MAHĀPRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 517
Chapter 21: THE MARKLESSNESS OF EMPTINESS (3)
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings, because of their evil karmic obstacles, dwell in places where the ground is uneven, rough, full of hills and mounds, ravines and pits, with dense thorny vegetation, and widespread filth, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How should I rescue these sentient beings so that they may forever cut off their evil karmic obstacles and dwell on ground as level as the palm of the hand, without such impure and overgrown vegetation?”
Having thought this way, he further makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, and adorn and purify the Buddha-land so that I may quickly perfect them and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no such impure karmic conditions. All sentient beings will dwell on level ground, with gardens, forests, ponds, lakes, and various fragrant flowers, intermingled with adornments, exceedingly beautiful.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have little merit and virtue, dwelling in lands without precious treasures, having only bricks, tiles, earth, and stones, the Bodhisattva thinks: “How should I help these sentient beings who have many offenses and little merit so that they may dwell in places rich with precious treasures?”
Having thought this way, he further makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no sentient beings with many offenses and little merit; there, golden sand will be spread everywhere.
Everywhere there will be extraordinary precious treasures such as beryl. Although they are always enjoyed and used, there will be no attachment or defilement.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings are mostly dependent upon and immersed in attachments to objects of desire, thereby creating many evil and unwholesome karmas, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How should I help these sentient beings who are bound by attachments so that they may forever be free from such attachments and no longer create evil and unwholesome karmas?”
Having thought this way, he vows: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, enabling myself to quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no sentient beings bound by attachments who create evil karmas. All sentient beings will not be dependent upon forms, sounds, or other objects, and will not cling to possessions.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have four different classes of nobility and lowliness, namely, from Kṣatriyas down to Śūdras, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help these sentient beings so that there will no longer be distinctions between noble and lowly?”
Having thought this way, he immediately makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly perfect them, and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no distinctions among the four classes of nobility and lowliness. All sentient beings will have the same form and appearance; all will belong to the noble human realm.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have differences among superior, middle, and inferior family lineages, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings so that there will no longer be distinctions among superior, middle, and inferior family lineages?”
Having thought this way, he immediately makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, and adorn and purify the Buddha-land so that I may quickly perfect them and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no distinctions among superior, middle, and inferior family lineages. All sentient beings will equally be of the highest quality.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have differences in beautiful and ugly appearances, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “What method should I use to help sentient beings so that they will no longer have such differences in beautiful and ugly appearances?”
After thinking this, he further makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land so that I may quickly perfect them and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no sentient beings with differences in beautiful and ugly appearances. All will have dignified and beautiful pure-gold colored bodies; everyone will be pleasing to behold and will accomplish the supreme, complete, pure form-body.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings are dependent upon masters and therefore cannot do anything freely, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings become free?”
Having thought this way, he vows: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly perfect them, and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land, sentient beings have no masters; all their actions are free. They do not even see the appearance of a master, nor hear the name of a master.
Only the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, uses the Dharma to govern and gather them, and is called the Dharma King.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have differences among the realms of hell and other realms, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings so that there will no longer be distinctions between wholesome and unwholesome realms?”
Having thought this way, he makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land so that I may quickly perfect them and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will no longer be distinctions between wholesome and unwholesome realms, and even the names of evil realms will not exist. All sentient beings will be of one kind and cultivate the same karma. That is, all together they will harmoniously practice giving through prajñāpāramitā; abide in emptiness of the internal through emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness; abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through the eightfold noble path; cultivate the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; cultivate the liberation methods of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivate the eight liberations through the ten universal bases; cultivate the stages of Great Bodhisattvas; cultivate all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways; cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata through the eighteen unshared Buddha qualities; cultivate great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; cultivate the causes of the marks and excellent characteristics; cultivate the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of always equanimity; cultivate the wisdom of omniscience, the wisdom of the path-aspect, and the wisdom of all aspects; cultivate the Great Bodhisattva path and the supreme enlightenment fruition of the Buddha.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have four different types of birth, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings so that they will no longer have these four different types of birth?”
Having thought this way, he further makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly attain perfection, and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no differences among these four types of birth. All sentient beings will be of one kind: transformed birth.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings do not possess the five wisdom-based supernatural powers and are unable to act freely in whatever they do, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings attain the five wisdom-based supernatural powers?”
Having thought this way, he immediately makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly attain perfection, and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land, all sentient beings will fully accomplish the five supreme supernatural powers.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings consume food by means of gross material nourishment (eating in handfuls and portions), and that their bodies contain foul-smelling excrement, urine, pus, blood, and other impurities, causing great disgust, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings so that their bodies will no longer contain such impurities?”
Having thought this way, he further makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly attain perfection, and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land, sentient beings will only enjoy the wondrous food of Dharma joy; their bodies will be fragrant and pure, without the impurities produced by excrement and urine.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings lack light from their bodies and must seek lamps or medicines whenever they do anything, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings become free from such a lack of light?”
After thinking this way, he immediately makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land, all sentient beings’ bodies will naturally possess sufficient light, without relying on external illumination.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that the realms where sentient beings dwell have night and day, months, half-months, and changing seasons throughout the year, the Great Bodhisattva thinks: “How can I help sentient beings so that the places where they dwell will have no day, night, months, half-months, or changing seasons?”
Having thought this way, he further makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly attain perfection, and realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land there will be no day, night, month, half-month, seasons, or even the names of these things.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through the six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six pāramitās. Seeing that sentient beings have short lifespans, he immediately thinks: “How can I help sentient beings so that they will no longer have short lifespans?”
Having thought this way, he immediately makes the vow: “I must diligently exert myself, without being attached to anything, only cultivate the six pāramitās, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorn and purify the Buddha-land, quickly attain perfection, and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-land, sentient beings will have extremely long lifespans, with kalpas whose duration is difficult to know.”
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six pāramitās, will quickly attain perfection and be close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that sentient beings lack good marks and beauty, and immediately thinks: How should I help sentient beings obtain good marks and beauty?
Having thought thus, he then makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-field, all sentient beings will possess the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics of complete adornment. Any sentient being who sees them will give rise to pure joy.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that sentient beings lack wholesome roots. Having seen this, he thinks: How should I help sentient beings so that they may become endowed with wholesome roots?
Having thought thus, he then makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-field, the wholesome roots of all sentient beings will be perfect, supreme, and pure. Through these wholesome roots, they will possess excellent offerings to make offerings to all Buddhas. Relying upon this power of merit, wherever they are born, they will be able to make offerings to the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that sentient beings suffer from illnesses of body and mind. Bodily illnesses are four: wind, heat, phlegm, and other ordinary diseases. Mental illnesses are four: the illnesses of greed, anger, ignorance, and pride. Seeing this, that Great Bodhisattva thinks: How should I help sentient beings escape the suffering of bodily and mental illnesses?
After thinking in this way, he makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-field, there will be no sentient beings suffering from illnesses of body or mind, and there will not even be the name of illness of body or mind.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that sentient beings have different inclinations toward the three vehicles, and immediately thinks: How should I help sentient beings with narrow inclinations abandon their preference for the two vehicles and turn only toward the unsurpassed Great Vehicle?
Having thought thus, he makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-field, sentient beings will aspire to the highest enlightenment and will not delight in the fruits of the Śrāvaka or Pratyekabuddha vehicles; there will not even be the name of the two vehicles.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that sentient beings possess excessive pride: they claim to have abandoned what they have not abandoned and claim to have attained what they have not attained. Seeing this, that Great Bodhisattva thinks: How should I help sentient beings abandon the bondage of excessive pride?
Having thought thus, he makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-field, there will be no such people with excessive pride. All sentient beings will have true knowledge and vision regarding what they have abandoned and what they have attained.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that sentient beings give rise to many attachments. That is, they are attached to the form aggregate; attached to the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Expanding further, they are attached to the practices of a Great Bodhisattva and attached to the highest enlightenment. Having seen this, that Great Bodhisattva thinks: How should I help sentient beings abandon these attachments?
After thinking thus, he makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. In my Buddha-field, sentient beings will not have such attachments.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that a Thus-Gone One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, has a lifespan, radiance, and assembly of disciples that are limited. Having seen this, that Great Bodhisattva thinks: How can I obtain a lifespan, radiance, and assembly of disciples that are unlimited?
Having thought thus, he makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. My lifespan, radiance, and assembly of disciples will all be without limit.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees that the circumference of the land of a Thus-Gone One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, is limited. Having seen this, that Great Bodhisattva thinks: How can I attain a land whose circumference is unlimited, peaceful, abundant, and prosperous?
Having thought thus, he makes the vow: I must diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. The worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, shall combine into a single land that is peaceful and joyful. In that land, I shall teach the Dharma and guide immeasurable, innumerable, boundless sentient beings.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Furthermore, Subhūti, there is a Great Bodhisattva who fully cultivates the six perfections, sees countless realms of sentient beings existing in the cycle of birth and death throughout the long ages of past and future. Seeing this, that Great Bodhisattva thinks: The shore of birth and death and the realm of sentient beings are both like empty space. Although there is no real person who transmigrates through birth and death or attains liberation, because sentient beings falsely cling to things, they continue in birth and death and endure suffering without end. How can I help them?
Having thought thus, he makes the vow: I should diligently strive, without clinging to anything whatsoever, and only cultivate the six perfections, bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorning and purifying the Buddha-field, so that I may quickly attain perfection and quickly realize the wisdom of omniscience. I shall teach the wondrous Dharma so that sentient beings may be liberated from the great suffering of birth and death, and also enable them to realize that birth and death and liberation are completely without ownership and are ultimately empty.
Subhūti, you should know that this Great Bodhisattva, through these six perfections, quickly attains perfection and comes close to realizing the wisdom of omniscience.
Chapter 22: GANGĀ DEVATĀ
At that time, among the assembly there was a celestial maiden named Gangā Devatā. She rose from her seat, stood up, bowed with her head touching the feet of the Buddha, draped her upper garment over her right shoulder, knelt on the ground, placed her palms together, and said to the Buddha:
Blessed One, I can perfect Giving, Pure Conduct, Forbearance, Diligence, Meditative Concentration, Prajñā-pāramitā, and can protect the Buddha-field that the Blessed One has spoken of to the great assembly.
Having said this, Gāṅgādevī then took various adornments, including golden flowers, silver flowers, flowers growing in water and on land, and brought a pair of heavenly robes of pure gold, respectfully and sincerely offering them to the Buddha. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, those offerings rose into the sky, gracefully turning clockwise, and above the crown of the Buddha they transformed into a jeweled pavilion. It had four pillars at the four corners, beautifully adorned and exceedingly delightful. Then the celestial maiden gave this jeweled pavilion equally to all sentient beings and together dedicated it toward the unsurpassed enlightenment.
Knowing the celestial maiden’s profound aspiration, the Tathāgata smiled in accordance with the customary manner of all Buddhas. When they smile, rays of light of various colors emerge from their mouths. Now the Buddha was the same: from his mouth he emitted rays of various colors, such as blue, yellow, red, pink, purple, and green, illuminating all the infinite and boundless Buddha worlds in the ten directions, and then returning, manifesting a great miraculous transformation, and entering into the crown of the Buddha.
Seeing this, Ānanda rose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt with his knees on the ground, joined his palms, and said:
Blessed One, for what reason and cause have You manifested this smile? When the Buddha smiles, it is also so, but especially such a smile cannot be without a cause, can it?
At that time, the Blessed One said to Joyful One:
This celestial maiden in a future life will become a Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, fully called Buddha, Blessed One, in a kalpa named Star Simile, with the Buddha-name Golden Flower.
Joyful One, you should know that this celestial maiden is in her final female body. After abandoning this body, she will receive a male body and throughout future lives will never again take the form of a woman. After leaving this life, she will be born in the world of the Eastern Buddha Akṣobhya Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, which is extremely beautiful. In that Buddha-land, she will deeply practice the holy conduct. Because this celestial maiden is in that realm, she will have the name Golden Flower and cultivate the practices of a Great Bodhisattva.
Joyful One, you should know that after Bodhisattva Golden Flower passes away from the Buddha world of Akṣobhya, she will again be born in another direction. From one Buddha-land to another, wherever she is born she will never be separated from the Buddhas. Just as a Wheel-Turning King goes from one jeweled palace to another jeweled palace, enjoying happiness and pleasure until his death, with even his feet never touching the ground, so too is Bodhisattva Golden Flower. From one Buddha-land to another, until attaining unsurpassed enlightenment, wherever she is born she will encounter the Buddhas, always hear the true Dharma, and cultivate the conduct of a Bodhisattva.
At that time, Ānanda thought silently: When Bodhisattva Golden Flower becomes a Buddha, she will also teach the profound Prajñā-pāramitā. The assembly of Great Bodhisattvas in Golden Flower’s gathering—how many will there be? Will it be the same as the present Bodhisattva assembly of the Buddha?
Knowing Ānanda’s thought, the Buddha said:
That is right, that is right, exactly as you have thought! When Bodhisattva Golden Flower becomes a Buddha, she will also teach the profound Prajñā-pāramitā to the assembly. The number of Great Bodhisattvas in Golden Flower’s assembly will be the same as the present Bodhisattva assembly of the Buddha.
Joyful One, you should know that when Bodhisattva Golden Flower becomes a Buddha, the number of her ordained disciples will be extremely vast, beyond calculation. That is to say, it cannot be counted, whether hundreds, thousands, or hundreds of millions; it can only generally be said to be immeasurable and boundless.
Joyful One, you should know that when Bodhisattva Golden Flower becomes a Buddha, that land will have no calamities, just as I have explained in the profound Prajñā-pāramitā Sutra.
At that time, Joyful One said to the Buddha:
Blessed One, this celestial maiden previously generated the aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment, planted wholesome roots, and made dedications and aspirations before which Buddha, that she has now encountered the Buddha, made offerings and shown respect, and has received an irreversible prediction?
The Buddha taught Joyful One:
The celestial maiden generated the aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment, planted wholesome roots, and made dedications and aspirations before Buddha Dīpaṃkara. Therefore, she now encounters me, respectfully makes offerings, and receives an irreversible prediction.
Joyful One, you should know that in the past, at the time of Buddha Dīpaṃkara, I offered five lotus flowers and made dedications and aspirations before that Buddha. Dīpaṃkara Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, knowing that my faculties had matured, gave me the prediction: In the future, you will become a Buddha named Śākyamuni, in a world named Endurance, during a kalpa called Auspicious. At that time, the celestial maiden heard the Buddha give me the prediction of great enlightenment. Filled with joy and excitement, she immediately took golden flowers and offered them to the Buddha, generated the aspiration for unsurpassed enlightenment, planted wholesome roots, and made the dedication: “I vow that in the future, when this Bodhisattva becomes a Buddha, he will give me the prediction of great enlightenment, just as the Buddha does now.” Therefore, today I give the prediction to Golden Flower.
At that time, hearing what the Buddha said, Joyful One rejoiced and became greatly inspired, and said to the Buddha:
Blessed One, this celestial maiden has long ago generated the aspiration to seek unsurpassed enlightenment, planted wholesome roots, and made dedications and aspirations. Now they have matured, and therefore the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, gives her the prediction.
The Buddha taught Joyful One:
That is right, that is right, exactly as you have said! Her wholesome roots have matured, and therefore now I give her the prediction.
At that time, the Buddha spoke thus:
Chapter 23: Skillful Means (1)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
Blessed One, how do Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñā-pāramitā cultivate the samādhi of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness? How do they enter the samādhi of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness? How do they cultivate the four Foundations of Mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path? How do they cultivate the four Foundations of Mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path? How do they cultivate the other factors conducive to enlightenment? How do they cultivate the other factors conducive to enlightenment?
The Buddha taught Subhūti:
The great Bodhisattvas who cultivate the profound Prajñāpāramitā should contemplate that the aggregate of form up to the aggregate of consciousness are all empty; should contemplate that the eye realm up to the mind realm are all empty; should contemplate that the form realm up to the dharma realm are all empty; should contemplate that the eye element up to the mind element are all empty; should contemplate that the form element up to the dharma element are all empty; should contemplate that the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element are all empty; should contemplate that eye-contact up to mind-contact are all empty; should contemplate that all feelings arising dependent on eye-contact and all feelings arising dependent on mind-contact are all empty; should contemplate that the earth element up to the consciousness element are all empty; should contemplate that causes and conditions up to the dominant condition are all empty; should contemplate that ignorance up to aging and death are all empty; should contemplate that generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā are all empty; should contemplate that inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-inherent nature of emptiness are all empty; should contemplate that suchness up to the inconceivable realm are all empty; should contemplate that the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path are all empty; should contemplate that the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path are all empty; should contemplate that the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations are all empty; should contemplate that the eight liberations up to the ten total attainments are all empty; should contemplate that the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are all empty; should contemplate that the stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata are all empty; should contemplate that the stage of Extreme Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud are all empty; should contemplate that all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways are all empty; should contemplate that the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers are all empty; should contemplate that the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are all empty; should contemplate that great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity are all empty; should contemplate that the thirty-two marks of excellence and the eighty minor signs are all empty; should contemplate that the dharma of never-forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity are all empty; should contemplate that the wisdom of all-knowledge, the wisdom of the path aspect, and the wisdom of all aspects are all empty; should contemplate that the fruit of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment are all empty; should contemplate that all practices of the great Bodhisattvas and the supreme perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas are all empty; should contemplate that contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas are all empty; should contemplate that worldly and supramundane dharmas are all empty; should contemplate that conditioned and unconditioned dharmas are all empty; should contemplate that past, future, and present dharmas are all empty; should contemplate that wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate dharmas are all empty; should contemplate that dharmas of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm are all empty.
Subhūti, you should know that when the great Bodhisattvas contemplate in this way, their minds do not become disturbed. If the mind is disturbed, they do not see the dharma; and if they do not see the dharma, they do not realize it. Why is this? Because the great Bodhisattvas completely learn that the own characteristics of all dharmas are empty. No dharma increases and no dharma decreases; therefore, regarding dharmas, there is no seeing and no realization. Why is this? Because within the ultimate truth of dharmas, the one who realizes, the dharma realized, the time of realization, the place of realization, and the causes and conditions of realization, whether taken collectively or separately, cannot be grasped and cannot be seen.
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, as You have said, the great Bodhisattvas should contemplate emptiness of dharmas, yet not realize it. Why should the great Bodhisattvas contemplate emptiness of dharmas without realizing it?”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“When the great Bodhisattvas contemplate emptiness of dharmas, they should first think as follows: ‘The dharmas that I should contemplate and their characteristics are all empty; I should not realize them. I contemplate the emptiness of dharmas because I am learning, not because I am realizing. Now is the time for me to learn, not the time for me to realize.’
That Bodhisattva, before entering concentration, binds the mind to its object; after entering concentration, it is not a matter of binding the mind to its object. At this time, that Bodhisattva does not regress from all the factors of enlightenment and does not realize the exhaustion of outflows. Why is this? Because that Bodhisattva has accomplished such vast wisdom, skillfully abiding in emptiness and in all categories of the factors of enlightenment, and always thinks: ‘Now I should learn, not realize.’
That Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā and constantly thinks: ‘Regarding generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-inherent nature of emptiness, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding suchness up to the inconceivable realm, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the eight liberations up to the ten total attainments, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the stage of Extreme Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the dharma of never-forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the wisdom of all-knowledge, the wisdom of the path aspect, and the wisdom of all aspects, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding all practices of great Bodhisattvas, now I should learn, not realize. Regarding the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas, now I should learn, not realize. Now, in order to learn the wisdom of omniscience, I must learn the fruit of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, so that they may become perfected, but I should not realize them.’
Subhūti, you should know that this Bodhisattva, practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, should cultivate the samādhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; should abide in the samādhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; should cultivate the samādhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, but should not actualize ultimate reality. He should cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; should abide in the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; should cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path, but should not actualize ultimate reality. He should cultivate the other factors of enlightenment, abide in the other factors of enlightenment, and cultivate the other factors of enlightenment, but should not actualize ultimate reality.
Subhūti, you should know that although that Bodhisattva cultivates the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, abides in the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and cultivates the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, he does not realize the fruit of Stream-entry and does not realize Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Although he cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path, abides in them, and cultivates them, he does not realize the fruit of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Although he cultivates the other factors of enlightenment, abides in them, and cultivates them, he does not realize the fruit of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Through this, the great Bodhisattva does not fall into the stages of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas but attains supreme perfect enlightenment.
Subhūti, you should know that it is like a strong warrior with a handsome appearance, majestic, powerful, and healthy, whom everyone who sees him delights in, possessing a pure, complete, and excellent retinue; having mastered military arts completely; being extremely skilled in the use of weapons; remaining calm and unmoving; possessing sixty-four abilities and eighteen methods of conduct, being proficient in all skills; everyone admires and respects him. Because of his excellent abilities, he expends little effort and gains great benefit. Therefore, people make offerings to him, respect him, and praise him without end. At this time his joy increases greatly, causing his retinue also to rejoice. Because there is a need, he takes his parents, wife, children, and retinue and travels to another place. Along the way, they cross a dangerous wilderness filled with many wild beasts, bandits, and terrifying enemies lying in ambush. The entire retinue, young and old, becomes frightened. That warrior trusts in his skillful abilities and mighty strength, so his body and mind remain at ease, and he comforts his parents and retinue: ‘Do not worry or fear; there is nothing to be concerned about.’ Through his abilities and strength, he brings his retinue safely to their destination. Having escaped danger, everyone rejoices and is happy. Why was that warrior not harmed by wild beasts or hostile bandits in the wilderness? Because he trusted that he possessed sufficient abilities and strength and therefore feared nothing.
Subhūti, you should know that the great Bodhisattvas are likewise. Out of compassion for sentient beings suffering in birth and death, they guide them toward supreme perfect enlightenment. They give rise to the four immeasurable minds toward all sentient beings. Abiding with minds accompanied by the four immeasurables, they diligently cultivate generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā, causing them to quickly become perfected. Yet that Bodhisattva has not reached perfection in these six pāramitās because he wishes to learn the wisdom of omniscience, and therefore he does not realize the exhaustion of outflows. Although abiding in the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, he does not follow their power and is not obstructed or drawn away by them. Regarding these liberation doors, he also does not actualize them. Because he does not actualize them, he does not fall into the stages of Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas, and he will certainly attain supreme perfect enlightenment.
Subhūti, you should know that it is like a golden-winged bird soaring through the sky, flying freely without falling to the ground. Although relying on space to fly, it does not seize upon space, nor is it obstructed by space.
Subhūti, you should know that the great Bodhisattvas are likewise. Although they constantly cultivate, abide in, and practice the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, they are able not to realize those liberation doors. Because they do not realize them, they do not fall into the stages of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. They cultivate the ten powers of the Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four forms of unobstructed understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and countless other Buddha-dharmas. If these are not yet perfected, they will never rely on emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness to realize the exhaustion of outflows.
Subhūti, you should know that it is like a skilled archer who wishes to display his ability and draws his bow to shoot arrows into the sky. Because he wants the arrow in the sky not to fall to the ground, he shoots a second arrow at the tail of the first arrow. Continuing in this way, one arrow follows another, preventing them from falling. If he wishes them to fall, he only needs to stop shooting the following arrows. Then the arrows will fall.
Subhūti, you should know that the great Bodhisattvas are likewise. Practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, using skillful means to protect their progress until supreme perfect enlightenment, if the causes and practices of wholesome roots have not yet matured, they will never realize ultimate reality halfway through. When they attain supreme perfect enlightenment, then the causes and practices of wholesome roots will all have matured; at that time the Bodhisattva realizes ultimate reality and attains supreme perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā must examine carefully in this way. As previously explained regarding the true nature of all dharmas, they cultivate the practices of great Bodhisattvas in order to proceed toward supreme perfect enlightenment.
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, the great Bodhisattvas are truly extraordinary, able to accomplish what is difficult to accomplish. Although they constantly learn the true nature of all dharmas; constantly learn suchness, the dharma realm, the nature of dharma up to the inconceivable realm; constantly learn inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-inherent nature of emptiness; constantly learn the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; constantly learn the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; constantly learn the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness and all other factors of enlightenment, they do not fall halfway into the stages of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and do not regress from supreme perfect enlightenment.”
The Buddha told Subhūti:
“The great Bodhisattvas vow never to abandon sentient beings. This means that they vow: ‘If there are any sentient beings who have not yet been liberated from birth, aging, sickness, and death, I will never abandon the effort of cultivating wholesome roots.’
Subhūti, you should know that the great Bodhisattvas use their supreme vow power and think: ‘If there are sentient beings who are not liberated, throughout my entire life I will never abandon them.’ Because they give rise to such vast thoughts through dharma, they certainly will not regress halfway.
Subhūti, you should know that the great Bodhisattvas always think: ‘I should not abandon any sentient beings; I must enable them all to become liberated.’ But sentient beings follow improper dharmas. In order to liberate them, I constantly manifest the peaceful liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. Although I constantly manifest them in this way, I do not grasp and realize them.’
Subhūti, you should know that this Bodhisattva has accomplished supreme skillful means. Although constantly manifesting the three liberation doors, until attaining the wisdom of omniscience, he does not realize ultimate reality halfway through.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the great Bodhisattvas often delight in contemplating those profound places, namely, they delight in contemplating inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate meaning emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, scattered emptiness, inherent emptiness, self-characteristic emptiness, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of non-nature, and emptiness of the non-inherent nature of emptiness. They also delight in contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous powers, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the eightfold noble path, and the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, whose own characteristics are all empty.
Subhūti, you should know that after contemplating in this way, that Bodhisattva thinks: ‘Sentient beings, through the power of evil demons, give rise to the concepts of self-grasping, and broadly speaking, to the concept of view-grasping. Because of these grasping concepts, they have things to obtain and therefore wander in birth and death, enduring various sufferings. In order to cut off such grasping concepts of sentient beings, I proceed toward supreme perfect enlightenment and, for the sake of sentient beings, teach the profound dharma to eliminate grasping concepts and become free from the suffering of birth and death.’
At that time, although the great Bodhisattvas learn the three liberation doors, they do not rely on them to realize ultimate reality. Because they do not realize ultimate reality, they do not fall into the fruits of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, or Pratyekabuddha enlightenment. Through such contemplation, that Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, accomplishes wholesome roots, and does not realize ultimate reality. Although not realizing ultimate reality, they do not regress and lose the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations; they do not regress and lose the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; they do not regress and lose the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they do not regress and lose the eight liberations up to the ten total attainments; they do not regress and lose inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-inherent nature of emptiness; they do not regress and lose suchness up to the inconceivable realm; they do not regress and lose the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; they do not regress and lose generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā; they do not regress and lose the Bodhisattva stages; they do not lose all dhāraṇī gateways and all samādhi gateways; they do not regress and lose the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers; they do not regress and lose the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; they do not regress and lose great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; they do not regress and lose the dharma of never-forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity; they do not regress and lose the wisdom of all-knowledge, the wisdom of the path aspect, and the wisdom of all aspects; they do not regress and lose countless and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.
Subhūti, you should know that at that time this Bodhisattva accomplishes all factors of enlightenment and eventually attains supreme perfect enlightenment. Regarding all merits and virtues, they never decrease. Through practicing Prajñāpāramitā, this Bodhisattva is embraced by skillful means. In every moment, wholesome dharmas increase and faculties become keen; all Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot compare.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the Bodhisattva always thinks: ‘Sentient beings constantly give rise to the four inverted views, which are the four delusions of mind and cognition: thinking the impermanent to be permanent, thinking suffering to be happiness, thinking what is without self to be self, and thinking the impure to be pure. For the sake of these sentient beings, I proceed toward supreme perfect enlightenment and cultivate the practices of a great Bodhisattva. When I attain supreme perfect enlightenment, I will teach these sentient beings the non-inverted dharma, namely, that birth and death are impermanent, not happiness, not self, and not pure; only the wondrous peaceful Nirvāṇa fully possesses the true virtues of permanence, happiness, self, and purity.’
Subhūti, you should know that this Bodhisattva, having accomplished this mindfulness, practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā and is embraced by skillful means. If the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha and countless boundless other Buddha-dharmas are not yet perfected, then ultimately he does not enter the supreme samādhi of the Buddhas.
Subhūti, you should know that at that time, although this Bodhisattva learns the three liberation doors and enters and exits them freely, he has not yet realized ultimate reality up to supreme perfect enlightenment. Because the causes, practices, and merits have not yet been completely perfected, he does not realize ultimate reality and other virtues. Whenever he attains supreme perfect enlightenment, then he can realize them.
Subhūti, you should know that although this Bodhisattva’s cultivation has not yet perfected the other virtues, he has already perfected all the wishless samādhi gateways.