THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
Volume 471
Chapter 76: THE VARIOUS EXCELLENT MARKS (4)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality cannot be moved or transcended, then is there any difference between form up to consciousness and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the eye-base up to the mind-base and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the form-base up to the dharma-base and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the eye-element up to the mind-element and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the form-element up to the dharma-element and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between eye-contact up to mind-contact and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to the feelings arising dependent on mind-contact and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the earth element up to the consciousness element and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between causes and conditions up to dominant conditions and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between phenomena arising from causes and conditions and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between ignorance up to old age and death and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the four meditations, the four immeasurables, the four formless absorptions and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the liberations of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the Noble Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the eight liberations up to the ten total pervasions and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the stage of Pure Contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the stage of Great Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between all dhāraṇī gateways, all samādhi gateways and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the five kinds of divine eye, the six supernatural powers and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between non-forgetfulness, constant equanimity and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between omniscient knowledge, knowledge of the paths, knowledge of all aspects and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between the fruit of Stream-enterer up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between all the practices of the Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between wholesome and unwholesome dharmas and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between determinate and indeterminate dharmas and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between worldly and supramundane dharmas and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality? Is there any difference between conditioned and unconditioned dharmas and the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, form up to consciousness is not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. Likewise, all the practices of the Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. Wholesome and unwholesome dharmas are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. Determinate and indeterminate dharmas are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. Contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. Worldly and supramundane dharmas are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality. Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if such dharmas as form are not different from the true Dharma realm, suchness, and ultimate reality, then why is it that those who commit evil karma receive evil retribution, such as rebirth in hell, the animal realm, or the realm of hungry ghosts? Those who perform wholesome karma receive happy results, namely rebirth among gods or humans. Those who create both wholesome and unwholesome karma receive mixed results, such as rebirth partly among animals or hungry ghosts and partly among humans. Those who create karma that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome receive results that are neither wholesome nor unwholesome, namely attaining the fruits of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, or the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, I explain these distinctions of causes and effects according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth. Within ultimate truth, one cannot speak of distinctions between cause and effect. Why? Because in the principle of ultimate truth, the characteristics of all dharmas cannot be discriminated, spoken of, or pointed out. How then could there be distinctions of cause and effect?
“You should know, Subhūti, that in relation to ultimate truth, form up to consciousness is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Likewise, the eye-base up to the mind-base is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The form-base up to the dharma-base is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The eye-element up to the mind-element is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The form-element up to the dharma-element is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Eye-contact up to mind-contact is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The feelings arising dependent upon eye-contact up to those arising dependent upon mind-contact are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The earth element up to the consciousness element is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Causes and conditions up to dominant conditions are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. All dharmas arising from causes and conditions are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Ignorance up to old age and death is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The liberations of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Suchness up to the inconceivable realm is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The Noble Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The eight liberations up to the ten total pervasions are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The stage of Pure Contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The stage of Great Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. All dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The five kinds of divine eye and the six supernatural powers are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Omniscient knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. The fruit of Stream-enterer up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment is neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because it is ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. All the practices of the Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Wholesome and unwholesome dharmas are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Determinate and indeterminate dharmas are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Worldly and supramundane dharmas are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty. Conditioned and unconditioned dharmas are neither produced nor extinguished, neither defiled nor purified, because they are ultimately empty, boundlessly empty.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if distinctions of causes and effects are established only according to conventional truth and not according to ultimate truth, then should not all ignorant ordinary beings also possess the fruits of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, and the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Do ignorant ordinary beings truly realize the meaning of the two truths, ultimate and conventional? Whoever truly realizes the meaning of these two truths has already attained the fruits of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, and the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha. But because ignorant ordinary beings do not truly realize either conventional or ultimate truth, they do not possess the Noble Path, do not cultivate the Noble Path, and therefore cannot produce the various stages of noble attainment. Only the noble ones can truly realize conventional and ultimate truth. Therefore they possess the Noble Path, cultivate the Noble Path, and consequently attain the various noble fruits.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, does cultivating the Noble Path lead to attaining the noble fruits?”
The Buddha replied:
“No.”
Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, can one attain the noble fruits without cultivating the Noble Path?”
The Buddha replied:
“No. Subhūti, you should know that it is neither by cultivating the Noble Path that one can attain the noble fruits, nor by not cultivating the Noble Path. Nor is it by departing from the Noble Path, nor by abiding in the Noble Path, that one attains the noble fruits. Why? Because from the standpoint of ultimate truth, neither the path nor its fruits, neither cultivation nor non-cultivation, can be grasped.
“Therefore, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Perfection of Wisdom, although they explain the various distinctions of the noble fruits for the sake of sentient beings, they do not discriminate among the various stages of the noble fruits as belonging either to the conditioned realm or to the unconditioned realm.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if one does not discriminate among the various stages of the noble fruits as belonging to the conditioned or the unconditioned realm, then why does the Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One say that eliminating the first three fetters is called the fruit of Stream-enterer; reducing greed and anger is called the fruit of Once-returner; completely cutting off the five lower fetters is called the fruit of Non-returner; completely cutting off the five higher fetters is called the fruit of Arhat; knowing that all conditioned dharmas arise only to cease is called Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; and completely eliminating the continuity of the latent tendencies of afflictions is called the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha?
“World-Honored One, how am I to understand the profound meaning taught by the Buddha—that one does not discriminate among the various stages of the noble fruits as belonging to the conditioned or unconditioned realms?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Are the fruits of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, and the unsurpassed enlightenment conditioned or unconditioned?”
Subhūti replied:
“World-Honored One, such noble fruits are solely unconditioned.”
The Buddha asked:
“Subhūti, is there discrimination within the unconditioned?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha continued:
“Subhūti, what do you think? If a good man or good woman thoroughly understands that all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena share the same characteristic, called signlessness, would that person then discriminate among phenomena by saying, ‘This is conditioned,’ or ‘This is unconditioned’?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is just so. When Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Perfection of Wisdom, although they teach the true Dharma to sentient beings, they do not discriminate regarding the characteristics of the dharmas they teach. This is because of inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness. Such Bodhisattvas are unattached to all dharmas and are also able to teach others not to be attached to any dharma.
“That is, they are unattached to the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; unattached to the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; unattached to the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; unattached to the liberations of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness; unattached to inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness; unattached to suchness up to the inconceivable realm; unattached to the Noble Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; unattached to the eight liberations up to the ten total pervasions; unattached to the stage of Great Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud; unattached to all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways; unattached to the five kinds of divine eye and the six supernatural powers; unattached to the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen exclusive qualities of a Buddha; unattached to non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity; unattached to omniscient knowledge, knowledge of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects; unattached to all the practices of the Great Bodhisattvas; unattached to the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha; and unattached to omniscient wisdom.
“Because such Great Bodhisattvas are unattached, they are unobstructed everywhere. Just as a person conjured by the Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones may practice the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom without receiving or abiding in the karmic results of such practices, entering Nirvāṇa solely for the sake of sentient beings; likewise, up to practicing omniscient wisdom without receiving or abiding in its results, entering Nirvāṇa solely for the sake of sentient beings. In the same way, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Wisdom, they are completely unattached and are not obstructed by any dharma, whether wholesome or unwholesome, determinate or indeterminate, contaminated or uncontaminated, worldly or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned. Why? Because they have completely penetrated the true nature of all dharmas.
Chapter 77: EXCELLENT UNDERSTANDING (1)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti asked:
“World-Honored One, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Perfection of Wisdom, how do they completely penetrate the true nature of all dharmas?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā), great Bodhisattvas are like magically conjured beings who do not practice any of the fetters of greed, hatred, and delusion; they do not practice the aggregate of form up to the aggregate of consciousness; they do not practice the sense base of the eye up to the sense base of the mind; they do not practice the sense object of form up to the sense object of mental phenomena; they do not practice the element of the eye up to the element of the mind; they do not practice the element of form up to the element of mental phenomena; they do not practice the element of eye-consciousness up to the element of mind-consciousness; they do not practice eye-contact up to mind-contact; they do not practice the feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to the feelings arising dependent on mind-contact; they do not practice the earth element up to the consciousness element; they do not practice causal conditions up to dominant conditions; they do not practice phenomena arising from causes and conditions; they do not practice ignorance up to old age and death; they do not practice the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; they do not practice the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, or the four formless attainments; they do not practice the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; they do not practice the three gateways to liberation: emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they do not practice internal emptiness up to the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of emptiness; they do not practice suchness up to the inconceivable realm; they do not practice the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; they do not practice the eight liberations up to the ten total pervasions; they do not practice the stage of Pure Contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata; they do not practice the stage of Great Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud; they do not practice all dhāraṇī gateways or all samādhi gateways; they do not practice the five kinds of divine eye or the six supernatural powers; they do not practice the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; they do not practice the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks of a Great Being; they do not practice the qualities of non-forgetfulness or constant equanimity; they do not practice omniscient wisdom, the wisdom of the path, or the wisdom of all aspects; they do not practice the fruit of Stream-enterer up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; they do not practice any of the Bodhisattva practices; they do not practice the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas; they do not practice omniscient knowledge; they do not practice internal or external phenomena; they do not practice latent tendencies or binding afflictions; they do not practice wholesome or unwholesome phenomena; they do not practice morally determinate or morally indeterminate phenomena; they do not practice contaminated or uncontaminated phenomena; they do not practice worldly or supramundane phenomena; they do not practice conditioned or unconditioned phenomena; they do not practice the noble path or its fruits. In just this way, when practicing the Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas practice absolutely nothing with regard to all phenomena. This is complete penetration into the true nature of all phenomena.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how can a magically conjured person cultivate the noble path?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, a magically conjured person, relying on cultivating the noble path, is neither defiled nor purified, nor does such a person wander in saṃsāra through the various realms.”
Venerable Subhūti again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Wisdom, how do they completely understand that all phenomena are not real deeds?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Do all the beings magically created by the Thus Come One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One truly perform actions? Based on such real actions, are there defilement, purification, or the cycle of birth and death?”
Subhūti answered:
“No, World-Honored One. The beings magically created by the Thus Come One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One do not truly exist at all. Therefore, based on them, there is neither defilement nor purification, nor any cycle of birth and death.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, it is the same when great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Wisdom. They completely understand the true nature of all phenomena and clearly realize that all phenomena are not truly real.”
Venerable Subhūti again asked the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, are all form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness like magical illusions? Are all eye-bases up to mind-bases like magical illusions? Are all objects of form up to mental objects like magical illusions? Are all eye-elements up to mind-elements like magical illusions? Are all form-elements up to dharma-elements like magical illusions? Are all eye-contacts up to mind-contacts like magical illusions? Are all feelings arising from eye-contact up to those arising from mind-contact like magical illusions? Are all earth-elements up to consciousness-elements like magical illusions? Are all causes and conditions up to dominant conditions like magical illusions? Are all phenomena arising from causes and conditions like magical illusions? Are ignorance up to old age and death like magical illusions? Are the Perfections from Giving up to Wisdom like magical illusions? Are the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments like magical illusions? Are the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path like magical illusions? Are the gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—like magical illusions? Are the internal emptinesses up to the emptiness of intrinsic nature like magical illusions? Is suchness up to the inconceivable realm like magical illusions? Are the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path like magical illusions? Are the eight liberations up to the ten total pervasions like magical illusions? Are the stages from Pure Contemplation up to the Tathāgata like magical illusions? Are the stages from Great Joy up to Dharma Cloud like magical illusions? Are all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways like magical illusions? Are the five kinds of spiritual vision and six supernatural powers like magical illusions? Are the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique Buddha qualities like magical illusions? Are the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks of a Great Being like magical illusions? Are the qualities of non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity like magical illusions? Are omniscient wisdom, the wisdom of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects like magical illusions? Are all the practices of great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddha like magical illusions? Are all wholesome and unwholesome phenomena, morally determinate and indeterminate phenomena, contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena, worldly and supramundane phenomena, conditioned and unconditioned phenomena like magical illusions?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, yes, yes. Phenomena such as form and the rest are indeed like magical illusions.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena are like magical illusions, then magically created phenomena are unreal; form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness up to all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena are unreal. Therefore there is neither defilement nor purity, no wandering through the paths of birth and death, and no liberation attained by means of such phenomena. Then how do great Bodhisattvas carry out their supreme activity for the benefit of sentient beings?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? In the past, when great Bodhisattvas practiced the Bodhisattva path, did they see any sentient being who could truly be liberated from the realms of hell, animals, ghosts, humans, or gods?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, exactly so, exactly so! In the past, while practicing the Bodhisattva path, great Bodhisattvas did not see any sentient being who could escape the three realms. Why? Because when practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas see and know clearly that all phenomena are like magical illusions and are not truly existent.”
Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, if great Bodhisattvas see and know that all phenomena are like magical illusions and utterly unreal, then why do they cultivate the six Perfections? Why do they cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, the four formless attainments? Why cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path? Why cultivate the gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness? Why abide in internal emptiness up to the emptiness of intrinsic nature? Why abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm? Why abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path? Why cultivate the eight liberations up to the ten total pervasions? Why cultivate the stages from Great Joy up to Dharma Cloud? Why cultivate all dhāraṇī gateways and samādhi gateways? Why cultivate the five kinds of spiritual vision and the six supernatural powers? Why cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique Buddha qualities? Why cultivate non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity? Why cultivate omniscient wisdom, the wisdom of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects? Why cultivate all Bodhisattva practices? Why cultivate unsurpassed enlightenment? Why bring sentient beings to fulfillment, and why purify Buddha-fields?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, if sentient beings themselves could fully understand that all phenomena are like magical illusions and utterly unreal, then great Bodhisattvas would not need to spend three incalculable eons cultivating the difficult and arduous Bodhisattva practices for their sake. But because sentient beings cannot fully understand that all phenomena are like magical illusions and utterly unreal, great Bodhisattvas must spend three incalculable eons cultivating those difficult Bodhisattva practices for them.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, if great Bodhisattvas themselves could not fully understand that all phenomena are like magical illusions and utterly unreal, then there would be no need for them to spend three incalculable eons cultivating the Bodhisattva path, purifying Buddha-fields, and bringing sentient beings to fulfillment. Precisely because great Bodhisattvas truly realize that all phenomena are like magical illusions and utterly unreal, they must spend three incalculable eons cultivating the six Perfections, and so on, until they bring sentient beings to fulfillment, purify Buddha-fields, and attain unsurpassed enlightenment.”
At that time Venerable Subhūti again said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena are illusory, like dreams, echoes, shadows, reflections, mirages, the city of the Gandharvas, or magical transformations, then where do magically created sentient beings abide such that great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Perfection of Wisdom to rescue them?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, magically created sentient beings abide in false conceptual distinctions of names and appearances. Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Perfection of Wisdom to rescue them from those false conceptual distinctions.”
Venerable Subhūti again asked:
“World-Honored One, what is meant by ‘name,’ and what is meant by ‘appearance’?”
The Buddha replied:
“Subhūti, names are merely conventional designations, provisionally established to convey particular meanings. Thus one says: this is called form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; this is called the eye-base up to the mind-base; this is called the object of form up to mental objects; this is called the eye-element up to the mind-element; this is called the form-element up to the dharma-element; this is called the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; this is called male; this is called female; this is called small; this is called great; this is called hell; this is called the animal realm; this is called the ghost realm; this is called the human realm; this is called the heavenly realm; this is called wholesome dharma; this is called unwholesome dharma; this is called morally determinate dharma; this is called morally indeterminate dharma; this is called contaminated dharma; this is called uncontaminated dharma; this is called worldly dharma; this is called supramundane dharma; this is called conditioned dharma; this is called unconditioned dharma; this is called the fruit of Stream-entry; this is called Once-returner; this is called Non-returner; this is called Arhatship; this is called Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; this is called all the practices of great Bodhisattvas; this is called the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas; this is called an ordinary person; this is called a Śrāvaka; this is called a Pratyekabuddha; this is called a Bodhisattva; this is called a Tathāgata.
“Subhūti, all such names merely indicate meanings and are only provisional designations. Therefore, all names are not truly existent. Conditioned phenomena exist only as names; consequently, the unconditioned also has no true existence. Deluded ordinary beings cling to these. Great Bodhisattvas, practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom with compassion and vows deeply cultivated in their minds, skillfully teach sentient beings to abandon such attachment by saying: names arise from deluded conceptualization and are provisionally established through the coming together of conditions. You should not cling to them. Names have no true reality; their intrinsic nature is empty. Who, possessing wisdom, would cling to empty phenomena?
“Therefore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practice the Perfection of Wisdom with skillful means, teaching sentient beings to abandon attachment to names.
“Subhūti, that is ‘name.’ As for ‘appearance,’ there are two kinds, to which deluded ordinary beings become attached. What are these two? They are the appearance of form and the appearance of the formless.
“What is the appearance of form? It is this: all phenomena, whether past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or subtle; inferior or superior; distant or near—the intrinsic nature of all such phenomena is empty. Yet deluded ordinary beings discriminate and cling to them as form. This is called the appearance of form.
“The appearance of the formless is this: within phenomena of form and the formless, deluded ordinary beings cling through discrimination, giving rise to afflictions. This is called the appearance of the formless. Great Bodhisattvas, practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, skillfully teach sentient beings to abandon both appearances and further teach them to abide in the realm of signlessness. Although they teach them to abide in signlessness, they do not let them fall into the dualistic view that says, ‘This is appearance’ or ‘This is signlessness.’ Therefore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom skillfully help sentient beings abandon all appearances, practice the realm of signlessness, and remain free from attachment.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena are merely names and appearances, and all names and appearances are only provisional constructs arising from false discrimination, with absolutely nothing real within them that can be grasped, then when practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, how can great Bodhisattvas advance in wholesome qualities and help others advance in wholesome qualities? Through the gradual increase of wholesome qualities, they can progressively perfect the stages and establish sentient beings in the fruits of the three vehicles according to their capacities.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, if among phenomena there were even the slightest real entity, rather than merely provisionally established names and appearances, then while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas would neither advance in wholesome qualities nor help others advance in wholesome qualities. But because among phenomena there is not the slightest real entity—only provisionally established names and appearances—great Bodhisattvas, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, can advance in wholesome qualities and help others increase wholesome qualities. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the Perfection of Wisdom down to the Perfection of Giving. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the three gateways to liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect internal emptiness up to the emptiness of intrinsic nature. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect suchness up to the inconceivable realm. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the stage of Great Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect all dhāraṇī gateways and samādhi gateways. They can also use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the five kinds of spiritual vision and the six supernatural powers. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique Buddha qualities. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect omniscient wisdom, the wisdom of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect all the practices of great Bodhisattvas. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to perfect omniscient knowledge. They can use signlessness as the skillful means to bring sentient beings to fulfillment and purify Buddha-fields.
“Therefore, Subhūti, because all phenomena lack even the slightest true reality and consist only of provisionally established names and appearances, great Bodhisattvas do not give rise to deluded views or attachment toward them. They are able to use signlessness as skillful means to advance their own wholesome qualities and to help others increase theirs.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, if among phenomena there truly existed even a dharma-characteristic the size of the tip of a hair, then while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas would have no need to realize signlessness, thoughtlessness, or nonconceptual uncontaminated attention, nor would they attain unsurpassed enlightenment or establish sentient beings in the uncontaminated Dharma, because all uncontaminated dharmas are signless, thoughtless, and free from conceptual attention. Therefore, Subhūti, great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, through skillful means, establish sentient beings in the uncontaminated Dharma. Only then is it truly called benefiting others.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all phenomena possess the true uncontaminated nature of signlessness, thoughtlessness, and nonconceptuality, then why has the World-Honored One repeatedly said in the sūtras: ‘This is a contaminated dharma; this is an uncontaminated dharma; this is a worldly dharma; this is a supramundane dharma; this is a conditioned dharma; this is an unconditioned dharma; this is a contentious dharma; this is a non-contentious dharma; this is a dharma of transmigration; this is a dharma of cessation; this is a Śrāvaka dharma; this is a Pratyekabuddha dharma; this is Bodhi; this is Buddha-dharma’?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Is the nature of contaminated dharmas different from the nature of uncontaminated, signless, and other such dharmas?”
Subhūti replied:
“No, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, is not the nature of conditioned (contaminated) phenomena precisely the nature of unconditioned (undefiled), signless, and thought-free phenomena…?”
Subhūti replied:
“Yes, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, are not the natures of the fruits from Stream-enterer up to the unsurpassed state of Enlightenment precisely the nature of the unconditioned, signless, and thought-free Dharma?”
Subhūti replied:
“Yes, World-Honored One.”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, for this reason you should know that all phenomena are signless… neither two nor different.
“Subhūti, you should know that when great Bodhisattvas learn all signless, thought-free, and non-acting phenomena, they are always able to increase the wholesome qualities they have cultivated, namely: the Perfection of Giving (Dāna Pāramitā) up to the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñā Pāramitā); the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations; the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; the liberation gateways of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness; the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the emptiness of intrinsic nature; thusness up to the inconceivable realm; the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; the eight liberations up to the ten totality contemplations; the stages from Great Joy up to Dharma Cloud; all Dhāraṇī gateways and all Samādhi gateways; the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the qualities of non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity; omniscient wisdom, the wisdom of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects; as well as benefiting sentient beings and purifying Buddha lands. All these Buddha-dharmas grow through the practice of signlessness, thought-freedom, and non-conceptual activity. Why is this? Apart from the three gateways of liberation—Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness—great Bodhisattvas need learn no other Dharma. Why? Because these three gateways of liberation encompass all sublime wholesome qualities.
“Why is this? The gateway of liberation of Emptiness contemplates that the intrinsic characteristics of all phenomena are empty. The gateway of liberation of Signlessness contemplates that all phenomena are free from all marks. The gateway of liberation of Wishlessness contemplates that all phenomena are free from all aspirations. Relying on these three gateways, great Bodhisattvas can embrace all supreme wholesome qualities. Apart from these three gateways, the excellent wholesome qualities that should be cultivated cannot grow.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, any great Bodhisattva who is able to learn these three gateways of liberation can also learn the aggregate of form up to the aggregate of consciousness; the sense bases from the eye faculty up to the mind faculty; the sense objects from visible forms up to mental objects; the elements from the eye element up to the mind element; the elements from visible forms up to mental objects; the elements of eye-consciousness up to mind-consciousness; eye-contact up to mind-contact; the feelings conditioned by eye-contact up to the feelings conditioned by mind-contact; the earth element up to the consciousness element; causes and conditions up to dominant conditions; all phenomena arising through conditions; ignorance up to old age and death; the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the emptiness of intrinsic nature; thusness up to the inconceivable realm; the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; the Perfection of Giving up to the Perfection of Wisdom; the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations; the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Noble Eightfold Path; the eight liberations up to the ten totality contemplations; the stages from Great Joy up to Dharma Cloud; all Dhāraṇī gateways and all Samādhi gateways; the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the qualities of non-forgetfulness and constant equanimity; omniscient wisdom, the wisdom of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects; the work of benefiting sentient beings and purifying Buddha lands; as well as immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.”
The Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why is it that a great Bodhisattva who is able to learn these three gateways of liberation is thereby able to learn the aggregate of form up to the aggregate of consciousness?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, when practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, if a great Bodhisattva can truly know the characteristic, arising and ceasing, or thusness of form up to consciousness, this is called being able to learn form up to consciousness.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the characteristic of form while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas truly know that form is entirely full of holes, entirely full of gaps, like a mass of foam, lacking any solid nature. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the characteristic of form while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the arising and ceasing of form while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas truly know that when form arises it comes from nowhere, and when it ceases it goes nowhere. Though it neither comes nor goes, it nevertheless accords with arising and ceasing. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the arising and ceasing of form while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the thusness of form while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, one truly knows that the thusness of form is unborn, unceasing, neither coming nor going, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, always abiding in its own nature, neither false nor changing. Therefore it is called thusness. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the thusness of form while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the characteristic of feeling while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas truly know that feeling is entirely like a boil, entirely like an arrow, quickly arising and quickly ceasing, like a bubble on water, deceptive and without abiding, arising through the coming together of three conditions. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the characteristic of feeling.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the arising and ceasing of feeling while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas truly know that when feeling arises it comes from nowhere, and when it ceases it goes nowhere. Though it neither comes nor goes, it accords with arising and ceasing. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the arising and ceasing of feeling while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the thusness of feeling while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, a great Bodhisattva truly knows that the thusness of feeling is unborn, unceasing, neither coming nor going, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, always abiding in its own nature, neither false nor changing. Therefore it is called thusness. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the thusness of feeling while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the characteristic of perception while practicing the Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, a great Bodhisattva truly knows that perception is like a mirage, impossible to grasp. Because of the condition of craving, this perception falsely arises, and based upon it speech is produced. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the characteristic of perception while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the arising and ceasing of perception while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, great Bodhisattvas truly know that when perception arises it comes from nowhere, and when it ceases it goes nowhere. Though it neither comes nor goes, it accords with arising and ceasing. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the arising and ceasing of perception while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.
“Subhūti, how does a great Bodhisattva truly know the thusness of perception while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom? It is that, while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom, a great Bodhisattva truly knows that the thusness of perception is unborn, unceasing, neither coming nor going, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, always abiding in its own nature, neither false nor changing. Therefore it is called thusness. This is called a great Bodhisattva truly knowing the thusness of perception while practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom.