THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
VOLUME 533
Chapter 29: EQUAL GIVING (2)
At that time, the Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all sentient beings and all their activities are completely impossible to apprehend, for whom do the Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“The Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā taking only the true realm as their measure. Subhūti, you should know that if the realm of sentient beings were different from the true realm, then the Great Bodhisattvas should not practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā. Because the realm of sentient beings is not different from the true realm, the assembly of Great Bodhisattvas practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when the Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, because they do not destroy the principles of the true realm, they truly establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true realm.”
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the realm of sentient beings itself is the true realm, then why do Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, without destroying the principles of the true realm, establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true realm?
World-Honored One, if a Great Bodhisattva, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, establishes sentient beings and causes them to abide in the true realm, then he establishes the true realm and causes it to abide in the true realm. If he establishes the true realm and causes it to abide in the true realm, then he is establishing self-nature and causing self-nature to abide in self-nature. But according to reason, it is impossible to establish self-nature as abiding in self-nature. Then why say that Great Bodhisattvas, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, because they do not destroy the principles of the true realm, establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true realm?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“According to reason, one should not establish the true realm as abiding in the true realm, nor should one establish self-nature as abiding in self-nature. However, because the Great Bodhisattvas, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, possess skillful means, they are able to establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true realm, while the realm of sentient beings is not different from the true realm.
Thus, Subhūti, the realm of sentient beings and the true realm are neither two nor different.”
The Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, what is the skillful means of a Great Bodhisattva practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, by whose power he establishes sentient beings and causes them to abide in the true realm without destroying the characteristics of the true realm?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“When Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the time they first arouse the mind of enlightenment, they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in generosity. After those sentient beings abide in generosity, the Bodhisattva teaches them that the characteristics of generosity at the beginning, middle, and end do not differ.
That is, he says:
‘Such giving, at the beginning, middle, and end, is all empty. The giver, the receiver, and the result of giving are also all empty. All such things within the true realm are nonexistent and completely impossible to apprehend. You should not cling to the idea that the giving, the giver, the receiver, the result of giving, and the true realm are different from one another.
If you do not cling to giving, the giver, the receiver, the result of giving, and the true realm as separate and different things, then the merit cultivated through generosity will reach the ambrosial fruit and attain the ambrosial fruit; surely through ambrosia you will attain liberation.’
He further says:
‘You perform this act of merit through giving, but do not cling to the aggregate of form up to the aggregate of consciousness; do not cling to the eye faculty up to the mind faculty; do not cling to the sphere of form up to the sphere of phenomena; do not cling to the eye element up to the mind element; do not cling to the element of form up to the element of phenomena; do not cling to the eye consciousness element up to the mind consciousness element; do not cling to eye contact up to mind contact; do not cling to the feelings arising from eye contact as condition up to the feelings arising from mind contact as condition; do not cling to the earth element up to the consciousness element; do not cling to causes and conditions up to the condition of predominance; do not cling to phenomena arisen through conditions; do not cling to ignorance up to aging and death; do not cling to generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā; do not cling to inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-existence of self-nature; do not cling to suchness up to the inconceivable realm; do not cling to the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; do not cling to the four foundations of mindfulness up to the noble eightfold path; do not cling to the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless concentrations; do not cling to the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; do not cling to the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; do not cling to the stages from pure contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata; do not cling to the stages from Joy up to Dharma Cloud; do not cling to all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings; do not cling to the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; do not cling to the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; do not cling to great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; do not cling to the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; do not cling to the quality of never forgetting and the nature of always remaining equanimous; do not cling to the wisdom of all knowledge, the wisdom of the modes of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects; do not cling to the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; do not cling to the practices of the Great Bodhisattva; do not cling to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; do not cling to conditioned and unconditioned phenomena; do not cling to worldly and transcendent phenomena; do not cling to compounded and uncompounded phenomena.
Why? Because all giving is empty in nature; the nature of the giver is empty; the nature of the receiver is empty; the nature of the result of giving is empty. Within emptiness, giving, the giver, the receiver, and the results of giving are all impossible to apprehend. Why? Because all such phenomena have distinct self-natures and are ultimately empty. Within ultimate emptiness, all such phenomena cannot be apprehended. Because phenomena cannot be apprehended, the phenomenon of attainment also cannot be apprehended.’
Furthermore, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the time they first arouse the mind of enlightenment they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in pure morality. After those sentient beings abide in pure morality, the Great Bodhisattva says:
‘From now on, you should generate a compassionate mind toward all sentient beings and stay far away from killing living beings. Expanding further, stay far away from wrong views and cultivate right views.
Why? Because such phenomena have no self-nature. You should not discriminate or cling to them. You should properly investigate according to reason: What phenomenon is called “birth” that one wishes to destroy life? Through what conditions does one destroy life? Expanding further, what phenomenon is called the object of wrong views, from which one wishes to generate wrong views? Through what conditions do wrong views arise? All such things are empty in self-nature.’
Subhūti, you should know that when that Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā and accomplishes such skillful means, he completely matures all kinds of sentient beings. Through countless Dharma teachings, he explains to them that giving and the fruits of pure morality are impossible to apprehend, causing them to know that the self-natures of giving and the fruits of pure morality are empty. After they clearly understand that the self-nature of cultivating giving and the fruits of pure morality are empty, they do not generate attachment toward these phenomena. Because they do not cling, their minds are not scattered; because their minds are not scattered, they are able to produce sublime wisdom. Through this sublime wisdom, they cut off latent tendencies and all bonds, then enter the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder.
Subhūti, you should know that such teachings all rely upon conventional truth and do not rely upon ultimate truth. Why? Because within emptiness, not even the slightest phenomenon can be apprehended. Whether one has entered nirvāṇa, is entering nirvāṇa, will enter nirvāṇa, the person who enters nirvāṇa, or the reason for entering nirvāṇa—all such things are nonexistent and completely empty. Complete emptiness itself is nirvāṇa, but apart from this nirvāṇa there is no separate real phenomenon.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the time they first arouse the mind of enlightenment they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they see sentient beings with much anger and generate compassion. Using skillful means, they teach and encourage them, saying:
‘From now on, you should cultivate patience, delight in the Dharma of patience, tame your own minds, and undertake the practice of patience. The self-nature of your anger is empty. Why generate anger toward such phenomena?
You should properly investigate: Through what phenomenon do I generate anger? Who is angry? Toward whom does anger arise? Such phenomena are all empty in their original nature. The emptiness of phenomena has never been anything other than empty.
Such emptiness is not created by the Tathāgata, not created by Bodhisattvas, not created by Pratyekabuddhas, not created by Śrāvakas, nor created by dragons, spirits, and so forth, including humans and non-humans. It is also not created by the Heaven of the Four Great Kings up to the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.
You should properly investigate: From where does such anger arise? Upon whom does it depend? Toward whom does it arise? What result will it receive? What present benefit does it obtain? All these phenomena are empty in their original nature. It is not that within emptiness there is anger. Therefore, cultivate patience in order to benefit yourself.’
Thus, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā and accomplish supreme skillful means, they establish sentient beings in the principle of emptiness of nature and emptiness of cause and effect, and gradually reveal, encourage, praise, rejoice in, and completely establish them in unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, causing them to quickly attain the result.
Subhūti, you should know that such teachings rely upon conventional truth and do not rely upon ultimate truth. Why? Because in the original nature of emptiness, the one who realizes, the Dharma realized, the time of realization, and the place of realization are not truly existent.
Subhūti, you should know that this is called the principle of the original nature of emptiness of the true reality. The Great Bodhisattvas, wishing to benefit sentient beings, rely upon this principle of the original nature of emptiness of the true reality to practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, yet they do not apprehend sentient beings or their activities. Why? Because all phenomena are separate from sentient beings, and sentient beings are separate from phenomena, therefore they cannot be apprehended. Phenomena and sentient beings are established in dependence upon one another; from the perspective of ultimate truth, all are empty.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the time they first arouse the mind of enlightenment they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they see sentient beings whose bodies and minds are lazy, who retreat and lack diligence, and therefore they use skillful means to encourage and guide them, causing them to arouse bodily and mental diligence and cultivate wholesome Dharma.
They say:
‘Good sons, you should deeply believe that within the original nature of emptiness there is no lazy phenomenon, no lazy person, no place of laziness, no time of laziness, and no reason for laziness. All such things are empty in original nature and do not surpass the principle of emptiness.
You should arouse bodily and mental diligence, abandon laziness, and diligently cultivate wholesome Dharma.
That is: cultivate generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā; cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless concentrations; cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness up to the noble eightfold path; cultivate the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; abide in inner emptiness up to emptiness of the non-existence of self-nature; abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; cultivate the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; cultivate the stages from pure contemplation up to the stage of the Tathāgata; cultivate the stages from Joy up to Dharma Cloud; cultivate all dhāraṇī teachings and all samādhi teachings; cultivate the five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers; cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha; cultivate great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; cultivate the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; cultivate the quality of never forgetting and the nature of always remaining equanimous; cultivate the wisdom of all knowledge, the wisdom of the modes of the path, and the wisdom of all aspects; cultivate the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; cultivate all practices of Great Bodhisattvas; cultivate the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas; cultivate the countless and boundless other Buddha-dharmas.
You should diligently exert yourselves and not give rise to laziness. If you give rise to laziness, you will undergo endless suffering.’
Good sons, all these phenomena are empty in their original nature and have no obstacles. You should observe that within the principle of the original nature of emptiness, which is unobstructed, there is no lazy phenomenon, no lazy person, no place, no time, and no reason for laziness—all are impossible to apprehend.
Thus, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā and accomplish supreme skillful means, they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the principle of the original nature of emptiness of all phenomena. Although they cause them to abide there, there are no twofold notions. Why? Because the principle of the original nature of emptiness is neither two nor different; one does not generate dualistic thoughts toward a non-dual Dharma.
Furthermore, Subhūti, that Great Bodhisattva, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, relies upon the original nature of emptiness, teaches and transmits instructions to various kinds of sentient beings, causing them to diligently cultivate and learn, saying:
‘Good sons, you should diligently cultivate these wholesome Dharmas. When practicing generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā, you should not contemplate the characteristics of duality or non-duality regarding these phenomena. Expanding further, when cultivating the countless and boundless other Buddha-dharmas, you should not contemplate the characteristics of duality or non-duality regarding these phenomena.
Why? Good sons, such phenomena are all empty in their original nature. Regarding the principle of the original nature of emptiness, one should not contemplate the characteristics of duality or non-duality.’
Thus, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā and accomplish supreme skillful means, they perform the practices of Bodhisattvas and mature sentient beings. Once sentient beings have been matured, according to their capacities, they gradually establish them and cause them to abide in the fruit of Stream Entry, or abide in the fruit of Once-Returner, Non-Returner, Arhat, Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, or cause them to abide in the stages of Great Bodhisattvas, or in unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the time they first arouse the mind of enlightenment they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, they see sentient beings whose minds are greatly scattered, who do not restrain their faculties regarding objects of desire, and who generate impure actions. Seeing this, the Bodhisattvas use skillful means to teach and transmit instructions, causing them to enter supreme concentration, saying:
‘Good sons, come here! You should cultivate supreme samādhi. Do not generate a scattered mind; you should contemplate supreme concentration.
Why? Because such phenomena are empty in original nature. Within the original nature of emptiness, no phenomenon can be apprehended; there is no phenomenon of distraction or single-mindedness.
If you can abide in this supreme concentration, then wholesome activities will quickly be perfected, and according to your aspirations you will abide in the original nature of emptiness.’
That is, you generate pure and excellent actions of body, speech, and mind.
What is called accomplishing wholesome activities? It is cultivating generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā, expanding further to cultivating the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of the Buddha, or bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings and adorning and purifying Buddha realms. All such pure and excellent wholesome Dharmas, through the power of supreme concentration, are quickly accomplished and, according to one’s aspirations, abide in the original nature of emptiness.
Thus, Subhūti, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā use skillful means because they wish to benefit sentient beings. From the initial generation of the mind of enlightenment until the end, they continuously perform wholesome and beneficial deeds without interruption. Because they wish to bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings, they travel from one Buddha realm to another, approach and make offerings to Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, listen to and uphold the true Dharma, and through countless kalpas abandon bodies and receive bodies, until attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. During all this time, they never forget.
That Great Bodhisattva attains dhāraṇī; the faculties of body, speech, and mind never decline. Why? Because this Great Bodhisattva constantly cultivates the wisdom of all knowledge perfectly and carefully considers whatever he does. Through perfectly cultivating the wisdom of all knowledge and carefully considering his actions, he is able to cultivate all paths.
These include the Śrāvaka path, the Pratyekabuddha path, the Bodhisattva path, the Tathāgata path, the superior heavenly path, the superior human path, and the supreme supernatural power path of Bodhisattvas.
That Great Bodhisattva, by abiding in the supreme supernatural powers, constantly performs beneficial deeds for sentient beings. Although he passes through various realms and wanders in saṃsāra, his supreme supernatural powers never decline. Because they do not decline, his supernatural powers are perfected, and he constantly performs supreme beneficial deeds for himself and others.
Thus, Subhūti, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā abide in the original nature of emptiness and use skillful means to completely benefit all kinds of sentient beings.
Furthermore, Subhūti, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the time they first arouse the mind of enlightenment they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, abiding in the original nature of emptiness, they see sentient beings with shallow wisdom, ignorance, and confusion, who create many evil actions. The Bodhisattvas teach and transmit skillful means, guiding them into the profound Prajñāpāramitā, saying:
‘Good sons, you should cultivate Prajñāpāramitā and contemplate that all phenomena are empty in original nature. If you can cultivate this profound Prajñāpāramitā and contemplate that all phenomena are empty in original nature, then your cultivation of bodily, verbal, and mental actions will reach ambrosia and attain the fruit of ambrosia; through ambrosia you will attain liberation.
Good sons, all these phenomena are empty in original nature. Within original nature emptiness, although sentient beings and phenomena cannot be apprehended, cultivation does not diminish.
Why? Good sons, the principle of original nature emptiness neither increases nor decreases. Within original nature emptiness, there is no phenomenon of increase or decrease and no person who increases or decreases.
Why? Because the principle of original nature emptiness is neither a self-nature nor non-existence, is free from all discriminations, and cuts off all conceptual elaborations. Therefore, within it there is no phenomenon of increase or decrease and no person of increase or decrease.
Therefore, actions also do not diminish. For this reason, you should cultivate Prajñāpāramitā, contemplate original nature emptiness, and accomplish what should be accomplished.’
Thus, Subhūti, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means, teach and transmit instructions to all kinds of sentient beings, causing them to enter Prajñāpāramitā, abide in original nature emptiness, and cultivate wholesome actions.
Subhūti should know that the Great Bodhisattva, having taught and transmitted the Dharma to sentient beings in this way, cultivates wholesome actions and is always free from laziness. This means that he himself constantly practices the ten paths of wholesome karma, and also encourages others to constantly practice the ten paths of wholesome karma; he himself upholds the five precepts of the lay practitioner, and also encourages others to uphold the five precepts of the lay practitioner; he himself upholds the eight precepts of the one-day observance, and also encourages others to receive and uphold the eight precepts of the one-day observance; he himself receives and upholds the precepts of renunciation, and also encourages others to receive and uphold the precepts of renunciation; he himself practices the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; he also encourages others to practice the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; he himself practices the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eight branches of the Noble Path, and also encourages others to practice the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eight branches of the Noble Path; he himself practices the liberation methods of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness, and also encourages others to practice the liberation methods of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness; he himself practices Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā, and also encourages others to practice Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā; he himself abides in inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature, and also encourages others to abide in inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature; he himself abides in suchness up to the inconceivable realm, and also encourages others to abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; he himself abides in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path, and also encourages others to abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path; he himself practices the eight liberations up to the ten totalities, and also encourages others to practice the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; he himself practices the stages of the Bodhisattva path, and also encourages others to practice the stages of the Bodhisattva path; he himself practices all dhāraṇī methods and all samādhi methods, and also encourages others to practice all dhāraṇī methods and all samādhi methods; he himself studies the five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers, and also encourages others to study the five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers; he himself studies the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and also encourages others to cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; he himself studies great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity, and also encourages others to study great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; he himself studies the quality of not forgetting and the nature of always relinquishing, and also encourages others to study the quality of not forgetting and the nature of always relinquishing; he himself studies the wisdom of all-knowing, the wisdom of knowing the paths, and the wisdom of knowing all aspects, and also encourages others to study the wisdom of all-knowing, the wisdom of knowing the paths, and the wisdom of knowing all aspects; he himself studies the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics, and also encourages others to study the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; he himself constantly arouses the wisdom of the fruition of Stream-entry up to the wisdom of Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, yet does not abide in the fruition of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; he also encourages others to constantly arouse the wisdom of the fruition of Stream-entry up to the wisdom of Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, or causes them to abide in the fruition of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; he himself constantly arouses all the practices of a Great Bodhisattva, and also encourages others to constantly arouse all the practices of a Great Bodhisattva; he himself constantly arouses the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, and also encourages others to constantly arouse the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.
Thus, Subhūti, the Great Bodhisattvas who practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, by means of skillful means, themselves cultivate wholesome actions without laziness or negligence, and teach and transmit to sentient beings so that they also cultivate wholesome actions without laziness or negligence.
Subhūti, this is called the Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, using skillful means, by the power of these skillful means, establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the true realm, yet do not destroy the characteristics of the true realm, thereby quickly attaining the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the original nature of all phenomena is empty, and within original nature emptiness sentient beings and phenomena cannot be grasped, because within it there is also no non-Dharma, then how can the Great Bodhisattva seek for sentient beings to quickly attain the wisdom of all-knowing?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed, it is exactly as you have said! The original nature of all phenomena to be realized is empty. Within original nature emptiness, sentient beings and phenomena cannot be grasped, because within it there is also no non-Dharma.
Subhūti should know, if the original nature of all phenomena were not empty, then when the Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, they should not abide in the principle of original nature emptiness, seek to quickly attain the wisdom of all-knowing, and teach the Dharma of original nature emptiness for the benefit of sentient beings. Because the original nature of all phenomena is empty, therefore the Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, abide in the principle of original nature emptiness of all phenomena, seek to quickly attain the wisdom of all-knowing, and teach the Dharma of original nature emptiness for the benefit of sentient beings.
What phenomena have an original nature that is empty, and which the Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, truly understand as empty in original nature, abide in that original nature emptiness, and teach the Dharma for sentient beings?
Subhūti should know: form up to consciousness have an empty original nature. The eye realm up to the mind realm have an empty original nature. The form realm up to the dharma realm have an empty original nature. The eye consciousness realm up to the mind consciousness realm have an empty original nature. Eye contact up to mind contact have an empty original nature. The feelings arising dependent upon eye contact up to the feelings arising dependent upon mind contact have an empty original nature. The earth element up to the consciousness element have an empty original nature. Causes and conditions up to dominant conditions have an empty original nature. All phenomena arising from conditions have an empty original nature. Ignorance up to aging and death have an empty original nature. Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā have an empty original nature. Inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature have an empty original nature. Suchness up to the inconceivable realm have an empty original nature. The noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path have an empty original nature. The four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, and four formless concentrations have an empty original nature. The four foundations of mindfulness up to the eight branches of the Noble Path have an empty original nature. The liberation methods of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness have an empty original nature. The eight liberations up to the ten totalities have an empty original nature. The stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of Tathāgata have an empty original nature. The stage of Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud have an empty original nature. All dhāraṇī methods and all samādhi methods have an empty original nature. The five types of eyes and the six supernatural powers have an empty original nature. The ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha have an empty original nature. Great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity have an empty original nature. The quality of not forgetting and the nature of always relinquishing have an empty original nature. The wisdom of all-knowing, the wisdom of knowing the paths, and the wisdom of knowing all aspects have an empty original nature. The thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics have an empty original nature. The fruition of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment have an empty original nature. All practices of Great Bodhisattvas have an empty original nature. The unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas has an empty original nature. The cessation of all continuing habitual tendencies of afflictive and knowable obstacles has an empty original nature. The wisdom of all-knowing has an empty original nature.
The Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, truly know that the five aggregates such as form, and so forth up to the wisdom of all-knowing, have an empty original nature; having known this, they abide in original nature emptiness and teach sentient beings the Dharma of original nature emptiness in this way.
Furthermore, Subhūti, if the nature of inner emptiness were not empty in its original nature, up to the nature of the emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature were not empty in its original nature, then the Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā should not teach all phenomena to sentient beings as having an empty original nature. To speak in such a way would destroy original nature emptiness. But the principle of original nature emptiness cannot be destroyed; it is neither eternal nor annihilated. Why? Because the principle of original nature emptiness has no direction, no location, does not come from anywhere, and does not go anywhere. Such emptiness is also called Dharma abiding; within it there is no phenomenon, no abiding, no dispersal, no increase, no decrease, no arising, no cessation, no defilement, and no purity. It is the inherent nature of all phenomena. The Great Bodhisattvas abide within this, seek to quickly attain the wisdom of all-knowing, do not see any phenomenon with an attainment to seek, and also do not see any phenomenon without an attainment to seek, because all phenomena have nowhere to abide; therefore it is called Dharma abiding.
The Great Bodhisattvas abiding within this, practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, see that all phenomena have an empty original nature, and are certainly irreversible with regard to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Why? Because these Great Bodhisattvas do not see any phenomenon that can obstruct them. Seeing that all phenomena are unobstructed, they do not give rise to doubt regarding unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, nor do they regress.
Furthermore, Subhūti, the Great Bodhisattvas abiding in the original nature emptiness of all phenomena contemplate that original nature emptiness has no object of attainment. This means that self, sentient beings, and so forth up to cognition, perception, and their activities cannot be grasped. Form up to consciousness and their activities cannot be grasped. The eye realm up to the mind realm and their activities cannot be grasped. The form realm up to the dharma realm and their activities cannot be grasped. The eye consciousness realm up to the mind consciousness realm and their activities cannot be grasped. Eye contact up to mind contact and their activities cannot be grasped. The feelings arising dependent upon eye contact up to the feelings arising dependent upon mind contact and their activities cannot be grasped. The earth element up to the consciousness element and their activities cannot be grasped. Causes and conditions up to dominant conditions and their activities cannot be grasped. Phenomena arising from conditions and their activities cannot be grasped. Ignorance up to aging and death and their activities cannot be grasped. Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā and their activities cannot be grasped. Inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature and their activities cannot be grasped. Suchness up to the inconceivable realm and their activities cannot be grasped. The noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path and their activities cannot be grasped. The four foundations of mindfulness up to the eight branches of the Noble Path and their activities cannot be grasped. The four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, four formless concentrations and their activities cannot be grasped. The liberation methods of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness and their activities cannot be grasped. The eight liberations up to the ten totalities and their activities cannot be grasped. The stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of Tathāgata and their activities cannot be grasped. The stage of Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud and their activities cannot be grasped. All dhāraṇī methods, all samādhi methods and their activities cannot be grasped. The five types of eyes, six supernatural powers and their activities cannot be grasped. The ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha and their activities cannot be grasped. Great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity and their activities cannot be grasped. The quality of not forgetting, the nature of always relinquishing and their activities cannot be grasped. The wisdom of all-knowing, the wisdom of knowing the paths, the wisdom of knowing all aspects and their activities cannot be grasped. The fruition of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment and their activities cannot be grasped. All practices of Great Bodhisattvas, unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, and their activities cannot be grasped. Conditioned and unconditioned phenomena and their activities cannot be grasped. Worldly and supramundane phenomena and their activities cannot be grasped. Formed and unformed phenomena and their activities cannot be grasped. The thirty-two marks of a Great Being, the eighty excellent characteristics and their activities cannot be grasped.
Subhūti should know, it is like a Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, transforming into the four assemblies: monks, nuns, male lay practitioners, and female lay practitioners. Suppose one of these transformed Buddhas, for one eon or more, taught the true Dharma to these four transformed assemblies. What do you think? Could such transformed beings attain the fruition of Stream-entry, Once-returning, Non-returning, Arhatship, or receive a prediction of irreversibility regarding unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, no. Why? Because these transformed assemblies are not real; a non-real phenomenon cannot receive a prediction of irreversibility.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Phenomena are likewise. Their original nature is empty, completely without reality. Which Great Bodhisattva, for which sentient beings, teaches which phenomena, that can cause them to attain the fruition of Stream-entry up to receiving a prediction of irreversibility?”
Subhūti should know, although the Great Bodhisattvas teach the Dharma of emptiness to sentient beings, sentient beings themselves cannot truly be grasped. Because they pity sentient beings who have fallen into inverted views of phenomena, they rescue them and cause them to abide in non-inverted phenomena. Non-inversion is non-discrimination, and non-discrimination is non-inversion. If there is discrimination, there is inversion, because they belong to the same category.
Subhūti should know, inversion itself is the Dharma of non-inversion. Within non-inversion there is no self, sentient beings, and so forth up to no cognition and perception; nor is there form aggregate up to consciousness aggregate, nor the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics.
Subhūti should know, this absence is original nature emptiness. The Great Bodhisattvas, when practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, abide here, see sentient beings fallen into inverted perceptions, and use skillful means to liberate them. That is, they liberate them from the self and the perception of having a self. Broadly speaking, they liberate them from cognition and perception and the perception of having cognition and perception; they liberate them from form and the perception of having form, and broadly speaking up to liberation from the eighty excellent characteristics and the perception of having the eighty excellent characteristics. They also liberate them from conditioned phenomena with outflows such as the five aggregates of grasping, and also liberate them from unconditioned phenomena such as the four foundations of mindfulness. Why? Because unconditioned phenomena such as the four foundations of mindfulness are not the supreme meaning of non-arising, non-ceasing, signlessness, non-conditionedness, non-proliferation, and non-discrimination. Therefore these phenomena should also be liberated.
True ultimate meaning is original nature emptiness. This original nature emptiness is the cultivation and realization of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, the object realized by Buddhas.
Subhūti should know, within this there is no self, up to perception that can be grasped; there is no form aggregate up to consciousness aggregate that can be grasped; there is no eye realm up to mind realm that can be grasped; there is no form realm up to dharma realm that can be grasped; there is no eye consciousness realm up to mind consciousness realm that can be grasped; there is no eye contact up to mind contact that can be grasped; there are no feelings arising dependent upon eye contact up to feelings arising dependent upon mind contact that can be grasped; there is no earth element up to consciousness element that can be grasped; there are no causes and conditions up to dominant conditions that can be grasped; there are no phenomena arising from conditions that can be grasped; there is no ignorance up to aging and death that can be grasped; there is no Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā that can be grasped; there is no inner emptiness up to the emptiness of the emptiness of inherent nature that can be grasped; there is no suchness up to the inconceivable realm that can be grasped; there are no noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path that can be grasped; there are no four foundations of mindfulness up to the eight branches of the Noble Path that can be grasped; there are no four meditative absorptions up to the four immeasurables and four formless concentrations that can be grasped; there are no liberation methods of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness that can be grasped; there are no eight liberations up to the ten totalities that can be grasped; there is no stage of pure contemplation up to the stage of Tathāgata that can be grasped; there is no stage of Joy up to the stage of Dharma Cloud that can be grasped; there are no dhāraṇī methods or samādhi methods that can be grasped; there are no five types of eyes or six supernatural powers that can be grasped; there are no ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha that can be grasped; there is no great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, or great equanimity that can be grasped; there is no quality of not forgetting or nature of always relinquishing that can be grasped; there is no wisdom of all-knowing, wisdom of knowing the paths, or wisdom of knowing all aspects that can be grasped; there is no fruition of Stream-entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment that can be grasped; there are no practices of Great Bodhisattvas up to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas that can be grasped; there are no thirty-two marks of a Great Being or eighty excellent characteristics that can be grasped.
Subhūti should know, the Great Bodhisattvas do not seek to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment for the sake of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment itself; they seek to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment only because of the original nature emptiness of all phenomena. This original nature emptiness, in the beginning, middle, and end, remains original nature emptiness; it has never been non-empty. The Great Bodhisattvas abide in the Prajñāpāramitā of original nature emptiness, and because they wish to liberate sentient beings from the perceptions of sentient beings and phenomena, they practice the wisdom of knowing the paths. When this Great Bodhisattva practices the wisdom of knowing the paths, he is practicing all paths. These are the paths of the Śrāvaka, the Pratyekabuddha, the Bodhisattva, and the Tathāgata.
Subhūti should know, this Great Bodhisattva, having perfected all paths, brings about the accomplishment of sentient beings, adorns and purifies Buddha-fields, obtains a long lifespan, and attains unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Only after attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment can he cause the Buddha eye to remain uninterrupted forever.
What is the Buddha eye? It is original nature emptiness. The Buddhas of the past, present, and future, abiding throughout the ten directions of worlds and teaching the true Dharma for sentient beings, all use this original nature emptiness as the Buddha eye.
Subhūti should know, there certainly is no Buddha who appears in the world apart from original nature emptiness. When Buddhas appear in the world, they all teach the meaning of original nature emptiness. Those sentient beings being taught by them, in essence, must hear the Buddha teach the meaning of original nature emptiness before entering the Noble Path and attaining the noble fruits. Apart from original nature emptiness, there is no other means.
Therefore, Subhūti, Great Bodhisattvas who wish to quickly attain the wisdom of all-knowing should abide in the principle of original nature emptiness, cultivate the six pāramitās and other practices of Great Bodhisattvas. If they have already abided in the principle of original nature emptiness, cultivated the six pāramitās and other practices of Great Bodhisattvas, then they certainly will not lose or regress from the wisdom of all-knowing, and will constantly benefit all sentient beings.
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, the Great Bodhisattvas are truly extraordinary and rare. Although they practice all phenomena whose original nature is empty, they never destroy original nature emptiness. That is, they do not grasp that form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are different from original nature emptiness, and so forth up to not grasping that the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas is different from original nature emptiness.
World-Honored One, form itself is original nature emptiness. Original nature emptiness itself is form, and so forth up to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas itself is original nature emptiness. Original nature emptiness itself is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed, it is exactly as you have said! The Great Bodhisattvas are extremely extraordinary and rare. Although they practice all phenomena whose original nature is empty, they never destroy original nature emptiness.
Subhūti should know, form is not different from original nature emptiness; original nature emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness itself is form. Up to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas, it is not different from original nature emptiness; original nature emptiness is not different from the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas. The unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas itself is original nature emptiness; original nature emptiness itself is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas.
Subhūti should know, if form were different from original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness were different from form; if form were not original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness were not form; up to if the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas were different from original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness were different from the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas; if the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas were not original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness were not the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas, then the Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā should not contemplate all phenomena as having an empty original nature; nor could they attain the wisdom of all-knowing.
Subhūti should know, because form is not different from original nature emptiness, original nature emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness itself is form; up to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas is not different from original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness is not different from the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas. The unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas itself is original nature emptiness, and original nature emptiness itself is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas. The Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā contemplate all phenomena as having an empty original nature and can attain the wisdom of all-knowing. Why? Because apart from original nature emptiness, there is no phenomenon whatsoever that truly exists, is permanent, can be destroyed, or can be severed. Within original nature emptiness, there is also no phenomenon whatsoever that truly exists, is permanent, can be destroyed, or can be severed.
It is only because foolish, deluded, inverted beings give rise to different perceptions, namely, distinguishing form as different from original nature emptiness, and so forth up to distinguishing the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas as different from original nature emptiness. Because these foolish beings discriminate that phenomena and original nature emptiness are different, they do not truly know form, nor do they truly know feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Because they do not know, they cling to form; they cling to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Due to clinging, regarding form they grasp at self and what belongs to self; regarding feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness they grasp at self and what belongs to self. Because of false grasping, they become attached to inner and outer objects, receive bodies of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness in future lives. Therefore they cannot be liberated from birth, aging, illness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, distress, and anxiety; they continue wandering throughout the three realms endlessly.
For this reason, the Great Bodhisattvas abide in the Prajñāpāramitā of original nature emptiness, practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, do not cling to form, nor destroy form, whether emptiness or non-emptiness; up to they do not cling to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas, nor destroy the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas, whether emptiness or non-emptiness. Why? Because form does not destroy emptiness, emptiness does not destroy form, saying ‘this is form, this is emptiness’; up to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas does not destroy emptiness, emptiness does not destroy the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas, saying ‘this is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas, this is emptiness.’
For example, space does not destroy space. The inner realm of space does not destroy the outer realm of space; the outer realm of space does not destroy the inner realm of space.
Thus, Subhūti, form does not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy form; up to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas does not destroy emptiness, and emptiness does not destroy the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of Buddhas. Why? Because all such phenomena have no inherent nature and cannot be discriminated as ‘this is emptiness’ or ‘this is not emptiness,’ since all phenomena have an empty original nature, and within original nature emptiness there are no distinctions.