THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 505
Chapter 9: REJOICING AND DEDICATION (2)
At that time, Śakra, Lord of Devas, addressed Venerable Subhūti:
When great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle hear such teachings, their minds will not be frightened, alarmed, or doubtful. How can great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle dedicate the cultivation of roots of virtue toward the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment? How can they preserve meritorious deeds and perform rejoicing in order to dedicate them toward the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
At that time, Venerable Subhūti said to Śakra, Lord of Devas:
If great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle practice and revere the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects, using non-attainment as a skillful means and using signlessness as a skillful means, and preserve the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects, then because of this cause and condition, these bodhisattvas will develop profound understanding regarding the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects and the meaning that all characteristics are unborn. They will constantly be protected by good spiritual friends. Toward good spiritual friends, they will use limitless methods of skillful explanation of texts and meanings, and for their sake explain the profound perfection of wisdom up to the teachings corresponding to the wisdom of all aspects. Through such teachings they instruct and transmit the Dharma, causing them to enter the right nature of separation from arising of the bodhisattva. Those who have not yet entered the right nature of separation from arising of the bodhisattva will also constantly not be separated from the profound perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects.
Furthermore, they explain the activities of Māra, causing them, after hearing them, not to increase or decrease their minds regarding the activities of Māra. Why? Because the activities of Māra have no true nature, cannot be grasped, and through this Dharma they instruct and transmit the teachings, causing them eventually to enter the right nature of separation from arising of the bodhisattva, constantly not being separated from the Buddha, and planting roots of virtue in the presence of the Buddhas.
Furthermore, because they preserve roots of virtue, they are constantly born among assemblies of great bodhisattvas until attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and regarding roots of virtue, they are constantly not separated from them.
Kauśika, if great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle can use non-attainment as a skillful means in this way and use signlessness as a skillful means, then they will preserve all merits and virtues. Regarding the arising of these merits and virtues, they develop great understanding, are constantly protected by good spiritual friends, and upon hearing this Dharma do not become frightened, alarmed, or doubtful.
Furthermore, Kauśika, great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle, according to their cultivation of the six perfections, such as giving, and up to the wisdom of all aspects, should use non-attainment as a skillful means and use signlessness as a skillful means, together with all sentient beings equally dedicate them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Furthermore, Kauśika, great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle, throughout the immeasurable, countless, boundless worlds in the ten directions of all Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, abandon the paths of the realms, completely cut off conceptual proliferation, put down all burdens, pull out the thorns of the village, completely cut off the bonds and afflictive fetters of existence, possess right wisdom, and have minds liberated. They are skillful Dharma teachers, and their disciples accomplish the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation, and create other merits and virtues.
Furthermore, in these places, roots of virtue are planted: the great lineage of kṣatriyas up to the great lineage of householders, and so forth, which are places for planting roots of virtue; or from the Four Great Heavenly Kings up to the Pure Abodes heavens, and so forth, which are places for planting roots of virtue. Thus gathering all acts of present arising, compared with other roots of virtue, these are the most excellent, the most supreme, the most honored, the highest, the most wondrous, the most subtle, the superior, unsurpassed, incomparable, and unequaled.
Then, with a mind of rejoicing and the meritorious deeds of rejoicing, together with all sentient beings equally dedicate them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
At that time, Bodhisattva Maitreya asked Venerable Subhūti:
Great bodhisattvas who are newly learning the Great Vehicle, if they recollect the many merits and virtues of the Thus Come Ones and disciples and plant roots of virtue in the realms of gods and humans, thus gathering all acts of present arising, compared with other roots of virtue, they are the most honored and supreme…
Again, by using such a mind of rejoicing, and roots of virtue of rejoicing, together with all sentient beings equally dedicating them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, why do these great bodhisattvas not fall into conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views?
Venerable Subhūti replied:
Great One, if a great bodhisattva recollects the many merits and virtues of the Buddhas and disciples, but does not give rise to conceptual thoughts regarding the merits and virtues of the Buddhas and disciples; regarding planting roots of virtue in the realms of gods and humans, does not give rise to conceptual thoughts regarding roots of virtue among gods and humans; and regarding generating the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward great bodhi, likewise does not give rise to thoughts of rejoicing and dedication toward bodhi.
When this great bodhisattva generates the mind of rejoicing and dedication, he does not fall into conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views. If a great bodhisattva recollects the many merits and virtues of the Buddha and disciples, then grasps the characteristics of the merits and virtues of the Buddha and disciples; regarding planting roots of virtue among gods and humans, still grasps the characteristics of those roots of virtue among gods and humans; and regarding generating the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward great bodhi, still grasps the characteristics of generating the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward bodhi, then when this great bodhisattva generates the mind of rejoicing and dedication, he falls into conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views.
Furthermore, Great One, if a great bodhisattva recollects in this way the roots of virtue and merits of all Buddhas and disciples, and correctly knows that this mind is exhausted, extinguished, departed, and transformed, and cannot be something to rejoice in. Correctly knowing that these phenomena are likewise so by nature and are not objects of rejoicing; correctly understanding that the subject of dedication and its nature are likewise so and are not the subject of dedication; and correctly understanding that the object of dedication and its nature are likewise so and are not the object of dedication—if one can rejoice and dedicate based on these words, then it is correct and not mistaken. Great bodhisattvas should all rejoice and dedicate in this way.
Furthermore, Great One, if a great bodhisattva, regarding all Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the three times, from the moment they first arouse the mind until attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and until the Dharma disappears, during that period, all the merits and virtues, and roots of virtue planted according to the Buddha Dharma by Buddha disciples and solitary buddhas; roots of virtue planted by hearing teachings from ordinary beings; roots of virtue planted by hearing teachings from nāgas, spirits, asuras, and so forth; roots of virtue planted by hearing teachings from the great lineage of kṣatriyas up to the great lineage of householders; roots of virtue planted by hearing teachings from the Four Great Heavenly Kings up to the Akaniṣṭha heaven; roots of virtue planted by hearing teachings from virtuous men and virtuous women; generating the mind of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and diligently cultivating bodhisattva practices—thus gathering all acts of present arising and comparing them with other roots of virtue, they become the supreme mind of rejoicing…
Furthermore, they take such roots of virtue of rejoicing and, together with all sentient beings, equally dedicate them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. At such a time, if they correctly understand that all phenomena which are subjects of rejoicing and dedication will be exhausted, destroyed, departed, and transformed, and that the phenomena which are objects of rejoicing and dedication are inherently empty, yet are able to rejoice and dedicate toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Furthermore, at this time, if they correctly understand that there are no phenomena that can rejoice in or dedicate toward phenomena. Why? Because all phenomena are empty by nature; within emptiness there are no subjects or objects of rejoicing and dedication. Therefore, although knowing this, they are able to rejoice and dedicate toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
If this great bodhisattva can rejoice and dedicate in this way, then in cultivating the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects, he will not fall into conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views. Why? Because this great bodhisattva does not generate attachment toward the mind of rejoicing and the virtuous roots of virtue that are the object of rejoicing; nor does he generate attachment toward the mind of dedication and the object dedicated toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Because there is no attachment, he does not fall into mistaken views. This is the place where bodhisattvas generate the mind of rejoicing and dedication, called unsurpassed rejoicing and dedication, which is free from all false discriminations.
Furthermore, Great One, if this great bodhisattva, regarding the practice of meritorious deeds, truly understands and knows, being separated from the aggregates, elements, and sense bases, and also being separated from the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects, then this great bodhisattva, having understood the practice of meritorious deeds in this way, can correctly rejoice and dedicate toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Furthermore, Great One, if a great bodhisattva truly understands the meritorious deeds and acts of rejoicing, being separated from the own nature of meritorious deeds and acts of rejoicing; the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, being separated from the own nature of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones; merits and roots of virtue, being separated from the own nature of merits and roots of virtue; śrāvakas, solitary buddhas, and ordinary beings, being separated from the own nature of śrāvakas, solitary buddhas, and ordinary beings; the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward great bodhi, being separated from the own nature of the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward great bodhi; great bodhisattvas, being separated from the own nature of great bodhisattvas; the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects, being separated from the own nature of the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects; all practices of great bodhisattvas, being separated from the own nature of all practices of great bodhisattvas; the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, being separated from the own nature of the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas—then this great bodhisattva, practicing in this way and being separated from the nature of the perfection of wisdom, is called one who truly practices the profound perfection of wisdom, and can correctly rejoice and dedicate toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Furthermore, Great One, regarding all Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones who have entered nirvāṇa, and the merits and roots of virtue of their disciples, if someone wishes to generate the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should rejoice and dedicate in this way. They should think:
The Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones and their disciples have all passed into extinction; their own nature is not existent. The merits and roots of virtue are likewise so. The place where I generate the mind of rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and the dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, are also likewise so.
Knowing this, when they generate rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment regarding these roots of virtue, they do not generate conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views.
If a great bodhisattva uses grasping at characteristics as a skillful means and practices the perfection of wisdom, and regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and disciples who have passed into extinction, grasps the characteristics of rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, then this is not skillful rejoicing and dedication. Because the merits and roots of virtue of Buddhas and disciples of the past are neither characteristics nor absence of characteristics, and are not objects that can be grasped by this great bodhisattva, therefore, because he generates rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment through the thought of grasping characteristics, it is not skillful rejoicing and dedication. Therefore, he falls into conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views.
If a great bodhisattva does not use grasping at characteristics as a skillful means to practice the perfection of wisdom, and regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and disciples who have passed into extinction, is free from the characteristics of rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, this is called skillful rejoicing and dedication. Therefore, he does not fall into conceptualized thoughts and mistaken views.
At that time, Bodhisattva Maitreya asked Venerable Subhūti:
Why is it that great bodhisattvas, regarding the merits and roots of virtue of all Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones and disciples, and the meritorious deeds of rejoicing, do not grasp characteristics yet can rejoice and dedicate toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Subhūti replied:
One should know that the learning of the perfection of wisdom by great bodhisattvas has such skillful means. Although they do not grasp characteristics, they accomplish the purpose; they are not separated from the perfection of wisdom, and can correctly generate meritorious deeds of rejoicing and dedicate them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Therefore, these great bodhisattvas, wishing to accomplish this, must study the perfection of wisdom.
Bodhisattva Maitreya said:
Venerable Subhūti, do not speak in this way. Why? Because within the profound perfection of wisdom, the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and disciples, together with the accomplishment of merits and roots of virtue, do not truly exist and cannot be grasped. The meritorious deeds of rejoicing and generating dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment likewise do not truly exist and cannot be grasped.
Here, a great bodhisattva practicing the perfection of wisdom should contemplate in this way:
The merits and roots of virtue of the Buddhas and disciples of the past have the nature of having already ceased; the meritorious deeds of rejoicing and generating dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment have the nature of being completely quiescent.
If I grasp characteristics and discriminate regarding the merits and roots of virtue of those Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and disciples, and also grasp characteristics and discriminate regarding the meritorious deeds of rejoicing and generating dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and use this grasping and discrimination as a skillful means to generate rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, none of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, will approve.
Why? Because rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment based on grasping characteristics and discrimination regarding Buddhas and disciples who have passed into extinction is called having great attainment. Therefore, great bodhisattvas who wish to correctly generate rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Thus Come Ones and disciples should not generate rejoicing and dedication through attainment or grasping characteristics and discrimination.
If they generate rejoicing and dedication through attainment and grasping characteristics and discrimination, the Buddha does not proclaim that great benefit. Why? Because such a mind of rejoicing and dedication is conceptual discrimination and is called mixed with poison.
Although food and drink may possess excellent color, fragrance, and wonderful taste, if poison is mixed within it, a foolish person with shallow understanding and greedily takes and eats it. At first it may be very pleasing, joyful, and satisfying, but later, after the food is digested, they suffer even greater pain, perhaps leading to death or near death.
Such a person, not skillfully upholding, not skillfully contemplating the meaning of the words and sentences of the profound perfection of wisdom, not skillfully reciting it, and not skillfully understanding its profound meaning, nevertheless tells someone of the Mahāyāna lineage:
“Good man, come here! Regarding the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, of the three times, from the time they first generated the mind until they attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, turned the wondrous Dharma wheel, liberated sentient beings, entered non-remainder nirvāṇa, and until the Dharma disappeared—during that period, if they cultivated the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects and have gathered, will gather, and are gathering roots of virtue; or brought about the accomplishment of sentient beings and purified Buddha-fields, have gathered, will gather, and are gathering roots of virtue; or the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation of the Thus Come Ones and their immeasurable, boundless merits and virtues; or all contaminated and uncontaminated roots of virtue of Buddha disciples; or merits of gods, humans, and solitary buddha enlightenment that Thus Come Ones have predicted, will predict, and are predicting; or roots of virtue gathered, to be gathered, and being gathered by gods, dragons, asuras, and so forth; or virtuous men and virtuous women who generate roots of virtue through rejoicing and dedication regarding these merits and virtues—thus gathering all present rejoicing and, together with all sentient beings equally, dedicating them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”
Speaking of such rejoicing and dedication is to use attainment and grasping characteristics and discrimination as a skillful means. It is like worldly food and drink mixed with poison: at first it brings benefit, but later it causes harm. Therefore, such rejoicing and dedication is not skillful rejoicing and dedication.
Why? Because generating the mind of rejoicing and dedication through attainment and grasping characteristics and discrimination has causes, conditions, mental activity, and conceptual proliferation; it is not the perfection of wisdom. It is mixed with poison, and therefore is called slandering the Buddha, not following the Buddha’s teaching, and not following the Dharma taught by the Buddha. Those with the bodhisattva lineage should not follow such words and learn from them.
Therefore, Venerable One, how should one speak so that virtuous men abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle may practice? They should rejoice and dedicate regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Buddhas and disciples of the three times.
That is, the Buddhas, from when they first generated the mind until the Dharma disappears, during that period, if they cultivated the perfection of wisdom up to the wisdom of all aspects and gathered roots of virtue. Thus, if virtuous men and virtuous women generate rejoicing and dedication regarding these merits and virtues…
How should virtuous men and virtuous women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle generate rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment regarding those merits and roots of virtue?
Venerable Subhūti replied to Bodhisattva Maitreya:
Virtuous men and virtuous women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle who practice the profound perfection of wisdom, wishing not to slander the Buddha when generating the mind of rejoicing and dedication, should think:
The unsurpassed Buddha wisdom of the Thus Come Ones understands and knows completely the merits and roots of virtue. It has such nature, such characteristics, and such Dharma, yet it can be rejoiced in. I too should now rejoice in this way.
Just as the unsurpassed Buddha wisdom of the Thus Come Ones understands and knows completely, so should I dedicate such meritorious deeds toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Virtuous men and virtuous women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle should rejoice and dedicate regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Thus Come Ones and disciples in this way. If they rejoice and dedicate in this way, they do not slander the Buddha. This is following the Buddha’s teaching and following the Dharma spoken by the Buddha. This great bodhisattva, using such a mind of rejoicing and dedication, is not mixed with various kinds of poison and can reach the ultimate.
Furthermore, Great One, virtuous men and virtuous women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle who practice the perfection of wisdom should rejoice and dedicate regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Thus Come Ones and disciples in this way.
Just as the aggregate of form and so forth does not fall into the three realms and is not bound by the three times, so should rejoicing and dedication also be. Up to all-knowing wisdom, path-aspect wisdom, and wisdom of all aspects, they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times; rejoicing and dedication should also be like this.
Just as the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times, so should rejoicing and dedication also be. Why? Because those phenomena are empty by nature, they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times; rejoicing and dedication are likewise so.
That is, the own nature of the Thus Come Ones is empty, therefore they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times. The merits of the Buddhas are empty by nature, therefore they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times. Śrāvakas, solitary buddhas, gods, humans, and so forth are empty by nature, therefore they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times. Those roots of virtue are empty by nature, therefore they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times. The rejoicing itself is empty by nature, therefore it does not fall into the three realms and is not bound by the three times. The Dharma of dedication is empty by nature, therefore it does not fall into the three realms and is not bound by the three times. The one who dedicates is empty by nature, therefore they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times.
When great bodhisattvas practice the perfection of wisdom and correctly know the five aggregates and all phenomena as they truly are, they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times. If they do not fall into the three realms and are not bound by the three times, they cannot use characteristics as a skillful means or attainment as a skillful means to generate rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Why? Because the aggregates and so forth are unborn by nature. If a phenomenon is unborn, it does not truly exist. One cannot rejoice and dedicate something nonexistent through nonexistent Dharma. Therefore, the rejoicing and dedication of great bodhisattvas toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this way is not mixed with harmful poison and can reach the ultimate.
Virtuous men and virtuous women abiding in the bodhisattva vehicle, if they use characteristics as a skillful means or attainment as a skillful means and generate the mind of rejoicing and dedication regarding the merits and roots of virtue of the Thus Come Ones and disciples, should know that this is mistaken rejoicing and dedication. The Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, do not praise such mistaken rejoicing and dedication.
Such a mind of rejoicing and dedication is not something praised by the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones; therefore, it cannot perfect the six perfections such as giving, up to not perfecting all-knowing wisdom, path-aspect wisdom, and wisdom of all aspects. Because merits and virtues are not perfected, one cannot purify Buddha-fields or bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings. Because one cannot purify Buddha-fields or bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, one cannot attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Why? Because the rejoicing and dedication generated through characteristics and attainment is mixed with harmful poison.
Furthermore, Great Teacher, when great bodhisattvas practice the profound perfection of wisdom, they should think:
All Thus Come Ones, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones throughout the worlds of the ten directions truly understand the merits and roots of virtue. There is such Dharma to rely upon, namely the Dharma that generates non-inverted rejoicing and dedication.
I should now also rely upon such Dharma and generate rejoicing and dedication toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. This is the correct generation of rejoicing and dedication.
Therefore, they will certainly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and liberate all sentient beings throughout the end of future time.
At that time, the World-Honored One praised Subhūti:
“Excellent, excellent! Now you have performed a great Buddha-work for all Great Bodhisattvas, namely, for the sake of the Great Bodhisattvas, you have skillfully proclaimed the non-inverted teaching of rejoicing in merit and dedicating the merit. The proclamation of such rejoicing and dedication is carried out by using as skillful means the absence of marks, the absence of attainment, the absence of arising, the absence of cessation, the absence of defilement, the absence of purity, self-nature, emptiness of nature, and emptiness of self-character. It also uses as skillful means the Dharma-nature, the Dharma-realm, suchness, and even the inconceivable realm.
Subhūti, you should know that if all sentient beings in a three-thousand great thousand world-system were to accomplish the ten wholesome karmic paths, the four meditations, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations, and the five supernormal powers, what do you think? Would these sentient beings obtain much merit?”
Subhūti replied:
“World-Honored One, very much! Well-Gone One, very much!”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“If any virtuous man or virtuous woman, with regard to the meritorious roots of virtue of all Tathāgatas and their disciples, gives rise to a mind free from attachment, rejoices in them, and dedicates the merit, the merit obtained is greater than the above. Subhūti, you should know that these virtuous men and virtuous women, by giving rise to such a mind of rejoicing and dedication, surpass all other roots of virtue; they are the foremost, the superior, the most honored, the highest, the marvelous, the exceedingly marvelous, the supreme, unsurpassed, incomparable, and unequaled.”
“Furthermore, Subhūti, suppose all sentient beings in a three-thousand great thousand world-system attained the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, and Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. If virtuous men and virtuous women, throughout their entire lives, offered all kinds of material offerings to those Stream-enterers through Pratyekabuddhas with reverence, respect, honor, and praise, what do you think? Would these virtuous men and virtuous women, because of this cause and condition, obtain much merit?”
Subhūti said:
“World-Honored One, very much! Well-Gone One, very much!”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“If any virtuous man or virtuous woman, with regard to the meritorious roots of virtue of all Tathāgatas and their disciples, gives rise to a mind without defilement, rejoices, and dedicates the merit, the merit obtained is greater than the above. Subhūti, you should know that these virtuous men and virtuous women should give rise to such rejoicing and dedication; compared with other roots of virtue, it is the foremost, the superior…”
“Furthermore, Subhūti, suppose all sentient beings in a three-thousand great thousand world-system all aspire toward the highest perfect enlightenment. If all sentient beings throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, were to make complete offerings and present them, throughout countless great kalpas equal in number to the sands of the Ganges, offering, honoring, respecting, and praising them, what do you think? Would these sentient beings, because of this cause and condition, obtain much merit?”
Subhūti replied:
“World-Honored One, very much! Well-Gone One, very much! If such merit had form and color, the worlds of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, would not be able to contain it.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! Subhūti, you should know that virtuous men and virtuous women who, with regard to the meritorious roots of virtue of all Tathāgatas and their disciples, give rise to a mind free from attachment, rejoice, and dedicate the merit, obtain merit greater than the above.
Subhūti, you should know that when these virtuous men and virtuous women give rise to such rejoicing and dedication, compared with other roots of virtue they are foremost, superior, and so forth, as has been extensively explained.
Subhūti, you should know that the above merit, compared with the merit that follows, is not even one hundredth, one thousandth, or even a small fraction of it. Why? The ten wholesome karmic paths, the four meditations, and so forth of those sentient beings are all performed using marks and attainment as skillful means. Therefore, those virtuous men and virtuous women who make complete offerings to the Stream-enterers, up to those who give rise to the great Bodhi mind, also use marks and attainment as skillful means.”
At that time, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, together with thirty-two thousand attendant heavenly beings, bowed their heads to the Buddha’s feet, joined their palms respectfully, and said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, only those Great Bodhisattvas are able to give rise to such vast rejoicing and dedication. That is, the skillful means of those Bodhisattvas are to use the absence of marks, the absence of attainment, the absence of defilement, and the absence of fabrication as skillful means. Regarding the meritorious roots of virtue of all Tathāgatas and their disciples, they give rise to non-inverted rejoicing and dedication. Such rejoicing and dedication does not fall into the realm of duality or non-duality.”
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, together with the heavenly sons Suyāma, Saṃtuṣita, Sunirmita, and Vaśavartin, along with countless hundreds of thousands of heavenly beings, held various supremely wondrous flower garlands, powdered incense, applied incense, garments, necklaces, banners, jeweled canopies, and various rare treasures, played heavenly music, and made offerings to the Buddha. They bowed to his feet, joined their palms, and said:
“Those Great Bodhisattvas alone are able to give rise to such vast rejoicing and dedication. That is, those Great Bodhisattvas establish skillful means using the absence of marks, the absence of attainment, the absence of defilement, and the absence of fabrication as skillful means. Regarding the meritorious roots of virtue of all Tathāgatas and their disciples, they give rise to the mind of rejoicing and dedication without inversion. Such rejoicing and dedication does not fall into the realm of duality or non-duality.”
At that time, Great Brahmā, the gods of Pure Radiance, Universal Purity, Vast Fruit, and Ultimate Form, each together with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas of heavenly hosts, bowed to the Buddha’s feet, joined their palms respectfully, and together said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, truly rare! Those Great Bodhisattvas, supported by the skillful means of Prajñāpāramitā, surpass and excel the roots of virtue cultivated by virtuous men who lack skillful means and cultivate roots of virtue with marks and attainment.”
The Buddha said to the Four Great Heavenly Kings and up to the gods of Ultimate Form:
“Suppose all sentient beings in a three-thousand great thousand world-system all aspire toward the highest perfect enlightenment. Regarding all Tathāgatas in the ten directions in the past, future, and present, from the moment they first aroused the mind of enlightenment until the time their True Dharma remains established, during that period, all roots of virtue corresponding to the Perfection of Giving up to the wisdom of all aspects; or the roots of virtue of the disciples of the Buddhas; or the aggregates of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision of all Tathāgatas, and the immeasurable, boundless Buddha-dharmas; or the True Dharma proclaimed by all Tathāgatas; or those who rely upon that Dharma to cultivate the three kinds of meritorious activities: the nature of giving, the nature of morality, and the nature of cultivation; or those who rely upon that Dharma to diligently practice and learn, attaining the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, and entering the Right Nature of Separation from Arising for Bodhisattvas; or sentient beings who bring forth roots of virtue through cultivating Giving, Pure Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, Prajñā, and so forth.
Gathering all such things together and measuring them, they use marks, attainment, defilement, fabrication, duality, and non-duality as skillful means to rejoice presently; having rejoiced, they dedicate the merit toward the highest perfect enlightenment.
There are also virtuous men and virtuous women who aspire toward the highest perfect enlightenment and, with regard to all Tathāgatas in the ten directions in the past, future, and present, from the moment they first aroused the mind of enlightenment until the time their True Dharma remains established, during that period cultivate roots of virtue corresponding to the Perfection of Giving, and so forth, including sentient beings who bring forth roots of virtue through cultivating Giving, Pure Discipline, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, Prajñā, and so forth.
Gathering all such things together and measuring them, they use the absence of marks, the absence of attainment, the absence of defilement, the absence of fabrication, non-duality, and non-non-duality as skillful means to rejoice presently; having rejoiced, they dedicate the merit toward the highest perfect enlightenment. The rejoicing and dedication of these virtuous men and virtuous women, compared with other roots of virtue, are foremost and superior, as extensively explained above. Compared with the rejoicing and dedication of the sentient beings mentioned above, it surpasses them by a hundredfold, a thousandfold, even by countless billions of times, and is still foremost and superior.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“The rejoicing and dedication of virtuous men and virtuous women, as the Buddha has explained, are foremost and superior among other roots of virtue, as extensively explained above. At what level is it said that rejoicing and dedication toward other roots of virtue are foremost and superior?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, those virtuous men and virtuous women, regarding all Tathāgatas, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas in the ten directions in the past, future, and present, and all other roots of virtue of all sentient beings, neither take nor reject, neither boast nor belittle, neither have attainment nor lack attainment. They attain all dharmas that are without arising, without cessation, without defilement, without purity, without increase, without decrease, without coming, without going, without union, without separation, without entering, and without exiting.
They further think:
‘The dharmas of the three times are the realm of Dharma suchness, extending up to the inconceivable realm. I too am like this, using non-attainment as skillful means to rejoice in and dedicate the merit of all roots of virtue.’
Subhūti, it is at this level of rejoicing and dedication that the Tathāgata says it is foremost and superior among other roots of virtue. Such rejoicing and dedication surpasses other rejoicing and dedication a hundred thousand times, even countless billions of times. Therefore, I say that such rejoicing and dedication is foremost and superior among other roots of virtue.”
Again, Subhūti, those good men and good women… abiding in the Bodhisattva vehicle in the ten directions and three times among the Tathāgatas, from the time they first aroused the mind until the time the True Dharma remains, during that period they cultivate wholesome roots corresponding to Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā, extending up to immeasurable, innumerable, boundless Buddha-dharmas; or the meritorious wholesome roots of the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas; or the three kinds of meritorious deeds—the nature of giving, the nature of morality, the nature of cultivation—and other wholesome roots of sentient beings. Gathering all such things together, they presently generate a mind of non-deluded rejoicing and dedication. They should think as follows:
Form up to consciousness, together with liberation… up to all-aspect knowledge together with liberation… the aggregate of morality… the five aggregates together with liberation… the understanding of all dharmas together with liberation… the Buddhas of the three times together with liberation… all dharmas of the three times together with liberation… all rejoicing and dedication together with liberation… the maturation and transformations of the faculties of Buddhas and disciples, together with Pratyekabuddhas, together with liberation… the attainment of Nirvāṇa by Buddhas and disciples, together with Pratyekabuddhas, together with liberation… the dharmas and dharma-nature of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Śrāvakas together with liberation… all sentient beings and all dharmas, their dharma-nature together with liberation… just as the nature of all dharmas is without bondage, without release, without defilement, without purity, without arising, without exhaustion, without birth, without cessation, without taking, without abandoning.
Regarding such meritorious wholesome roots, I presently rejoice. I dedicate these wholesome roots equally to all sentient beings and together dedicate them toward the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Such rejoicing and dedication has no agent who rejoices and dedicates, no object of rejoicing, and no object of dedication. Such rejoicing and dedication does not move, does not remain, and is without arising and cessation.
Subhūti, this rejoicing and dedication of the Great Bodhisattva, compared with other arising rejoicing and dedication, is supreme and excellent, as broadly explained above. If a Bodhisattva accomplishes such rejoicing and dedication, they will quickly attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Again, Subhūti, if those good men and good women… who have aroused the mind of the Great Vehicle, supposing that in the present Ganges-sands number of worlds in the ten directions where all Tathāgatas and their disciples abide, using marks and acquisition as means, throughout their entire lives constantly offer superior objects, make offerings, pay homage, honor, and praise them; after the Tathāgatas and their disciples enter Nirvāṇa, take their relics, and then use the seven precious substances to construct tall and spacious stupas, diligently day and night making prostrations and circumambulations.
They further use various excellent banners and flowers, up to lamps, making offerings, paying homage, honoring, and praising.
They further use marks and acquisition as means, diligently cultivate Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā and other wholesome roots.
There are also other good men and good women who have aroused the mind of the Great Vehicle, using non-marks and non-acquisition as means, cultivate wholesome roots corresponding to the six pāramitās, skillful means, and generate rejoicing toward all other meritorious wholesome roots. They dedicate these wholesome roots equally to all sentient beings and together dedicate them toward the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
These good men and good women, through skillful means, perform the rejoicing and dedication of Prajñāpāramitā. The merit created by these good men who have aroused the mind of the Great Vehicle is hundreds of times, thousands of times, tens of thousands of billions of times greater than that previously described. Therefore it is said that such rejoicing and dedication toward other wholesome roots is supreme and excellent…
Therefore, Subhūti, Great Bodhisattvas who arouse the mind of the Great Vehicle should use non-marks and non-acquisition as means, diligently cultivate wholesome roots corresponding to Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā, and relying on the skillful means of Prajñāpāramitā, generate non-deluded rejoicing and dedication toward the meritorious wholesome roots of the Tathāgatas and their disciples. If a Great Bodhisattva can use non-marks and non-acquisition as means to rejoice and dedicate, then this Great Bodhisattva will quickly attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and bring benefit and happiness to all sentient beings until the end of the future age.
## Chapter 10: HELL (1)
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, profound Prajñāpāramitā can illuminate and is completely pure. It should always be respectfully paid homage to because it is a Dharma worthy of reverence and honor by gods and humans… It is not stained by attachment because worldly dharmas cannot defile it. It is far removed from all obscurations of the three realms, far removed from afflictions and dark views. Therefore it is the supreme leader. Among all the factors of enlightenment, it is most exalted and honored. It can bring peace and completely eliminate all frightening, oppressive, and disastrous events.
It brings light to sentient beings, enabling them to possess the eye of wisdom and see the middle way, preventing those who have gone astray from falling into the two extremes. It skillfully gives rise to all-knowledge wisdom and completely cuts off all continuities and habitual tendencies of afflictions.
It is the mother of all Great Bodhisattvas, because all Buddha-dharmas cultivated by Bodhisattvas arise from this. It neither arises nor ceases because its own characteristic is emptiness. It completely transcends all birth and death. It is neither permanent nor destroyed. It can serve as a place of reliance, bestowing the treasure of Dharma upon sentient beings. It perfects the ten powers of the Tathāgata. All other debates are subdued. It turns the unsurpassed Dharma wheel, with three turnings and twelve aspects. It attains all dharmas without going forward or backward. Therefore one understands all dharmas without delusion and directly knows the self-nature as lacking self-nature.”
The World-Honored One, how should sentient beings abide with regard to this Prajñāpāramitā?
At that time, the Buddha told Śāriputra:
“Sentient beings should abide in this Prajñāpāramitā as the Buddha does. They should make offerings, pay homage, and contemplate Prajñāpāramitā just as they make offerings, pay homage, and contemplate the Buddha Bhagavān. Why? Śāriputra, because the Buddha is not different from Prajñāpāramitā, and Prajñāpāramitā is not different from the Buddha. The Buddha itself is Prajñāpāramitā. Prajñāpāramitā itself is the Buddha.
Why? Because all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Śrāvakas appear through Prajñāpāramitā. The ten paths of wholesome karma, the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations, and the five superknowledges also exist throughout all worlds because of Prajñāpāramitā. All Giving pāramitā up to all-aspect knowledge also arise through Prajñāpāramitā.”
At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, again thought:
“Now, for what reason did Śāriputra ask the Buddha this?”
Śāriputra, knowing the thought in his mind, said:
“Kauśika, Great Bodhisattvas, supported by this Prajñāpāramitā, possess skillful means regarding the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, from the time they first aroused the mind until the True Dharma remains, and all the merits during that period. Whether they are the many wholesome roots of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and other sentient beings, all of these are gathered and rejoiced in presently using non-marks and non-acquisition as means. Having rejoiced, they equally dedicate them together with all sentient beings toward the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. For this reason, I asked about this matter.
Furthermore, Kauśika, the learning of Prajñāpāramitā by Great Bodhisattvas surpasses Giving up to the pāramitā of meditative absorption by immeasurable and innumerable amounts. It is like hundreds of thousands of people who are blind from birth. Without a person with sight to guide them, they cannot reach the correct path, let alone a distant great city of wealth and prosperity.
Likewise, the five pāramitās above are blind people. Without the guide of the person with sight, which is Prajñāpāramitā, they cannot reach the correct Bodhisattva path, much less the distant city of all-knowledge.
Furthermore, Kauśika, the five pāramitās such as Giving, because of Prajñāpāramitā, are called those who possess eyes. Again, through the support of Prajñāpāramitā, they are called those who have reached the other shore.”
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, asked:
“Is it not because the five preceding pāramitās mutually lead and support one another that the remaining pāramitā reaches the other shore? If so, why is only Prajñāpāramitā praised as surpassing those five pāramitās?”
Śāriputra replied:
“Your words are not reasonable. Why? It is not because the five preceding pāramitās lead and support the remaining pāramitā, causing it to reach the other shore. Rather, it is through the skillful means and great power fully possessed by Prajñāpāramitā that the five preceding pāramitās are protected, preventing attachment and enabling them to quickly reach the other shore.
Therefore, Prajñāpāramitā among these five is supreme, excellent, honored, highest, wonderful, extremely wonderful, superior, unsurpassed, equal, and incomparable.”
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why do Great Bodhisattvas need to guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha taught Śāriputra:
“Great Bodhisattvas do not guide and develop form; they only guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā. They do not guide and develop feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; they only guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā. They do not guide and develop all-knowledge; they only guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā. They do not guide and develop path-wisdom, all-aspect knowledge, or all dharmas; they only guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā.”
Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why do Great Bodhisattvas not guide form up to all dharmas, but only guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha taught Śāriputra:
“Because form up to all dharmas are not made, not arisen, not attained, not destroyed, and without self-nature. Since Great Bodhisattvas do not guide and develop form up to all dharmas, they should guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā.”
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“Great Bodhisattvas who guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā in this way, what Dharma do they correspond with?”
The Buddha taught Śāriputra:
“Great Bodhisattvas who guide and develop Prajñāpāramitā in this way do not correspond with any dharma. Because they do not correspond, it is called Prajñāpāramitā.”
Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, with what dharmas does such Prajñāpāramitā not correspond?”
The World-Honored One taught:
“Such Prajñāpāramitā does not correspond with wholesome dharmas, does not correspond with unwholesome dharmas, does not correspond with sinful dharmas, does not correspond with non-sinful dharmas, does not correspond with contaminated dharmas, does not correspond with uncontaminated dharmas, does not correspond with conditioned dharmas, does not correspond with unconditioned dharmas, does not correspond with defiled dharmas, does not correspond with undefiled dharmas, does not correspond with worldly dharmas, does not correspond with supramundane dharmas, does not correspond with mixed defiled dharmas, does not correspond with purified dharmas, does not correspond with birth and death, and does not correspond with Nirvāṇa.
Why? Śāriputra, because profound Prajñāpāramitā, regarding all dharmas, has no object to attain; therefore it cannot be said to correspond with such dharmas.”
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, immediately addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, profound Prajñāpāramitā also does not correspond with all-knowledge.”
The Buddha taught:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! Profound Prajñāpāramitā also cannot be said to correspond with all-knowledge, because with regard to this and that, both are without attainment.”
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why does Prajñāpāramitā not correspond with and not attain all-knowledge?”
The World-Honored One taught:
“It is not that profound Prajñāpāramitā corresponds with or attains all-knowledge as name, as characteristic, or as something created.”
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why does Prajñāpāramitā also have correspondence and attainment with all-knowledge?”
The World-Honored One taught:
“Because profound Prajñāpāramitā, regarding all-knowledge as name and characteristic… does not receive, does not take, does not abide, does not cut off, does not grasp, and does not abandon. Such correspondence and attainment exist, but in reality there is no correspondence and no attainment. Regarding all dharmas it is likewise: as name and characteristic… it does not receive, does not take, does not abide, does not cut off, does not grasp, and does not abandon. Such correspondence and attainment exist, but in reality there is no correspondence and no attainment.”
Śakra, Lord of the Gods, again addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how extraordinary! O Well-Gone One, how rare! Such Prajñāpāramitā appears in the world because all dharmas are unborn, unceasing, uncreated, unmade, unobtained, undestroyed, and without self-nature. Although there is correspondence and attainment, in reality there is no correspondence and attainment. This meaning is truly inconceivable. Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One, can understand and teach it.”
At that time, Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if when a Great Bodhisattva practices Prajñāpāramitā and gives rise to the thought: ‘Profound Prajñāpāramitā either corresponds or does not correspond with all dharmas,’ then this Great Bodhisattva abandons and distances themselves from profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha taught Subhūti:
“There is another cause by which Great Bodhisattvas abandon and distance themselves from Prajñāpāramitā. That is when, while practicing Prajñāpāramitā, they falsely imagine: ‘Profound Prajñāpāramitā does not truly exist, is not real, is not firm, and is not free.’ Then this Great Bodhisattva abandons and distances themselves from Prajñāpāramitā.”
At that time, Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“When Great Bodhisattvas have faith in profound Prajñāpāramitā, in what Dharma do they not have faith?”
The Buddha taught Subhūti:
“When Great Bodhisattvas have faith in profound Prajñāpāramitā, they do not have faith in form, do not have faith in feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to not having faith in all-knowledge, not having faith in path-wisdom and all-aspect knowledge.”
Venerable Subhūti again addressed the Buddha:
“Why is it that when Great Bodhisattvas have faith in profound Prajñāpāramitā, they do not have faith in form up to not having faith in all-aspect knowledge?”
The Buddha taught Subhūti:
“When Great Bodhisattvas practice profound Prajñāpāramitā, they observe that all form up to all-aspect knowledge cannot be grasped. They only have faith in Prajñāpāramitā and do not have faith in form up to all-aspect knowledge.
Thus, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas have faith in profound Prajñāpāramitā, they do not have faith in form up to not having faith in all-aspect knowledge.”