THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
Volume 462
Chapter 68: Skillful Means (3)
At that time the Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when practicing Prajñāpāramitā, how should great Bodhisattvas contemplate that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas should contemplate form based on the emptiness of form; they should contemplate feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness based on the emptiness of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. They should contemplate the eye sense-base based on the emptiness of the eye sense-base; they should contemplate the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense-bases based on the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind sense-bases. They should contemplate the form sense-object based on the emptiness of the form sense-object; they should contemplate sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects based on the emptiness of sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. They should contemplate the eye element based on the emptiness of the eye element; they should contemplate the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements based on the emptiness of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements. They should contemplate the form element based on the emptiness of the form element; they should contemplate the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements based on the emptiness of the sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements. They should contemplate the eye-consciousness element based on the emptiness of the eye-consciousness element; they should contemplate the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness elements based on the emptiness of those consciousness elements. They should contemplate eye-contact based on the emptiness of eye-contact; they should contemplate ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact based on the emptiness of those contacts. They should contemplate the feelings arising dependent on eye-contact based on the emptiness of those feelings; they should contemplate the feelings arising dependent on ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact based on the emptiness of those feelings. They should contemplate the earth element based on the emptiness of the earth element; they should contemplate the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements based on the emptiness of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements. They should contemplate causes and conditions based on the emptiness of causes and conditions; they should contemplate immediately preceding conditions, object conditions, and dominant conditions based on the emptiness of those conditions. They should contemplate ignorance based on the emptiness of ignorance; they should contemplate formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense-bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death based on the emptiness of formations through aging-and-death. They should contemplate the Perfection of Giving based on the emptiness of the Perfection of Giving; they should contemplate the Perfections of Morality, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, and Wisdom based on the emptiness of those perfections. They should contemplate the emptiness of internal dharmas based on the emptiness of internal emptiness; they should contemplate external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, unchanging emptiness, intrinsic-nature emptiness, emptiness of common and individual characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, ungraspable emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, emptiness of intrinsic nature, and emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness based on the emptiness of external emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness. They should contemplate suchness based on the emptiness of suchness; they should contemplate the dharma realm, dharma nature, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the equal nature, the nature beyond arising, the certainty of dharma, the abiding of dharma, ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm based on the emptiness of the dharma realm through the emptiness of the inconceivable realm. They should contemplate the Noble Truth of Suffering based on the emptiness of the Noble Truth of Suffering; they should contemplate the Noble Truths of Origin, Cessation, and the Path based on the emptiness of those Noble Truths. They should contemplate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness based on the emptiness of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness; they should contemplate the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Supernatural Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path based on the emptiness of the Four Right Efforts through the Noble Eightfold Path. They should contemplate the Four Meditative Absorptions based on the emptiness of the Four Meditative Absorptions; they should contemplate the Four Immeasurables and the Four Formless Concentrations based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the Eight Liberations based on the emptiness of the Eight Liberations; they should contemplate the Eight Masteries, the Nine Successive Concentrations, and the Ten Totalities based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the Liberation Gate of Emptiness based on the emptiness of the Liberation Gate of Emptiness; they should contemplate the Liberation Gates of Signlessness and Wishlessness based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the stage of Pure Contemplation based on its emptiness; they should contemplate the stages of Lineage, the Eighth Stage, the Stage of Complete Vision, the Stage of Weakening, the Stage Beyond Desire, the Stage of Completion, the Stage of the Solitary Realizer, the Stage of the Bodhisattva, and the Stage of the Tathāgata based on the emptiness of those stages. They should contemplate the Stage of Great Joy based on its emptiness; they should contemplate the Stages of Stainlessness, Radiance, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-going, Immovable, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud based on their emptiness. They should contemplate all dhāraṇī teachings based on their emptiness; they should contemplate all samādhis based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the five kinds of eyes based on their emptiness; they should contemplate the six supernatural powers based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the ten powers of the Tathāgata based on their emptiness; they should contemplate the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the thirty-two marks of a Great Being based on their emptiness; they should contemplate the eighty minor characteristics based on their emptiness. They should contemplate non-forgetfulness based on its emptiness; they should contemplate constant equanimity based on its emptiness. They should contemplate omniscient knowledge based on its emptiness; they should contemplate the knowledge of the path and the knowledge of all aspects based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the fruit of Stream-enterer based on its emptiness; they should contemplate the fruits of Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhatship, and Pratyekabuddha enlightenment based on their emptiness. They should contemplate all the practices of great Bodhisattvas based on their emptiness. They should contemplate the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha based on its emptiness. They should contemplate omniscience based on the emptiness of omniscience.
“In this way, Subhūti, when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas should contemplate the intrinsic nature of all dharmas as empty.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“If form is based on the emptiness of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are based on the emptiness of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, and so on up to omniscience based on the emptiness of omniscience, then how do great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, if a great Bodhisattva has absolutely nothing that is practiced, that is practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“Why is it that great Bodhisattvas, by having absolutely nothing to practice, are said to practice profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, because profound Prajñāpāramitā cannot be grasped, the great Bodhisattva also cannot be grasped, the practice cannot be grasped, nor can the practitioner, the reason for practicing, the time of practice, or the place of practice be grasped. Therefore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas, having absolutely nothing to practice, are practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, because within it all conceptual elaborations cannot be grasped.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if a great Bodhisattva, by having absolutely no object of practice, is practicing Prajñāpāramitā, then how should newly aspiring Bodhisattvas cultivate Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, from the very moment they first generate the aspiration, great Bodhisattvas should always learn non-attainment with respect to all dharmas. Having learned in this way, they should use non-attainment as skillful means. They should cultivate the Perfection of Giving through the Perfection of Wisdom. They should abide in internal emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness. They should abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm. They should abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path. They should cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path. They should cultivate the Four Meditative Absorptions, the Four Immeasurables, and the Four Formless Concentrations. They should cultivate the Eight Liberations through the Ten Totalities. They should cultivate the Liberation Gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness. They should cultivate the Bodhisattva stages. They should cultivate all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhis. They should cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers. They should cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. They should cultivate non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity. They should cultivate omniscient knowledge, the knowledge of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects. They should cultivate all the practices of great Bodhisattvas. They should cultivate the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha. They should cultivate omniscience.”
The Venerable Subhūti asked:
“World-Honored One, what is called attainment, and what is called non-attainment?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, dharmas that are dual are called attainment; dharmas that are non-dual are called non-attainment.”
Subhūti again asked:
“Why are dual dharmas called attainment, and why are non-dual dharmas called non-attainment?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, the eye faculty and visible forms are two; likewise the mind faculty and mental objects are two. Form and formlessness are two. Visible and invisible are two. Resistant and non-resistant are two. Defiled and undefiled are two. Conditioned and unconditioned are two. Mundane and supramundane are two. Saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa are two. The dharma of an ordinary person and the ordinary person are two. The dharma of a Stream-enterer and the Stream-enterer are two; likewise through the dharma of Pratyekabuddha enlightenment and the Pratyekabuddha are two. The practice of a great Bodhisattva and the great Bodhisattva are two. The unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha and the Buddha are two. All dharmas involving conceptual elaboration in this way are dual. All dual dharmas involve attainment.
“Subhūti, neither eye nor form is non-dual; likewise through neither unsurpassed enlightenment nor Buddha is non-dual. All dharmas free from conceptual elaboration in this way are called non-dual. All non-dual dharmas are non-attainment.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, is non-attainment due to attainment, or is it due to non-attainment?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, it is not because of attainment that there is non-attainment, nor because of non-attainment that there is non-attainment. Rather, attainment and non-attainment alike possess the nature of equality, which is called non-attainment. Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should diligently cultivate the equal nature of attainment and non-attainment. When great Bodhisattvas learn in this way, this is called learning the Prajñāpāramitā of non-attainment.”
At that time the Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, if a great Bodhisattva is not attached to attainment and not attached to non-attainment, then how can this Bodhisattva cultivate profound Prajñāpāramitā, progressing from one stage to another until gradually perfected? And if not perfected stage by stage, how can omniscience be attained?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas do not abide in attainment in order to cultivate Prajñāpāramitā stage by stage to perfection and attain omniscience. Nor do they abide in non-attainment in order to cultivate Prajñāpāramitā stage by stage to perfection and attain omniscience. Why? Because, Subhūti, profound Prajñāpāramitā is non-attainment, omniscience is also non-attainment, the practitioner of Prajñāpāramitā is also non-attainment, and even this non-attainment is itself non-attainment. Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should practice profound Prajñāpāramitā in this way.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“If profound Prajñāpāramitā cannot be grasped, omniscience also cannot be grasped, and the practitioner of profound Prajñāpāramitā also cannot be grasped, then why, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, does one constantly delight in distinguishing all dharmas, saying: this is form, this is feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness; this is the eye sense-base through the mind sense-base; this is the form object through the dharma object; this is the eye element through the mind element; this is the form element through the dharma element; this is the eye-consciousness element through the mind-consciousness element; this is eye-contact through mind-contact; this is feeling arising from eye-contact through feeling arising from mind-contact; this is the earth element through the consciousness element; this is cause and condition through dominant condition; this is ignorance through aging-and-death; this is the Perfection of Giving through the Perfection of Wisdom; this is internal emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness; this is suchness through the inconceivable realm; this is the Noble Truth of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; this is the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; this is the Four Meditative Absorptions, the Four Immeasurables, and the Four Formless Concentrations; this is the Eight Liberations through the Ten Totalities; these are the three Liberation Gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness; this is the stage of Pure Contemplation through the stage of the Tathāgata; this is the Stage of Great Joy through the Stage of Dharma Cloud; these are all dhāraṇīs and all samādhis; these are the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; these are the ten powers of the Tathāgata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; these are the thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being; this is non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity; this is omniscient knowledge, the knowledge of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects; this is the fruit of Stream-enterer through Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; these are all the practices of great Bodhisattvas; this is the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha; this is omniscience?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, although great Bodhisattvas practicing Prajñāpāramitā constantly delight in discerning all dharmas, they do not grasp form, nor do they grasp feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness; indeed, they do not grasp even omniscience.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, if, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas do not grasp form, do not grasp feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, and do not grasp even omniscience, then how can they perfect the Perfection of Giving through the Perfection of Wisdom? How can they enter the Bodhisattva’s Right Nature Beyond Arising? If they cannot enter it, how can they benefit sentient beings? How can they adorn Buddha-fields? If they do not adorn Buddha-fields, how can they attain omniscience? If they cannot attain omniscience, how can they turn the Wheel of the True Dharma and perform the Buddha’s works? If they cannot turn the Wheel of the Dharma and perform the Buddha’s works, how can they liberate immeasurable, countless hundreds of thousands and millions of sentient beings from birth, old age, sickness, and death, enabling them to attain ultimate peaceful Nirvāṇa?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, when practicing Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas do not practice it for the sake of form, nor for the sake of feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness, nor even for the sake of omniscience.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“When practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, for what purpose do great Bodhisattvas practice it?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, when practicing profound Prajñāpāramitā, great Bodhisattvas practice it for no purpose whatsoever. Why? Because all dharmas neither are nor act. Profound Prajñāpāramitā also neither is nor acts. Omniscience also neither is nor acts. Great Bodhisattvas also neither are nor act. Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas use ‘neither being nor acting’ as the skillful means for practicing Prajñāpāramitā.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas neither are nor act, then should there not be the presentation of three distinct vehicles: the Śrāvaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the Unsurpassed Vehicle?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, it is not dharmas that neither are nor act that can produce anything; only dharmas that are and act can produce things. Why? Because there are foolish, unlearned ordinary beings who cling to form, cling to feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, and even cling to omniscience. Because of this clinging, they conceive of form and grasp form; they conceive of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness and grasp them; indeed, they conceive of omniscience and grasp it. Through conceiving and grasping, they think: ‘I will certainly attain omniscience and liberate sentient beings from birth, old age, sickness, and death, bringing them to complete and peaceful Nirvāṇa.’
“Subhūti, when foolish, unlearned ordinary beings think in this inverted way, they are slandering the Buddha. Why? Because, Subhūti, with the five kinds of eyes the Buddha searches for form and cannot grasp it; searches for feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness and cannot grasp them; indeed, searches for omniscience and cannot grasp it; searches for sentient beings and cannot grasp them. Foolish, unlearned ordinary beings, blind and lacking the eye of wisdom, cling to dharmas and imagine that they will attain omniscience, liberate sentient beings from birth, old age, sickness, and death, and bring them to complete and peaceful Nirvāṇa. This is truly unreasonable.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“If the Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, using the five pure eyes, cannot grasp form, cannot grasp feeling, perception, mental formations, or consciousness, cannot grasp even omniscience, and cannot grasp sentient beings, then they do not attain omniscience, do not liberate sentient beings from birth, old age, sickness, and death, and do not help them attain complete and peaceful Nirvāṇa. Then why does the World-Honored One himself attain omniscience and establish sentient beings into three distinct groups: those fixed in right nature, those fixed in wrong nature, and those who are indeterminate?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, having attained unsurpassed enlightenment, I observe with the five pure eyes and truly see that there is certainly no sentient being who can attain omniscience or be established into those three distinct groups. Yet foolish and deluded beings mistake what is unreal for what is real, and mistake unreal sentient beings for real sentient beings. To remove their false attachments, I speak in accordance with conventional truth, not in accordance with ultimate truth.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, does the Tathāgata attain omniscience by abiding in ultimate truth?”
The Buddha replied:
“No.”
Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, does the Tathāgata attain omniscience by abiding in delusion?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti then asked:
“World-Honored One, if the Thus Come One neither abides in ultimate truth to attain the wisdom of omniscience nor abides in delusion to attain the wisdom of omniscience, would there then be no Thus Come One, and would it also be impossible to attain the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said:
“That is not so, Subhūti. You should know that although I have attained the wisdom of omniscience, I do not abide anywhere. That is, I do not abide in the conditioned realm, nor do I abide in the unconditioned realm.
“Subhūti, it is like a person magically created by the Thus Come One. Though he does not abide in the conditioned realm nor in the unconditioned realm, he still comes and goes, walks, stands, lies down, and sits. Subhūti, this magical creation practices the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; or abides in the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; or abides in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; or abides in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; or cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; or cultivates the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; or cultivates the eight liberations up to the ten totality meditations; or cultivates the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or cultivates the stages from Extreme Joy up to the Dharma Cloud; or cultivates all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates; or cultivates the five kinds of vision and the six supernatural powers; or cultivates the ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or cultivates unfailing mindfulness and constant equanimity; or cultivates all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects; or cultivates all the practices of great Bodhisattvas; or cultivates the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha; or realizes the wisdom of omniscience; or turns the Wheel of Dharma and performs all Buddha activities. This magical creation further transforms limitless beings and establishes them into three distinct groups. Subhūti, what do you think? Do these magical creations of the Thus Come Ones truly come and go, walk, stand, lie down, and sit, and truly establish beings into three distinct groups?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One!”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, the Thus Come One is likewise. Knowing that all dharmas are like magical illusions, He teaches that all dharmas are likewise like magical illusions. Though there is activity, it is not ultimately real. Though beings are liberated, there are in truth no beings to liberate—just as a magically created person liberates magically created beings. Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom should be like those magically created by the Thus Come One: though they act, they are not attached.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“If all dharmas are like magical illusions, and the Thus Come One is also so, then what difference is there between the Thus Come One and a magically created person?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, in truth there is no difference between the Thus Come One, that magically created person, and all dharmas. Why? Because whatever deeds the Thus Come One performs, the magically created person can also perform. Whatever that person does, the Thus Come One can also do. Therefore, there is no difference between the Thus Come One, the magically created person, and all dharmas.”
Venerable Subhūti again said to the Buddha:
“If there were no person created by the Buddha’s miraculous power, the Thus Come One alone could still perform these deeds. But if there were no Thus Come One, could the person created by the Thus Come One alone perform these deeds?”
The Buddha said:
“He could.”
Subhūti asked:
“World-Honored One, how is this so?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, suppose there was a Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One named Well-Quiescent Wisdom, who had already liberated all those who were to be liberated. At that time, however, there was no Bodhisattva capable of receiving the Buddha’s prediction. He therefore manifested a transformed Buddha to remain in the world while He Himself entered the realm of Nirvāṇa without remainder. For half an eon, that Transformation Buddha carried out all Buddha activities. After more than half an eon, that Buddha bestowed the prediction of supreme enlightenment upon a Bodhisattva and then manifested entry into Nirvāṇa. At that time, gods, humans, asuras, and others all believed that Buddha had entered Nirvāṇa. Yet the body of that Transformation Buddha had in truth neither birth nor cessation. Thus, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom should believe and understand that all dharmas are like magical illusions.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the body of the Thus Come One and that of a magically created person are not different, then how can the Thus Come One serve as the true and pure field of merit for donors in the world? If sentient beings, wishing to attain Nirvāṇa, make offerings and pay reverence to the Thus Come One, they obtain inexhaustible merit until they ultimately enter Nirvāṇa without remainder. Likewise, if someone, wishing to attain Nirvāṇa, makes offerings and pays reverence to a person magically created by the Buddha, then the merit obtained should also be inexhaustible until they ultimately enter Nirvāṇa without remainder.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, just as the body of the Thus Come One, by virtue of the Dharma-nature, can serve as a pure field of merit for gods, humans, asuras, and others, so too can one magically created by the Buddha, by virtue of the Dharma-nature, serve as a pure field of merit for gods, humans, asuras, and others. Just as the Thus Come One accepts the offerings and reverence of donors and thereby enables them to transcend birth and death and obtain inexhaustible merit, so too does the person magically created by the Buddha. Receiving offerings and reverence from donors, he also enables them to transcend birth and death and obtain immeasurable merit.
“Subhūti, set aside the merit obtained from making offerings and paying reverence to the Thus Come One and to one magically created by Him. If any good man or good woman gives rise to loving-kindness, compassion, reverence, contemplation, and mindfulness toward the Thus Come One, that good man or good woman acquires inexhaustible wholesome roots until ultimately crossing beyond the shore of suffering.
“Subhūti, setting aside again the merit gained from generating loving-kindness, reverence, contemplation, and mindfulness toward the Buddha, if a good man or good woman merely scatters a single flower into the air as an offering to the Buddha, that person gains inexhaustible wholesome roots until finally crossing beyond the shore of suffering.
“Subhūti, setting aside the merit gained from offering even a single flower to the Buddha, if a good man or good woman simply once recites, ‘Homage to the Buddha, the Great Tamer,’ that person gains inexhaustible wholesome roots until ultimately crossing beyond the shore of suffering.
“Thus, Subhūti, making offerings and paying reverence to the great field of merit of the Thus Come One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, yields such immeasurable merit.
“Therefore, Subhūti, you should know that the Thus Come One and the Transformation Buddha are equally pure and true fields of merit for donors, for both serve as the standard established by the Dharma-nature.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should use the Dharma-nature of all dharmas as their standard when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom. Although they skillfully enter the Dharma-nature of all dharmas, they do not destroy that Dharma-nature. That is, they do not discriminate: ‘This is the Perfection of Wisdom up to the Perfection of Giving; this is the Dharma-nature of the Perfection of Wisdom up to the Perfection of Giving; this is the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; this is the Dharma-nature of the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; this is suchness up to the inconceivable realm; this is the Dharma-nature of suchness up to the inconceivable realm; this is suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; this is the Dharma-nature of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; this is the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; this is the Dharma-nature of the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; this is the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the eight liberations up to the ten totality meditations; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the stage of Extreme Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud; this is their Dharma-nature; this is all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the five kinds of vision and the six supernatural powers; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the thirty-two marks and eighty excellent characteristics of a Great Being; this is their Dharma-nature; this is unfailing mindfulness and constant equanimity; this is their Dharma-nature; this is all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the fruit of Stream-enterer up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; this is their Dharma-nature; this is all the practices of great Bodhisattvas; this is their Dharma-nature; this is the unsurpassed enlightenment of all Buddhas; this is its Dharma-nature; this is the wisdom of omniscience; this is its Dharma-nature.’
“Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom should not discriminate among the differing Dharma-natures of dharmas and thereby destroy the Dharma-nature.”
Venerable Subhūti again said:
“If great Bodhisattvas practicing the Perfection of Wisdom should not discriminate among the Dharma-natures of dharmas lest they destroy the Dharma-nature, then why does the World-Honored One Himself speak of different Dharma-natures, thereby seemingly destroying the Dharma-nature? That is, the World-Honored One says: ‘This is form; this is feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness; this is the eye-base up to the mind-base; this is the form-base up to the dharma-base; this is the eye-element up to the mind-element; this is the form-element up to the dharma-element; this is the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; this is eye-contact up to mind-contact; these are the feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to the feelings arising dependent on mind-contact; this is the earth element up to the consciousness element; this is cause and condition up to dominant condition; this is ignorance up to aging and death; this is the internal dharma; this is the external dharma; this is wholesome dharma; this is unwholesome dharma; this is determinate dharma; this is indeterminate dharma; this is tainted dharma; this is undefiled dharma; this is worldly dharma; this is supramundane dharma; this is common dharma; this is distinct dharma; this is contentious dharma; this is non-contentious dharma; this is conditioned dharma; this is unconditioned dharma.’ World-Honored One, You have spoken of so many different dharmas. Would this not mean that You Yourself destroy the Dharma-nature?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, I do not destroy the Dharma-nature of dharmas. I merely employ provisional names and characteristics as skillful means to help sentient beings realize the equal Dharma-nature of all dharmas, escape birth and death, and attain Nirvāṇa. Therefore, Subhūti, although all Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones speak of many names and characteristics of dharmas, they never destroy the true nature of dharmas.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the Buddha merely uses provisional names and characteristics to teach the Dharma-nature of dharmas, helping sentient beings skillfully realize the equal Dharma-nature, transcend birth and death, and attain Nirvāṇa, then why does the Buddha use names and characteristics to describe that which is beyond names and characteristics, and still say that nothing is destroyed?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, I follow worldly convention in provisionally establishing names and characteristics for all dharmas. For the sake of sentient beings, I teach by skillful means without attachment. Therefore, no dharma is destroyed.
“Subhūti, foolish people hear the teaching of suffering and cling to its names and characteristics, failing to understand that they are only provisional expressions. The Thus Come One and the Buddha’s disciples hear of suffering without clinging to names and characteristics, because they truly know that these are merely expressions in accordance with worldly convention and are not the true names and characteristics of dharmas.
“Subhūti, if the noble ones were to cling to names in names and characteristics in characteristics, then they would also have to cling to emptiness in emptiness, signlessness in signlessness, wishlessness in wishlessness, suchness in suchness, the Dharma-realm in the Dharma-realm, ultimate reality in ultimate reality, and the unconditioned in the unconditioned. Subhūti, all these dharmas possess only provisional names and provisional characteristics, without ultimate reality. Noble beings do not cling to such provisionally named and characterized dharmas.
“Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas abide in all dharmas recognized as possessing provisional names and characteristics while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, yet they are not attached to them.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“If all dharmas possess only names and characteristics, then for what purpose do great Bodhisattvas generate the aspiration for enlightenment and diligently endure hardship in practicing the Bodhisattva path? That is, they painstakingly cultivate the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; abide in the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of intrinsic nature; abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; cultivate the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; cultivate the eight liberations up to the ten totality meditations; cultivate the three liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivate the stages from Extreme Joy up to the Dharma Cloud; cultivate all dhāraṇī gates and samādhi gates; cultivate the five kinds of vision and the six supernatural powers; cultivate the ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; cultivate unfailing mindfulness and constant equanimity; cultivate all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects; cultivate all the practices of great Bodhisattvas; cultivate the unsurpassed enlightenment of all Buddhas; and fully perfect the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is precisely because all dharmas possess only names and characteristics. Such names and characteristics are merely provisionally established; the nature of names and characteristics is originally empty. Yet sentient beings, through inverted attachment, cling to them and thus wander in birth and death without realizing Nirvāṇa. Therefore, great Bodhisattvas, out of compassion for them, generate the aspiration for enlightenment, willingly endure hardship in practicing the Bodhisattva path, and gradually attain the wisdom of omniscience. Having themselves realized the wisdom of omniscience, they then turn the Wheel of the True Dharma, employing the Dharma of the Three Vehicles as skillful means to rescue sentient beings from birth and death and lead them into Nirvāṇa without remainder. Yet names and characteristics neither arise nor cease, neither remain nor change, and cannot be fabricated or grasped.”
At that time, Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when You speak of the wisdom of omniscience, do You indeed mean the wisdom of omniscience?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, I do indeed speak of the wisdom of omniscience as the wisdom of omniscience.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, the Thus Come One has previously stated briefly that the wisdom of omniscience is of three kinds: all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects. What are the characteristics of these three kinds of wisdom, and how do they differ?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, all-knowledge is the common wisdom of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Knowledge of the paths is the common wisdom of great Bodhisattvas. Knowledge of all aspects is the unique and wondrous wisdom possessed solely by the Thus Come Ones, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why is all-knowledge the common wisdom of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, all-knowledge means clearly knowing the various teachings concerning the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements. Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas are likewise able to clearly know these various teachings. However, they cannot know all aspects of all paths or all aspects of all dharmas. Therefore, all-knowledge is the common wisdom of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why is knowledge of the paths the common wisdom of great Bodhisattvas?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas should learn so as to fully know all the characteristics of the path, namely the characteristics of the Śrāvaka path, the characteristics of the Pratyekabuddha path, the characteristics of the Bodhisattva path, and the characteristics of the Tathāgata path. Regarding these paths, great Bodhisattvas should constantly cultivate them so that they may quickly be brought to perfection. Although they enable these paths to accomplish what they are meant to accomplish, they do not cause them to attain or abide in ultimate reality. Therefore, the Knowledge of the Characteristics of the Path is the common characteristic of great Bodhisattvas.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, after great Bodhisattvas have perfectly cultivated the Tathāgata path, is it still the case that they do not attain or abide in ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas have not yet perfected the accomplishment of benefiting sentient beings, purifying Buddha lands, and fulfilling their great vows, then they still cannot attain or abide in ultimate reality. Only after these have been perfected can they attain and abide in ultimate reality.”
The Venerable Subhūti again asked the World-Honored One:
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas abide in the path in order to realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha replied:
“No.”
Subhūti continued:
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas abide in the non-path in order to realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti asked:
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas abide in both the path and the non-path in order to realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
Subhūti asked again:
“World-Honored One, do great Bodhisattvas abide in neither the path nor the non-path in order to realize ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“No.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if that is so, where do great Bodhisattvas abide in order to attain and abide in ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Did you eliminate all defilements and attain liberation of mind by abiding in the path?”
“No, World-Honored One.”
“Subhūti, did you eliminate all defilements and attain liberation of mind by abiding in the non-path?”
“No, World-Honored One.”
“Subhūti, did you eliminate all defilements and attain liberation of mind by abiding in both the path and the non-path?”
“No, World-Honored One.”
“Subhūti, did you eliminate all defilements and attain liberation of mind by abiding in neither the path nor the non-path?”
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, by abiding where did you eliminate all defilements and attain permanent liberation of mind?”
Subhūti replied:
“World-Honored One, it was not by abiding anywhere that I eliminated all defilements and attained permanent liberation of mind. Rather, I completely eliminated all defilements and attained complete liberation of mind without abiding anywhere at all.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is just the same for great Bodhisattvas who practice the profound Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā): when they attain and abide in ultimate reality, they do so with absolutely no place of abiding.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why is the Knowledge of All Aspects called the Knowledge of All Aspects?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Because it knows that all dharmas share the same characteristic, namely the characteristic of tranquility, it is called the Knowledge of All Aspects.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, the Tathāgata truly knows all the modes and characteristics by which dharmas can be expressed; therefore it is called the Knowledge of All Aspects.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, whether it is the Knowledge of All, the Knowledge of the Characteristics of the Path, or the Knowledge of All Aspects—do these three kinds of knowledge differ in the way they eliminate afflictions? Do they eliminate them completely, leaving nothing behind, or do they leave remnants?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, there is no difference in the elimination of afflictions. However, the Tathāgatas have completely and forever eradicated the continuity of all habitual tendencies of afflictions, whereas Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas have not yet completely and forever eradicated the continuity of those habitual tendencies.”
Subhūti asked again:
“World-Honored One, once the afflictions have been eliminated, does one attain the unconditioned?”
The Buddha replied:
“Yes.”
Subhūti then asked:
“World-Honored One, if Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas do not attain the unconditioned, have they nevertheless completely eliminated all afflictions?”
The Buddha said:
“They are not extinguished.”
Subhūti asked again:
“World-Honored One, is there any distinction within the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta dharmas)?”
The Buddha said:
“There is none.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if there is no distinction among the unconditioned dharmas, then why does the Buddha say that the continuing latent tendencies (habitual imprints) of all Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones have been completely and forever eradicated, while the continuing latent tendencies of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas have not yet been permanently eradicated?”
The Buddha said:
“The continuing latent tendencies are in fact not afflictions. However, although the Śrāvakas and the Pratyekabuddhas have eliminated the afflictions, there still remains a small residual trace resembling greed, anger, and delusion that manifests through bodily and verbal actions; therefore, it is called the continuing latent tendency. In ordinary ignorant beings, this continuing latent tendency can give rise to unwholesome actions. In Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, however, it cannot produce unwholesome actions. The World-Honored Buddha is completely free of all such continuing latent tendencies.”
The Venerable Subhūti again said:
“World-Honored One, if both the Path and Nirvāṇa are devoid of intrinsic nature, why does the Buddha say: ‘This is a Stream-enterer, this is a Once-returner, this is a Non-returner, this is an Arhat, this is a Pratyekabuddha, this is a Bodhisattva, this is a Tathāgata’?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, whether Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, or Tathāgata—all are manifested from the unconditioned.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, within the unconditioned, is there truly any distinction in meaning between a Stream-enterer and a Tathāgata?”
The Buddha said:
“There is none!”
Subhūti then said:
“If that is so, why does the Buddha say that the Stream-enterer through the Tathāgata all manifest from the unconditioned?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, I reveal the distinctions of the manifestations of the Stream-enterer and so forth according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth. Such distinctions do not exist in ultimate truth. Why is this so? Within the unconditioned there is neither speech, nor discriminating wisdom, nor both together. Yet because conventionally it is said that phenomena come to an end, I speak accordingly of the later stage of phenomena.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas are empty of their own characteristics, then even a prior stage does not truly exist—how much less a later stage? Why then is a later stage taught?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, indeed, indeed, just as you have said! The intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas are empty. If even the prior stage does not exist, how could there be a later stage? If the later stage truly existed, that would indeed be unreasonable. However, sentient beings are unable to realize that the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas are empty. For their benefit, I skillfully teach that there is a prior stage and a later stage. Yet within the emptiness of the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas, neither the prior stage nor the later stage can be grasped.
“Thus, Subhūti, after Great Bodhisattvas have fully understood that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is emptiness, they should practice Prajñāpāramitā.
“You should know, Subhūti, that when Great Bodhisattvas realize that the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas are empty and practice Prajñāpāramitā, they do not cling to any dharmas. That is, they do not cling to distinctions among dharmas—whether internal or external, wholesome or unwholesome, morally determinate or morally indeterminate, worldly or supramundane, contaminated or uncontaminated, conditioned or unconditioned. Nor do they cling to the dharmas of the Śrāvakas, the dharmas of the Pratyekabuddhas, the dharmas of the Bodhisattvas, or the Buddha-Tathāgatas. These are merely provisionally established according to worldly language, not according to ultimate truth.