THE MAHAPRAJNAPARAMITA SUTRA
Chinese translation: Tang Dynasty, Tripitaka Master Xuanzang
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VOLUME 4
Chapter 2: CONTEMPLATIVE STUDY (2)
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
When Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajnaparamita have been able to accomplish such merits as these, the Four Great Heavenly Kings of the trichiliocosm are all overjoyed and together give rise to this thought: “Now we should present four bowls to this Bodhisattva, just as the Heavenly Kings of old presented bowls to the Buddha.” At that time, the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yama Heaven, the Tushita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation, and the Heaven of Others’ Transformation throughout the trichiliocosm are all overjoyed, and together give rise to this thought: “We should all reverently make offerings to, respect, and praise that Bodhisattva, thereby causing the hostile Asura forces to gradually diminish, and causing the divine assembly and retinue to be increased.” At that time, the gods of the Brahma Assembly Heaven, the Brahma Ministers Heaven, the Brahma Multitude Heaven, the Great Brahma Heaven, the Heaven of Light, the Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, the Heaven of Utmost Radiant Purity, the Heaven of Purity, the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Immeasurable Purity, the Heaven of Pervasive Purity, the Vast Heaven, the Lesser Vast Heaven, the Immeasurably Vast Heaven, the Heaven of Vast Fruit, the Serene Heaven, the Unclouded Heaven, the Heaven of Good Appearance, the Heaven of Good Vision, the Heaven of Ultimate Form throughout the trichiliocosm are also all joyful and elated, and together give rise to this thought: “We should beseech the Bodhisattva to swiftly attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment and turn the wondrous Dharma-wheel, bringing benefit to all.”
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita and the six paramitas grow and flourish, the virtuous men and women of those worlds, whether seeing or hearing of it, are all overjoyed, and together give rise to this thought: “We vow to become the parents, brothers, sisters, wives and children, relatives, acquaintances, and friends of that Bodhisattva; by this skillful means we will cultivate wholesome actions and will also attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment to the utmost.”
At that time, the divine beings in the Heaven of the Four Great Kings of those worlds, all the way to the Heaven of Ultimate Form, whether seeing or hearing of it, are all overjoyed and together give rise to this thought: “We will create skillful means so that the Bodhisattva remains far from all non-celibate conduct, from the first arising of the Bodhicitta until the attainment of Buddhahood, always practicing pure conduct. Why is that? Because if one is stained by sensual desire, being reborn in the Brahma heavens is still subject to obstruction, how much more so the attainment of the supreme fruit of Enlightenment. Therefore, it is the Bodhisattva who has cut off desire, gone forth, and practices pure conduct who can attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment – not one who has not cut off desire.”
At that time, the Elder Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, must Great Bodhisattvas have parents, wives and children, and close associates?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Some Bodhisattvas are fully endowed with parents, wives and children, and relatives, yet practice the conduct of a Great Bodhisattva; some Great Bodhisattvas have no wives or children and from the first arising of the Bodhicitta until the attainment of Buddhahood always practice pure conduct, not destroying their state of purity; and some Great Bodhisattvas, using skillful means, manifest the enjoyment of the five sensual pleasures, then feel disgust and renounce them, go forth and practice pure conduct, and thereby attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment.
Sariputra, it is like a skilled illusionist or disciple who is very skilled in the methods of illusion, creates many attractive things among the five sensual pleasures, and freely enjoys them together. What do you think – are those things created by that illusion real?
Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, no! Buddha, no! The Buddha said:
– Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas are also like this: in order to bring full accomplishment to all kinds of sentient beings, they use skillful means and falsely appear to enjoy the five sensual pleasures; in reality there is no such thing. But that Great Bodhisattva, regarding the five sensual pleasures, is extremely disgusted and is not defiled by the faults of the five sensual pleasures; using immeasurable methods to criticize and disparage the sensual pleasures: because desire is a fierce fire burning body and mind; because desire is a filth that defiles oneself and others; because desire is the forerunner that has, is, and will always cause harm; because desire is a hostile enemy lurking in the long night, seeking to bring decline and harm; desire is like a grass torch, desire is like a bitter fruit, desire is like a sharp sword, desire is like a blazing fire, desire is like a poison, desire is like an illusion, desire is like a dark well, desire is like a Candala demon disguised as a dear one…
Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas use immeasurable such severe words to criticize and disparage the sensual pleasures; having understood very clearly the faults of the sensual pleasures, how could they truly enjoy them? Only for the benefit of teaching and transforming sentient beings did they use skillful means to falsely appear to enjoy the sensual pleasures.
The Elder Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, how should Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, they should contemplate in this way: There truly is a Bodhisattva, yet one does not see the Bodhisattva; one does not see the name “Bodhisattva”; one does not see Prajnaparamita; one does not see the name “Prajnaparamita”; one does not see practicing; one does not see not practicing. Why? Sariputra, the intrinsic nature of “Bodhisattva” is empty; the name “Bodhisattva” is empty. Why is that? Because the intrinsic nature of form is empty – not that it is empty because it does not exist. The emptiness of form is not form; form does not depart from emptiness, emptiness does not depart from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form. The intrinsic nature of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness is empty – not that they are empty because they do not exist. The emptiness of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness is not feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness do not depart from emptiness, emptiness does not depart from feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are emptiness, emptiness is feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. Why?
Sariputra, this is only a name called “Bodhi”; this is only a name called “Sattva”; this is only a name called “Bodhisattva”; this is only a name – accordingly called emptiness; this is only a name, called form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness; their intrinsic nature is thus – neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure. When a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajnaparamita in this way, they do not see arising, do not see ceasing, do not see defilement, do not see purity. Why? Because merely provisional names are posited regarding dharmas for the purpose of distinguishing them; provisional names are posited, and accordingly conceptual discourse arises, calling things this way or that way, and from this attachment to this or that arises. When a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajna-paramita, regarding all such things, they do not see them as existing; because not seeing them as existing, no attachment arises.
Furthermore, Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, they should contemplate in this way: “Bodhisattva” is only a name; “Buddha” is only a name; “Prajnaparamita” is only a name; “form” is only a name; “feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness” are only names; “eye sense base” is only a name; “ear, nose, tongue, body, mind sense bases” are only names; “visible form” is only a name; “sound, smell, taste, tangible objects, mental objects sense bases” are only names; “eye element” is only a name; “ear, nose, tongue, body, mind elements” are only names; “form element” is only a name; “sound, smell, taste, tangible objects, mental objects elements” are only names; “eye-consciousness element” is only a name; “ear, nose, tongue, body, mind-consciousness elements” are only names; “eye contact” is only a name; “ear, nose, tongue, body, mind contact” are only names; “feelings arising conditioned by eye contact” are only a name; “feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, mind contact” are only names; “earth element” is only a name; “water, fire, wind, space, consciousness elements” are only names; “causal conditions” are only a name; “immediately contiguous conditions, object conditions, dominant conditions” are only names; “dharmas arising from conditions” are only a name; “ignorance” is only a name; “mental formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair” are only names; “Perfection of Generosity” is only a name; “Perfections of Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, Wisdom” are only names; “inner emptiness” is only a name; “outer emptiness, inner-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, boundless emptiness, beginningless-endless emptiness, non-abandonment emptiness, essential emptiness, own-nature emptiness, common-nature emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, non-apprehensible emptiness, non-entity emptiness, own-nature emptiness, non-entity-own-nature emptiness” are all only names; “four foundations of mindfulness” are only a name; “four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, eight-fold noble path” are all only names; “emptiness liberation gateway” is only a name; “signlessness liberation gateway, wishlessness liberation gateway” are only names; “Noble Truth of Suffering” is only a name; “Dharani gateway” is only a name; “Samadhi gateway” is only a name; “the stage of Supreme Joy” is only a name; “the stage of Stainless, the stage of Luminous, the stage of Radiant Wisdom, the stage of Extremely Difficult to Conquer, the stage of Manifest, the stage of Far-reaching, the stage of Immovable, the stage of Good Wisdom, the stage of Dharma Cloud” are all only names; “the stage of Pure Observation” is only a name; “the stage of Lineage, the stage of the Eighth, the stage of Vision, the stage of Thinning, the stage of Freedom from Desire, the stage of Accomplishment, the Pratyekabuddha stage, the Bodhisattva stage, the Tathagata stage” are only names; “five kinds of eye” are only a name; “six supernatural powers” are only a name; “ten Tathagata powers” are only a name; “four kinds of fearlessness, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of the Buddha” are all only names; “thirty-two marks of a great person” are only a name; “eighty minor characteristics” are only a name; “dharma of non-forgetting” is only a name; “nature of perpetual equanimity” is only a name; “wisdom of knowing all things” is only a name; “wisdom of knowing the marks of the path, wisdom of knowing all marks” are only names; “wisdom of omniscience” is only a name; “permanently severing the root of all afflictions and habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes” is only a name; “fruit of Stream-entry” is only a name; “fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, and Arahantship” are only names; “Pratyekabuddha enlightenment” is only a name; “all the conduct of Great Bodhisattvas” is only a name; “the supreme fruit of Enlightenment of all Buddhas” is only a name; “worldly dharmas” are only a name; “supramundane dharmas” are only a name; “outflow dharmas” are only a name; “outflow-free dharmas” are only a name; “conditioned dharmas” are only a name; “unconditioned dharmas” are only a name. Sariputra, as for the self – it is only a name; called “self,” it is in truth unobtainable. Likewise, sentient being, life force, arising, nurturing, growth, one who transmigrates, one born of thought, sprout of existence, one capable of acting, one capable of causing others to act, one capable of receiving retribution, one capable of causing others to receive retribution, one capable of creating karma, one capable of causing others to create karma, the knower, the seer… all are only names; that is, from “sentient being” to “the seer” – because they are empty they are unobtainable, merely designated as provisional names according to conventional usage; all dharmas are likewise – one should not be attached to them. Therefore, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, they do not [see these as existing]…
Sariputra, the Prajnaparamita practiced by Great Bodhisattvas is supremely profound in this way. Except for the wisdom of all the Buddhas, all the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot compare with it. Because what is empty cannot be grasped. Why is that? That Great Bodhisattva, with respect to names and the things they name, has no place of attainment, and because they do not see them as existing, they have no attachment whatsoever. Sariputra, if Great Bodhisattvas can practice Prajnaparamita in this way, it is called skillfully practicing the supremely profound Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, suppose your wisdom and that of Maudgalyayana, as numerous as rice, sesame, bamboo, reeds, sugarcane, and forests… filling the entire continent of Jambudvipa, were compared to the wisdom of a single Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita – it would not equal one hundredth, not one thousandth, not one hundred-thousandth, not one ten-millionth, not one hundred ten-millionth, not one thousand ten-millionth, not one hundred thousand ten-millionth; even in numerical proportion, by analogy, and to the extreme limit of calculation, it would not equal even one part. Why? Because the wisdom of that Great Bodhisattva can cause all sentient beings to turn toward Nirvana, while the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot do so.
Furthermore, Sariputra, because the wisdom attained in a single day by a Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot match. Sariputra, setting aside the continent of Jambudvipa, suppose your wisdom and that of Maudgalyayana, as numerous as rice, sesame, bamboo, reeds, sugarcane, and forests… filling all four great continents, were compared to the wisdom of a single Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita – it would not equal one hundredth, not one thousandth, not one hundred-thousandth, not one ten-millionth, not one hundred ten-millionth, not one thousand ten-millionth, not one hundred thousand ten-millionth; even in numerical proportion, by analogy, and to the extreme limit of calculation, it would not equal even one part. Why? Sariputra, because the wisdom of that Great Bodhisattva can cause all sentient beings to turn toward Nirvana, while the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot do so.
Furthermore, Sariputra, the wisdom attained in a single day by a Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot match. Sariputra, setting aside the four great continents, suppose your wisdom and that of Maudgalyayana, as numerous as rice, sesame, bamboo, reeds, sugarcane, and forests… filling an entire trichiliocosm, were compared to the wisdom of a single Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita – it would not equal one hundredth, not one thousandth, not one hundred-thousandth, not one ten-millionth, not one hundred ten-millionth, not one thousand ten-millionth, not one hundred thousand ten-millionth, not one portion in any numerical proportion, by analogy, and to the extreme limit of calculation, it would not equal even one part. Why? Sariputra, because the wisdom of that Great Bodhisattva can cause all sentient beings to turn toward Nirvana, while the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot do so.
Furthermore, Sariputra, the wisdom attained in a single day by a Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot match. Sariputra, surpassing the trichiliocosm, suppose your wisdom and that of Maudgalyayana, as numerous as rice, sesame, bamboo, reeds, sugarcane, and forests… filling all the innumerable worlds of the Buddhas in the ten directions, were compared to the wisdom of a single Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita – it would not equal one hundredth, not one thousandth, not one hundred-thousandth, not one ten-millionth, not one hundred ten-millionth, not one thousand ten-millionth, not one hundred thousand ten-millionth; even in numerical proportion, by analogy, and to the extreme limit of calculation, it would not equal even one part. Why? Sariputra, because the wisdom of that Great Bodhisattva can cause all sentient beings to turn toward Nirvana, while the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot do so.
Furthermore, Sariputra, the wisdom attained in a single day by a Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot match.
At that time, Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, the wisdom of Sravakas at the level of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, and Arahantship; the wisdom of the Pratyekabuddha vehicle; the wisdom of Great Bodhisattvas; the wisdom of all Tathagatas, Arhats, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones – all these wisdoms are without differentiation, without opposition, without arising, without ceasing, their intrinsic nature all empty. If they are dharmas without differentiation, without opposition, without arising and ceasing, with intrinsic nature empty, and the differentiation of these dharmas cannot be grasped, then why does the World-Honored One say that the wisdom of a single Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, even in a single day, surpasses the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Sariputra, what do you think – the wisdom of a single Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, in a single day, accomplishes a supreme matter; does the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas attain this?
Sariputra replied:
World-Honored One, no! Buddha, no!
Sariputra, what do you think – a Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, cultivating wisdom for a single day, gives rise to this thought: “I should practice the wondrous wisdom of knowing all marks, the wisdom of all things, the wisdom of knowing the marks of the path, the wisdom of knowing all marks, bringing benefit and joy to all sentient beings.” That Great Bodhisattva, having awakened to all marks regarding all dharmas, uses skillful means to establish all sentient beings and leads them into the realm of nirvana without remainder. Can the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas accomplish this?
Sariputra replied:
World-Honored One, no! Buddha, no!
Furthermore, Sariputra, what do you think – can any Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha give rise to this thought: “I will attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment and then use skillful means to establish all sentient beings in the realm of nirvana without remainder”?
Sariputra replied:
World-Honored One, no! Buddha, no!
Furthermore, Sariputra, what do you think – can any Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha give rise to this thought: “I will practice the dharmas of the Perfections of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom; I will supremely practice the four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, eight-fold noble path; I will supremely practice the four dhyanas, four immeasurables, four formless samadhis; I will supremely practice the eight liberations, eight stations of mastery, nine successive samadhis, ten totalities; I will supremely practice the liberation gateways of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness; I will dwell in inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, boundless emptiness, beginningless-endless emptiness, non-abandonment emptiness, essential emptiness, own-nature emptiness, common-nature emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, dharma of non-apprehensible emptiness, non-entity emptiness, own-nature emptiness, non-entity-own-nature emptiness; I will dwell in suchness, the dharma-realm, the nature of dharmas, non-falseness, non-changeability, equality, freedom from arising, the dharma’s abiding, reality’s abiding, the ultimate reality, the realm of empty space, the inconceivable realm; I will supremely dwell in the four Noble Truths of Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and Path; I will practice all Dharani gateways and Samadhi gateways; I will practice the stages of Supreme Joy, Stainless, Luminous, Radiant Wisdom, Extremely Difficult to Conquer, Manifest, Far-reaching, Immovable, Good Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud; I will perfect the supernatural powers of a Bodhisattva, bring full accomplishment to sentient beings, and purify the Buddha-land; I will perfect the five kinds of eye and six supernatural powers; I will perfect the ten powers of a Buddha, four kinds of fearlessness, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of the Buddha; I will perfect the thirty-two marks of a great person and eighty minor characteristics; I will perfect the dharma of non-forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity; I will perfect the wisdom of all things, the wisdom of knowing the marks of the path, the wisdom of knowing all marks; permanently severing the root of all afflictions and habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes, attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment, and then use skillful means to establish immeasurable, countless, and boundless sentient beings in the realm of nirvana without remainder”?
Sariputra replied:
World-Honored One, no! Buddha, no! The Buddha said:
Sariputra, all Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajnaparamita all give rise to this thought: I will practice the dharmas of the Perfections of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom; until I will permanently sever the root of all afflictions and habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes, attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment, and then use skillful means to establish immeasurable, countless, and boundless sentient beings in the realm of nirvana without remainder.
Sariputra, it is like a firefly that never thinks: “My light can illuminate the entire continent of Jambudvipa, making everywhere brilliantly lit.” Likewise, Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas never think: “I will practice the dharmas of the Perfections of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom; until I will permanently sever the root of all afflictions and habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes, attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment, and then use skillful means to establish immeasurable, countless, and boundless sentient beings in the realm of nirvana without remainder.
Sariputra, it is like the blazing light of the sun, which illuminates the entire continent of Jambudvipa and reaches every single place without exception. Likewise, Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajnaparamita always give rise to this thought: I will practice the dharmas of the Perfections of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom; until I will permanently sever completely the root of all afflictions and habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes, attain the supreme fruit of Enlightenment, and then use skillful means to establish immeasurable, countless, and boundless sentient beings in the realm of nirvana without remainder.
Sariputra, for this reason you should know that the wisdom of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, compared to the wisdom cultivated in a single day by a Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajnaparamita, does not equal one hundredth, not one thousandth, not one hundred-thousandth, not one ten-millionth, not one hundred ten-millionth, not one thousand ten-millionth, not one hundred thousand ten-millionth; even in numerical proportion, by analogy, and to the extreme limit of calculation, it does not equal even one part.
At that time, the Elder Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, why are Great Bodhisattvas able to surpass the levels of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, able to attain the non-retrogressive stage of a Bodhisattva, and able to illuminate the path of supreme enlightenment of the Buddha?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas from the very first arising of the Bodhicitta practice the dharmas of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom, always using skillful means, wholesome vows, and the paramita of wisdom power; dwelling in the dharmas of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness, they are able to surpass all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, able to attain the non-retrogressive stage of a Bodhisattva, and to illuminate the path of supreme enlightenment of the Buddha.
Sariputra again addressed the Buddha:
– World-Honored One, at what level do Great Bodhisattvas dwell so that they can serve as a fine field of merit for Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas from the very first arising of the Bodhicitta practice the dharmas of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom, with skillful means, wholesome vows, and the paramita of wisdom power; dwelling in the dharmas of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness – until seated on the wondrous Bodhi seat, they always serve as a field of merit for Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Why?
Sariputra, because it is owing to the Great Bodhisattva that all wholesome dharmas appear in the world; that is, owing to the Great Bodhisattva, the ten paths of virtuous action, the five precepts of a lay disciple, the eight precepts of close dwelling, the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, the four formless samadhis, the merit-making activities of generosity, the merit-making activities of moral discipline, the merit-making activities of cultivation… appear in the world.
Furthermore, owing to the Great Bodhisattva, the four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, eight-fold noble path, liberation gateways of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness, and the Noble Truths of Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and Path appear in the world.
Furthermore, owing to the Great Bodhisattva:
– The dharmas of the Perfections of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom appear in the world.
– Inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, boundless emptiness, beginningless-endless emptiness, non-abandonment emptiness, essential emptiness, own-nature emptiness, common-nature emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, non-apprehensible emptiness, non-entity emptiness, own-nature emptiness, non-entity-own-nature emptiness appear in the world.
– All dharmas, suchness, the dharma-realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature of non-falseness, the nature of non-changeability, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the dharma’s abiding, reality’s abiding, the ultimate reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm appear in the world.
– The eight liberations, eight stations of mastery, nine successive samadhis, and ten totalities appear in the world.
– All Dharani gateways, Samadhi gateways, and the ten Bodhisattva stages appear in the world.
– The five kinds of eye and six supernatural powers appear in the world.
– The ten powers of the Buddha, four kinds of fearlessness, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of the Buddha appear in the world.
– The dharma of non-forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity appear in the
world.
– The wisdom of all things, wisdom of knowing the marks of the path, wisdom of knowing all marks appear
in the world.
– Immeasurable, countless, and boundless wholesome dharmas that bring full accomplishment to sentient beings and purify the Buddha-land appear in the world.
Because such wholesome dharmas exist, the world has the great lineages of Ksatriya, Brahmin, Elder, and Householder.
Because such wholesome dharmas exist, the world has the heavens of the Four Great Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yama Heaven, the Tushita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation, and the Heaven of Others’ Transformation.
Because such wholesome dharmas exist, the world has the Brahma Assembly Heaven, the Brahma Ministers Heaven, the Brahma Multitude Heaven, the Great Brahma Heaven, the Heaven of Light, the Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, the Heaven of Utmost Radiant Purity, the Heaven of Purity, the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Immeasurable Purity, the Heaven of Pervasive Purity, the Vast Heaven, the Lesser Vast Heaven, the Immeasurably Vast Heaven, the Heaven of Vast Fruit, the Serene Heaven, the Unclouded Heaven, the Heaven of Good Appearance, the Heaven of Good Vision, and the Heaven of Ultimate Form.
Because such wholesome dharmas exist, the world has the heavens of Boundless Space, Boundless Consciousness, Nothingness, and Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception.
Because such wholesome dharmas exist, the world has the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arahantship, and Pratyekabuddha enlightenment.
Because such wholesome dharmas exist, the world has the Great Bodhisattvas and all Tathagatas, Arhats, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones.
At that time, Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, should Great Bodhisattvas repay the kindness of their benefactors?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas need not repay the kindness of their benefactors. Why? Because they have already repaid much. How so? Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas are themselves great benefactors who have given immeasurable wholesome dharmas to all sentient beings; that is, giving to all sentient beings the ten paths of virtuous action, the five precepts of a lay disciple, the eight precepts of close dwelling, the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, the four formless samadhis, and the three merit-making activities of generosity, moral discipline, and cultivation.
Furthermore giving to all sentient beings the four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, eight-fold noble path, liberation gateways of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness, and the Noble Truths of Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and Path.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the dharmas of the Perfections of Generosity, Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, Wisdom, skillful means, wholesome vows, and the paramita of wisdom power.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the dharmas of emptiness: inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, boundless emptiness, beginningless-endless emptiness, non-abandonment emptiness, essential emptiness, own-nature emptiness, common-nature emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, non-apprehensible emptiness, non-entity emptiness, own-nature emptiness, non-entity-own-nature emptiness.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings all dharmas, suchness, the dharma-realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature of non-falseness, the nature of non-changeability, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the dharma’s abiding, reality’s abiding, the ultimate reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the eight liberations, eight stations of mastery, nine successive samadhis, and ten totalities.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the Dharani gateways, Samadhi gateways, and the ten Bodhisattva stages.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the five kinds of eye and six supernatural powers.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the ten powers of the Buddha, four kinds of fearlessness, four unobstructed understandings, the four dharmas of great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of the Buddha.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the dharma of non-forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the various wisdoms: the wisdom of all things, the wisdom of knowing the marks of the path, the wisdom of knowing all marks.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the four dharmas of Generosity, Loving Speech, Beneficial Action, and Cooperation; bringing full accomplishment to sentient beings, purifying the Buddha-land, and all skillful means.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arahantship, and Pratyekabuddha enlightenment.
Furthermore giving to sentient beings all the conduct of Great Bodhisattvas, together with the supreme fruit of Enlightenment of all Buddhas.
Sariputra, Great Bodhisattvas give to sentient beings immeasurable, countless, and boundless such wholesome dharmas as these, and therefore Bodhisattvas are called great benefactors. In this way they have already repaid the kindness of all their benefactors and are a fine field of merit that causes all supremely virtuous merits to grow.
Chapter 3: ACCORDANCE (1)
At that time, Sariputra addressed the Buddha:
World-Honored One, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, by being in accordance with what dharma are they said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita?
The Buddha said to the Elder Sariputra:
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of form, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the eye sense base, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense bases, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the visible-form sense base, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the sound, smell, taste, tangible object, and mental object sense bases, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the eye element, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the form element, they are said to be in accordance with Prajna-
paramita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the sound, smell, taste, tangible object, and mental object elements, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the eye-consciousness element, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind-consciousness elements, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of eye contact, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of feelings arising conditioned by eye contact, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the earth element, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of causal conditions, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of dharmas arising from immediately contiguous conditions, object conditions, dominant conditions, and other conditions, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of ignorance, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of mental formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the Perfection of Generosity, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the Perfections of Moral Discipline, Patient Acceptance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of inner emptiness, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of outer emptiness, inner-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, boundless emptiness, beginningless-endless emptiness, non-abandonment emptiness, essential emptiness, own-nature emptiness, common-nature emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, non-apprehensible emptiness, non-entity emptiness, own-nature emptiness, non-entity-own-nature emptiness, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of suchness, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the dharma-realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature of non-falseness, the nature of non-changeability, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the dharma’s abiding, reality’s abiding, the ultimate reality, the realm of empty space, and the inconceivable realm, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the four foundations of mindfulness, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the four right efforts, four bases of supernatural power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and eight-fold noble path, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the Noble Truth of Suffering, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the Noble Truths of Origination, Cessation, and Path, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the ten paths of virtuous action, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the five precepts of a lay disciple and the eight precepts of close dwelling, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of merit-making activity of a generous nature, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of merit-making activity of a moral discipline nature and of a cultivation nature, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the four dhyanas, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the four immeasurables and four formless samadhis, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the eight liberations, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the eight stations of mastery, nine successive samadhis, and ten totalities, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the Emptiness liberation gateway, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the Signlessness and Wishlessness liberation gateways, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of all Dharani gateways, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of all Samadhi gateways, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the stage of Supreme Joy, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the stages of Stainless, Luminous, Radiant Wisdom, Extremely Difficult to Conquer, Manifest, Far-reaching, Immovable, Good Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the five kinds of eye, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the six supernatural powers, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the ten powers of the Buddha, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the four kinds of fearlessness, four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, and eighteen distinctive qualities of the Buddha, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the thirty-two marks of a great person, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the eighty minor characteristics, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the dharma of non-forgetting, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the nature of perpetual equanimity, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the wisdom of all things, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the wisdom of knowing the marks of the path and the wisdom of knowing all marks, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the wisdom of omniscience, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of permanently severing the root of all afflictions and habitual tendencies accumulated over many lifetimes, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the fruit of Stream-entry, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the fruits of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arahantship, and Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of all the conduct of Great Bodhisattvas, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the supreme fruit of Enlightenment of all Buddhas, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with the emptiness of the self, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita; because they are in accordance with the emptiness of sentient being, life force, arising, nurturing, growth, one who transmigrates, one born of thought, sprout of existence, one capable of acting, one capable of causing others to act, one capable of receiving retribution, one capable of causing others to receive retribution, the knower, the seer…, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with such emptinesses as these, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because when they are in accordance with such emptinesses as these, they do not see form as either in accordance or not in accordance; they do not see feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness as either in accordance or not in accordance. Why is that? Sariputra, because that Great Bodhisattva does not see form as a dharma that arises or a dharma that ceases; does not see feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness as dharmas that arise or cease; does not see form as a dharma that is defiled or a dharma that is pure; does not see feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness as dharmas that are defiled or pure.
Sariputra, that Great Bodhisattva does not see form as joining with feeling, does not see feeling as joining with perception, does not see perception as joining with mental formations, does not see mental formations as joining with consciousness. Why? Sariputra, there is not one single subtle dharma that joins with another subtle dharma, because their intrinsic nature is emptiness. How so?
Sariputra, the emptiness of form is not form; the emptinesses of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are not feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness. Why?
Sariputra, the emptiness of form does not have the characteristic of changing and obstructing; the emptiness of feeling does not have the characteristic of receiving and holding; the emptiness of perception does not have the characteristic of apprehending images; the emptiness of mental formations does not have the characteristic of constructing; the emptiness of consciousness does not have the characteristic of discriminating. Why? Sariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness do not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness; feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are emptiness, emptiness is feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. Why? Sariputra, the empty characteristics of these dharmas do not arise, do not cease, are not defiled, are not pure, do not increase, do not decrease, are not past, are not future, and are not present.
Sariputra, thus, in emptiness there is no form, no feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness; no earth element, no water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness elements; no eye sense base, no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind sense bases; no visible-form sense base, no sound, smell, taste, tangible object, or mental object sense bases; no eye element, no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind elements; no form element, no sound, smell, taste, tangible object, or mental object elements; no eye-consciousness element, no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind-consciousness elements; no eye contact, no ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind contact; no feelings arising conditioned by eye contact, no feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind contact; no arising of ignorance, no cessation of ignorance; no arising of mental formations, consciousness, name-and-form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, and old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair; no cessation of mental formations through to old-age-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and despair; no Noble Truth of Suffering, no Noble Truths of Origination, Cessation, and Path; no attainment, no direct realization, no Stream-entrant, no fruit of Stream-entry, no Once-returner, no fruit of Once-returning, no Non-returner, no fruit of Non-returning, no Arahant, no fruit of Arahantship, no Pratyekabuddha, no fruit of Pratyekabuddha, no Bodhisattva, no Bodhisattva conduct, no Buddha, no fruit of Buddhahood.
Sariputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice Prajnaparamita, because they are in accordance with such dharmas as these, they are said to be in accordance with Prajnaparamita.
– o0o –
End Of Volume 4