THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 372
Chapter 64: STUDYING ALL PATHS OF PRACTICE (7)
O Subhūti, for this reason, one should know that all those who have the notion of duality definitely do not cultivate the perfection of giving, nor do they cultivate the perfection of pure morality, nor the perfection of patience, nor the perfection of diligence, nor the perfection of meditative concentration, nor the perfection of wisdom; they have neither the path nor the fruition, nor do they have direct realization. They do not even possess the patience in accordance with the truth, much less the complete knowledge of form, the complete knowledge of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; much less the complete knowledge of the eye-base, the complete knowledge of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases; much less the complete knowledge of the form-base, the complete knowledge of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases; much less the complete knowledge of the eye-element, the complete knowledge of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; much less the complete knowledge of the form-element, the complete knowledge of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; much less the complete knowledge of the eye-consciousness element, the complete knowledge of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements; much less the complete knowledge of eye-contact, the complete knowledge of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; much less the complete knowledge of feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, the complete knowledge of feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; much less the complete knowledge of the earth element, the complete knowledge of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements; much less the complete knowledge of causal conditions, the complete knowledge of uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions; much less the complete knowledge of ignorance, the complete knowledge of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress; much less the complete knowledge of the perfection of giving, the complete knowledge of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; much less the complete knowledge of emptiness of the internal phenomena, emptiness of the external phenomena, emptiness of both internal and external phenomena, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without boundaries, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of that which cannot be grasped, emptiness of non-nature, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of non-emptiness; much less the complete knowledge of 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, and the eightfold noble path; much less the complete knowledge of the noble truth of suffering, the complete knowledge of the noble truth of origination, cessation, and the path; much less the complete knowledge of the four meditations, the complete knowledge of the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; much less the complete knowledge of the eight liberations, the complete knowledge of the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal spheres; much less the complete knowledge of all samādhi methods, the complete knowledge of all dhāraṇī methods; much less the complete knowledge of the emptiness liberation method, the complete knowledge of the signless and wishless liberation methods; much less the complete knowledge of the stage of Supreme Joy, the complete knowledge of the stage of Stainlessness, the stage of Radiance, the stage of Blazing Wisdom, the stage of Difficult to Overcome, the stage of Manifestation, the stage of Far-Going, the stage of Immovability, the stage of Good Wisdom, and the stage of Dharma Cloud; much less the complete knowledge of the five kinds of eyes, the complete knowledge of the six supernormal powers; much less the complete knowledge of the ten powers of the Buddha, the complete knowledge of the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unobstructed understanding, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; much less the complete knowledge of great loving-kindness, the complete knowledge of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; much less the complete knowledge of the quality of not forgetting, the complete knowledge of the nature of constant equanimity; much less the complete knowledge of omniscient wisdom, the complete knowledge of path-characteristic wisdom, and all-characteristic wisdom; much less the complete knowledge of the fruition of Stream-entry, the complete knowledge of the fruition of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Solitary Buddha; much less can they attain omniscient wisdom and permanently eliminate all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictions.
Chapter 65: THE THREE GRADUALS (1)
At that time, the venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if those abiding in the notion of existence do not possess patience in accordance with the truth, do not possess the path, the fruition, or direct realization, then those abiding in the notion of nonexistence—could they possibly possess patience in accordance with the truth, or be at the stage of Pure Observation, the stage of Lineage, the Eighth Stage, the Stage of Seeing, the Stage of Thinness, the Stage of Freedom from Desire, the Stage of Having Accomplished What Must Be Done, the stage of a Solitary Buddha, the stage of a Bodhisattva, the stage of a Tathāgata, or cultivate the noble path? By cultivating the noble path they cut off the afflictions, whether corresponding with the Śrāvakas or corresponding with the Solitary Buddhas. Because they are obstructed by these afflictions, how could the great Bodhisattvas enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from birth? If they cannot enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from birth, how could they realize all-characteristic wisdom? If they cannot realize all-characteristic wisdom, how could they permanently eliminate all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictions?
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena are completely without possession, unborn, undestroyed, undefiled, and pure; since such phenomena are completely unborn, how could one attain omniscient wisdom?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is so, it is so, just as you have said. Those abiding in the notion of nonexistence also do not possess patience in accordance with the truth; they do not abide in the stage of Pure Observation, the stage of Lineage, the Eighth Stage, the Stage of Seeing, the Stage of Thinness, the Stage of Freedom from Desire, the Stage of Having Accomplished What Must Be Done, the stage of a Solitary Buddha, the stage of a Bodhisattva, the stage of a Tathāgata; they do not cultivate the noble path, by which the afflictions are cut off, whether corresponding with the Śrāvakas or corresponding with the Solitary Buddhas. Because they are obstructed by these afflictions, the great Bodhisattvas cannot enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from birth. If they cannot enter the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from birth, they cannot realize all-characteristic wisdom. If they cannot realize all-characteristic wisdom, they cannot permanently eliminate all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictions.
“Subhūti, if all phenomena are completely without possession, they are unborn, undestroyed, undefiled, and pure. Since such phenomena are completely unborn, how could one attain omniscient wisdom?”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when a great Bodhisattva practices the profound perfection of wisdom, does he have the notion of existence or the notion of nonexistence? Does he have the notion of form, the notions of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? Does he have the notion of the eye-base, the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases? Does he have the notion of the form-base, the notions of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases? Does he have the notion of the eye-element, the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements? Does he have the notion of the form-element, the notions of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements? Does he have the notion of the eye-consciousness element, the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements? Does he have the notion of eye-contact, the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact? Does he have the notion of feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, the notions of feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact? Does he have the notion of the earth element, the notions of water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements? Does he have the notion of causes and conditions, the notions of uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions? Does he have the notion of ignorance, the notions of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress? Does he have the notion of the perfection of giving, the notions of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom?
Does he have the notion of emptiness of internal phenomena, the notion of emptiness of external phenomena, emptiness of both internal and external phenomena, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without boundaries, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of that which cannot be grasped, emptiness of non-nature, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of non-emptiness?
Does he have the notion of the four foundations of mindfulness, the notions of the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path? Does he have the notion of the noble truth of suffering, the notions of the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path? Does he have the notion of the four meditations, the notions of the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations? Does he have the notion of the eight liberations, the notions of the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal spheres? Does he have the notion of samādhi methods, the notion of dhāraṇī methods? Does he have the notion of the emptiness liberation method, the notions of the signless and wishless liberation methods? Does he have the notion of the stage of Supreme Joy, the notions of the stages of Stainlessness, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Overcome, Manifestation, Far-Going, Immovability, Good Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud? Does he have the notion of the five kinds of eyes, the notion of the six supernormal powers? Does he have the notion of the ten powers of the Buddha, the notion of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha? Does he have the notion of great loving-kindness, the notions of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity? Does he have the notion of the quality of not forgetting, the notion of the nature of constant equanimity? Does he have the notion of omniscient wisdom, the notions of path-characteristic wisdom and all-characteristic wisdom? Does he have the notion of the fruition of Stream-entry, the notions of the fruitions of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Solitary Buddha? Does he have the notion of all the practices of great Bodhisattvas, the notion of the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas? Does he have the notion of omniscient wisdom? Does he have the notion of permanently eliminating all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictions?
Does he have the notion of form, and the notion of abandoning form? Does he have the notions of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and the notions of abandoning feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? Does he have the notion of the eye-base, and the notion of abandoning the eye-base? Does he have the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases, and the notions of abandoning ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind bases? Does he have the notion of the form-base, and the notion of abandoning the form-base? Does he have the notions of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases, and the notions of abandoning sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma bases? Does he have the notion of the eye-element, and the notion of abandoning the eye-element? Does he have the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements, and the notions of abandoning ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements? Does he have the notion of the form-element, and the notion of abandoning the form-element? Does he have the notions of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements, and the notions of abandoning sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements? Does he have the notion of the eye-consciousness element, and the notion of abandoning the eye-consciousness element? Does he have the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements, and the notions of abandoning ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements? Does he have the notion of eye-contact, and the notion of abandoning eye-contact? Does he have the notions of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, and the notions of abandoning ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact? Does he have the notion of feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact, and the notion of abandoning feelings arising conditioned by eye-contact? Does he have the notions of feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact, and the notions of abandoning feelings arising conditioned by ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact? Does he have the notion of the earth element, and the notion of abandoning the earth element? Does he have the notions of water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, and the notions of abandoning water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements? Does he have the notion of causes and conditions, and the notion of abandoning causes and conditions? Does he have the notions of uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions, and the notions of abandoning uninterrupted conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions? Does he have the notion of greed, and the notion of abandoning greed? Does he have the notions of hatred and delusion, and the notions of abandoning hatred and delusion? Does he have the notion of ignorance, and the notion of abandoning ignorance? Does he have the notions of formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress, and the notion of abandoning formations up to aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, and distress?
Does he have the notion of the perfection of giving, and the notion of abandoning the perfection of giving? Does he have the notions of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, and the notions of abandoning pure morality up to wisdom? Does he have the notion of emptiness of internal phenomena, and the notion of abandoning emptiness of internal phenomena? Does he have the notion of emptiness of external phenomena, emptiness of both internal and external phenomena, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness without boundaries, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of inherent nature, emptiness of own characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of that which cannot be grasped, emptiness of non-nature, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of non-emptiness, and the notion of abandoning emptiness of external phenomena up to the self-nature of non-emptiness?
Does he have the notion of the four foundations of mindfulness, and the notion of abandoning the four foundations of mindfulness? Does he have the notions of the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, and the notions of abandoning the four right efforts up to the eightfold noble path? Does he have the notion of the noble truth of suffering, and the notion of abandoning the noble truth of suffering? Does he have the notions of the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path, and the notions of abandoning the noble truths of origination, cessation, and the path? Does he have the notion of the four meditations, and the notion of abandoning the four meditations? Does he have the notions of the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations, and the notions of abandoning the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations? Does he have the notion of the eight liberations, and the notion of abandoning the eight liberations? Does he have the notions of the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal spheres, and the notions of abandoning the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten universal spheres? Does he have the notion of samādhi methods, and the notion of abandoning samādhi methods? Does he have the notion of dhāraṇī methods, and the notion of abandoning dhāraṇī methods? Does he have the notion of the emptiness liberation method, and the notion of abandoning the emptiness liberation method? Does he have the notions of the signless and wishless liberation methods, and the notions of abandoning the signless and wishless liberation methods? Does he have the notion of the stage of Supreme Joy, and the notion of abandoning the stage of Supreme Joy? Does he have the notions of the stages of Stainlessness, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Overcome, Manifestation, Far-Going, Immovability, Good Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud, and the notion of abandoning the stages from Stainlessness up to Dharma Cloud? Does he have the notion of the five kinds of eyes, and the notion of abandoning the five kinds of eyes? Does he have the notion of the six supernormal powers, and the notion of abandoning the six supernormal powers? Does he have the notion of the ten powers of the Buddha, and the notion of abandoning the ten powers of the Buddha? Does he have the notions of the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and the notions of abandoning the four fearlessnesses up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha? Does he have the notion of great loving-kindness, and the notion of abandoning great loving-kindness? Does he have the notions of great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, and the notions of abandoning great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity? Does he have the notion of the quality of not forgetting, and the notion of abandoning the quality of not forgetting? Does he have the notion of the nature of constant equanimity, and the notion of abandoning the nature of constant equanimity? Does he have the notion of omniscient wisdom, and the notion of abandoning omniscient wisdom? Does he have the notions of path-characteristic wisdom and all-characteristic wisdom, and the notions of abandoning path-characteristic wisdom and all-characteristic wisdom? Does he have the notion of the fruition of Stream-entry, and the notion of abandoning the fruition of Stream-entry? Does he have the notions of the fruitions of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Solitary Buddha, and the notions of abandoning the fruitions of Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and the state of a Solitary Buddha? Does he have the notion of the practices of great Bodhisattvas, and the notion of abandoning the practices of great Bodhisattvas? Does he have the notion of the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas, and the notion of abandoning the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas? Does he have the notion of omniscient wisdom, and the notion of abandoning omniscient wisdom? Does he have the notion of abandoning all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictions, and the notion of abandoning the act of abandoning all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictions?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when a great Bodhisattva practices the profound perfection of wisdom, regarding all phenomena there is neither the notion of existence nor the notion of nonexistence. Subhūti, if there is neither the notion of existence nor the notion of nonexistence, one should know that this itself is the Bodhisattva’s patience in accordance with the truth; if there is neither the notion of existence nor the notion of nonexistence, this itself is attaining the fruition.
“Subhūti, one should know that emptiness is the path of cultivation of great Bodhisattvas; emptiness is the direct realization of great Bodhisattvas.
“Subhūti, for this reason one should know that all phenomena take emptiness as their own nature.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena take emptiness as their own nature, why does the Tathāgata realize complete and perfect enlightenment regarding all phenomena whose nature is emptiness? After realizing complete and perfect enlightenment, why is He sovereign over all phenomena and all realms?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is so, it is so. All phenomena take emptiness as their own nature. In the past, when I followed the path of Bodhisattva practice, I cultivated the perfections of giving, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom in accordance with the Dharma; having abandoned desire and evil unwholesome phenomena, with applied thought and examination, joy and happiness born from seclusion, I entered the First Meditation and fully abided in it; with applied thought and examination stilled, with the mind equally pure, the nature of mind unified, without applied thought and examination, with joy and happiness born from concentration, I entered the Second Meditation and fully abided in it; abandoning joy and abiding in equanimity, with right mindfulness and right awareness, experiencing bodily happiness, praised by the noble ones as equanimity, I entered the Third Meditation and fully abided in it; having abandoned pleasure and abandoned suffering, with previous joy and distress completely disappearing, neither suffering nor pleasure, with purified mindfulness and equanimity, I entered the Fourth Meditation and fully abided in it. At that time, regarding the meditations and the factors of meditation, although I skillfully took up their characteristics, I did not cling to them; regarding the meditations and the factors of meditation, I completely had nothing to attain. At that time, regarding the meditations, I fully abided by means of the pure, non-discriminating mode of practice. Then, having mastered the meditations and the factors of meditation, I caused the mind to give rise to the miraculous power of divine transformation, the miraculous power of the divine ear, the miraculous power of knowledge of minds, the miraculous power of recollection of former lives, and the miraculous power of the divine eye. At this time, regarding the miraculous powers that had arisen, although I skillfully took up their characteristics, I did not cling to them; regarding those miraculous powers that had arisen, I had no attachment at all and no attainment at all. At that time, regarding the miraculous powers that had arisen, I fully abided with a cognition like that of space, without discrimination.
“Subhūti, at that time, with subtle wisdom corresponding to a single instant, I attained the supreme enlightenment, that is, I realized complete and perfect enlightenment: ‘This is the noble truth of suffering; this is the noble truth of origination; this is the noble truth of cessation; this is the noble truth of the path,’ all completely without possession. I accomplished the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and limitless merits; I established three different classifications of sentient beings, and according to their faculties, I used skillful means to teach and guide them, causing them to attain supreme benefit and happiness.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how can the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, use emptiness as its own nature to give rise to the four meditations, give rise to the five miraculous powers, and attain supreme enlightenment? How can He use emptiness as its own nature to establish sentient beings into the three classifications, and then, according to their faculties, use skillful means to teach and guide them so that they attain supreme benefit and happiness?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, if the phenomena of desire, evil, and unwholesomeness had even a little self-nature, or took another nature as their own nature, then in the past, when I practiced the Bodhisattva path, I should not have penetrated that all phenomena of desire, evil, and unwholesomeness take emptiness as their own nature, and afterward be able to enter the First Meditation and fully abide in it; nor be able to enter the Second, Third, and Fourth Meditations and fully abide in them. Because the phenomena of desire, evil, and unwholesomeness have no self-nature or other-nature, and only take emptiness as their own nature, therefore, in the past, when I practiced the Bodhisattva path, after penetrating that all phenomena of desire, evil, and unwholesomeness take emptiness as their own nature, I was able to abandon all phenomena of desire, evil, and unwholesomeness, enter the First Meditation with applied thought and examination, joy and happiness born from seclusion, and fully abide in it; with applied thought and examination stilled, with the mind equally pure, the nature of mind unified, without applied thought and examination, with joy and happiness born from concentration, enter the Second Meditation and fully abide in it; abandoning joy and abiding in equanimity, with right mindfulness and right awareness, experiencing bodily happiness, praised by the Buddha as equanimity, enter the Third Meditation and fully abide in it; abandoning pleasure and ending suffering, with joy and distress disappearing, neither suffering nor pleasure, with purified mindfulness and equanimity, enter the Fourth Meditation and fully abide in it.
“Subhūti, if the miraculous powers had even a little self-nature or other-nature as their own nature, then in the past, when I practiced the Bodhisattva path, I should not have penetrated that all miraculous powers take emptiness as their own nature and then give rise to various kinds of miraculous powers freely. Because miraculous powers have no self-nature or other-nature, and only take emptiness as their own nature, therefore, in the past, when I practiced the Bodhisattva path, after penetrating that miraculous powers take emptiness as their own nature, I was able to cause the mind to give rise to the miraculous power of divine transformation, and also cause the mind to give rise to the miraculous powers of divine ear, knowing others’ minds, recollection of former lives, following recollection, and divine eye, and I was always free and unobstructed regarding all realms.
“Subhūti, if the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas had even a little self-nature or other-nature as its own nature, then in the past, when I practiced the Bodhisattva path, I should not have penetrated that all miraculous powers take emptiness as their own nature and then attain supreme enlightenment. Because the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas has no self-nature or other-nature, and only takes emptiness as its own nature, therefore, in the past, when I practiced the Bodhisattva path, after penetrating that all miraculous powers take emptiness as their own nature, I was able, with subtle wisdom corresponding to a single thought, to attain supreme enlightenment, truly realizing the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path as completely without possession; I accomplished the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and limitless merits.
“Subhūti, if sentient beings had even a little self-nature or other-nature as their own nature, then after I attained Buddhahood, I should not have penetrated that all sentient beings take emptiness as their own nature and established them into the three different classifications of sentient beings. Because sentient beings have no self-nature or other-nature, and only take emptiness as their own nature, therefore, after becoming a Buddha, I penetrated that sentient beings take emptiness as their own nature, and was able to establish them into the three different classifications of sentient beings, and according to their faculties, use skillful means to teach and guide them, causing them to attain supreme benefit and happiness.”
At that time, the venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if great Bodhisattvas rely upon the Dharma of emptiness as their own nature, give rise to the four meditations, develop the five miraculous powers, attain supreme enlightenment, establish the three different classifications of sentient beings, and according to their faculties use skillful means to teach and guide them, causing them to attain supreme benefit and happiness, then why do great Bodhisattvas, regarding the Dharma of emptiness as their own nature, have activities in sequence, learning in sequence, and practice in sequence; and through these sequential activities, sequential training, and sequential conduct and transformation, attain supreme enlightenment?”
The Buddha taught:
“Subhūti, when the great Bodhisattvas at the beginning first hear from a World-Honored Buddha, or hear from a great Bodhisattva who has made offerings to many Buddhas, or hear from a Pratyekabuddha, an Arhat, a Non-returner, a Once-returner, or a Stream-enterer, that all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, take emptiness as their own nature, and successively realize the Dharma whose own nature is emptiness, therefore they are called great Bodhisattvas; that all Pratyekabuddhas likewise take emptiness as their own nature, and successively realize the Dharma whose own nature is emptiness, therefore they are called Pratyekabuddhas; that all Arhats likewise take emptiness as their own nature, and successively realize the Dharma whose own nature is emptiness, therefore they are called Arhats; that all Non-returners, Once-returners, and Stream-enterers likewise take emptiness as their own nature, and successively realize the Dharma whose own nature is emptiness, therefore they are called Non-returners, Once-returners, and Stream-enterers; that the virtuous ones likewise take emptiness as their own nature and decisively believe and understand the Dharma whose own nature is emptiness, therefore they are called virtuous ones. Other sentient beings, with regard to all formations and all phenomena, likewise take emptiness as their own nature, to the extent that there is not even the slightest thing, whether a formation or a phenomenon, like the tip of a hair, that truly possesses an own-nature which can be grasped.
That great Bodhisattva, having understood this, reflects: ‘If all sentient beings, with regard to all formations and all phenomena, take emptiness as their own nature, and through believing, understanding, and realizing the Dharma whose own nature is emptiness are called Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and virtuous ones, then whether I attain or do not attain the unsurpassed enlightenment, all sentient beings, all formations, and all phenomena always have emptiness as their own nature. Therefore I shall certainly arouse the mind directed toward unsurpassed enlightenment. After attaining Bodhi, if among sentient beings there are those who practice with conceptual thoughts, I shall use skillful means to establish them and cause them to abide in non-conceptuality.’
Subhūti, after that great Bodhisattva has contemplated in this way and aroused the mind directed toward unsurpassed enlightenment, in order to universally liberate all sentient beings, he acts in stages, learns in stages, and practices in stages; just as the great Bodhisattvas of the past who aroused the mind directed toward unsurpassed enlightenment first acted, learned, and practiced in stages, and thus attained unsurpassed enlightenment, so too does that great Bodhisattva. First, he should practice the perfection of generosity; next, he should practice the perfection of pure morality, patience, diligence, and meditative concentration; finally, he should practice the perfection of wisdom.
Subhūti, from the time that great Bodhisattva first arouses the mind and practices the perfection of generosity, he should himself practice the perfection of generosity, and also encourage others to practice the perfection of generosity; he should praise and explain the merits of the perfection of generosity, and rejoice in praising those who practice the perfection of generosity. Through the causes and conditions of cultivating this perfection of generosity, he is born among gods and humans, receives great wealth and status, constantly practices generosity, and abandons the mind of stinginess. According to the needs of sentient beings, if they need food, he gives food; if they need drink, he gives drink; if they need clothing, he gives clothing; if they need vehicles, he gives vehicles; if they need incense and flowers, he gives incense and flowers; if they need precious necklaces, he gives precious necklaces; if they need dwellings, he gives dwellings; if they need bedding, he gives bedding; if they need lamps and torches, he gives lamps and torches; if they need treasures, he gives treasures; if they need servants, he gives servants; and according to their other needs for necessities, he provides them all completely.
That great Bodhisattva, through generosity, upholds the aggregate of morality, is born among gods and humans, and is one who is always honored. Through generosity and morality, he attains the aggregate of concentration; through generosity, morality, and concentration, he attains the aggregate of wisdom; through generosity, morality, concentration, and wisdom, he attains the aggregate of liberation; through generosity, morality, concentration, wisdom, and liberation, he attains the aggregate of liberating knowledge and vision. Because these aggregates of generosity, morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision are perfected, he surpasses the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and enters the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising. Having entered the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising, he can then adorn and purify the Buddha-fields and bring complete fulfillment to sentient beings; having adorned and purified the Buddha-fields and brought complete fulfillment to sentient beings, he can then attain unsurpassed enlightenment; having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, he can then turn the wheel of the true Dharma. By turning the wheel of the true Dharma, he establishes sentient beings in the teachings of the three vehicles. When sentient beings abide in the teachings of the three vehicles, they become liberated from birth and death and attain Nirvāṇa.
Subhūti, although that great Bodhisattva, through generosity, can thus act in stages, learn in stages, and practice in stages, he observes that all such activities are completely impossible to grasp. Why? Because the own-nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
Furthermore, Subhūti, from the time that great Bodhisattva first arouses the mind and practices the perfection of pure morality, he should himself practice the perfection of pure morality, and also encourage others to practice the perfection of pure morality; he should praise and explain the merits of the perfection of pure morality, and rejoice in praising those who practice the perfection of pure morality. That great Bodhisattva, through the causes and conditions of cultivating this pure aggregate of morality, is born among gods and humans and is always honored by all; he gives various kinds of wealth to the poor and needy. After giving, he abides in the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision. Because the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision are all pure, he surpasses the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and enters the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising; having entered the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising, he can then adorn and purify the Buddha-fields and bring complete fulfillment to sentient beings; having adorned and purified the Buddha-fields and brought complete fulfillment to sentient beings, he can then attain unsurpassed enlightenment; having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, he can then turn the wheel of the true Dharma; by turning the wheel of the true Dharma, he establishes sentient beings in the teachings of the three vehicles; when sentient beings abide in the teachings of the three vehicles, they become liberated from birth and death and attain Nirvāṇa.
Subhūti, although that great Bodhisattva, through pure morality, can thus act in stages, learn in stages, and practice in stages, he observes that all such activities are completely impossible to grasp. Why? Because the own-nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
Furthermore, Subhūti, from the time that great Bodhisattva first arouses the mind and practices the perfection of patience, he should himself practice the perfection of patience, and also encourage others to practice the perfection of patience; he should praise and explain the merits of the perfection of patience, and rejoice in praising those who practice the perfection of patience. That great Bodhisattva, while practicing patience, constantly gives material goods to sentient beings so that they are all provided for; after giving, he abides in the aggregate of morality, abides in patience, abides in the aggregates of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision. Because the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision are all pure, he surpasses the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and enters the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising; having entered the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising, he can then adorn and purify the Buddha-fields and bring complete fulfillment to sentient beings; having adorned and purified the Buddha-fields and brought complete fulfillment to sentient beings, he can then attain unsurpassed enlightenment; having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, he can then turn the wheel of the true Dharma; by turning the wheel of the true Dharma, he establishes sentient beings in the teachings of the three vehicles; when sentient beings abide in the teachings of the three vehicles, they become liberated from birth and death and attain Nirvāṇa.
Subhūti, although that great Bodhisattva, through patience, can thus act in stages, learn in stages, and practice in stages, he observes that all such activities are completely impossible to grasp. Why? Because the own-nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
Furthermore, Subhūti, from the time that great Bodhisattva first arouses the mind and practices the perfection of diligence, he should himself arouse diligent effort toward wholesome phenomena and practice the perfection of diligence, and also encourage others to arouse diligent effort toward wholesome phenomena and practice the perfection of diligence; he should praise and explain the merits of arousing diligent effort toward wholesome phenomena and practicing the perfection of diligence, and rejoice in praising those who arouse diligent effort toward wholesome phenomena and practice the perfection of diligence. That great Bodhisattva, while practicing diligence, constantly gives material goods to sentient beings so that they are all provided for; after giving, he abides in the aggregate of morality, abides in patience, abides in diligence, and abides in the aggregates of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision. Because the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision are all pure, he surpasses the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and enters the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising; having entered the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising, he can then adorn and purify the Buddha-fields and bring complete fulfillment to sentient beings; having brought complete fulfillment to sentient beings, he can then attain unsurpassed enlightenment; having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, he can then turn the wheel of the true Dharma; by turning the wheel of the true Dharma, he establishes sentient beings in the teachings of the three vehicles; when sentient beings abide in the teachings of the three vehicles, they become liberated from birth and death and attain Nirvāṇa.
Subhūti, although that great Bodhisattva, through diligence, can thus act in stages, learn in stages, and practice in stages, he observes that all such activities are completely impossible to grasp. Why? Because the own-nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
Furthermore, Subhūti, from the time that great Bodhisattva first arouses the mind and practices the perfection of meditative concentration, he should himself enter the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, and also encourage others to enter the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; he should praise and explain the merits of entering the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, and rejoice in praising those who enter the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations. That great Bodhisattva, abiding in the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, constantly gives material goods to sentient beings so that they are all provided for; after giving, he abides in the aggregate of morality, abides in patience, abides in diligence, abides in the aggregate of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision. Because the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision are all pure, he surpasses the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and enters the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising; having entered the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising, he can then adorn and purify the Buddha-fields and bring complete fulfillment to sentient beings; having brought complete fulfillment to sentient beings, he can then attain unsurpassed enlightenment; having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, he can then turn the wheel of the true Dharma; by turning the wheel of the true Dharma, he establishes sentient beings in the teachings of the three vehicles; when sentient beings abide in the teachings of the three vehicles, they become liberated from birth and death and attain Nirvāṇa.
Subhūti, although that great Bodhisattva, through meditative concentration, can thus act in stages, learn in stages, and practice in stages, he observes that all such activities are completely impossible to grasp. Why? Because the own-nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
Furthermore, Subhūti, from the time that great Bodhisattva first arouses the mind and practices the perfection of wisdom, he gives various material goods to sentient beings, abides in the aggregates of morality, patience, diligence, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision; he himself practices the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, and also encourages others to practice the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; he praises and explains the merits of the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, and rejoices in praising those who practice the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom. That great Bodhisattva, through the wondrous power of skillful means of the perfections of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, surpasses the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and enters the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising; having entered the Bodhisattva’s right nature of separation from arising, he can then adorn and purify the Buddha-fields and bring complete fulfillment to sentient beings; having brought complete fulfillment to sentient beings, he can then attain unsurpassed enlightenment; having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, he can then turn the wheel of the true Dharma; by turning the wheel of the true Dharma, he establishes sentient beings in the teachings of the three vehicles; when sentient beings abide in the teachings of the three vehicles, they become liberated from birth and death and attain Nirvāṇa.
Subhūti, although that great Bodhisattva, through wisdom, can thus act in stages, learn in stages, and practice in stages, he observes that all such activities are completely impossible to grasp. Why? Because the own-nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
Subhūti, this is the great Bodhisattva who relies upon and practices the six perfections, acting in stages, learning in stages, and practicing in stages.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when the great Bodhisattva acts in stages, learns in stages, and practices in stages, from the time he first arouses the mind, by means of the attention associated with the wisdom of omniscience, believing and understanding that all phenomena have emptiness as their own nature, he should first cultivate recollection of the Buddha; next cultivate recollection of the Dharma, recollection of the Saṅgha, recollection of morality; then cultivate recollection of generosity; and finally cultivate recollection of the gods.
Subhūti, what is the way a great Bodhisattva cultivates recollection of the Buddha?
Subhūti, when that great Bodhisattva practices the perfection of wisdom, he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by means of form; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by means of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Why? Subhūti, because form has no own-nature; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness have no own-nature. If a phenomenon has no own-nature, then it has no possession; if it has no possession, it cannot be remembered. Why? Subhūti, because not remembering and not conceptualizing—that is recollection of the Buddha.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattva should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the thirty-two marks of a great being; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon a body with the color of pure gold; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the body-mark that constantly emits a halo of light extending one fathom; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the eighty secondary marks of excellence. Why? Subhūti, because such a radiant and beautiful golden-colored body completely lacks own-nature. If a phenomenon has no own-nature, then it has no possession; if it has no possession, it cannot be remembered. Why? Subhūti, because not remembering and not conceptualizing—that is recollection of the Buddha.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattva should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the aggregate of morality; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the aggregates of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberating knowledge and vision. Why? Subhūti, because these aggregates all lack own-nature. If a phenomenon has no own-nature, then it has no possession; if it has no possession, it cannot be remembered. Why? Subhūti, because not remembering and not conceptualizing—that is recollection of the Buddha.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattva should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the five types of eyes and the six supernormal powers; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the quality of never forgetting and the nature of always abiding in equanimity; he should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon the wisdom of all-knowing, the wisdom of the path-aspect, and the wisdom of all aspects. Why? Subhūti, because such phenomena all lack own-nature. If a phenomenon has no own-nature, then it has no possession; if it has no possession, it cannot be remembered. Why? Subhūti, because not remembering and not conceptualizing—that is recollection of the Buddha.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattva should not contemplate the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, by relying upon dependent origination. Why? Subhūti, because dependent origination completely lacks own-nature. If a phenomenon has no own-nature, then it has no possession; if it has no possession, it cannot be remembered. Why? Subhūti, because not remembering and not conceptualizing—that is recollection of the Buddha.
Subhūti, when the great Bodhisattva practices the perfection of wisdom, he should cultivate recollection of the Buddha in this way. If he cultivates recollection of the Buddha in this way, then this is the great Bodhisattva acting in stages, learning in stages, and practicing in stages.
Subhūti, when that great Bodhisattva acts in stages, learns in stages, and practices in stages in this way, he can perfect the four foundations of mindfulness, and can also perfect the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path; he can perfect the liberation door of emptiness, and can also perfect the liberation doors of signlessness and wishlessness; he can perfect the first meditative absorption, and can also perfect the second, third, and fourth meditative absorptions; he can perfect immeasurable loving-kindness, and can also perfect immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; he can perfect the concentration of infinite space, and can also perfect the concentrations of infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception; he can perfect the eight liberations, and can also perfect the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities; he can perfect all concentration methods of samādhi, and can also perfect all dhāraṇī methods; he can perfect the perfection of generosity, and can also perfect the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; he can perfect emptiness within, and can also perfect emptiness outside, emptiness both within and outside, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of conditioned phenomena, emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, emptiness of the ultimate end, emptiness without boundaries, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of non-transformation, emptiness of original nature, emptiness of own-characteristic, emptiness of common characteristic, emptiness of all phenomena, emptiness of what cannot be grasped, emptiness of non-existence, emptiness of own-nature, and emptiness of the own-nature of emptiness; he can perfect suchness, and can also perfect the Dharma-realm, the nature of phenomena, the non-deceptive nature, the unchanging nature, the equal nature, the nature of separation from arising, the nature of fixed Dharma, the abiding nature of Dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; he can perfect the five types of eyes, and can also perfect the six supernormal powers; he can perfect the ten powers of the Buddha, and can also perfect the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; he can perfect great loving-kindness, and can also perfect great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; he can perfect the quality of never forgetting, and can also perfect the nature of always abiding in equanimity; he can perfect the wisdom of all-knowing, and can also perfect the wisdom of the path-aspect and the wisdom of all aspects. Therefore, he attains the wisdom of omniscience.
Subhūti, because that great Bodhisattva uses skillful means and takes emptiness as the own-nature, he knows that all phenomena lack own-nature; within this, there is neither conception nor absence of conception.
Subhūti, the great Bodhisattva should cultivate recollection of the Buddha in this way, meaning that within this there is no longer even the slightest act of remembering—how much less could there be remembrance of the Buddha!”