MAHĀ PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 24
Chapter 78: THE FOUR METHODS OF EMBRACING
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! If all dharmas are like dreams, like echoes, like reflections, like mirages, like illusions, like transformations, without reality, without intrinsic nature, with their own characteristics empty, then how can one distinguish wholesome dharmas, unwholesome dharmas, worldly dharmas, transcendent dharmas, conditioned dharmas with outflows, dharmas without outflows, conditioned dharmas, unconditioned dharmas, dharmas that enable one to attain the fruit of Stream-entry, the fruit of Once-returning, the fruit of Non-returning, the fruit of Arhatship, dharmas that enable one to attain the path of the Pratyekabuddha, and dharmas that enable one to attain Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“For ordinary and ignorant beings, there are dreams and there are people who dream; likewise, there are transformations and there are people who perceive transformations. Because of this, they create wholesome karma, unwholesome karma, indeterminate karma, meritorious karma, sinful karma, and immovable karma through body, speech, and mind.
A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā dwells in the two kinds of emptiness: ultimate emptiness and beginningless emptiness, and teaches the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings:
‘All you sentient beings! Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are empty, without reality. The twelve sense bases and the eighteen elements are empty and without reality.
Form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements are dreams, echoes, reflections, mirages, illusions, and transformations.
Within them there are no five aggregates, no twelve sense bases, no eighteen elements; there is no dream and no person who dreams; there is no echo and no person who hears the echo; there is no reflection and no person who sees the reflection; there is no mirage and no person who sees the mirage; there is no illusion and no person who sees the illusion; there is no transformation and no person who sees the transformation.
All dharmas have no foundation and no true inherent nature.
Beings perceive aggregates where there are no aggregates, perceive sense bases where there are no sense bases, and perceive elements where there are no elements.
All these dharmas arise from the harmonious combination of causes and conditions, arise due to deluded thoughts, and belong to the results of karma.
Why do you cling to signs of foundation in dharmas that are empty and have no foundation?’
At that time, the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā uses skillful means regarding the dharma of stinginess to liberate sentient beings from it and teaches them to practice the Perfection of Giving. By preserving the merit of giving, they obtain great karmic rewards. From these great karmic rewards, the Bodhisattva then liberates them and teaches them to uphold precepts. Relying on the merit of morality, they are born in honored places in the heavens. Then again the Bodhisattva liberates them and teaches them to abide in the First Dhyāna; through the merit of the First Dhyāna, they are born in the Brahmā heavens. Likewise, they are taught to abide in the Second Dhyāna, the Third Dhyāna, the Fourth Dhyāna, the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception.
For sentient beings practicing giving and experiencing the results of giving, practicing morality and experiencing the results of morality, practicing meditation and experiencing the results of meditation, the Bodhisattva liberates them from those states and places them in the remainderless Nirvāṇa. Within the path to Nirvāṇa are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold noble path, the three liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, the eight liberations, the nine successive concentrations, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.
The Bodhisattva makes sentient beings secure and enables them to abide in the undefiled Dharma of the noble ones, which has no form, no shape, and no opposition.
Those capable of attaining the fruit of Stream-entry are peacefully guided and taught by the Bodhisattva, helping them abide in the fruit of Stream-entry.
Those capable of attaining the fruit of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, or the path of the Pratyekabuddha are peacefully guided and taught by the Bodhisattva, helping them abide in those attainments.
Those capable of attaining Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment are peacefully guided and taught by the Bodhisattva, helping them abide in Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment.
World-Honored One! The Great Bodhisattvas are extremely rare and incomparable. They are able to practice this profound Prajñāpāramitā. Although dharmas have no inherent nature, are ultimately empty, and are beginninglessly empty, they are still able to distinguish dharmas as wholesome, unwholesome, with outflows, without outflows, conditioned, and unconditioned.”
The Buddha said:
“That is correct, Subhūti. The Great Bodhisattvas are extremely rare and incomparable. They are able to practice this profound Prajñāpāramitā. Although dharmas have no inherent nature, are ultimately empty, and are beginninglessly empty, they are still able to distinguish dharmas.
Subhūti, if you know that this Dharma of the Great Bodhisattvas is extremely rare and incomparable, then you should know that all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot possess it, much less others.”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One! What is this rare and incomparable Dharma of the Great Bodhisattvas that all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot possess?”
“Subhūti, listen with one-pointed mind. There is a Great Bodhisattva who practices Prajñāpāramitā, abiding in the fruits attained from the six perfections, abiding in the five supernatural powers obtained through fruition, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the dhāraṇīs, and unobstructed wisdom. They go to the lands of the ten directions. For those who should be liberated through giving, they use giving to assist them. For those who should be liberated through morality, they use morality to assist them. For those who should be liberated through patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom, they use patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom to assist them. For those who should be liberated through the First Dhyāna, they use the First Dhyāna to assist them. For those who should be liberated through the Second Dhyāna, the Third Dhyāna, and up to the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception, they assist them according to what is appropriate. For those who should be liberated through loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, they use loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity to assist them. For those who should be liberated through the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold noble path, the concentration of emptiness, the concentration of signlessness, and the concentration of wishlessness, they assist them according to what is appropriate.”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One! How does a Great Bodhisattva use giving to benefit sentient beings?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, the Bodhisattva gives according to whatever sentient beings need and provides all such things to them, such as food, drink, clothing, vehicles, incense, flowers, and necklaces. This is no different from making offerings to Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas, Arhats, Non-returners, Once-returners, or Stream-enterers. Whether giving to those who have entered the right path, ordinary people, or even birds and animals below, they make no distinctions and give equally.
Why? Because all dharmas are not different and are not distinguished, this Bodhisattva does not differentiate or distinguish.
Such giving obtains the result of the Dharma of non-discrimination, which is All-knowing Wisdom.
Subhūti, if a Great Bodhisattva sees a beggar and thinks: ‘The Buddha is a field of merit; I should make offerings. Birds and animals are not fields of merit; I should not give to them,’ then this is not the Dharma of a Bodhisattva.
Why? When a Great Bodhisattva gives rise to the mind of Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment, they do not think: ‘This sentient being should receive giving because it will benefit them; that sentient being should not receive giving. By giving to this sentient being, they will be born into a great lineage of Kṣatriyas, Brahmins, or householders, or through giving they will be guided into remainderless Nirvāṇa through the three vehicles.’
If there are sentient beings who come to ask for something, the Bodhisattva does not give rise to thoughts of distinction, thinking that one person should be given to and another should not.
Why? The Bodhisattva generated the mind of Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment for these sentient beings. If they still make distinctions and choose, they will fall into the criticism of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and all gods, humans, and beings of the world.
Who asked you to liberate only certain sentient beings? You are the home of all sentient beings, the refuge for all sentient beings, the support of all sentient beings, yet you make distinctions and choose who should receive and who should not.
Furthermore, when a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, if a person or non-person comes requesting the Bodhisattva’s body, hands, or feet, at that time the Bodhisattva should not give rise to two thoughts: ‘I should give’ or ‘I should not give.’
Why? The Great Bodhisattva takes on a body for the sake of sentient beings. Now if sentient beings come to take it, why would they not give it? The Bodhisattva should think: ‘I accepted this body for the benefit of sentient beings. Even if sentient beings do not ask, I should still give it to them, how much more so when they ask!’
A Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā should train in this way.
Furthermore, Subhūti, if a person comes asking for something, the Great Bodhisattva should think:
‘Within this, who gives? Who receives? What is the thing being given? All these dharmas have no self-nature because they are ultimately empty. Dharmas without characteristics have no giving and no receiving. Why? Because they are ultimately empty, internally empty, externally empty, internally and externally empty, greatly empty, supremely meaningfully empty, and empty of their own characteristics. Abiding in these forms of emptiness while giving, one fulfills the Perfection of Giving.’
Because they fulfill the Perfection of Giving, if they are stabbed or cut, or if their possessions are stolen, this Bodhisattva immediately thinks:
‘Who is cutting and harming me? Who is stealing my possessions?’
Subhūti, the Tathāgata, with the Buddha-eye, sees in the eastern direction countless Great Bodhisattvas entering the great hells, extinguishing the fires and cooling the boiling water. They use three methods to teach and transform: first, supernatural powers; second, knowing the thoughts of others; third, teaching the Dharma.
These Bodhisattvas use supernatural powers to extinguish the fires and cool the boiling water in the great hells. Knowing the thoughts of others, they use loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity to teach the Dharma according to circumstances. Those sentient beings give rise to pure minds toward the Bodhisattvas. After escaping from the hells, they gradually eliminate the suffering of birth and death through the three vehicles.
Just as in the eastern direction, so too in the other nine directions.
Subhūti, the Tathāgata, with the Buddha-eye, observes countless Buddha lands throughout the ten directions and sees Bodhisattvas serving Buddhas, providing what is needed, and honoring the Buddhas. If the Buddhas give instructions, these Bodhisattvas uphold all of them until they attain Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment, never forgetting or losing anything.
Subhūti, the Tathāgata, with the Buddha-eye, observes countless Buddha lands throughout the ten directions and sees Bodhisattvas giving up their bodies for animals, scattering their bodies throughout various places. Any animal that eats the flesh of such a Great Bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of respect and affection. Because of this respectful mind toward the Bodhisattva, they escape the animal realm, encounter Buddhas, hear the Dharma, practice cultivation, and enter remainderless Nirvāṇa through the three vehicles of Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, and Buddha Dharma.”
Thus, Subhuti! The Great Bodhisattvas greatly benefit sentient beings, teaching and transforming sentient beings so that they arouse the mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, practice according to the Dharma, until they enter the Nirvana Without Remainder.
Furthermore, Subhuti! The Tathagata, with the Buddha-eye, sees the Great Bodhisattvas in countless lands throughout the ten directions eliminating the sufferings of hunger and thirst of the hungry ghosts. These hungry ghosts all respect and love the Bodhisattvas. Through this respect and love for the Bodhisattvas, they are freed from the realm of hungry ghosts, encounter the Buddha, hear the Dharma, practice according to the Dharma, and gradually, through the three vehicles of the Sravaka, Pratyekabuddha, and Buddha vehicles, enter the Nirvana Without Remainder.
The Great Bodhisattvas practice such great Compassion for the sake of liberating sentient beings.
Furthermore, Subhuti! The Tathagata, with the Buddha-eye, sees the Great Bodhisattvas teaching the Dharma in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. They also teach the Dharma in the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods, the Yama Heaven, the Tushita Heaven, the Heaven of Enjoying Transformations, and the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Transformations. The heavenly beings who hear the Bodhisattvas teach the Dharma gradually attain liberation through the three vehicles.
Subhuti! Among these heavenly beings, if any are attached to the five desires, the Bodhisattvas manifest flames that burn their palaces and then teach them the Dharma: “O heavenly beings, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent. How could there be any true security in them?”
Furthermore, Subhuti! The Tathagata, with the Buddha-eye, sees the Brahma beings in countless lands of the worlds of the ten directions holding wrong views. The Bodhisattvas teach them to abandon wrong views and say: “Why do you give rise to wrong views regarding all these empty and formless deceptive phenomena?”
Subhuti! The Great Bodhisattva abides in the mind of Great Loving-kindness and teaches the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings.
Subhuti! This is the rare and incomparable Dharma of the Bodhisattva. Furthermore, Subhuti! The Tathagata, with the Buddha-eye, sees the Great Bodhisattvas in countless lands of the worlds of the ten directions using four methods to assist sentient beings. They are: Giving, Loving Speech, Beneficial Action, and Cooperation.
What does it mean that a Bodhisattva uses giving to assist sentient beings?
Subhuti! A Bodhisattva uses two kinds of giving to rescue and assist sentient beings. They are material giving and Dharma giving.
What is material giving to rescue sentient beings?
Subhuti! The Great Bodhisattva uses various precious things: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, genuine pearls, conch shells, coral, or provides food and drink, clothing, blankets and pillows, houses, lamps and candles, flowers and incense, necklaces and ornaments, or sons and daughters, or cows, goats, elephants, horses, vehicles, or even offers his own body to provide for sentient beings. The Bodhisattva tells sentient beings: “If you need anything, come and take it as though taking your own possessions. Do not have any hesitation.” After giving, this Bodhisattva teaches them the Dharma of the Three Refuges: taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, and taking refuge in the Sangha. Or he teaches them to receive the Five Precepts, receive the Eight Precepts, or teaches the First Dhyana, up to the Samadhi of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, or teaches Loving-kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity, or teaches mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Sangha, mindfulness of Precepts, mindfulness of Renunciation, mindfulness of Devas, or teaches contemplation of impurity, contemplation of inhalation and exhalation, contemplation of form, contemplation of touch, or teaches the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Empty Samadhi, the Signless Samadhi, the Wishless Samadhi, the Eight Liberations, the Nine Successive Concentrations, the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms, the Eighteen Unshared Qualities of the Buddha, Great Loving-kindness, Great Compassion, the thirty-two marks of excellence, the eighty minor characteristics, or teaches the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, the path of the Pratyekabuddha, or teaches Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Thus, Subhuti! Practicing Prajnaparamita, the Great Bodhisattva uses skillful means to teach and transform sentient beings: after giving material gifts, he then teaches them to attain the unsurpassed peaceful Nirvana. This is called the rare and incomparable Dharma of the Great Bodhisattva.
Subhuti! What does it mean that a Bodhisattva uses Dharma giving to rescue sentient beings?
Subhuti! Dharma giving has two kinds: first, worldly Dharma; second, supramundane Dharma.
What is worldly Dharma giving?
It means explaining and teaching worldly practices such as contemplation of impurity, contemplation of inhalation and exhalation, the Four Dhyanas, the Four Immeasurable Minds, and the Four Formless Concentrations. Such worldly practices and the practices of ordinary beings are called worldly Dharma giving.
This Bodhisattva, through such worldly Dharma giving, uses many methods to teach and transform them so that they leave worldly Dharma behind. Having left worldly Dharma behind, the Bodhisattva uses skillful means to enable them to attain the undefiled Dharma of the Noble Ones and the undefiled fruits of the Noble Ones.
What is the undefiled Dharma of the Noble Ones? What are the undefiled fruits of the Noble Ones?
The undefiled Dharma of the Noble Ones consists of the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment and the Three Gates of Liberation.
The undefiled fruits of the Noble Ones are the fruit of Stream-entry, up to the fruit of Arhatship, the path of the Pratyekabuddha, and Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Furthermore, Subhuti! The undefiled Noble Dharma of the Great Bodhisattva also includes wisdom within the fruit of Stream-entry up to wisdom within the fruit of Arhatship, wisdom within the path of the Pratyekabuddha, wisdom within the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment, wisdom within the Six Paramitas, and wisdom within Great Loving-kindness and Great Compassion.
All such phenomena—whether worldly or supramundane, wisdom, defiled or undefiled, conditioned or unconditioned—when the Omniscient Wisdom in all phenomena is present, are called the undefiled Noble Dharma of the Great Bodhisattva.
What is the undefiled Noble fruit?
The complete cutting off of all seeds of habitual afflictions is called the undefiled Noble fruit.
“World-Honored One, does the Great Bodhisattva attain Omniscient Wisdom?”
“Subhuti, indeed so! The Great Bodhisattva attains Omniscient Wisdom.”
“World-Honored One, what difference is there between a Bodhisattva and a Buddha?”
“Subhuti, there is a difference! When a Great Bodhisattva attains Omniscient Wisdom, he is called a Buddha.
Why? Because the mind of the Bodhisattva and the mind of the Buddha are not different.
The Bodhisattva abiding in Omniscient Wisdom illuminates every Dharma; there is no Dharma that is not illuminated.
This is called the worldly Dharma giving of the Great Bodhisattva.
Subhuti! Through worldly Dharma giving, the Great Bodhisattva attains supramundane Dharma giving.
Thus, Subhuti! The Great Bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings so that they attain worldly Dharma, and through skillful means teaches them to attain supramundane Dharma.
Subhuti! What is the supramundane Dharma of the Bodhisattva? These are Dharmas that are not the same as the Dharmas of ordinary beings. They are: the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Gates of Liberation, the Eight Liberations, the Nine Successive Concentrations, the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Four Unobstructed Wisdoms, the Eighteen Unshared Qualities, the thirty-two marks of excellence, the eighty minor characteristics, and the five hundred methods of Dharani. These are called supramundane Dharma.
Subhuti! What are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness?
The Great Bodhisattva contemplates the internal body according to the body, observing it; contemplates the external body according to the body, observing it; diligently exerts effort, uses one-pointed wisdom to contemplate; observes the causes of the arising of the body through conditions; observes the cessation of the body; observes the arising and passing away of the activities of the body; this path has no basis of dependence and does not cling to anything in the world. This is mindfulness of the body.
Mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of mind, and mindfulness of phenomena are the same.
Subhuti! What are the Four Right Efforts?
For unwholesome and evil dharmas that have not yet arisen, one diligently exerts effort so that they do not arise.
For unwholesome and evil dharmas that have already arisen, one diligently exerts effort to eliminate them.
For wholesome dharmas that have not yet arisen, one diligently exerts effort so that they arise.
For wholesome dharmas that have already arisen, one diligently exerts effort so that they increase and become complete.
These are called the Four Right Efforts.
Subhuti! What are the Four Bases of Spiritual Power?
The Samadhi of aspiration: firmly determining to practice and accomplish it.
The Samadhi of diligence: firmly determining to practice and accomplish it.
The Samadhi of one-pointedness: firmly determining to practice and accomplish it.
Concentration, contemplation, determination, and practice for accomplishment. These are called the four Bases of Spiritual Power.
Venerable Subhūti! What are the five Faculties? They are the Faculty of Faith, the Faculty of Diligence, the Faculty of Mindfulness, the Faculty of Concentration, and the Faculty of Wisdom.
Venerable Subhūti! What are the five Powers? They are the Power of Faith, the Power of Diligence, the Power of Mindfulness, the Power of Concentration, and the Power of Wisdom.
What are the seven Factors of Enlightenment? They are the Factor of Mindfulness, the Factor of Investigation of Dharma, the Factor of Diligence, the Factor of Joy, the Factor of Tranquility, the Factor of Concentration, and the Factor of Equanimity.
What are the eight divisions of the Noble Path? They are Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
What are the three Samādhis? They are the Samādhi of Emptiness, the Samādhi of Signlessness, and the Samādhi of Wishlessness.
What is the Samādhi of Emptiness? By practicing emptiness and practicing non-self to gather and focus the mind, it is called the Samādhi of Emptiness.
What is the Samādhi of Signlessness? By practicing Samādhi and practicing detachment to maintain the mind, it is called the Samādhi of Signlessness.
What is the Samādhi of Wishlessness? By practicing impermanence and practicing suffering to gather and focus the mind, it is called the Samādhi of Wishlessness.
What are the eight Liberations?
Within there is no perception of form; externally one contemplates form—this is the first liberation. Within there is the perception of form; externally one contemplates form—this is the second liberation. The pure liberation is the third liberation. Having gone beyond all forms, extinguishing perceptions of opposition, and because one does not think of all different appearances, one contemplates infinite space and enters the sphere of infinite space—this is the fourth liberation. Continuing until surpassing the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception and entering the liberation of cessation of feeling and perception—this is the eighth liberation.
What are the nine Sequential Concentrations?
A practitioner, having abandoned desire, evil, and unwholesome states, with thought and examination, separated from desire, gives rise to joy and happiness, and enters the First Meditation, continuing until surpassing the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception and entering the concentration of cessation of feeling and perception. This is called the nine Sequential Concentrations.
What are the ten Powers of the Buddha’s Wisdom?
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, what is right and what is wrong.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the various actions and lifespans, knowing the deeds created, their causes and conditions, and their results throughout the past, present, and future lives of sentient beings.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, all meditative absorptions, liberations, and Samādhis.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the superior, middle, and inferior faculties of all sentient beings.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the views, understandings, knowledge, and inclinations of all sentient beings.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the various realms and conditions of all sentient beings.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the destinations reached through all paths of practice.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the previous lives of all sentient beings, from one lifetime to countless lifetimes.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, through the Divine Eye, seeing sentient beings being born into good or evil realms, until entering Nirvāṇa.
The power of wisdom that truly knows, as it really is, the mind’s liberation free from defilements.
These are the ten Powers of the Buddha’s Wisdom. The Buddha told Subhūti:
What are the four Fearlessnesses? The Buddha taught:
I am the One of All-Knowing Perfect Wisdom. If there are any Śramaṇas or Brāhmaṇas, or any gods, Māra kings, Brahmā kings, or other assemblies who claim that I do not know this Dharma, I do not see even the slightest sign of fear within myself. Therefore, I attain peace, have no fear, abide in the place of a noble lord, and among the great assembly roar like a lion, turning the pure Dharma wheel, which none of the other assemblies—whether Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, gods, Māras, or Brahmās—can turn. This is the first fearlessness.
The Buddha said:
Within me, all habitual tendencies and outflows have been completely exhausted. If there are any Śramaṇas or Brāhmaṇas, or gods, Māra kings, Brahmā kings, or other assemblies who say: “You have not exhausted your habitual tendencies and outflows,” I do not see even the slightest sign of fear within myself. Therefore, I attain peace, have no fear, abide in the place of a noble lord, and among the great assembly roar like a lion, turning the pure Dharma wheel, which no Śramaṇa, Brāhmaṇa, god, Māra king, Brahmā king, or other beings can turn. This is the second fearlessness.
The Buddha said:
I declare these to be Dharma obstructions. If there are any Śramaṇas or Brāhmaṇas, or gods, Māra kings, Brahmā kings, or other assemblies who say that accepting these teachings does not obstruct the path, I do not see even the slightest sign of fear within myself. Therefore, I attain peace, have no fear, abide in the place of a noble lord, and among the great assembly roar like a lion, turning the pure Dharma wheel, which Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, gods, Māra kings, or other assemblies cannot turn. This is the third fearlessness.
The Buddha said:
The Noble Path that I teach has the ability to lead beyond the world; practicing according to it will bring an end to suffering. If there are any Śramaṇas or Brāhmaṇas, or gods, Māra kings, Brahmā kings, or other assemblies who say that practicing this path cannot transcend the world and cannot end suffering, I do not see even the slightest sign of fear within myself. Therefore, I attain peace, have no fear, abide in the place of a noble lord, and among the great assembly roar like a lion, turning the pure Dharma wheel, which Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, gods, Māra kings, Brahmā kings, or other assemblies cannot turn. This is the fourth fearlessness.
Venerable Subhūti! What are the four Unobstructed Wisdoms?
Unobstructed wisdom regarding meaning.
Unobstructed wisdom regarding Dharma.
Unobstructed wisdom regarding words.
Unobstructed wisdom regarding explanation.
Wisdom that conditions upon meaning is unobstructed wisdom regarding meaning. Wisdom that conditions upon Dharma is unobstructed wisdom regarding Dharma.
Wisdom that conditions upon language is unobstructed wisdom regarding words.
Wisdom that conditions upon fluent explanation is unobstructed wisdom regarding explanation.
Venerable Subhūti! What are the eighteen Dharmas Unique to the Buddha? The Buddhas possess:
A body without faults.
Speech without faults.
Mindfulness without faults.
No mixed or confused thoughts.
No unsteady mind.
No action of abandoning something without knowing.
Desire and aspiration never diminish.
Diligence never diminishes.
Mindfulness never diminishes.
Wisdom never diminishes.
Liberation never diminishes.
Knowledge and vision of liberation never diminish.
All bodily actions are carried out according to wisdom.
All verbal actions are carried out according to wisdom.
All mental actions are carried out according to wisdom.
Wisdom that knows the past without obstruction.
Wisdom that knows the future without obstruction.
Wisdom that knows the present without obstruction.
Venerable Subhūti! What are the thirty-two marks of excellence?
The soles of the feet are even and flat.
The soles of the feet bear the mark of a thousand-spoked wheel.
The fingers and toes are longer than those of others.
The hands and feet are softer than other parts of the body.
The heels are full and rounded.
The fingers and toes have a thin, transparent webbing connecting them, more beautiful than others.
The tops of the feet are high and balanced, corresponding with the heels.
The calves are slender and beautiful like the calves of the finest deer.
Standing upright, the two arms are so long that the hands reach down to the knees.
The hidden male organ is concealed like that of the leader horse, the leader elephant.
The body is broad across like the trunk of the Ni-câu-lô tree.
From each pore of the skin grows a single soft, gentle blue hair curling to the right.
The hairs point upward, are a gentle blue, soft, and curl to the right.
The body is the color of golden dragon gold, a beauty surpassing Jambu River gold.
The light radiating from the body shines one trượng afar.
The skin is thin, smooth, and slippery, with no dust clinging to it; flies and mosquitoes cannot land on it.
Seven places on the body are full and rounded: the two soles of the feet, the two palms of the hands, the two shoulders, and the neck.
The two armpits are full and rounded.
The upper body is like that of a lion.
The body is upright and straight.
The shoulders are round and beautiful.
There are forty teeth.
The teeth are white, even, closely fitted, and their roots are very deep.
The four canine teeth are extremely white and large.
The two cheeks are square and full like the cheeks of a lion.
Within the throat are two places where saliva flows, with a sweet and delicious taste, the sweetest among sweet flavors.
The large, thin, soft tongue, when extended, can cover up to the hairline and ears. Old.
The voice is clear and resonant, carrying far like the song of the Kalavinka bird.
The color of the eyes is bright like pure gold.
The eyelashes are like those of the leader buffalo.
Between the two ends of the eyebrows is a soft, delicate white hair like cotton.
The bones at the top of the head rise upward into a protuberance.
The Buddha’s body has fully accomplished these thirty-two marks; its light shines throughout the great thousandfold world. If at a time He wishes to radiate widely, He shines throughout limitless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions. For the sake of sentient beings, the Buddha manifests a body of light one trượng in extent. If He emits limitless light, then there are no longer seasons, years, months, days, or hours.
The Buddha’s voice resounds throughout the great thousandfold world. If at a time He wishes the sound to be great, it resounds throughout limitless, innumerable worlds in the ten directions. According to the number of sentient beings, whether many or few, the Buddha’s voice reaches all of them.
O Subhūti! What are the eighty subsidiary marks of beauty that accompany the body?
The top of the head cannot be seen.
The nose is straight, high, beautiful, and its openings are concealed.
The eyebrows are like the crescent moon newly risen, and their color is like blue beryl.
Large ears that are full.
A body sturdy like Nārāyaṇa.
The bones of the head interlocked like chain hooks.
When turning the body around, it is like the leader elephant.
When walking, the soles of the feet are four inches above the ground, yet footprints appear on the earth.
Fingernails the color of reddish copper, thin and glossy.
The kneecap bones are firm, round, and beautiful.
The entire body is clean.
The body is soft and gentle.
The body is not crooked or distorted.
Fingers are long, pointed, and round.
The lines on the palms are dignified.
The veins are hidden deep.
The ankles are not exposed.
The body is smooth and glossy.
The body naturally maintains uprightness; walking is not slanted.
The body is complete.
Knowing completeness.
Dignified appearance is complete.
Always peaceful, with nothing able to disturb it.
Its majestic virtue shakes everything.
Everyone delights in looking at it.
The face is not large or long.
The proper appearance does not change in color.
The face is complete.
The color of the lips is red like the tần-bà fruit.
Thirty, the sound echoes deeply.
The navel is deep, round, and beautiful.
The hair curls to the right.
The hands and feet are all even and full.
The hands and feet are as one wishes.
The lines on the palms are straight and bright.
The lines on the palms are clear.
The lines on the palms are unbroken.
All sentient beings with evil minds, when they see it, become harmonious and joyful.
The face is broad and very beautiful.
The face is full and pure like the moon.
According to the wishes of sentient beings, he harmoniously rejoices and speaks with them.
A subtle fragrant scent emanates from the pores of the body.
An immeasurable fragrant scent emanates from the mouth.
The appearance is like a lion.
Walking and standing are like the leader elephant.
The manner of walking is like the leader goose.
The head is like the ma-đà-na fruit.
The voice is clear and complete.
The teeth are sharp.
The tongue is red in color.
The tongue is thin.
The hair is pink in color.
The hair is clean.
The eyes are broad and long.
The marks of all openings are complete.
The hands and feet are white-red like the color of pink lotus flowers.
The navel is not exposed.
The abdomen is not exposed.
The abdomen is small.
The body does not lean or move irregularly.
The body is firm and heavy.
The body parts are large.
The body is tall and large.
The hands and feet are soft, gentle, and clean.
From the body, light shines as far as one trượng.
When walking, there is light shining upon the body.
He regards sentient beings equally.
He does not look down on sentient beings.
According to sentient beings, the sounds do not increase or decrease.
When teaching the Dharma, he does not speak in a low manner.
According to the languages of sentient beings, he teaches the Dharma for them.
He pronounces all sounds correctly.
He teaches the Dharma in sequence according to causes and conditions.
No sentient being can see all the marks on the Buddha’s body completely.
Those who gaze upon him do not become weary.
The hair is long and beautiful.
The hair is not tangled.
The hair curls beautifully.
The hair is the color of blue-green jade.
The hands and feet possess the marks of merit and virtue.
O Subhūti! The Buddha’s body possesses such eighty accompanying beautiful characteristics.
Furthermore, Subhuti! When practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, the Great Bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings: “Good son! You should skillfully distinguish all letters, and also skillfully know from one letter up to forty-two letters. All languages enter into the first letter. All languages also enter into the second letter, and so on until the forty-second letter; all languages enter into them. One letter enters into the forty-two letters, and the forty-two letters also enter into one letter.
Sentient beings should skillfully learn those forty-two letters. Having skillfully learned the forty-two letters, they can skillfully expound the Dharma that has letters. Having skillfully expounded the Dharma that has letters, they can skillfully expound the Dharma that is without letters.
Subhuti! Just as the Buddha skillfully knows Dharma, skillfully knows letters, and skillfully knows what is without letters, because the Dharma is without letters, He speaks the Dharma with letters. Why? Because it transcends all dharmas of names and letters, it is called the Buddha Dharma. Thus, Subhuti, the Great Bodhisattva uses two kinds of giving to help sentient beings: the giving of material wealth and the giving of Dharma.
This is a rare deed difficult to equal among Bodhisattvas.
Subhuti! What is meant by the Great Bodhisattva helping sentient beings through loving speech? The Great Bodhisattva uses the six Perfections and, for the sake of sentient beings, teaches the Dharma, saying: “You should practice the six Perfections, which encompass all wholesome dharmas.”
Subhuti! What is meant by the Great Bodhisattva helping sentient beings through beneficial conduct? The Great Bodhisattva constantly teaches sentient beings and instructs them to practice the six Perfections.
Subhuti! What is meant by the Great Bodhisattva helping sentient beings through sharing their activity? By using the power of the six kinds of supernatural powers, the Great Bodhisattva transforms in many ways, enters among the six realms, shares their circumstances, and then uses the four methods of embracing to help them.
Subhuti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! If sentient beings are completely nonexistent, dharmas are also nonexistent, and the nature of dharma is also nonexistent, because all are empty, without beginning and without origin, how can the Great Bodhisattva, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, the Perfection of Meditation, the Perfection of Diligence, the Perfection of Patience, the Perfection of Precepts, and the Perfection of Giving, also practice the four meditations, the four immeasurable minds, the four formless concentrations, the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, the eighteen kinds of emptiness; and further practice the samadhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, the eight liberations, the nine successive concentrations, and further practice the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, the thirty-two marks of excellence, and the eighty minor characteristics?
How can one abide in the five supernatural powers obtained as a result of karma and teach Dharma for the sake of sentient beings, when sentient beings do not truly exist and cannot be apprehended? Form cannot be apprehended, up to consciousness cannot be apprehended, because the five aggregates cannot be apprehended. The six Perfections, up to the eighty minor characteristics, cannot all be apprehended. Among these things that do not truly exist, there are no sentient beings that truly exist, no form, and up to no eighty minor characteristics.
World-Honored One! How does the Great Bodhisattva practice the Perfection of Wisdom and teach Dharma for the sake of sentient beings?
World-Honored One, when the Great Bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom, even the Bodhisattva itself cannot truly be found; how much less can there be any Dharma belonging to a Bodhisattva!”
The Buddha said to Subhuti:
“That is correct, that is exactly as you have said. Because sentient beings do not truly exist, one should know that inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of beginninglessness, scattered emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of nature, emptiness of characteristics, emptiness of non-apprehension, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of existence, and emptiness of both existence and nonexistence.
Because sentient beings do not truly exist, one should know that the five aggregates are empty, the twelve sense bases are empty, the eighteen elements are empty, the twelve links of dependent origination are empty, the four truths are empty, the self, sentient beings, and lifespan are empty; the person who is born, the person who nurtures, and the person who educates are empty; the person, the doer, and the one who causes another to act are empty; the one who initiates, the one who causes initiation, the receiver, and the one who causes another to receive are empty; the knower and the seer are empty.
Because sentient beings do not truly exist, one should know that the four meditations are empty, the four immeasurable minds are empty, the four formless concentrations are empty; one should know that the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment are empty; emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are empty; the eight liberations are empty; the nine successive concentrations are empty.
Because sentient beings do not truly exist, one should know that the Buddha’s ten powers are empty, the four fearlessnesses are empty, the four unobstructed knowledges are empty, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are empty. One should know that the fruit of Stream-entry is empty, the fruit of Once-returning is empty, the fruit of Non-returning is empty, the fruit of Arhatship is empty, and the path of the Pratyekabuddha is empty. One should know that the Bodhisattva stages are empty and that Unsurpassed Complete Perfect Enlightenment is empty.
Subhuti! The Great Bodhisattva sees all dharmas as empty in this way, and while teaching Dharma for sentient beings does not lose the characteristics of emptiness.
When this Bodhisattva contemplates in this way, he clearly knows all dharmas without obstruction. Having known all dharmas without obstruction, he does not destroy the characteristics of dharmas, does not see differences, and does not make distinctions, but only teaches Dharma to sentient beings according to reality.
It is like a magically created person transformed by the Buddha. This magically created person then creates countless hundreds of thousands of millions of people: some teach giving, some teach holding precepts, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom; some teach the four meditations, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless concentrations.
Subhuti! What do you think? Does the magically created person transformed by the Buddha make distinctions or destroy dharmas?
“World-Honored One! That magically created person has no mind and no mental factors. How could it make distinctions or destroy dharmas?”
Subhuti! Therefore, you should know that the Great Bodhisattva, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom and teaching Dharma for sentient beings, teaches Dharma in the appropriate manner, leads sentient beings out of mistaken views, and helps sentient beings reach a place of abiding, because Dharma neither binds nor liberates.
Why? Subhuti! Because form neither binds nor liberates. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness neither bind nor liberate.
Form neither binds nor liberates and is not form. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness neither bind nor liberate and are not feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
Why? Because form is ultimately pure. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to all dharmas, whether conditioned or unconditioned, are also ultimately pure.
Thus, Subhuti, when the Great Bodhisattva teaches Dharma to sentient beings, there are no truly existing sentient beings and no truly existing dharmas. All dharmas are unreal.
Because the Bodhisattva does not abide in dharmas, he abides in the characteristics of dharmas, namely the emptiness of form, and so forth, up to the emptiness of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas.
Why? Because form, up to conditioned and unconditioned dharmas, have no truly existent self-nature and therefore have no place of abiding. A dharma that does not truly exist does not abide in a nonexistent dharma. A dharma’s own nature does not abide in its own nature. A dharma’s other nature does not abide in another nature.
Why? Because all these dharmas are nonexistent. Where could a nonexistent dharma abide?
Thus, Subhuti, the Great Bodhisattva practicing the Perfection of Wisdom can use these empty dharmas to teach Dharma in this way.
Practicing the Perfection of Wisdom in this way, he has no fault before the Buddhas, the hearers, or the Pratyekabuddhas.
Why? Because the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats, after attaining this Dharma, also teach Dharma for sentient beings without changing the characteristics of dharmas. This is because Suchness, the nature of dharma, and ultimate reality cannot be changed. Why? Because dharmas have no nature.
“World-Honored One! If the nature of dharma, Suchness, and ultimate reality cannot be changed, are form and the nature of dharma different? Are form and Suchness and ultimate reality different? Are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to conditioned dharmas, unconditioned dharmas, worldly dharmas, transcendent dharmas, defiled dharmas, and undefiled dharmas different?”
“No, Subhuti! Form is not different from the nature of dharma, not different from Suchness, and not different from ultimate reality. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to defiled and undefiled dharmas, are also not different.”
“World-Honored One! If form is not different from the nature of dharma, not different from Suchness, and not different from ultimate reality; and feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to defiled and undefiled dharmas, are not different, then how can one distinguish unwholesome dharmas that have evil results, such as the hell realms, hungry ghosts, and animals, and wholesome dharmas that have good results, such as rebirth among humans and gods? How can one distinguish unwholesome and wholesome dharmas with evil and good results; and dharmas that are neither unwholesome nor wholesome with results that are neither unwholesome nor wholesome, such as the fruit of Stream-entry up to Unsurpassed Complete Perfect Enlightenment?”
“Subhuti! Because of conventional truth, one distinguishes and explains that there are results of karma; it is not so in ultimate truth. In ultimate truth, causes, conditions, and results cannot be spoken of. Why? Because ultimate truth truly has no characteristics, no distinctions, and no verbal expression. This is because form, up to defiled and undefiled dharmas, are unborn, undying, neither impure nor pure, ultimately empty, and empty of beginninglessness.”
Reverend World-Honored One! If it is only by worldly truth that one makes distinctions and speaks of karmic results, and not by the ultimate truth, then all ordinary people should possess the fruits from the Stream-enterer up to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, should they not?
Subhuti, what do you think? Do ordinary people know worldly truth? Do they know ultimate truth? If they did know, then those ordinary people would already have attained the fruit of Stream-entry up to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment.
Subhuti, because ordinary people truly do not know worldly truth, do not know ultimate truth, do not know the path, and do not know the distinctions of the fruits of the path, how could they obtain these fruits?
Subhuti, the Noble Ones know worldly truth, know ultimate truth, have the path, and cultivate the path; therefore the Noble Ones have the various fruits.
Reverend World-Honored One! Does cultivating the path attain the fruit?
No, Subhuti. Cultivating the path does not attain the fruit; not cultivating the path also does not attain the fruit; neither does attaining the fruit come apart from the path, nor does attaining the fruit come from abiding in the path.
Thus, Subhuti, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, the Great Bodhisattva, for the sake of sentient beings, makes distinctions among the various fruits, yet does not distinguish them as having the nature of conditioned phenomena or the nature of unconditioned phenomena.
Reverend World-Honored One! If one does not distinguish the nature of conditioned phenomena and the nature of unconditioned phenomena, yet obtains the various fruits, then why did the Buddha say that because the three fetters are exhausted, it is called the fruit of Stream-entry; because greed, hatred, and delusion are weakened, it is called Once-returning; because greed, hatred, delusion, pride, and doubt in the Desire Realm are exhausted, it is called the fruit of Non-returning; because greed, hatred, delusion, pride, and doubt in the Form Realm and Formless Realm are exhausted, it is called the fruit of Arhatship; because all accumulated causes of afflictions are destroyed, it is called the path of the Pratyekabuddha; and because all categories of accumulated afflictions are completely severed, it is called Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?
Reverend World-Honored One! How should I distinguish the nature of conditioned phenomena and the nature of unconditioned phenomena in order to attain the various fruits?
Subhuti, do you consider the fruit of Stream-entry, the fruit of Once-returning, the fruit of Non-returning, the fruit of Arhatship, the path of the Pratyekabuddha, and Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment to be conditioned or unconditioned?
Reverend World-Honored One, all of them are unconditioned!
Subhuti, within the unconditioned Dharma, are there distinctions?
Reverend World-Honored One, no.
Subhuti, if there are virtuous sons or daughters who fully understand all phenomena, whether conditioned or unconditioned, as having a single mark—that is, as being without marks—would they make distinctions as conditioned or unconditioned?
Reverend World-Honored One, no.
That is correct, Subhuti! The Great Bodhisattva teaches the Dharma to sentient beings without making distinctions among phenomena. This is the emptiness of the internal, up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of existence and nonexistence.
That Bodhisattva, having personally attained the Dharma without attachment, also teaches others the Dharma of being without attachment: whether the six Perfections, the four meditations, the four immeasurable states of mind, the four formless concentrations, or the thirty-seven factors aiding enlightenment, up to All-Knowledge. Because this Bodhisattva does not cling himself, he also teaches others not to cling.
Because there is no place of attachment, there is no obstruction.
It is like an emanated being created by the Buddha: although it practices giving, it does not receive the karmic result of giving, but only does so for the purpose of liberating sentient beings. Likewise, even when practicing All-Knowledge, it does not receive the karmic result of All-Knowledge.
In the same way, the Great Bodhisattva practices the six Perfections and all other practices, whether they are tainted or untainted, conditioned or unconditioned. The Great Bodhisattva does not abide in them and does not receive their karmic results, but only does so for the purpose of liberating sentient beings. Why? Because that Great Bodhisattva completely penetrates and understands the characteristics of all phenomena.
Chapter 79: Skillful Penetrating Understanding
Subhuti said to the Buddha:
Reverend World-Honored One! How is it that a Bodhisattva skillfully penetrates and understands the characteristics of all phenomena?
The Buddha said to Subhuti:
For example, if an emanated person does not act according to greed, hatred, and delusion; does not act according to form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; does not act according to internal and external phenomena; does not act according to afflictions and bonds; does not act according to contaminated phenomena, uncontaminated phenomena, worldly phenomena, supramundane phenomena, conditioned phenomena, or unconditioned phenomena, and also has no attainment of a Sage’s fruit.
In the same way, the Bodhisattva has no such activities and does not make distinctions regarding those phenomena. This is called penetrating understanding of the characteristics of all phenomena.
“World-Honored One, how does an emanated person cultivate the path?”
“Subhuti, an emanated person cultivates the path without defilement and without purity, and also does not abide in the five kinds of birth and death.”
“What do you think, Subhuti? Does an emanated person created through the Buddha’s transformation have a real basis, have defilement, or have purity?”
“World-Honored One, no. An emanated person created through the Buddha’s transformation has no true basis, has no defilement, has no purity, and does not abide among the five realms of birth and death.”
“Subhuti, a Bodhisattva who skillfully penetrates the characteristics of all phenomena is likewise so.”
“World-Honored One, are all forms, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness like transformations?”
“Subhuti, all forms are like transformations; all feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are like transformations.”
“World-Honored One, if all forms are like transformations, and all feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness, even all phenomena, are like transformations; if an emanated person has no form, no feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness, has no defilement, no purity, does not abide among the five realms of birth and death, and also has no place of liberation, then what functions does a Bodhisattva have?”
“Subhuti, what do you think? When Great Bodhisattvas practice the Bodhisattva path, do they see sentient beings in hell, in the realm of hungry ghosts, as animals, humans, or heavenly beings being liberated?”
“World-Honored One, they do not see such a thing.”
“That is correct, Subhuti. Great Bodhisattvas do not see any sentient beings liberated from the three realms. Why? Because Great Bodhisattvas know and see that all phenomena are like illusions, like transformations.”
“World-Honored One, if Great Bodhisattvas know and see that all phenomena are like illusions, like transformations, for what purpose do Bodhisattvas practice the six Perfections, practice the four meditations, the four immeasurable minds, practice the four formless concentrations, practice the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, and even practice great loving-kindness and great compassion, purify Buddha lands, and accomplish the welfare of sentient beings?”
“Subhuti, if sentient beings themselves knew that all phenomena are like illusions, like transformations, then Great Bodhisattvas would never, throughout countless eons, practice the Bodhisattva path for the sake of sentient beings.
Because sentient beings do not themselves know that all phenomena are like illusions, like transformations, Great Bodhisattvas, throughout immeasurable and countless eons, practice the six Perfections, accomplish sentient beings, purify Buddha lands, and attain Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment.”
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena are like dreams, like echoes, like reflections, like mirages, like illusions, like transformations, then what are sentient beings attached to that allows Bodhisattvas to practice the six Perfections to save them?”
“Subhuti, sentient beings are attached to names and characteristics, false appearances, conceptual memories, and discriminating thoughts. Therefore, Bodhisattvas practice the six Perfections and rescue sentient beings from names and characteristics and false appearances.”
“World-Honored One, what are names? What are characteristics?”
“Subhuti, names are merely artificially established designations: this is form; this is feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness; this is male; this is female; this is large; this is small; this is hell; this is hungry ghost; this is animal; this is human; this is heavenly being; this is conditioned; this is unconditioned; this is the fruit of Stream-Enterer, the fruit of Once-Returner, the fruit of Non-Returner, the fruit of Arhatship, the path of Pratyekabuddha; this is the Buddha path.
Subhuti, all phenomena that come together are merely false names. Because names are used to grasp and hold onto phenomena, they are called names. All conditioned phenomena have only names and characteristics. Ordinary people give rise to attachment toward those names and characteristics.
Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā, through the power of skillful means, teach beings to depart from names and say: ‘All you sentient beings, names are merely empty labels, arising from false appearances, recollections, and discriminations. Do not cling to false appearances and recollections. These things have never existed from the beginning, because their own nature is empty; wise people do not cling to them.’
Thus, Subhuti, Great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā, using the power of skillful means, teach the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings. This is what is meant by “name.”
What are characteristics?
“Subhuti, there are two kinds of characteristics that are objects of attachment for ordinary people:
1. The characteristic of form.
2. The characteristic of the formless.
What is called the characteristic of form? All things belonging to form, whether coarse or subtle, good or bad, are empty. Regarding these empty phenomena, beings create recollections and discriminations, causing the mind to grasp their characteristics. This is called the characteristic of form.
What is the characteristic of the formless?”
For phenomena that are not forms but are remembered and conceived of, when the mind discriminates and grasps at their characteristics, afflictions arise. This is called the characteristic of the formless.
The Great Bodhisattva, practicing Prajñāpāramitā, uses the power of skillful means to teach sentient beings to leave behind attachment to such characteristics. Regarding the dharmas of non-characteristics, they cause beings to abandon the two dharmas, namely characteristics and non-characteristics.
Thus, Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā, they teach sentient beings to abandon characteristics, causing them to abide in the nature of non-characteristics.
The World-Honored One, if all dharmas are only names and characteristics, how can the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā benefit themselves, and also teach others so that they obtain excellent benefits? How can the Bodhisattva fulfill the stages, progressing from one stage to another, while also teaching sentient beings so that they learn the Three Vehicles?
Subhūti, if dharmas were definitively real and not merely names and characteristics, then the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā would not be able to benefit themselves, nor would they be able to benefit others.
Subhūti, because dharmas do not truly exist and only have names and characteristics, the Bodhisattva, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, will fulfill the Perfection of Heavenly [Dāna?], the Perfection of Diligence, the Perfection of Patience, the Perfection of Precepts, and the Perfection of Giving, because they are without characteristics. They will fulfill the Perfection of the Four Dhyanas, the Perfection of the Four Immeasurable Minds, and the Perfection of the Four Formless Concentrations, because they are without characteristics. They will fulfill the Perfection of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, up to the Perfection of the Eightfold Noble Path. They will fulfill the Perfection of Inner Emptiness up to the Perfection of the Emptiness of the Nonexistence of All Dharmas, because they are without characteristics. They will fulfill the Perfection of Liberation and the Perfection of the Nine Sequential Concentrations, because they are without characteristics. They will fulfill the Perfection of the Ten Powers of the Buddha up to the Perfection of the Eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas, because they are without characteristics. Because they are without characteristics, the Bodhisattva themselves fulfills all wholesome dharmas and also teaches others so that they fulfill wholesome dharmas, because they are without characteristics.
Subhūti, if even the slightest portion of the characteristics of dharmas truly existed, then when practicing Prajñāpāramitā, the Great Bodhisattva would not be able to know the dharmas of non-characteristics and non-thought in order to attain Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment, nor teach sentient beings so that they attain the undefiled dharma. Why? Because all undefiled dharmas are without characteristics and without thought.
Thus, Subhūti, the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā uses undefiled dharma to benefit sentient beings.
The World-Honored One, if all dharmas are without characteristics and without thought, why are they called the dharma of the Śrāvakas, the dharma of the Pratyekabuddhas, the dharma of the Bodhisattvas, and the dharma of the Buddhas?
Subhūti, what do you think? Are the dharma of non-characteristics and the dharma of the Śrāvakas different?
The World-Honored One, they are not different!
Subhūti, are the dharma of non-characteristics and the dharma of the Pratyekabuddhas, the dharma of the Bodhisattvas, and the dharma of the Buddhas different?
The World-Honored One, they are not different!
Subhūti, is the dharma of non-characteristics the fruit of Stream-Entry, the fruit of Once-Return, the fruit of Non-Return, the fruit of Arhatship, the dharma of the Pratyekabuddhas, the dharma of the Bodhisattvas, and the dharma of the Buddhas?
The World-Honored One, it is so!
Subhūti, for this reason one should know that all dharmas are without characteristics. Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattva learns all these dharmas of non-characteristics, wholesome dharmas increase and grow, namely the six Perfections, the four Dhyanas, the four Immeasurable Minds, the four Formless Concentrations, the four Foundations of Mindfulness, up to the eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas. Why? The Bodhisattva does not regard any dharmas as more important than the three gates of liberation. Because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, this is called the liberation gate of emptiness. Because all dharmas are without characteristics, this is called the liberation gate of non-characteristics. Because all dharmas are without creation and without arising, this is called the liberation gate of non-action. If the Great Bodhisattva learns the three gates of liberation, then they will be able to learn the characteristics of the five aggregates, the characteristics of the twelve sense bases, the characteristics of the eighteen elements, the characteristics of the Four Noble Truths, the twelve links of dependent origination, inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of all dharmas, the six Perfections up to the eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas.
The World-Honored One, how does the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā learn the characteristics of the five aggregates?
Subhūti, the Great Bodhisattva practicing Prajñāpāramitā knows the characteristics of form, knows the arising and ceasing of form, and knows the Suchness of form.
What is knowing the characteristics of form?
Knowing that form is ultimately empty, and when its components are analyzed, it is false and unreal like foam on water, without solidity. This is knowing the characteristics of form.
What is knowing the arising and ceasing of form?
When it arises, form does not come from anywhere, and it does not go anywhere.
If one knows that it neither comes nor goes, this is knowing the arising and ceasing of form.
What is knowing the Suchness of form?
The Suchness of form neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, neither increases nor decreases, neither defiled nor pure. This is knowing the Suchness of form.
Subhūti, Suchness means speaking truthfully and without deception. Suchness is the same in the beginning, middle, and end, always without change. This is knowing the Suchness of form.
What is knowing the characteristics of feeling? What is knowing the arising and ceasing of feeling? What is knowing the Suchness of feeling?
The Bodhisattva knows the characteristics of all feelings as being like bubbles on water; one arises, another ceases. This is knowing the characteristics of feeling.
Knowing that feeling does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere. This is knowing the arising and ceasing of feeling.
The Suchness of feeling neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, neither increases nor decreases, neither defiled nor pure. This is knowing the Suchness of feeling.
What is knowing the characteristics of perception? The arising and ceasing of perception? The Suchness of perception?
Regarding perception, the Bodhisattva knows it to be like a mirage, not truly existing, while delusion imagines it to be water. This is the characteristic of perception.
That perception does not come from anywhere and does not go anywhere. This is knowing the arising and ceasing of perception.
The Suchness of perception neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, neither increases nor decreases, neither defiled nor pure, and does not change from its true nature. This is knowing the Suchness of perception.
What is knowing the characteristics of formations? The arising and ceasing of formations? The Suchness of formations?
The Bodhisattva knows formations to be like a banana tree: peeling away layer after layer, there is no solid core. This is knowing the characteristics of formations.
Formations arising do not come from anywhere and do not go anywhere. This is knowing the arising and ceasing of formations.
Formations neither arise nor cease, neither come nor go, neither increase nor decrease, neither defiled nor pure. This is knowing the Suchness of formations.
What is knowing the characteristics of consciousness? The arising and ceasing of consciousness? The Suchness of consciousness?
The Bodhisattva knows consciousness to be like a magician, creating illusions of the four kinds of armies, without reality. This is knowing the characteristics of consciousness.
That consciousness, when it arises, does not come from anywhere; when it ceases, it does not go anywhere. This is knowing the arising and ceasing of consciousness.
Such consciousness neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, neither increases nor decreases, neither defiled nor pure. This is knowing the Suchness of consciousness.
What is meant by knowing the twelve entrances?
The Bodhisattva knows the eye faculty, the empty nature of the eye faculty, and so on up to the mind faculty and the empty nature of the mind faculty; knows forms and the empty nature of forms, and so on up to dharmas and the empty nature of dharmas.
What is meant by knowing the eighteen realms?
The Bodhisattva knows the eye realm and the empty nature of the eye realm, and so on up to the realm of mind-consciousness and the empty nature of the realm of mind-consciousness.
What is meant by knowing the four Noble Truths?
When knowing the Noble Truth of Suffering, the Bodhisattva abandons differing views, sees that there appear to be two dharmas, yet knows that the Truth of Suffering is neither two nor different.
The same applies to Origin, Cessation, and the Path. What is meant by knowing the twelve links of dependent origination?
The Bodhisattva knows that the twelve links of dependent origination have no characteristic of arising.
Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! When practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, if a Great Bodhisattva separately distinguishes the characteristics of portions in order to know all dharmas, would this not, through the nature of form, destroy the nature of dharma, and so on, even through the nature of All-Knowing Wisdom, destroy the nature of dharma?”
“Subhūti! If there were a dharma existing apart from the nature of dharma, then only would it destroy the nature of dharma.
Outside the nature of dharma, there cannot be any dharma; therefore it is not destroyed. Why? Subhūti, because the Buddha and the Buddha’s disciples know that outside the nature of dharma there cannot be any dharma. Since dharmas cannot exist, one cannot say that outside the nature of dharma there is another dharma.
Thus, Subhūti, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, a Great Bodhisattva should study the nature of dharma.”
“World-Honored One! If a Great Bodhisattva studies the nature of dharma, does this mean there is nothing to be learned?”
“Subhūti! When a Great Bodhisattva studies the nature of dharma, they study all dharmas.
Why? Because all dharmas are the nature of dharma.”
“World-Honored One! Why are all dharmas the nature of dharma?”
“Subhūti! All dharmas completely enter into the unconditioned and signless nature. Therefore, studying the nature of dharma is studying all dharmas.”
“World-Honored One! If all dharmas are the nature of dharma, why does a Great Bodhisattva study the six Perfections, the four meditations, the four immeasurable states of mind, and the four formless concentrations? Why does the Bodhisattva study the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, the three gates of liberation, the eight liberations, the nine successive concentrations, the ten powers of the Buddha, and up to the eighteen unique qualities?
Why does the Bodhisattva study the six supernatural powers, the thirty-two marks of excellence, and the eighty minor characteristics? Why does the Bodhisattva take birth in great noble families and among the heavenly realms? Why does the Bodhisattva study the first stage of generating the mind up to the tenth stage?
Why does the Bodhisattva study the stages of the Śrāvaka, the stage of the Pratyekabuddha, and the position of the Bodhisattva? Why does the Bodhisattva study the accomplishment of beings, the purification of Buddha lands, the methods of dhāraṇī, and eloquent exposition?
Why does the Bodhisattva study Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, and after completing the study attain All-Knowing Wisdom that knows all dharmas?
World-Honored One! Within the nature of dharma of all dharmas, there is no such distinction.”
“World-Honored One! Could it be that the Bodhisattva is entering the path of wrong practice? Why? Because within the nature of dharma there is no such distinction. Within the nature of dharma there is no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. The nature of dharma is also not separate from form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Form itself is the nature of dharma; the nature of dharma itself is form. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise so; all dharmas are likewise so.”
“Subhūti, that is correct! Just as you have said: form itself is the nature of dharma; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness themselves are the nature of dharma.
Subhūti! When practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, if a Great Bodhisattva sees that there is any dharma existing outside the nature of dharma, then they are not seeking Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
When practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, the Great Bodhisattva knows that the nature of all dharmas is Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Therefore, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, the Great Bodhisattva knows that all dharmas are the nature of dharma, and then, regarding dharmas that have no names or characteristics, explains them as: this is form, this is feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and so on up to Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
Subhūti! It is like a magician who, before a crowd of people, uses illusion to transform various forms: women, men, elephants, horses, beautiful gardens and forests, and houses. There are flowing streams, bathing ponds, garments, flowers, fragrances, necklaces, drinks, food, as well as singing and music to entertain the people.
This magician then uses illusion to create people and instructs them to practice giving, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.
The magician again uses illusion to create great noble families, heavenly beings, the noble ones who have attained the stages of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, and Great Bodhisattvas—from the time they first generate the aspiration and practice the six Perfections, practice the first stage up to the tenth stage, enter the Bodhisattva stage, attain playful supernatural powers, accomplish beings, purify Buddha lands, freely enter meditative absorptions, liberations, and samādhis, practice the ten powers of the Buddha, and finally possess the Buddha body complete with the thirty-two marks of excellence and eighty minor characteristics.
The magician uses illusion to create such things for everyone to see.
Among the spectators, those without understanding greatly praise the magician’s skill.
Those with understanding reflect: “This is truly extraordinary. Within it there is no reality, yet through things that do not truly exist, he can bring joy to everyone; from what has no form, he creates forms; from what has no events, he creates events.”
“Subhūti! The Great Bodhisattva does not see any dharma existing apart from the nature of dharma. While practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, through the power of skillful means, although the Great Bodhisattva does not see beings as truly existing, they themselves practice giving, teach others to give, praise giving, and rejoice in praising those who give. Likewise, they themselves cultivate wisdom, teach others to cultivate wisdom, and rejoice in praising those who cultivate wisdom.
The Great Bodhisattva themselves practices the ten wholesome actions, the five precepts, the eight precepts, the four meditations, the four immeasurable states of mind, the four formless concentrations, the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, and up to the eighteen unique qualities; they praise the eighteen unique qualities and rejoice in praising those who practice the eighteen unique qualities.
Subhūti! If the nature of dharma had differences in the past, future, and present, then the Great Bodhisattva would not be able, through the power of skillful means, to reveal the nature of dharma and accomplish beings.
Subhūti! Because the nature of dharma in the past, future, and present has no differences, therefore the Great Bodhisattva, practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, practices the Bodhisattva path for the benefit of beings.”