THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SUTRA
VOLUME 470
Chapter 76: THE CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRTUOUS MARKS (3)
Furthermore, Subhūti, the eighty minor marks of excellence are:
The Tathāgata’s fingernails are beautiful, long, thin, smooth, bright, pure, and white like flowers or like red copper; this is the first mark.
The Tathāgata’s toes and fingers are round, slender, long, straight, soft, and the joints and bones are not exposed; this is the second mark.
The Tathāgata’s fingers and toes are not unevenly arranged, and the spaces between the fingers and toes are closely joined; this is the third mark.
The Tathāgata’s hands and feet are full, round, soft, pure, bright, and smooth, with a color like lotus flowers; this is the fourth mark.
The Tathāgata’s tendons and veins are firmly bound together, deeply hidden and not visible; this is the fifth mark.
The Tathāgata’s two ankle bones are both hidden and not visible; this is the sixth mark.
When the Tathāgata walks forward, he proceeds leisurely like the lord among dragons and elephants; this is the seventh mark.
The Tathāgata’s walking manner is dignified and orderly like the lord among lions; this is the eighth mark.
The Tathāgata walks steadily and calmly, neither fast nor slow, like the lord among bulls; this is the ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s steps are gentle when moving and stopping, like the lord among geese; this is the tenth mark.
Whenever looking back, the Tathāgata always turns to the right side, and his entire body turns along with him like the lord among dragons and elephants; this is the eleventh mark.
All parts of the Tathāgata’s body are straight, round, and skillfully arranged; this is the twelfth mark.
The Tathāgata’s joints and bones are connected without gaps, resembling a winding dragon; this is the thirteenth mark.
The bones of the Tathāgata’s knees are skillfully arranged, firm, round, and beautiful; this is the fourteenth mark.
The private area of the Tathāgata has beautiful patterns, complete majesty, perfection, and purity; this is the fifteenth mark.
The Tathāgata’s body is smooth and soft, bright, clean, and beautiful, with dust and dirt unable to cling to it; this is the sixteenth mark.
The Tathāgata’s appearance is extremely dignified, without fear or timidity; this is the seventeenth mark.
The parts of the Tathāgata’s body are firm, full, and skillfully joined together; this is the eighteenth mark.
The Tathāgata’s bodily form is stable and secure, never shaken, complete, and indestructible; this is the nineteenth mark.
The Tathāgata’s bodily appearance resembles the heavenly king, being extremely graceful, bright, pure, and unobstructed; this is the twentieth mark.
The Tathāgata’s body has a complete halo of light surrounding it, and when walking it naturally radiates light; this is the twenty-first mark.
The Tathāgata’s abdomen is square and even, not crooked, soft, hidden, and adorned with solemn marks; this is the twenty-second mark.
The navel is deep, with a clockwise spiral, round, beautiful, pure, and radiant; this is the twenty-third mark.
The Tathāgata’s navel is thick, neither sunken nor protruding, with a very beautiful circular spiral; this is the twenty-fourth mark.
The Tathāgata’s skin is free from defects such as sores, moles, extra flesh, and so forth; this is the twenty-fifth mark.
The Tathāgata’s palms are full and soft. The soles of his feet are even and flat; this is the twenty-sixth mark.
The lines on the Tathāgata’s hands are deep, distinct, straight, long, smooth, and uninterrupted; this is the twenty-seventh mark.
The Tathāgata’s lips are bright red, smooth, and shining like the fruit of the bimba tree, with the upper and lower lips perfectly matching; this is the twenty-eighth mark.
The Tathāgata’s face is dignified, of moderate size, neither long nor short, neither large nor small; this is the twenty-ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s tongue is soft, thin, long, broad, and red like copper; this is the thirtieth mark.
The Tathāgata’s voice resounds very far, clear and pure like the roar of the lord among elephants; this is the thirty-first mark.
The Tathāgata’s voice echoes like a sound coming from a deep cave; this is the thirty-second mark.
The Tathāgata’s nose is high and straight, with the nostrils hidden; this is the thirty-third mark.
The Tathāgata’s teeth are square, even, white, and beautiful; this is the thirty-fourth mark.
The Tathāgata’s front teeth are round, bright, pure, and sharp; this is the thirty-fifth mark.
The Tathāgata’s eyes are clear, blue, and distinct; this is the thirty-sixth mark.
The Tathāgata’s eyes are long and broad like beautiful blue lotus flowers; this is the thirty-seventh mark.
The Tathāgata’s eyelashes, upper and lower, are neat and do not turn gray; this is the thirty-eighth mark.
The Tathāgata’s eyebrows are long but not gray, thick yet soft; this is the thirty-ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s eyebrows are beautiful and orderly, with a deep blue color like lapis lazuli; this is the fortieth mark.
The Tathāgata’s eyebrows are high, distinct, and radiant, shaped like the crescent moon at the beginning of the month; this is the forty-first mark.
The Tathāgata’s ears are thick and broad, with long and round earlobes; this is the forty-second mark.
The Tathāgata’s two hands are beautiful, even, and free from all faults; this is the forty-third mark.
The Tathāgata’s countenance causes those who see it neither discomfort nor attachment, and all give rise to reverence and affection; this is the forty-fourth mark.
The Tathāgata’s forehead is broad, round, full, even, and beautifully shaped; this is the forty-fifth mark.
The upper and lower parts of the Tathāgata’s body are perfectly rounded like the lord among lions, majestic and without equal; this is the forty-sixth mark.
The hair on the Tathāgata’s head is long, deep blue, thick, and does not turn gray; this is the forty-seventh mark.
The hair on the Tathāgata’s head is fragrant, pure, soft, glossy, and curls to the right; this is the forty-eighth mark.
The Tathāgata’s hair is neat, not tangled, and does not stick together in clumps; this is the forty-ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s hair is strong, does not break, and never falls out; this is the fiftieth mark.
The Tathāgata’s hair is smooth, shining, and beautiful, without dust or impurities; this is the fifty-first mark.
The Tathāgata’s body is firm and full, surpassing the Nārāyaṇa tree; this is the fifty-second mark.
The Tathāgata’s body is tall and upright; this is the fifty-third mark.
The Tathāgata’s bodily openings are pure, round, and beautiful; this is the fifty-fourth mark.
The Tathāgata’s body possesses supreme power unmatched by anyone; this is the fifty-fifth mark.
The Tathāgata’s bodily appearance is pleasing for all to behold, and one never becomes tired of seeing it; this is the fifty-sixth mark.
The Tathāgata’s face is appropriately long and broad, radiant like the full autumn moon; this is the fifty-seventh mark.
The Tathāgata’s countenance is relaxed and radiant, smiling, and before speaking he only faces forward without turning behind; this is the fifty-eighth mark.
The Tathāgata’s appearance is bright and joyful, free from all faults such as frowning or changing colors of blue and red; this is the fifty-ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s body is pure and undefiled, always without foul odor; this is the sixtieth mark.
All pores on the Tathāgata’s body emit wonderful fragrances according to one’s wishes; this is the sixty-first mark.
The Tathāgata’s mouth constantly emits the most excellent and supreme fragrance; this is the sixty-second mark.
The Tathāgata’s head is round and beautiful like Mādattana or like a heavenly canopy; this is the sixty-third mark.
The body hair of the Tathāgata is bright, pure, and deep blue like the neck of a peacock, and reddish-pink and beautiful like red copper; this is the sixty-fourth mark.
The Tathāgata’s Dharma voice, whether loud or soft according to the assembly, neither increases nor decreases, and accords with reason without error; this is the sixty-fifth mark.
No one can see the top of the Tathāgata’s head; this is the sixty-sixth mark.
The Tathāgata’s hands and feet have distinct spaces between the fingers and are adorned beautifully with a reddish color; this is the sixty-seventh mark.
When the Tathāgata walks, his feet are four finger-widths above the ground yet leave footprints and impressions; this is the sixty-eighth mark.
The Tathāgata stands firmly by himself without needing anyone to support him; his body does not lean, tilt, or become crooked; this is the sixty-ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s majestic virtue shakes all beings; those who dislike him rejoice upon seeing him, and those who fear become peaceful upon seeing him; this is the seventieth mark.
The Tathāgata’s voice is neither high nor low, and according to the wishes of sentient beings he happily speaks to them; this is the seventy-first mark.
According to the wishes and languages of various sentient beings, the Tathāgata teaches the Dharma to them; this is the seventy-second mark.
The Tathāgata uses one kind of language to teach the Dharma, enabling all sentient beings to understand; this is the seventy-third mark.
The Tathāgata’s Dharma teachings always follow an orderly sequence, certainly have causes and conditions, and all expressions are skillful; this is the seventy-fourth mark.
The Tathāgata observes sentient beings, praises the virtuous and reproves the evil, yet without affection or hatred; this is the seventy-fifth mark.
Whenever something must be done, the Tathāgata observes first and acts afterward, fully following proper principles and helping them know what is pure; this is the seventy-sixth mark.
All the marks and characteristics of the Tathāgata cannot be completely observed by any sentient being; this is the seventy-seventh mark.
The crown bone of the Tathāgata’s head is firm and perfectly round; this is the seventy-eighth mark.
The Tathāgata’s countenance always remains youthful and does not age; the excellent parts replace the old ones; this is the seventy-ninth mark.
The Tathāgata’s hands, feet, and chest all have auspicious marks with virtues, turning to the right like embroidered designs, with a bright red color; this is the eightieth mark.
These are the eighty marks of excellence.
Thiện Hiện, because the Thus Come One, Worthy, Rightly Enlightened One has accomplished such excellent marks, the light radiating from his body can, according to his will, illuminate throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world system. Whenever the Thus Come One directs his thought, the light can immediately shine throughout countless worlds. However, out of compassion for sentient beings, the Thus Come One gathers in the light, so that it ordinarily only radiates around his face for the distance of one fathom. If he were to release the light of his body, the light of the sun and moon would disappear, and sentient beings would no longer be able to know the times of day and night, half-months, months, and their activities would not be accomplished.
The Buddha’s voice can pervade the three-thousand-great-thousand world system, or when he directs his thought it can immediately pervade countless worlds. However, because he wishes to benefit sentient beings, that voice corresponds exactly to the number of sentient beings, neither decreasing nor increasing.
Thiện Hiện, such merits were completely accomplished previously, when, while dwelling in the Bodhisattva stage, he cultivated the Perfection of Wisdom. Therefore, now his excellent marks are perfectly complete and adorn him; all sentient beings who see him rejoice and all obtain supreme benefit and happiness.
Therefore, Thiện Hiện, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas can use the two kinds of giving—material giving and Dharma giving—to assist sentient beings. This is an extraordinary and rare Dharma.
Thiện Hiện, how do great Bodhisattvas use loving speech to assist sentient beings? Thiện Hiện, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas first use wondrous sounds to teach sentient beings about the Perfection of Giving; afterward they teach the Perfection of Pure Discipline; next they teach the Perfection of Patience; next they teach the Perfection of Vigor; next they teach the Perfection of Meditative Absorption; and finally they teach the Perfection of Wisdom, seeking ways to assist them.
Thiện Hiện, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas use gentle sounds to explain in detail the six perfections in order to assist sentient beings. Why is this so? Because the six perfections can encompass all wholesome dharmas.
Thiện Hiện, how do great Bodhisattvas use beneficial conduct to assist sentient beings?
Thiện Hiện, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom for a long period of time, great Bodhisattvas use every kind of skillful means to encourage sentient beings to diligently cultivate and study Giving, Pure Discipline, Patience, Vigor, Meditative Absorption, Wisdom, and other superior wholesome dharmas, without becoming lazy or abandoning their practice.
Thiện Hiện, how do great Bodhisattvas use sameness of action to rescue and assist sentient beings?
Thiện Hiện, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas use supreme supernatural powers and the power of great vows to manifest themselves as living in hell realms, animal realms, hungry ghost realms, human realms, heavenly realms, and so forth, working together with them and seeking ways to help them obtain supreme benefit and happiness.
Thiện Hiện, great Bodhisattvas are able to use giving, loving speech, beneficial conduct, and sameness of action to assist sentient beings. This is an extraordinary and rare Dharma.
Furthermore, Thiện Hiện, I use the Buddha eye to observe the countless worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River and see that there are few great Bodhisattvas who, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, teach other great Bodhisattvas:
“Come here, good son. You should skillfully learn and cause the dhāraṇī of letters to arise. This means that you should learn one letter, two letters, up to ten letters; likewise up to twenty, thirty, or even one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, and countless letters, causing them to arise freely and effortlessly. You should also skillfully learn that all languages can enter into one letter, or enter into two letters up to ten letters; likewise up to twenty, thirty, one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, and countless letters, and use them freely. You should also skillfully learn that within one letter all letters are contained, and within all letters one letter is contained, using them freely. You should also skillfully learn that the forty-two letters can encompass all letters, and the forty-two letters can be encompassed by one letter.”
Thiện Hiện, this great Bodhisattva should skillfully learn that the forty-two letters enter into one letter, and that one letter also enters into the forty-two letters. After learning in this way, he develops skillfulness regarding letters. After developing skillfulness regarding letters, he then develops skillfulness regarding non-letters. Just as the Thus Come One, Worthy, Rightly Enlightened Ones are skillful regarding dharmas and skillful regarding letters, because of being skillful regarding dharmas and letters, he is also skillful regarding non-letters. Through such skillfulness, he can teach sentient beings about dharmas with letters and dharmas without letters. Because of the dharma without letters, he speaks of the dharma with letters. Why is this so? Apart from letters and non-letters there is no difference from the Buddha Dharma; transcending all letters is called the true Buddha Dharma. Why is this so? Because all dharmas and all sentient beings are ultimately empty and without boundaries.
The venerable Thiện Hiện again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas and all sentient beings are ultimately empty and without boundaries, transcending all words and letters, and the self-nature of all dharmas and all sentient beings is completely impossible to grasp, then how do great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom? How do they practice the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations? How do they practice the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path? How do they practice the liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness? How do they abide in inner emptiness up to emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature? How do they abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm? How do they abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path? How do they practice the eight liberations up to the ten totalities? How do they practice the stages from the stage of Supreme Joy up to the Dharma Cloud stage? How do they practice all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways? How do they practice the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers? How do they practice the dharma of not forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity? How do they practice all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects? How do they practice the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor marks of a great being? How do they abide in the results of the six perfections and the six supernatural powers in order to explain the True Dharma to sentient beings?
“World-Honored One, all sentient beings cannot be grasped, and the activities of sentient beings cannot be grasped. Because sentient beings cannot be grasped, form up to consciousness cannot be grasped; the eye faculty up to the mind faculty cannot be grasped; the forms domain up to the dharmas domain cannot be grasped; the eye element up to the mind element cannot be grasped; the forms element up to the dharma element cannot be grasped; the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element cannot be grasped; eye-contact up to mind-contact cannot be grasped; the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact up to the feelings arising dependent upon mind-contact cannot be grasped; the earth element up to the consciousness element cannot be grasped; causes and conditions up to dominant conditions cannot be grasped; dharmas produced through causes and conditions cannot be grasped; ignorance up to aging-and-death cannot be grasped; the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom cannot be grasped; the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations cannot be grasped; the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path cannot be grasped; the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness cannot be grasped; inner emptiness up to emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature cannot be grasped; suchness up to the inconceivable realm cannot be grasped; the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path cannot be grasped; the eight liberations up to the ten totalities cannot be grasped; the stages from pure observation up to the Thus Come One cannot be grasped; the stages from Supreme Joy up to Dharma Cloud cannot be grasped; all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways cannot be grasped; the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers cannot be grasped; the ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha cannot be grasped; the dharma of not forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity cannot be grasped; all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects cannot be grasped; the fruit of stream-entry up to solitary-buddhahood cannot be grasped; all practices of great Bodhisattvas and the supreme enlightenment of the Buddha cannot be grasped; the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor marks of the Buddha cannot be grasped.
“World-Honored One, within dharmas that cannot be grasped, there are no sentient beings and their activities; there is no form up to consciousness and its functioning; there is no eye faculty up to mind faculty and their functioning; there is no form domain up to dharma domain and their functioning; there is no eye element up to mind element and their functioning; there is no form element up to dharma element and their functioning; there is no eye-consciousness element up to mind-consciousness element and their functioning; there is no eye-contact up to mind-contact and their functioning; there are no feelings arising from eye-contact up to feelings arising from mind-contact and their functioning; there is no earth element up to consciousness element and their functioning; there are no causes and conditions up to dominant conditions and their functioning; there are no dharmas produced through causes and conditions and their functioning; there is no ignorance up to aging-and-death and their functioning; there is no Perfection of Giving up to Perfection of Wisdom and their functioning; there are no four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations and their functioning; there are no four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path and their functioning; there are no three liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness and their functioning; there is no inner emptiness up to emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature and their functioning; there are no noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path and their functioning; there are no eight liberations up to ten totalities and their functioning; there are no stages from pure observation up to Thus Come One and their functioning; there are no stages from Supreme Joy up to Dharma Cloud and their functioning; there are no dhāraṇī gateways and samādhi gateways and their functioning; there are no five kinds of eyes, six supernatural powers, and their functioning; there are no ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha and their functioning; there is no dharma of not forgetting, constant equanimity, and their functioning; there is no all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, knowledge of all aspects, and their functioning; there is no fruit of stream-entry up to solitary-buddhahood and their functioning; there are no practices of great Bodhisattvas, the supreme enlightenment of the Buddha, and their functioning; there are no thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor marks and their functioning.
“World-Honored One, since all dharmas of sentient beings and their activities cannot be grasped and are completely without possession, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, what dharmas do great Bodhisattvas teach to sentient beings?
“World-Honored One, do not think that great Bodhisattvas abide themselves in incorrect dharmas and teach sentient beings incorrect dharmas, encouraging sentient beings to dwell in incorrect dharmas and using inverted dharmas to establish sentient beings. Why is this so? While practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas do not even attain enlightenment, much less attain the factors of enlightenment; they do not even attain the status of great Bodhisattva, much less attain the dharmas of a great Bodhisattva.”
The Buddha said:
“Thiện Hiện, it is so, it is so, just as you have said! All sentient beings cannot be grasped, the activities of sentient beings cannot be grasped, all dharmas cannot be grasped, and the activities of all dharmas cannot be grasped. Because they cannot be grasped, they are completely without possession. Because they are without possession, one should know there is no inner, no outer, no both inner and outer, no emptiness, no greatness, no ultimate meaning, no conditioned, no unconditioned, no finality, no absence of boundaries, no dispersion or change, no inherent nature, no own characteristics or shared characteristics, no place within all dharmas, no ungraspability, no emptiness, no self-nature, no emptiness of self-nature.
“Therefore, one should know there is no suchness, no dharma realm, no dharma nature, no non-delusive nature, no unchanging nature, no equal nature, no nature free from arising, no determined dharma, no abiding dharma, no ultimate reality, no space realm, no inconceivable realm; one should know there are no noble truths of suffering, no noble truths of origin, no noble truths of cessation, no noble truths of path; one should know there is no form aggregate up to no consciousness aggregate; one should know there is no eye faculty up to mind faculty; one should know there is no form domain up to dharma domain; one should know there is no eye element up to mind element; one should know there is no form element up to dharma element; one should know there is no eye-consciousness element up to mind-consciousness element; one should know there is no eye-contact up to mind-contact; one should know there are no feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact up to feelings arising dependent upon mind-contact; one should know there is no earth element up to consciousness element; one should know there are no causes and conditions up to dominant conditions; one should know there are no dharmas produced by causes and conditions; one should know there is no ignorance up to aging-and-death; one should know there is no self, no sentient being, up to no knowing and seeing; one should know there is no Perfection of Giving up to Perfection of Wisdom; one should know there are no four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations; one should know there are no four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; one should know there are no liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; one should know there are no eight liberations up to ten totalities; one should know there are no stages from pure observation up to Thus Come One; one should know there are no stages from Supreme Joy up to Dharma Cloud; one should know there are no dhāraṇī gateways and samādhi gateways; one should know there are no five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers; one should know there are no ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; one should know there is no dharma of not forgetting and constant equanimity; one should know there is no all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, knowledge of all aspects; one should know there is no fruit of stream-entry up to solitary-buddhahood; one should know there is no right nature of separation from arising of great Bodhisattvas; one should know there is no bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings and purification of Buddha lands; one should know there are no practices of great Bodhisattvas; one should know there is no supreme enlightenment of the Buddha; one should know there are no thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor marks.
“Thiện Hiện, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas see that all dharmas are completely empty and teach sentient beings the dharmas that help them abandon inversion. Although they teach dharmas to sentient beings, they completely have no attainment with regard to sentient beings, and also completely have no attainment with regard to all dharmas. They neither increase nor decrease, neither grasp nor relinquish the characteristics of emptiness. For this reason, although they teach dharmas, there is no place of teaching.
“Thiện Hiện, when observing all dharmas in this way, this great Bodhisattva attains unobstructed wisdom. Because of this wisdom, he does not destroy the non-dual nature of dharmas and explains them truthfully to sentient beings, helping them abandon inverted conceptual thoughts and attachments, attaining the fruits of the three vehicles according to their capacities, and realizing the eternally abiding, peaceful, and ultimate Nirvana.
“Just as a Thus Come One, Worthy, Rightly Enlightened One can transform into one Buddha, and this transformed Buddha can again transform into countless hundreds of thousands, hundreds of millions, and innumerable assemblies.
“At that time, the transformed Buddha teaches the transformed assemblies and helps them practice the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; or helps them practice the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations; or helps them practice the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; or helps them practice the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or helps them abide in inner emptiness up to emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature; or helps them abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; or helps them abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; or helps them practice the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; or helps them practice the stages from pure observation up to Thus Come One; or helps them practice the stages from Supreme Joy up to Dharma Cloud; or helps them practice all dhāraṇī gateways and samādhi gateways; or helps them practice the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; or helps them practice the ten powers of the Thus Come One up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or helps them practice the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor marks of a great being; or helps them practice the dharma of not forgetting and constant equanimity; or helps them practice all-knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects; or helps them abide in the fruit of stream-entry up to solitary-buddhahood; or helps them abide in the superior stages of Bodhisattvas; or helps them abide in unsurpassed enlightenment.
“Thiện Hiện, what do you think? At that time, did the transformed Buddha and the transformed disciples have discrimination or destruction regarding the non-dual nature of dharmas?”
Thiện Hiện replied:
“No, World-Honored One! Those who are transformed do not discriminate regarding any dharmas.”
The Buddha said:
“Thiện Hiện, for this reason you should know that great Bodhisattvas also practice the Perfection of Wisdom in this way. They teach dharma appropriately to sentient beings. Although they do not discriminate or destroy the characteristics of dharmas, they can establish sentient beings truthfully and help them abide in suitable stages. Although they completely have no attainment regarding sentient beings and all dharmas, they help sentient beings become liberated from inverted conceptual thoughts and attachments by taking non-binding and non-liberation as the means. Why is this so?
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of form up to consciousness is not bound and not liberated. If a dharma has the inherent nature of not being bound and not being liberated, that dharma is not form up to not consciousness. Why is this so? Because form up to consciousness is completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the eye faculty up to the inherent nature of the mind faculty is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the eye faculty up to not the mind faculty. Why is this so? Because the eye faculty up to the mind faculty are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the form domain up to the dharma domain is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the form domain up to the dharma domain. Why is this so? Because the form domain up to the dharma domain are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the eye element up to the mind element is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the eye element up to not the mind element. Why is this so? Because the eye element up to the mind element are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the form element up to the dharma element is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the form element up to the dharma element. Why is this so? Because the form element up to the dharma element are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the eye-consciousness element up to not the mind-consciousness element. Why is this so? Because the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of eye-contact up to mind-contact is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not eye-contact up to not mind-contact. Why is this so? Because eye-contact up to mind-contact are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact up to the inherent nature of feelings arising dependent upon mind-contact is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact up to not the feelings arising dependent upon mind-contact. Why is this so? Because feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact up to feelings arising dependent upon mind-contact are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the earth element up to the inherent nature of the consciousness element is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the earth element up to the consciousness element. Why is this so? Because the earth element up to the consciousness element are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of causes and conditions up to dominant conditions is not bound and not liberated. A dharma that is not bound and not liberated is not causes and conditions up to dominant conditions. Why is this so? Because causes and conditions up to dominant conditions are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of dharmas produced through causes and conditions is not bound and not liberated. A dharma that is not bound and not liberated is not dharmas produced through causes and conditions. Why is this so? Because dharmas produced through causes and conditions are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of ignorance up to the inherent nature of aging-and-death is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not ignorance up to aging-and-death. Why is this so? Because ignorance up to aging-and-death are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the Perfection of Giving up to the inherent nature of the Perfection of Wisdom is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom. Why is this so? Because the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom are completely tranquil.
“Thiện Hiện, the inherent nature of the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations is not bound and not liberated. A dharma whose inherent nature is not bound and not liberated is not the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations. Why is this so? Because the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations are completely tranquil.”
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to and including the nature of the Eightfold Noble Path is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to and including the Eightfold Noble Path. Why is this so? The Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to and including the Eightfold Noble Path are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Dharma Gate of Emptiness Liberation and the natures of the Dharma Gates of Signlessness Liberation and Wishlessness Liberation are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Dharma Gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness Liberation. Why is this so? The Dharma Gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness Liberation are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of emptiness of the internal dharmas up to and including the nature of emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the emptiness of the internal dharmas up to and including the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature. Why is this so? Because the emptiness of the internal dharmas up to and including the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of suchness up to and including the nature of the inconceivable realm is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not suchness up to and including the inconceivable realm. Why is this so? Because suchness up to and including the inconceivable realm is completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Noble Truths of suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Noble Truths of suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path. Why is this so? The Noble Truths of suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Eight Liberations up to and including the nature of the Ten Universal Bases is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Eight Liberations up to and including the Ten Universal Bases. Why is this so? The Eight Liberations up to and including the Ten Universal Bases are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Pure Observation stages up to and including the nature of the Tathāgata stage is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Pure Observation stages up to and including the Tathāgata stage. Why is this so? The Pure Observation stages up to and including the Tathāgata stage are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Joyful Stage up to and including the nature of the Dharma Cloud Stage is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Joyful Stage up to and including the Dharma Cloud Stage. Why is this so? Because the Joyful Stage up to and including the Dharma Cloud Stage are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of all dhāraṇī Dharma Gates up to and including the nature of all samādhi Dharma Gates is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not all dhāraṇī Dharma Gates and all samādhi Dharma Gates. Why is this so? All dhāraṇī Dharma Gates and all samādhi Dharma Gates are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers. Why is this so? The five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the Ten Powers of the Tathāgata up to and including the Eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the Ten Powers of the Tathāgata up to and including the Eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas. Why is this so? The Ten Powers of the Tathāgata up to and including the Eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the thirty-two excellent marks of a Great Being and the nature of the eighty minor characteristics are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics. Why is this so? The thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the dharma of non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity. Why is this so? The dharma of non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of All-knowing Wisdom, the nature of Path-Aspect Wisdom, and All-Aspects Wisdom are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not All-knowing Wisdom, Path-Aspect Wisdom, and All-Aspects Wisdom. Why is this so? All-knowing Wisdom, Path-Aspect Wisdom, and All-Aspects Wisdom are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of the fruit of Stream-Enterer up to and including the nature of Pratyekabuddha Enlightenment is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not the fruit of Stream-Enterer up to and including Pratyekabuddha Enlightenment. Why is this so? The fruit of Stream-Enterer up to and including Pratyekabuddha Enlightenment are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of all practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the nature of the unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha. Why is this so? All the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of wholesome dharmas and unwholesome dharmas is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not wholesome dharmas and unwholesome dharmas. Why is this so? Wholesome dharmas and unwholesome dharmas are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of conditioned dharmas and the nature of unconditioned dharmas are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas. Why is this so? Conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of contaminated dharmas and uncontaminated dharmas is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is neither contaminated nor uncontaminated. Why is this so? Contaminated dharmas and uncontaminated dharmas are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of worldly dharmas and the nature of transcendent dharmas are neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is not worldly dharmas and transcendent dharmas. Why is this so? Worldly dharmas and transcendent dharmas are completely quiescent.
Good Manifestation, the nature of conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas is neither bound nor released. Any dharma whose nature is neither bound nor released is neither conditioned dharmas nor unconditioned dharmas. Why is this so? Conditioned dharmas and unconditioned dharmas are completely quiescent.
Therefore, Good Manifestation, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, although Bodhisattvas explain various dharmas to sentient beings, they completely have nothing to obtain regarding sentient beings and the nature of dharmas. Why is this so? Because sentient beings and all dharmas cannot be grasped.
Furthermore, Good Manifestation, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, Great Bodhisattvas use non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in all dharmas that are without attainment. This means using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of form up to and including the emptiness of consciousness; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the eye faculty up to and including the emptiness of the mind faculty; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the form realm up to and including the emptiness of the dharma realm; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the eye element up to and including the emptiness of the mind element; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the form element up to and including the emptiness of the dharma element; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the eye-consciousness element up to and including the mind-consciousness element; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of eye contact up to and including the emptiness of mind contact; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of all sensations arising conditioned by eye contact up to and including sensations arising conditioned by mind contact; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the earth element up to and including the emptiness of the consciousness element; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of causes and conditions up to and including the emptiness of dominant conditions; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of all dharmas produced through causes and conditions; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of ignorance up to and including the emptiness of old age and death; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Perfection of Giving up to and including the emptiness of the Perfection of Wisdom; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness up to and including the Eightfold Noble Path; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Dharma Gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness Liberation; taking non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the emptiness of internal dharmas up to and including the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of suchness up to and including the emptiness of the inconceivable realm; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Noble Truths of suffering, accumulation, cessation, and the path; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Eight Liberations up to and including the emptiness of the Ten Universal Bases; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Pure Observation stages up to and including the emptiness of the Tathāgata stage; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Joyful Stage up to and including the emptiness of the Dharma Cloud Stage; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of all dhāraṇī Dharma Gates and all samādhi Dharma Gates; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the Ten Powers of the Tathāgata up to and including the emptiness of the Eighteen Unshared Buddha Dharmas; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of All-knowing Wisdom, Path-Aspect Wisdom, and All-Aspects Wisdom; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of the fruit of Stream-Enterer up to and including the emptiness of Pratyekabuddha Enlightenment; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of worldly and transcendent dharmas; using non-attainment as the skillful means to abide in the emptiness of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas.
Good Manifestation, you should know that form up to and including consciousness has no place of abiding, and the emptiness of form up to and including the emptiness of consciousness also has no place of abiding. Why is this so? Form up to and including consciousness has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. The emptiness of form up to and including the emptiness of consciousness also has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding. Likewise, all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha have no place of abiding; the absence of all practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the absence of unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment also have no place of abiding. Why is this so? All the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha have no self-nature and cannot be grasped; the absence of all practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the absence of unsurpassed perfect Enlightenment also have no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding.
Wholesome and unwholesome dharmas have no place of abiding; the absence of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas also has no place of abiding. Why is this so? Wholesome and unwholesome dharmas have no self-nature and cannot be grasped; the absence of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas also has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding.
Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas also have no place of abiding; the absence of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas also has no place of abiding. Why is this so? Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas have no self-nature and cannot be grasped. The absence of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas also has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding.
Contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas have no place of abiding. The absence of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas also has no place of abiding. Why is this so? Contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas have no self-nature and cannot be grasped. The absence of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas also has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding.
Worldly and transcendent dharmas have no place of abiding. The absence of worldly and transcendent dharmas also has no place of abiding. Why is this so? Worldly and transcendent dharmas have no self-nature and cannot be grasped. The absence of worldly and transcendent dharmas also has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding.
Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas have no place of abiding. The absence of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas also has no place of abiding. Why is this so? Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas have no self-nature and cannot be grasped. The absence of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas also has no self-nature and cannot be grasped. A dharma without self-nature and impossible to grasp has no place of abiding.
Good Manifestation, you should know that it is not the case that a non-self-natured dharma abides in a non-self-natured dharma; it is not the case that a self-natured dharma abides in a self-natured dharma; it is not the case that a non-self-natured dharma abides in a self-natured dharma; it is not the case that a self-natured dharma abides in a non-self-natured dharma. It is not the case that a dharma of its own nature abides in a dharma of its own nature; it is not the case that a dharma of another nature abides in a dharma of another nature; it is not the case that a dharma of its own nature abides in a dharma of another nature; it is not the case that a dharma of another nature abides in a dharma of its own nature. Why is this so? All these dharmas cannot be grasped. A dharma that cannot be grasped—where could it abide?
Therefore, Good Manifestation, while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, Great Bodhisattvas use these empty dharmas to cultivate and control dharmas, and they can also teach sentient beings according to reality. A Great Bodhisattva who can practice such profound Perfection of Wisdom has no faults before Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and all noble sages. Why is this so? Because Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Śrāvakas, and all noble sages can awaken according to their respective capacities to this dharma-nature. After awakening, they correctly explain it to sentient beings. Although they teach sentient beings about various dharmas, they do not waver from or go beyond dharma-nature. Why is this so? The true nature of dharmas itself is the true Dharma Realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. The Dharma Realm, suchness, and ultimate reality are all unmoving and cannot be transcended. Why is this so? This Dharma Realm, suchness, and ultimate reality all lack self-nature and are completely impossible to grasp. A dharma that cannot be grasped cannot be moved or surpassed.