire three-thousand great thousand world system. These are Bodhisattvas who possess the purified Flesh Eye.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
What is the Divine Eye?
The Buddha replied:
Bodhisattvas use the Divine Eye to see and completely understand the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, from the Heaven of Trāyastriṃśa up to the sixth heaven; even up to the Heaven of Ultimate Form, Bodhisattvas can see and understand completely. Those in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Formless Realm cannot see or know what the Bodhisattva’s Divine Eye can see and count. The Bodhisattva’s Divine Eye sees throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, and knows completely the births, deaths, wholesome deeds, and evil deeds of sentient beings in the ten directions. This is a Bodhisattva with the purified Divine Eye.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
How does the Wisdom Eye of a Bodhisattva see?
The Buddha taught:
The Wisdom Eye of a Bodhisattva does not give rise to thoughts of conditioned dharmas, unconditioned dharmas, the path, or worldly dharmas. A Bodhisattva possessing the Wisdom Eye sees all dharmas, hears all dharmas, and knows all dharmas. This is a Bodhisattva with the purified Wisdom Eye.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
How does a Bodhisattva attain the purified Dharma Eye?
The Buddha taught:
A Bodhisattva uses the purified Dharma Eye to see: this person has firm faith in the Dharma; this person has already entered the liberation of Signlessness and Wishlessness. Internally, they are not dependent on the sensations of the five faculties, nor on concentration, and thus accomplish the liberation of wisdom.
Again, by means of the liberation of wisdom, they overcome three obstacles: the obstacle of the body, the obstacle of doubt, and the obstacle of wrong faith, and attain the fruit of Stream-Entry.
Through this realization, the Bodhisattva causes lust, anger, and delusion to gradually become weaker, then attains the fruit of Once-Returner.
The Bodhisattva diligently cultivates until lust, anger, and delusion are eliminated, then attains the fruit of Non-Returner; causing the five forms of attachment to disappear: first, attachment to form; second, attachment to the formless; third, attachment through delusion; fourth, attachment through hatred; fifth, attachment through confused intention. A person who cuts off these five attachments immediately attains the fruit of Arhatship.
A Bodhisattva practicing contemplation of emptiness then attains liberation through the emptiness of dharmas and accomplishes the five faculties, quickly attaining the path of Arhatship without depending on levels of meditative absorption. This is one who has attained liberation through Signlessness, accomplishing the five powers until reaching the fruit of Arhatship.
This is a Bodhisattva who has attained the purified Dharma Eye. A Bodhisattva knows that all arising dharmas are themselves dharmas of cessation, thereby accomplishing the five faculties; this is a Bodhisattva who has attained the purified Dharma Eye.
A Bodhisattva who arouses the mind to practice the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Prajñā, fully possessing the Faculty of Wisdom, the Faculty of Diligence, the Faculty of Skillful Means, maintaining the three faculties along with all merits and virtues, will be born into royal families, great clans, Brahmin families, or wealthy elder families; they will be born in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings and up to the sixth heaven. In all heavenly realms, Bodhisattvas teach and guide sentient beings. Wherever they are, they live in peace, purify Buddha lands, pay homage to and make offerings to all Buddhas, do not fall into the paths of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas, and accomplish Perfect Enlightenment. This is a Bodhisattva with the purified Dharma Eye.
A Bodhisattva with the Dharma eye knows all beings who have received predictions and those who have not received predictions, those who have regressed and those who no longer regress, those who possess complete spiritual powers and those who do not possess complete spiritual powers.
A Bodhisattva who has fully attained spiritual powers immediately goes to the Buddha realms and draws near to worship and pay homage to all Buddhas. There are also those who have not yet attained this; some abide in pure Buddha realms or impure Buddha realms. Some Bodhisattvas teach and transform sentient beings, while others do not teach and transform sentient beings. Some Bodhisattvas are praised by all Buddhas, while others are not praised by all Buddhas. Some Bodhisattvas draw near to all Buddhas, while others do not draw near to all Buddhas. When a Bodhisattva attains Buddhahood, the number of His disciples may be infinite or finite. When a Bodhisattva attains Buddhahood, He may take Bodhisattvas as His Sangha, or He may not take Bodhisattvas as His Sangha. Some Bodhisattvas attain Buddhahood through diligent ascetic practice, while some attain Buddhahood without diligent ascetic practice. Some Bodhisattvas are One-Life-Remaining Bodhisattvas, while some Bodhisattvas have not yet attained the One-Life-Remaining stage. Some Bodhisattvas reach the place of enlightenment, while some Bodhisattvas have not yet reached the place of enlightenment. Some Bodhisattvas sit beneath the tree and subdue the demons. All these matters concerning Bodhisattvas are clearly known by them. This is the Bodhisattva who has attained the pure Dharma eye.
Śāriputra said to the Buddha:
“How does a Bodhisattva attain the pure Buddha eye?”
The Buddha taught:
A Bodhisattva accomplishes the Vajra Samadhi, attains the wisdom of Omniscience, the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, practices the Four Immeasurable Minds, the Eighteen Unshared Dharmas, great Loving-kindness, and great Compassion. The wisdom eye of a Bodhisattva sees all phenomena of the myriad dharmas; there is nothing that a Bodhisattva does not see, no sound that a Bodhisattva does not hear, no thing that a Bodhisattva does not distinguish, and no dharma that a Bodhisattva does not know.
Śāriputra! This is the Bodhisattva who attains Equal and Perfect Enlightenment and achieves the supreme eye of True Enlightenment.
A Bodhisattva who wishes to attain the five kinds of pure eyes should cultivate the six Paramitas. Why? Because all the practices of Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, and Pratyekabuddhas cannot surpass Prajñāpāramitā. This Prajñāpāramitā is precisely the mother of the five kinds of eyes and will quickly bring about the attainment of True Enlightenment.
Chapter 5: TRANSCENDING THE FIVE SPIRITUAL POWERS
Furthermore, Śāriputra! A Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā with complete right mindfulness transcends the five spiritual powers, attains the immeasurable miraculous abilities of a Bodhisattva, and is able to shake heaven and earth, transform into countless bodies and then return to a single body, see through everything without obstruction, and pass through walls and rocks. Just as a bird flies without hindrance, the Bodhisattva is able to walk on water and through the sky, emit water and fire from the body, extend the hand to reach the sun and moon, and have the body reach the Brahma Heaven.
Although the Bodhisattva has abilities, he does not have arrogance and does not display arrogance, because the Bodhisattva has accomplished the Dharma of emptiness. Who is able to attain such supernatural powers? Only those of All-Wisdom can attain them.
Śāriputra, when a Bodhisattva studies the Perfection of Wisdom and realizes supernatural powers, his ears hear wondrous sounds far surpassing those of gods and humans. Although he attains such subtle and wondrous abilities, the Bodhisattva is not arrogant, because within the dharmas of existence and non-existence there is nothing to attain. Regarding the emptiness of existence and the emptiness of non-existence, neither has arising.
The Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and realizes the divine ear, the wisdom supernatural power that enables him to know the thoughts of others; he knows whether a person has lust, anger, and delusion or is without lust, anger, and delusion; he knows whether that person’s mind contains craving or is free from craving, whether there is a disturbed mind or not; he knows whether a person possesses something or not, whether it is much or little, whether there is concentration or not, whether there is liberation or not, and he knows all levels, high and low. Although he knows in this way, he is not arrogant. Why is this so? Because mind is not mind; mind cannot be conceived. Through supernatural powers of knowing past lives, the Bodhisattva knows from one thought-moment to a hundred thought-moments, from one day to a hundred days, from one month to a hundred months, from one year to a hundred years, from one kalpa to a hundred kalpas, and to countless thousands, millions, billions, and nayutas of kalpas. He knows all names, clans, family lineages, actions and habits, knows the length of life, knows the experience of painful and pleasurable results, knows where one dies and is reborn, where one is born from another place and returns here, the origins of all things, and the conduct and etiquette of Bodhisattvas; all are clearly known by the Bodhisattva.
The Bodhisattva does not become arrogant because of possessing supernatural powers. A Bodhisattva who learns in this way is learning the Perfection of Wisdom. Using supernatural powers, the Bodhisattva clearly knows past lives; using the divine eye, he clearly sees the places of birth and death of sentient beings, whether they enter wholesome paths or evil destinies, and according to their actions whether they are born in higher or lower realms. Those who commit evil deeds, speak evil words, think unwholesome thoughts, slander noble sages, and follow wrong views, because of the conditions of these wrong views, destroy themselves and after death fall into hell. Those who do good, speak and think wholesome things, and do not slander noble sages, practice with right view and deep faith, and are born in heavenly realms. They are able to clearly see all five paths of sentient beings throughout the ten directions. The Bodhisattva, possessing majestic virtue and supernatural powers, sees completely throughout the ten directions, preserves the supernatural powers he has realized, completely eradicates the defilements, does not cling to the Dharma of the Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas, does not cling to any other dharmas, and therefore accomplishes the state of Perfect Enlightenment.
The Bodhisattva does not become arrogant because of having attained supernatural powers and eliminated the defilements. The Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom possesses these supernatural powers and merits, which gradually increase until attaining Perfect Enlightenment.
The Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom abides in the Perfection of Giving with the purity of All-Wisdom and no longer has doubts about emptiness, no longer has uncertainty.
The Bodhisattva abides in and maintains the Perfection of Precepts with the purity of All-Wisdom, and no longer doubts wrongdoing or merit and virtue, because through contemplating emptiness these no longer arise.
Śāriputra! Again, there is a Bodhisattva who abides in the Perfection of Patience with the purity of All-Wisdom, relying on the Dharma of emptiness, and therefore does not give rise to anger.
The Bodhisattva abides in the Perfection of Diligence with the purity of All-Wisdom, and therefore the body diligently practices without laziness.
The Bodhisattva abides in the Perfection of Meditation with the purity of All-Wisdom, and therefore the mind is not scattered.
The Bodhisattva abides in the Perfection of Wisdom with the purity of All-Wisdom, and therefore no longer has ignorance.
The Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom encompasses all six Perfections with the purity of All-Wisdom and acts within the Dharma of emptiness: no doubt, no violation, no anger, no patience, no diligence, no laziness, no concentration, no distraction, no wisdom, no ignorance, no giving and no greed, no observance of precepts and no violation of precepts, no advancing and no retreating, no patience and no anger, no concentration, no distraction, no wisdom, no ignorance, no slander, no praise, neither conditioned nor unconditioned.
Śāriputra! The Dharma of emptiness has no place of arising, therefore it is neither despised nor praised, neither conditioned nor unconditioned. This is the special merit attained by a Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, which Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot equal. With complete merit, the Bodhisattva teaches sentient beings and purifies the Buddha lands.
Chapter 6: Prediction of Buddhahood
Furthermore, Śāriputra! The Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom uses an equal mind toward all people, thereby realizing the equality of all dharmas. Because of attaining an equal mind toward all dharmas, the Bodhisattva is presently respected and loved by all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Pratyekabuddhas. Wherever the Bodhisattva is born, he never sees evil deeds, and the mind has no evil thoughts. The Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom does not diminish his position of Perfect Enlightenment.
When the Buddha was expounding on the practice of Prajñāpāramitā, the assembly included thirty thousand Bhikshus, all of whom offered the robes they wore as an offering to the Buddha. All of them aroused the aspiration to attain the path of awakening and enlightenment. At that time, the Buddha smiled.
Ānanda rose from his seat, straightened his robes, exposed his right shoulder, placed his palms together, knelt down, and said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! For what reason do You smile?”
The Buddha told Ānanda:
“These thirty thousand Bhikshus, after they pass away, will be born in the Buddha realm of Akṣobhya. After that, through sixty-two kalpas, they will all attain Buddhahood with the name Mahā Zhī-tóu Buddha. Furthermore, sixty thousand Deva sons of the Desire Realm will all be born during the time of Buddha Maitreya and will together leave home to become Śramaṇas. Through the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha, the assembly will be able to see one thousand Buddhas in the eastern direction together with the fourfold assembly, and one thousand Buddhas throughout the ten directions all appearing.
At that time, the land of Sahā-lóu-đà will not possess the adornment and purity of that Buddha’s realm.
Among the assembly, ten thousand people simultaneously made a vow:
‘We shall together create merit and virtue so that we may be born in that Buddha’s land.’
Knowing the thoughts of those people, the Buddha smiled again.
The Buddha said to Ānanda:
“Do you see these ten thousand people?”
Ānanda replied:
“World-Honored One, I have seen them.”
The Buddha taught:
“These ten thousand people, after they pass away, will be born in that Buddha’s realm, never separated from the Buddhas. After that, they will attain Buddhahood with the name Adornment King Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One.”
Chapter 7: The Wondrous Pure Land
At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra, Mahā Maudgalyāyana, Mahā Kāśyapa, and the Bhikshus with great spiritual powers, the Upāsakas, and the Upāsikās all came before the Buddha and said:
The Prajñā-pāramitā of the Lord is precisely the Supreme Great Wisdom Perfection, the Superior Great Wisdom Perfection, the Wondrous Great Wisdom Perfection, and the Unsurpassed Venerable Great Wisdom Perfection of the Bodhisattva. Only the eloquence of the World-Honored One’s Perfections is incomparable. The Perfections that are unsurpassed include the emptiness of dharmas, the emptiness of characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of existence and non-existence, and the emptiness that fully possesses all virtues.
O World-Honored One! The great Bodhisattvas who practice the Prajñā-pāramitā should possess complete merit and virtue, and no one can subdue them. We respectfully ask the World-Honored One to help the Bodhisattvas accomplish the merit of Great Wisdom Perfection. The Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñā-pāramitā has already performed giving that is unsurpassed, incomparable, and complete with all the practices of the Dāna-pāramitā. Giving the parts of one’s body is incomparable; then, through the benefit of practicing the unsurpassed Prajñā-pāramitā, one personally attains Perfect and Complete Enlightenment. The World-Honored One also practices the Prajñā-pāramitā, which is the unsurpassed fundamental Dharma, brings unsurpassed benefit to the five aggregates, and turns the unsurpassed Dharma Wheel.
The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones of the past and future, who practice the Prajñā-pāramitā, are likewise able to turn the unsurpassed Dharma Wheel.
O World-Honored One! The great Bodhisattvas who wish to transcend all phenomena and attain liberation should cultivate the Prajñā-pāramitā.
O World-Honored One! If there are Bodhisattvas who practice the Prajñā-pāramitā, then devas, nāgas, spirits, asuras, and human beings should all pay homage to them.
The Buddha said to the assembly of monks:
Bodhisattvas should pay homage to good men and faithful women who practice the Prajñā-pāramitā; the devas and nāgas should also make offerings of respect.
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
A great Bodhisattva in the world should have Śakra, the people, Brahmins, householders, Wheel-Turning Sage Kings, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of Akaniṣṭha, the path of Stream-Enterer, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha, as well as the Bodhisattva path and the Buddha path. Since there are Bodhisattvas, there should be offerings of robes, food, bedding, the seven treasures, jewels, necklaces, lapis lazuli, and maṇi gems.
Śāriputra! Gods and humans rejoice when their bodies are fully endowed, and this is possible because of all Bodhisattvas.
Why is this so? Because the actions of Bodhisattvas abide in the six Pāramitās to gather and guide sentient beings, practicing Giving until they accomplish the Perfection of Wisdom. Great Bodhisattvas, wishing to bring peace and security to sentient beings, practice the Prajñā-pāramitā!
Chapter 8: THE RADIANCE OF THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TONGUE
At that time, the World-Honored One manifested the characteristic of his broad and long tongue, covering the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world system. From his tongue, he emitted immeasurable rays of bright light that illuminated countless lands throughout the ten directions.
At that time, in the eastern direction and in the lands of the ten directions, countless Bodhisattvas all saw this radiance. They all addressed the Buddha in their own lands:
“World-Honored One! What auspicious sign is this, with a radiance so beautiful?”
The Buddhas told the Bodhisattvas:
“Travel westward, across as many Buddha lands as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River. There is a world called Saha. There, a Buddha named Shakyamuni has manifested the appearance of his tongue emitting a ray of light, because he is expounding the Dharma of Prajñā-pāramitā for the assembly of Bodhisattvas. Therefore, this auspicious sign has appeared.”
The Bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions, in lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all said to the Buddhas in their own lands:
“World-Honored Ones! We wish to meet Buddha Shakyamuni and the Bodhisattvas, and we wish to hear the Dharma of Prajñā-pāramitā.”
All the Buddhas told the Bodhisattvas:
“Very well, you may go as you wish.”
At that time, the Bodhisattvas held fragrant incense, long banners, jeweled canopies, precious jewels, and other offerings. They left their own lands and went directly to the Saha world. The Four Heavenly Kings and the Heaven of Akaniṣṭha also carried various kinds of heavenly fragrant incense and came to the Buddha’s place. Gods, humans, and Bodhisattvas all came as well. Upon seeing Buddha Shakyamuni, they all scattered fragrant incense as an offering. The incense and flowers scattered into the sky transformed into a lofty platform.
This lofty platform rose high in the four directions and had a window. It appeared throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds, evenly distributed without obstruction; everywhere it could be seen. This platform was adorned with beauty beyond comparison.
Within the assembly, hundreds of thousands of people left their seats, stood up, joined their palms, knelt down, and said to the Buddha:
“We respectfully ask the World-Honored One to enable all of us in future lives to attain Dharma benefits just as the World-Honored One has done. Now we ask You to expound the Dharma so that the hundreds of thousands of sentient beings surrounding You may also manifest such majestic powers.”
The Buddha knew that the great assembly had already been able, with regard to all phenomena, to attain the Patience of Non-arising of Dharmas (Anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti), and so He smiled.
Ānanda said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Please tell me why You have smiled.”
The Buddha told Ānanda:
“These hundreds of thousands of people have all accomplished the Patience of Non-arising of Dharmas. After this, throughout sixty-eight billion eons, there will be an eon called Scatter Flowers. They will all attain Buddhahood, with the title of Buddha Juehua Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One.”
Chapter 9: Practice
At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Venerable Subhūti:
“Explain, for the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas, the causes and conditions by which Prajñā-pāramitā is accomplished.”
At that time, within the assembly there were Bodhisattvas, the great disciples, gods, and humans, all thinking together: “When Venerable Subhūti speaks the Dharma of Prajñāpāramitā, does he do so through his own eloquence, or does he rely upon the Buddha’s majestic spiritual power to expound the Dharma?”
Subhūti, knowing the thoughts of the Bodhisattvas, great disciples, gods, and humans, said to Śāriputra:
“The disciples of the Buddha cannot accomplish the act of teaching the Dharma. The arising of sounds and the act of transforming beings are all the works of the Great Sage, the World-Honored One. The Dharma spoken by the Buddha and this Dharma are not in contradiction. O virtuous son, when studying the teachings, one uses the teachings to realize them through direct experience.
Śāriputra! We rely upon the Buddha’s majestic spiritual power to teach the Dharma of Prajñāpāramitā to the Bodhisattvas. It is not a realm that we ourselves are able to enter. The Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot teach the Dharma of Prajñāpāramitā to the Bodhisattvas.”
At that very moment, Śāriputra together with Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! You speak of there being Bodhisattvas. Within the Dharma, where is it said that there are Bodhisattvas? We have never seen a Dharma that possesses Bodhisattvas; we do not see Bodhisattvas, we do not see the name ‘Bodhisattva,’ and we do not see Prajñāpāramitā. For which Bodhisattvas are we now speaking the Dharma of Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Bodhisattva and Prajñāpāramitā, together with their names, do not exist within, do not exist outside, do not exist on either side, and do not exist in the middle.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“For example, the name ‘sentient being’ is merely ‘sentient being’; saying ‘self,’ ‘person,’ ‘living being,’ ‘man,’ ‘person of worth,’ ‘male,’ means one who acts, one who knows, one who understands.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Once names of phenomena are established and one clings to those names, those phenomena themselves neither arise nor cease. From beginningless time until now, only names have been passed along.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“To call something Prajñāpāramitā, to call something Bodhisattva, and to call it the name of a Bodhisattva is to cling to names. Since beginningless time, only the names of these phenomena have circulated, but those phenomena neither arise nor cease.
Subhūti! For example, there are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; these are clinging to the names of phenomena. From ancient times until now, through the coming together of various causes and conditions, phenomena are formed. Phenomena formed by the gathering of causes and conditions neither arise nor cease. Calling them Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name of Bodhisattva is likewise so.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“To call them eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind is because from ancient times until now there has been attachment to names. Those phenomena neither arise nor cease. Form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena are also like this: they are neither within nor outside, neither arise nor cease; from beginningless time until now, there has only been attachment to names. Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and their names likewise do not exist within or outside, on either side, or in the middle.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“For example, within the body there are names such as head, shoulders, neck, arms, ribs, spleen, fat, large intestine, and feet. These phenomena neither arise nor cease, are neither within nor outside, are neither on either side nor in the middle. Therefore, Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and the name of Bodhisattva are likewise so.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“For example, externally there are grasses, trees, branches, leaves, flowers, and trunks. From ancient times until now, there has only been attachment to names. Yet these names neither arise nor cease, and are neither within nor outside. Bodhisattva, Prajñāpāramitā, and their names are likewise so.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Subhūti! For example, the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones of the past, from beginningless time until now, have abided based upon names. These names neither arise nor cease, and are neither within nor outside. They are like dreams, echoes, illusions, mirages, and like the teachings manifested by the Tathāgata, all of which rely upon phenomena.
Therefore, Prajñāpāramitā, Bodhisattva, and their names neither arise nor cease, are neither within nor outside, are neither on either side nor in the middle.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“A great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should learn about the names of phenomena, the combination of phenomena, and the skillful means of phenomena in order to practice Prajñāpāramitā. One does not see the names of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as permanent or impermanent; one does not see the names of the five aggregates as suffering or happiness; one does not see the five aggregates as having a self or as without self; one does not see the five aggregates as Emptiness, Signlessness, or Wishlessness; one does not see the five aggregates as pure, nor does one see the five aggregates as quiescent; one does not see attachment, nor does one see cessation; one does not see the arising of the five aggregates, nor does one see their extinction. Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind; form, sound, smell, taste, touch, phenomena; and the eighteen elements are likewise.
A great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not see Bodhisattva, does not see the name of Bodhisattva, and likewise does not see it within the nature of the unconditioned.
Why is this? Subhūti, a great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā has no conceptual thoughts regarding phenomena. A Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā abides in the Dharma of non-conceptualization, fulfills the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, and practices Prajñāpāramitā, yet does not see Prajñāpāramitā and does not see the name Prajñāpāramitā; does not see Bodhisattva and does not see the name of the Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā. Having fulfilled the eighteen uncommon qualities, one does not see Prajñāpāramitā, does not see the name Prajñāpāramitā, and does not see the name of Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā transcends all marks of phenomena. Having attained transcendence, the Bodhisattva neither clings to permanence nor clings to cessation.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should know that all phenomena exist through names and designations. Having understood this, one does not become attached to form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; does not become attached to eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; does not become attached to form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or phenomena; does not become attached to suffering, happiness, or neither suffering nor happiness; does not become attached to the conditioned nature; does not become attached to the unconditioned nature; does not become attached to generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation; nor does one become attached to the Great Wisdom Perfection; does not become attached to beautiful marks; does not become attached to the Bodhisattva body; does not become attached to the five faculties; does not become attached to the Perfection of Wisdom; does not become attached to the Perfection of Spiritual Powers; does not become attached to the perfection of wisdom; does not become attached to inner or outer emptiness; does not become attached to existence; does not become attached to the existence of non-existence; does not become attached to the teaching and transformation of sentient beings; does not become attached to the purification of Buddha realms; does not become attached to skillful means.
Because one does not see that there are any phenomena, one is not obstructed by phenomena.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
When a great Bodhisattva practices the Prajñāpāramitā, because there is no entering into any dharmas, the six pāramitās increase, he enters the stages of the Bodhisattva, surpasses the stage of non-retrogression, fully possesses supernatural powers, travels throughout all Buddha realms, teaches and transforms sentient beings, makes offerings and pays homage, purifies Buddha lands, meets all the Buddhas, relies upon the Buddhas, and whatever he wishes is accomplished according to his intention. The Bodhisattva, relying upon the World-Honored Buddhas, hears the Dharma, attains the dhāraṇī teachings, samādhi teachings, and uninterrupted Perfect Enlightenment.
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
A Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā should know that all the dharmas mentioned above are merely names.
Subhūti, what do you think? Are form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness a Bodhisattva? Are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind a Bodhisattva? Are eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, it is not so.
The Buddha asked:
What do you think? Are earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, it is not so.
The Buddha asked:
Is ignorance a Bodhisattva? … Are formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, up to contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, and old age-and-death a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, they are not.
The Buddha asked Subhūti:
What do you think? Apart from the five aggregates, the six sense objects, the six faculties, the eighteen elements, earth, water, fire, wind, and space, and apart from the twelve links of dependent origination, is there a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, there is not.
The Buddha asked Subhūti:
What do you think? Are the five aggregates and the twelve links of dependent origination a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, they are not.
The Buddha said:
Subhūti, what do you think? Is that which is separate from these a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, it is not.
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
How do you contemplate the meaning of these dharmas that you say the five aggregates, six sense objects, twelve links of dependent origination, and so forth are not a Bodhisattva; and that what is separate from the five aggregates, six sense objects, twelve links of dependent origination, and so forth is also not a Bodhisattva?
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, I have never seen any sentient being. Based on what can I say that there is a Bodhisattva? Are the five aggregates, six sense objects, and twelve links of dependent origination a Bodhisattva, or is a Bodhisattva apart from the five aggregates, six sense objects, and twelve links of dependent origination? Even Suchness itself is not a Bodhisattva; apart from Suchness is not a Bodhisattva. There is no such thing.
The World-Honored One praised Subhūti:
Excellent, excellent! Subhūti, when a Bodhisattva studies, he should study without any perception of a thing, without seeing the existence of sentient beings, and without seeing the Prajñāpāramitā.
Subhūti, what do you think? Would one regard the five aggregates as permanent and call them a Bodhisattva? Or would one regard the five aggregates as impermanent and call them a Bodhisattva? Would one regard the five aggregates as belonging to the self and call them a Bodhisattva, or regard them as not belonging to the self and call them a Bodhisattva? Or would one regard the five aggregates as emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness and call them a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, it is not so.
The Buddha said:
Would one be a Bodhisattva by being apart from the five aggregates, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness?
Subhūti replied:
World-Honored One, it is not so.
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
How do you observe the meaning of these matters when you say that the five aggregates, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are not a Bodhisattva, and that being separate from the five aggregates, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness is also not a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
I have never seen the five aggregates. Why then do you say that the five aggregates are a Bodhisattva? I have never seen anything permanent. Why then do you say that impermanence is a Bodhisattva?
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
World-Honored One, I have never seen happiness. Why then do you say that the suffering of the five aggregates is a Bodhisattva? I have never seen the five aggregates. Why then do you say that the five aggregates are without self and are a Bodhisattva? I have never seen a person. Why then do you say that the emptiness of the five aggregates is a Bodhisattva? I have never seen any characteristic. Why then do you say that the signlessness of the five aggregates is a Bodhisattva? I have never seen any wish. Why then do you say that the wishlessness of the five aggregates is a Bodhisattva?
At that time, the World-Honored One praised Subhūti:
Excellent, excellent! A great Bodhisattva learns from the arising of the five aggregates that they are emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; there is no perception of anything, and there is also no attainment. A Bodhisattva practicing the Prajñāpāramitā should study in this way.
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
The words you have just spoken—I do not see any dharma in which there is a Bodhisattva.
It is exactly as you have said.
Subhūti, dharma does not see dharma; dharma does not see the nature of dharma, and the nature of dharma does not see dharma. The nature of the five aggregates does not see the nature of dharma; the nature of the nature of dharma does not see the five aggregates. The nature of the six sense faculties does not see the nature of dharma; the nature of dharma does not see the six sense faculties.
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
The conditioned nature does not see the unconditioned nature; the unconditioned nature does not see the conditioned nature. The conditioned does not depart from the unconditioned; the unconditioned does not depart from the conditioned.
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
A bodhisattva who understands in this way and practices the Prajñāpāramitā, with regard to all phenomena, has no act of seeing and does not see phenomena; there is no apprehension, no fear, no worry, no regret, and no laziness. Why? Because there is no seeing of the five aggregates, no seeing of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind; no seeing of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and phenomena; no seeing of lust, anger, and ignorance; no seeing of the twelve links of dependent origination; no seeing of self or what belongs to self; no seeing of knowledge, no seeing of activity, no seeing of the three realms; no seeing of the Śrāvaka or Pratyekabuddha, and also no seeing of the bodhisattva or the bodhisattva teachings; no seeing of the Buddha and no seeing of the Buddha Dharma; no seeing of the path and no seeing of any phenomenon at all. Therefore there is no fear, no worry, and no dread.
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why does a bodhisattva not have anxiety or fear?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Because the bodhisattva understands that phenomena cannot be grasped and cannot be seen, therefore there is no fear. A bodhisattva, regarding all phenomena, should learn that there is no attainment and no seeing, in order to practice the Prajñāpāramitā. The bodhisattva also does not see a bodhisattva, does not see that there is the designation ‘bodhisattva,’ and does not see the intention of a bodhisattva. This is precisely the learning and practice of a bodhisattva.”
Chapter 10: LEARNING
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! A great bodhisattva who wishes to perfect the Perfection of Giving should learn the Prajñāpāramitā; one who wishes to perfect the Perfections of Morality, Patience, Diligence, and Meditation should also learn the Prajñāpāramitā.”
A Great Bodhisattva who wishes to know form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness should learn Prajñā-pāramitā; who wishes to know the six inner and outer sense faculties should learn Prajñā-pāramitā; who wishes to know the eighteen elements, to extinguish lust, anger, and ignorance, and to eliminate the notions of “self” and “mine” should learn Prajñā-pāramitā; who wishes to remove doubts and hindrances, to eliminate violations of precepts, wrong views, and sensual desire in the three realms; who wishes to abandon the habitual tendencies of the six sense objects; who wishes to eliminate the four kinds of food; who wishes to abandon the four deep waters, the four bonds, and the four inverted views; who wishes to abandon the ten unwholesome actions and practice the ten wholesome actions should learn Prajñā-pāramitā.
A Great Bodhisattva who wishes to know the Four Dhyānas, the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, the four immeasurables, and the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha should learn Prajñā-pāramitā; who wishes to attain the Samādhi of Learning Intent should learn Prajñā-pāramitā; who wishes to know the Four Dhyānas and the four formless concentrations; who wishes to obtain the Lion’s Play Samādhi, the Lion’s Exertion Samādhi; who wishes to obtain all dhāraṇīs and all samādhis, such as the Śūraṅgama Samādhi, the Ocean Jewel Samādhi, the Moon Banner Samādhi, the Universal Arrival of All Dharmas Samādhi, the Contemplation Seal Samādhi, the True Dharma-Nature Samādhi, the Making the Stainless Banner Samādhi, the Vajra Samādhi, the Entry Gate of All Dharmas Samādhi, the King Samādhi, the King Seal Samādhi, the Six Purifications Samādhi, the Moon Banner Samādhi, the True Discerning Eloquence of the Entry of All Dharmas Samādhi, the Illumination of the Ten Directions by the Words Entering All Dharmas Samādhi, the Seal of the Dhāraṇī Gate of All Dharmas Samādhi, the Non-Forgetting of All Dharmas Samādhi, the Great Collection Seal of All Dharmas Samādhi, the Indication of Space Samādhi, the Pure Samādhi, the Place Samādhi, the Unarising Supernatural Power Samādhi, and the Supreme Banner-Making Samādhi.
A Bodhisattva who wishes to attain these samādhis and other samādhis should learn Prajñā-pāramitā.
Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
A Great Bodhisattva who wishes to fulfill the wishes of sentient beings should learn Prajñā-pāramitā. A Bodhisattva who wishes to have complete merit, to preserve this complete merit, not to fall into evil realms, not to be born into a lowly family, not to abide in the state of an Arhat or Pratyekabuddha, and not to become a Bodhisattva of the Summit Strife, should learn Prajñā-pāramitā.
The Venerable Śāriputra asked Venerable Subhūti:
How does a Bodhisattva of the Summit Strife practice?
Subhūti replied:
A Great Bodhisattva who does not employ skillful means when practicing the six pāramitās, and who does not employ skillful means when attaining the samādhis of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness, therefore falls into the positions of Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha and does not accord with the Bodhisattva path. This is precisely the Bodhisattva of the Summit Strife.
The Venerable Śāriputra asked Venerable Subhūti:
Why is it called the Bodhisattva of the Summit Strife?
Subhūti replied:
That is the Dharma of Attachment. What then is the Dharma of Attachment?
A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñā-pāramitā enters into the five aggregates and grasps the five aggregates as Empty, Signless, and Wishless; this is following the Dharma of Attachment. Entering into the five aggregates and grasping the five aggregates as silent, impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self—this is the Bodhisattva’s Dharma of Attachment.
The Bodhisattva thinks and discriminates, believing that the five aggregates should be destroyed, that they are emptiness, that they are realization, that they are not realization, that they are the accomplishment of the path, that they are attachment, that they are cessation, that they are learning, that they are not something to be learned, that they are Bodhisattva practice, that they are not Bodhisattva practice, that they are the path, that they are not the path; this is what a Bodhisattva learns, this is not what a Bodhisattva learns, this is the six pāramitās, this is not the six pāramitās, this is skillful means, this is not skillful means. This is the Bodhisattva following the Dharma of Attachment.
Venerable Subhūti asked Śāriputra:
A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñā-pāramitā enters into the dharmas of conceptual discrimination and thereby follows the Dharma of Attachment.
The Venerable Śāriputra asked Subhūti:
What is a Bodhisattva who follows the path?
Subhūti replied:
A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñā-pāramitā should not use inner emptiness to contemplate outer emptiness, nor use outer emptiness to contemplate inner emptiness; should not use inner-and-outer emptiness to contemplate emptiness of emptiness, nor use emptiness of emptiness to contemplate inner-and-outer emptiness; should not use emptiness of emptiness to perceive great emptiness, nor use great emptiness to contemplate emptiness of emptiness; should not use great emptiness to perceive the ultimate supreme emptiness, and the ultimate supreme emptiness likewise does not perceive great emptiness; ultimate supreme emptiness also does not contemplate conditioned emptiness, and conditioned emptiness also does not contemplate ultimate supreme emptiness; it should not use conditioned emptiness to contemplate unconditioned emptiness, nor use unconditioned emptiness to contemplate conditioned emptiness; it should not use unconditioned emptiness to contemplate limitless-boundary emptiness, nor use limitless-boundary emptiness to contemplate created emptiness; created emptiness also does not contemplate intrinsic emptiness, intrinsic emptiness also does not contemplate created emptiness; created emptiness also does not contemplate self-emptiness, self-emptiness also does not contemplate intrinsic emptiness; self-emptiness also does not contemplate Dharma-emptiness, nor use the emptiness of all dharmas to contemplate self-emptiness; the emptiness of all dharmas also does not contemplate non-emptiness, and non-emptiness also does not contemplate the emptiness of all dharmas; the emptiness of all dharmas does not contemplate existent emptiness, and existent emptiness also does not contemplate non-emptiness; existent emptiness also does not contemplate non-existent emptiness, and non-existent emptiness also does not contemplate existent emptiness.
Śāriputra! When a Bodhisattva practices the contemplation of Prajñā-pāramitā, they immediately ascend and accord with the Bodhisattva path.
Again, Śāriputra! When a Bodhisattva practices the learning of the Prajñā-pāramitā in this way, he does not think of the five aggregates, does not have conceit; he does not think of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; he does not think of form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or phenomena; he does not think of the six pāramitās, and even does not think of the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha, nor does he become self-arrogant. In practicing the learning of the Prajñā-pāramitā, there is also no thought; the subtle and wondrous path unsurpassed is also not thought of, and there is no conceit. Why is this? Because mind is not mind, therefore the nature of mind is vast and pure.
Śāriputra asked Subhūti:
“What is meant by the nature of mind being vast and pure?”
Subhūti replied:
“Regarding greed, anger, and ignorance, it neither agrees nor separates; regarding worldly defilements, it neither agrees nor separates; regarding evil conduct and the sixty-two views, it neither agrees nor separates; regarding the mind of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, it neither agrees nor separates. This is the nature of the Bodhisattva’s mind, which is vast and pure.”
Śāriputra again asked:
“When it is said that mind exists, does this statement have meaning or not?”
Subhūti asked in return:
“When the mind has no place where it creates thoughts, is there a mind or no mind that can be attained, seen, or known?”
Śāriputra replied:
“It cannot be attained, cannot be seen, and cannot be known.”
Venerable Subhūti said to Śāriputra:
“If, at the time when mind does not give rise to thoughts, one does not see mind nor does one see the absence of mind, it cannot be attained and cannot be seen; therefore it is purified.”
Śāriputra asked Subhūti:
“What is the mind that is no-mind?”
Subhūti replied:
“Regarding all phenomena, not creating and not giving rise to thoughts is precisely the mind that is no-mind.”
Śāriputra again asked:
“Is the unconditioned and non-created also mind? Even up to the path, is the unconditioned and non-created also mind?”
Subhūti replied:
“That is so, that is so! Just as you have asked.”
Śāriputra praised Venerable Subhūti and said:
“Excellent, excellent! Venerable Subhūti is truly a son of the Buddha, born from the Buddha, transformed into existence from the Dharma. This is giving the Dharma, not giving according to desire, but according to what is realized. The Venerable has expounded the Dharma exactly as the Buddha praised, being one who delights in solitude and has attained the foremost tranquility.”
A Great Bodhisattva should practice the Prajñā-pāramitā in this way and will attain the irreversible stage, forever never departing from the Prajñā-pāramitā.
A Bodhisattva who wishes to learn and understand the fruit of the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha paths should seek to study the Prajñā-pāramitā, should recite, study, and uphold it.
One who wishes to learn the stages of the Bodhisattva should study the Prajñā-pāramitā. The teachings of the three vehicles are fully explained therein; therefore all Great Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, and Pratyekabuddhas rely upon this to learn.
Chapter 11: ORIGINAL NON-EXISTENCE
At that time, Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
Honored World-Honored One! When the Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, I do not know that there is a Bodhisattva, nor do I see that there is a Bodhisattva. Then, for which Bodhisattvas is it said that they practice Prajñāpāramitā, and whom should one teach? I do not see the origin or end of all dharmas; how then can I establish a name and say that it is a Bodhisattva?
Honored World-Honored One! This designation neither abides nor does it not abide. Why? Because this designation cannot be seen and cannot be grasped.
Honored World-Honored One! I also do not see the origin or end of the five aggregates; how then can I establish a designation for a Bodhisattva?
Therefore, Honored World-Honored One! Designations neither abide nor do not abide.
Honored World-Honored One! I also do not see the origin or end of the six sense faculties. How can I establish a name for a Bodhisattva? This designation neither abides nor does it not abide. Why? Because this designation cannot be seen and cannot be known. How then can one establish a designation for the class of Bodhisattvas? Because that designation cannot be seen and cannot be known, because that designation neither abides nor does not abide.
Honored World-Honored One! I also do not see the origin or end of the eighteen elements and the twelve links of dependent origination.
Honored World-Honored One! I also do not see the source of arising and ceasing of the twelve links of dependent origination; I do not see the origin or end of lust, anger, and delusion; I do not see the origin or end of the sixty-two views; I do not see the origin or end of the six pāramitās; I do not see the origin or end of self; I do not see a person, nor do I see a lifespan; I do not see the life of sentient beings; I do not see the origin or end of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness; the four dhyānas, the four immeasurables, the four formless absorptions; and further, I do not see the origin or end of mindfulness of the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, precepts, giving, and heavenly beings; mindfulness of counting breaths, mindfulness of death; nor do I see the origin or end of the eighteen exclusive qualities of the Buddha.
Honored World-Honored One! The five aggregates are like a dream, like an echo, like a reflection, like an illusion, like a mirage; their origin and end cannot be grasped. They are peaceful, unborn and undying, without origin or end. The origin and end of non-clinging to permanence and non-clinging to annihilation, and the origin and end of suchness, the true nature of dharmas, and the ultimate reality of dharmas—all cannot be seen.
Honored World-Honored One! I do not see the origin or end of wholesome, unwholesome, conditioned, unconditioned, defiled, and undefiled dharmas.
Honored World-Honored One! I do not see the origin or end of past, present, and future dharmas. I do not see the origin or end of dharmas that are not past, not present, and not future. I do not see the origin or end of the World-Honored One, nor do I see the origin or end of the countless Buddha realms throughout the ten directions, of the Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, together with their disciples and Bodhisattva assemblies.
Honored World-Honored One! The origins and ends of the dharmas spoken of above cannot be grasped and cannot be seen. Therefore, how should one teach the Bodhisattvas? For whom should one expound Prajñāpāramitā? This designation neither abides nor does it fail to abide. This designation cannot be known, cannot be grasped, and cannot be seen. Thus, this designation neither abides nor does not abide. Why establish a designation for the class of Bodhisattvas? Why? Because the designations of all dharmas cannot be seen and cannot be grasped.
Honored World-Honored One! The Bodhisattvas, through aggregation and enumeration, create designations for dharmas, yet they also do not create designations. Dharmas such as the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, the twelve sense fields, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, and the eighteen exclusive qualities also do not create designations.
Honored World-Honored One! Dharmas such as dreams, echoes, lights, mirages, and transformations are called empty space.
Honored World-Honored One! Earth, water, fire, wind, and space likewise have no person who creates their names. The previously mentioned precepts, concentration, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision also do not create designations. The terms wholesome, unwholesome, permanent, impermanent, suffering, happiness, possessing self; the terms peace, tranquility, existence, non-existence—these names are not created together, therefore I have doubts. Why? Because the origin and end of dharmas cannot be seen, how can one create a designation for Bodhisattvas?
Honored World-Honored One! Designations do not abide in the nature of dharmas. Why? Because designations do not truly exist and cannot be grasped, therefore these designations neither abide nor do not abide. If a Great Bodhisattva hears and practices Prajñāpāramitā according to the teaching, then there is no resentment, no regret, no laziness, no anxiety, and no fear. This is precisely a Bodhisattva who securely abides in the irreversible stage, abiding in a place where there is no place of abiding.
Furthermore, Honored World-Honored One! When a Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; they should not abide in eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; they should not abide in form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; they should not abide in the six consciousnesses; they should not abide in the six contacts; they should not abide in the six feelings; they should not abide in earth, water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness; they should not abide in the twelve links of dependent origination. Why? Because form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are all emptiness.
Honored World-Honored One! If the five aggregates are empty, then they are not the five aggregates. If the five aggregates are not separate from emptiness, and emptiness is not separate from the five aggregates, then emptiness itself is the five aggregates, and the five aggregates themselves are emptiness.
Indeed, Honored World-Honored One! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should not abide in the five aggregates, up to and including the twelve links of dependent origination. Why? Because the emptiness of the twelve links of dependent origination is the twelve links of dependent origination, and the twelve links of dependent origination are emptiness; emptiness is the twelve links of dependent origination.
Honored World-Honored One! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should not abide in the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, up to and including the eighteen exclusive qualities of the Buddha. The eighteen exclusive qualities of the Buddha are also not separate from emptiness; emptiness is the eighteen qualities, and the eighteen qualities are emptiness. Therefore, one should not abide there.
Honored World-Honored One! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should not abide in the six pāramitās. Why? Because the six pāramitās are emptiness. If one abides in them, they are no longer the six pāramitās. The six pāramitās are not separate from emptiness, and emptiness is not separate from the six pāramitās. A Bodhisattva should not abide in the six pāramitās.
Honored World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not abide in designations and numbers, nor does one abide in many or few designations and numbers. Why? Because designations and numbers are all emptiness.
Honored World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should not abide in supernatural powers. Why? Because supernatural powers are emptiness, and emptiness is supernatural powers.
Honored World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā, regarding the impermanence of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, should not abide in it. Because impermanence is emptiness. Suppose one says that impermanence is not emptiness; then emptiness would not be impermanence. Emptiness is also not separate from impermanence; impermanence itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is impermanence. A Bodhisattva should not abide in it. A Bodhisattva should not abide in the suffering of the five aggregates, the selflessness of the five aggregates, the emptiness of the five aggregates, or the tranquility of the five aggregates.
Honored World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not abide in suchness, in dharma, in the nature of dharmas, nor does one abide in ultimate reality.
Venerable World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā does not abide in the dharmas of Samādhi or the dharmas of Dhāraṇī.
Venerable World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva who lacks skillful means creates a notion of self and then clings to the five aggregates. Although such a Bodhisattva follows the five aggregates to receive Prajñāpāramitā, they do not accord with Prajñāpāramitā, do not fully possess Prajñāpāramitā, and do not have the ability to give rise to the Omniscient Wisdom.
Venerable World-Honored One! A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā who clings to the characteristics of self, abides in the dharmas of Dhāraṇī and Samādhi, and uses conceptual thought to distinguish and seek the entrances of Samādhi and Dhāraṇī. Although such a Bodhisattva receives and upholds Prajñāpāramitā, they do not correspond with it, do not follow it, do not attain the complete fulfillment of Prajñāpāramitā, and do not have the ability to give rise to the Omniscient Wisdom. Why? Because one does not grasp form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; not grasping the five aggregates means that they are not the five aggregates. Why is this so? Because their nature is originally empty. Regarding the dharmas of Dhāraṇī and the dharmas of Samādhi, if one does not grasp them, then they are not Dhāraṇī or Samādhi, because their nature is originally empty. Even Prajñāpāramitā itself is not grasped, because its inherent nature is originally empty.
A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should contemplate that all dharmas have the nature of emptiness. Although contemplating all dharmas, one does not cling to them. This is called the Samādhi of the Great Bodhisattva’s non-grasping, which possesses the wonderful and vast function of accumulating great merit and capability, incomparable to that of Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas. One does not grasp the Omniscient Wisdom; even inner and outer emptiness, and emptiness of existence and non-existence, are not grasped. Why is this so? Because one does not practice according to characteristics. Why? Because practicing according to characteristics is defilement. What are characteristics? The characteristics of the five aggregates and the characteristics of Samādhi are both characteristics of defilement; therefore, creation is grasping, and creation is thought. If this were not so, then the non-Brahmanical ascetics called Sañjaya would completely disbelieve in Omniscient Wisdom. What do they believe in? They believe in Prajñāpāramitā that does not cling to characteristics; they believe in liberation, cultivate contemplation, and observe the place where it corresponds, without clinging to characteristics and without clinging to the absence of characteristics. By practicing in this way without grasping characteristics, the Sañjaya ascetics immediately attain firm faith and understanding, and immediately attain the Wisdom of Emptiness, no longer grasping feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Why? Because they see and understand that all dharmas are characterized by emptiness. Because they see wisdom without depending on the internal and external; they see wisdom without being separate from internal and external things. Why? Because they do not see that dharmas possess understanding; they see wisdom without depending on the inner five aggregates, without depending on the outer five aggregates, and without being separate from the five aggregates. Through this cause and condition, the outsiders attain understanding, and after attaining understanding, they immediately develop faith in Omniscient Wisdom.
This means that through believing in the dharmas described above, they realize attainment without seeing any dharmas. The Sañjaya ascetics attain liberation. Thus, regarding all dharmas, there is no receiving, no perception, and no thought. This Dharma has no person who attains it, no person who receives it, and no person who is liberated. This Dharma neither receives nor preserves anything; it has no place of attainment, no thought, and all are without thought.
Venerable World-Honored One! How does a Great Bodhisattva penetrate Prajñāpāramitā and travel easily between the two shores? Because of not grasping any dharmas, one does not grasp form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Because one does not grasp any dharmas, one does not grasp Samādhi or Dhāraṇī. Because one does not grasp any dharmas, one does not grasp the completion of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the Ten Powers of the Buddha, the Eighteen Unshared Dharmas, and even Middle Way Nirvāṇa. Why? Because the thirty-seven factors are not the thirty-seven factors, and the eighteen dharmas are not the eighteen dharmas. These are dharmas that are neither dharma nor non-dharma. This is the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā without grasping the five aggregates.
Venerable World-Honored One! A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should contemplate as follows: How can it be said that this Prajñāpāramitā is correct? What is this Prajñāpāramitā? Who possesses Prajñāpāramitā? A Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should think: Words cannot be grasped; dharmas cannot be seen; dharmas are not Prajñāpāramitā.
At that moment, Śāriputra asked the Venerable Subhūti:
“Venerable sir! Which dharmas cannot be grasped and also cannot be seen?”
Subhūti replied:
“Prajñāpāramitā cannot be grasped and cannot be seen. The Pāramitās of Meditation, Diligence, Patience, Precepts, and Giving cannot be grasped and cannot be seen. Inner emptiness, outer emptiness, and emptiness of existence and non-existence, as well as the five aggregates, cannot be grasped or seen. The thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the eighteen dharmas, and spiritual powers likewise neither exist nor can be seen. The nature of dharma, abiding of dharma, ultimate reality, and the Buddha’s Omniscient Wisdom likewise neither exist nor can be seen. Inner and outer emptiness, and emptiness of existence and non-existence, are all empty.”
Śāriputra! If a Great Bodhisattva practices the Pāramitās and contemplates in this way, reflects in this way, then the mind does not become weary, does not become discontented, does not worry, and does not fear. You should know that this is the Bodhisattva who does not depart from the Wisdom Pāramitā.
Śāriputra asked the Venerable Subhūti:
“Why do we know that the Bodhisattva does not depart from the Wisdom Pāramitā?”
Subhūti replied:
“Just as the characteristic appearance of form is separate from form; just as the characteristic appearances of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are separate from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; just as the characteristic appearance of the Giving Pāramitā is separate from the Giving Pāramitā, and so on, even the characteristic appearance of Prajñāpāramitā is separate from Prajñāpāramitā. The Eighteen Unshared Dharmas of the Buddha and ultimate reality are also like this.”
Śāriputra asked Subhūti:
“What are the characteristic appearances of the five aggregates? What kinds are the characteristic appearances of the six Pāramitās and the Eighteen Unshared Dharmas? What are the characteristic appearances of the nature of dharma and ultimate reality?”
Subhūti said:
“The five aggregates do not truly possess characteristic appearances. The six Pāramitās, the Eighteen Unshared Dharmas, and ultimate reality likewise do not truly possess characteristic appearances; they do not belong to any category.”
Śāriputra! Therefore, you should know that the characteristic appearances of the five aggregates are separate from the five aggregates; likewise, the characteristic appearances of the six Pāramitās are separate from the six Pāramitās, and so on up to ultimate reality. The five aggregates are separate from the characteristics of the five aggregates; ultimate reality is also separate from its characteristics, and characteristics are also separate from ultimate reality.
Śāriputra asked Subhūti:
“Does the Great Bodhisattva rely on this and give rise to Omniscient Wisdom?”
Subhūti replied:
“Your question is not unusual. Why? Because all dharmas have no place from which they arise and no place into which they emerge.”
Śāriputra asked again:
“Why do all dharmas have no place of arising and no place of emergence?”
Subhūti replied:
The five aggregates are empty and therefore one does not see them arising or one does not see them ceasing. The Prajñāpāramitā, the eighteen uncommon dharmas of the Buddha, and true reality likewise are not seen as arising, nor are they seen as ceasing. When a great Bodhisattva learns and practices the Prajñāpāramitā in this way, they gradually attain the wisdom of All-Knowing. Nearing the attainment of the wisdom of All-Knowing, they attain purity of both body and mind; when body and mind are purified, lust, anger, and delusion no longer remain. Violent thoughts and greedy intentions no longer arise; the mind no longer gives rise to the sixty-two wrong views; one is no longer born from a mother’s womb, but is constantly born by transformation. From one Buddha-land to another, one teaches and transforms sentient beings, purifying Buddha-lands, until the time one becomes a Perfectly Enlightened One, without ever being separated from the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones.
Śāriputra! A great Bodhisattva who practices the Prajñāpāramitā should learn and practice in this way.