THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SUTRA
VOLUME 534
Chapter 29: EQUAL GIVING (3)
At that time, Subhūti addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas are by their original nature empty, and within original nature emptiness there is completely no distinction, then upon what do the Great Bodhisattvas abide in order to arouse the aspiration toward the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment, with the vow: ‘I shall attain the vast highest unsurpassed Enlightenment, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and liberate all sentient beings’?
“World-Honored One, the vast and profound highest unsurpassed Enlightenment has no dual aspect, and although it is not a dual aspect, it can nevertheless be attained. In this way, how can the Great Bodhisattvas attain what they seek—the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment? I sincerely request that the Tathāgata, out of compassion, instruct me.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! The highest unsurpassed Enlightenment of all Buddhas is vast and profound, without dual aspects; although it is not a dual aspect, it can nevertheless be attained. Why? Because Bodhi is neither two nor discriminating. If anyone engages with Bodhi through dual aspects and discrimination, that person certainly cannot attain the vast highest unsurpassed Enlightenment.
“Subhūti, you should know that the Great Bodhisattvas, regarding Bodhi, do not practice the aspect of non-duality and do not discriminate; completely without any place of abiding, they arouse the aspiration toward the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment. The Great Bodhisattvas do not practice dual aspects toward any dharma, nor do they discriminate; completely without any place of practice, they therefore can attain the vast highest unsurpassed Enlightenment.
“Subhūti, you should know that the Great Bodhisattvas seek the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment not by practicing dual aspects, yet they can attain it. The Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas is completely without any sphere of practice. This means they do not practice form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; they do not practice the eye faculty up to the mental faculty; they do not practice the form realm up to the dharma realm; they do not practice the eye element up to the mental element; they do not practice the form element up to the dharma element; they do not practice the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; they do not practice eye-contact up to mind-contact; they do not practice the feelings arising from eye-contact as condition up to the feelings arising from mind-contact as condition; they do not practice the earth element up to the consciousness element; they do not practice causes and conditions up to conditions of dominant influence; they do not practice dharmas arisen from conditions; they do not practice ignorance up to aging and death; they do not practice Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā; they do not practice emptiness of the internal up to emptiness of the non-nature of self-nature; they do not practice suchness up to the inconceivable realm; they do not practice the Noble Truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path; they do not practice the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path; they do not practice the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; they do not practice the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they do not practice the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; they do not practice the stages from Pure Insight up to the Tathāgata stage; they do not practice the stages from Joyous Ground up to Dharma Cloud Ground; they do not practice all dhāraṇī methods and all samādhi methods; they do not practice the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers; they do not practice the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen exclusive Buddha qualities; they do not practice great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; they do not practice the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent features; they do not practice the quality of never forgetting and the nature of always remaining in equanimity; they do not practice all-knowing wisdom, wisdom of the path-aspects, and wisdom of all aspects; they do not practice the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha Bodhi; they do not practice the practices of the Great Bodhisattvas; they do not practice the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment of the Buddhas.
“Why? Because the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas does not depend upon names, signs, or sounds, and does not grasp at self or what belongs to self. That is, this Bodhi does not think: ‘I practice form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment.’
“Furthermore, Subhūti, the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas practices neither grasping nor abandoning; toward all dharmas there is no discrimination.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas practices neither grasping nor abandoning, and toward all dharmas there is no further discrimination, then where does the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas practice?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Where should the Bodhi of the Buddha’s transformation body practice? Does it practice grasping or abandoning?”
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, no. Because the transformation body of the Buddhas does not truly exist, how could one say that it has a Bodhi that practices somewhere, whether through grasping or abandoning?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Where should the Bodhi in the dreams of the Arhats practice? Does it practice grasping or abandoning?”
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, no. Because the Arhats have permanently ended afflictions; dullness, sleepiness, hindrances, and all entanglements have ceased completely. They do not dream at all. How could there be a Bodhi in dreams toward which they could either grasp or abandon?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! When the Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, their Bodhi is also like this: it neither practices grasping nor practices abandoning; it is completely without any place of practice, because it has realized the original nature emptiness of all dharmas.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, a Great Bodhisattva who practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā has Bodhi that practices neither grasping nor abandoning and is completely without any place of practice. This means that it does not practice form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; broadly speaking, it does not practice even the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment. It likewise does not practice all-knowing wisdom; there are no assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas; it does not practice the ten grounds; it does not practice Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā; it does not practice the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path; it does not practice the sixteen kinds of emptiness; it does not practice meditative absorptions, concentrations, or attainments; up to not practicing the ten powers of the Tathāgata, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen exclusive Buddha qualities; it does not practice great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; broadly speaking, it does not practice the eighty excellent features and the immeasurable, boundless other Buddha dharmas; it does not abide in the supreme spiritual powers of the Bodhisattva, bringing sentient beings to completion and adorning the Buddha lands with purity, and yet can attain all-knowing wisdom.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Although the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas has no place of practice, the assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas, wishing to benefit sentient beings, must practice the ten grounds and practice the perfection of Giving, broadly speaking up to abiding in the supreme spiritual powers of the Bodhisattva, bringing sentient beings to completion and adorning the Buddha lands with purity, and only then are they able to attain all-knowing wisdom.”
The venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas has no place of practice, then there should not be Great Bodhisattvas who, wishing to benefit sentient beings, do not abide in the ten grounds and cultivate them for a long time until they are perfected; do not abide in Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā and cultivate them for a long time until they are perfected; broadly speaking, do not abide in the supreme spiritual powers of the Bodhisattva, bringing sentient beings to completion and adorning the Buddha lands with purity, cultivating them for a long time until they are perfected, and yet attain all-knowing wisdom. Is this so?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Although the Bodhi of the Great Bodhisattvas has no place of practice, the Great Bodhisattvas, wishing to benefit sentient beings, must abide in the ten grounds and cultivate them for a long time until they are perfected; they must abide in Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā and cultivate them for a long time until they are perfected; broadly speaking, they must abide in the supreme spiritual powers of the Bodhisattva, bringing sentient beings to completion and adorning the Buddha lands with purity, cultivating them for a long time until they are perfected, until they can attain all-knowing wisdom.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, any Great Bodhisattva who wishes to attain the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment should abide in the original nature emptiness of form; should abide in the original nature emptiness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; broadly speaking, should abide in the original nature emptiness of the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; should abide in the original nature emptiness of the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment; should abide in the original nature emptiness of all dharmas; should abide in the original nature emptiness of all sentient beings; should cultivate the ten grounds until perfected; should cultivate Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā until perfected; broadly speaking, should cultivate the supreme spiritual powers of the Bodhisattva, bringing sentient beings to completion and adorning the Buddha lands with purity until perfected, and only then attain the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment.
“Subhūti, you should know that the principle of the original nature emptiness of all dharmas and the principle of the emptiness nature of sentient beings are extremely peaceful and still; there is not the slightest dharma that can increase or decrease, arise or cease, be permanent or interrupted, defiled or purified, attain fruition or manifest realization.
“Subhūti, you should know that the Great Bodhisattvas, relying on conventional truth, speak of cultivating Prajñāpāramitā. Having truly understood original nature emptiness, they attain the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment; they do not rely on ultimate truth. Why? Because within ultimate truth there is no form that can be grasped, nor feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness that can be grasped; broadly speaking, there are no practices of Great Bodhisattvas that can be grasped, nor is there a highest unsurpassed Enlightenment that can be grasped; there is no person practicing the practices of Great Bodhisattvas who can be grasped, nor is there a person attaining the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment who can be grasped.
“Subhūti, you should know that such dharmas and sentient beings are all established through conventional expressions and do not rely upon ultimate truth.
“Subhūti, you should know that the Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, from the very first arousing of the aspiration, although they are greatly courageous and practice the Bodhisattva conduct for the sake of sentient beings, have absolutely nothing attainable regarding this mind; regarding sentient beings they have nothing attainable; regarding great Bodhi they have nothing attainable; regarding Buddhas and Bodhisattvas they have nothing attainable. This is because all dharmas and all sentient beings are originally empty by nature and cannot be grasped.”
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas completely do not exist, are all originally empty by nature, and are unattainable, then how do Great Bodhisattvas practice the conduct of Bodhi? How can they attain the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment?”
The Buddha said:
“Subhūti, what do you think? Previously, relying upon the object of cessation, did you eliminate afflictive bonds such as the view of self and others, attain the uncontaminated faculties, abide in uninterrupted concentration, and realize the fruit of Stream Entry, then the fruit of Once Returner, then the fruit of Non-Returner, and finally the fruit of Arhatship? During that time, did you see any dream, mind, path, or path-fruit that could be attained?”
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, no, I did not.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“If at that time you had absolutely nothing attainable, how could you say that you attained the fruit of Arhatship?”
Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, it is spoken according to conventional truth, not according to ultimate truth.”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“Indeed, indeed, just as you have said! The Great Bodhisattvas are also like this: relying on conventional truth, it is said that they practice the conduct of great Bodhi; they do not rely on ultimate truth.
“Subhūti, you should know that relying on conventional truth, there are established form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; broadly speaking, relying on conventional truth, the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment are established. Relying on conventional truth, sentient beings, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas are established; they are not established according to ultimate truth.
“Subhūti, you should know that the Great Bodhisattvas do not see any dharma that, regarding the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment, can increase or decrease, benefit or harm, because all dharmas are originally empty by nature.
“Subhūti, you should know that the Great Bodhisattvas contemplate the original nature emptiness of all dharmas and cannot even grasp it; how much less can they grasp the first newly aroused mind? The very first aroused mind cannot be grasped; how much less can the six perfections such as Giving, the thirty-seven aids to Bodhi, the three liberation doors, and the immeasurable, boundless Buddha dharmas cultivated from the first ground up to the tenth ground be grasped? If they could be grasped, such a thing would certainly not exist!
“Thus, Subhūti, the Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means, practice the conduct of Bodhi, attain great Bodhi, and liberate sentient beings, continuously without interruption.”
At that time, Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if a Great Bodhisattva diligently and vigorously cultivates Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā; abides in the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the non-nature of self-nature; abides in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; abides in the Noble Truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path; cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness up to the eightfold Noble Path; cultivates the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; cultivates the liberation doors of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivates the eight liberations up to the ten universal bases; cultivates the stages from Joyous Ground up to Dharma Cloud Ground; cultivates all dhāraṇī methods and all samādhi methods; cultivates the five kinds of eyes and the six supernormal powers; cultivates the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen exclusive Buddha qualities; cultivates great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; cultivates the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent features; cultivates the quality of never forgetting and the nature of always remaining in equanimity; cultivates all-knowing wisdom, wisdom of the path-aspects, and wisdom of all aspects; cultivates the conduct of Great Bodhisattvas; cultivates the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment; yet if the cultivation of the Bodhi path has not been perfected and therefore cannot attain the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment, then how do Great Bodhisattvas cultivate the Bodhi path to perfection so that they can attain the highest unsurpassed Enlightenment?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
Which Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, employing skillful means, and through the majestic power of these skillful means, when practicing the Perfection of Giving, does not see there is giving, does not see there is a giver, does not see there is a recipient, does not see there is an action being performed, and yet does not depart from such dharmas while practicing the Perfection of Giving? Such a Great Bodhisattva, when giving in this way, can perfect the cultivation of the Bodhi path and quickly attain accomplishment.
Thus, O Subhūti, those Great Bodhisattvas who practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā and, through skillful means, cultivate the Bodhi path to make it complete, can realize the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Regarding the Perfection of Pure Conduct… up to the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, according to what is appropriate, it is explained in detail in the same way.
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, when a Great Bodhisattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā, how does he courageously and diligently cultivate the Bodhi path?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Any Great Bodhisattva who, while practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means does not unite with form up to consciousness, does not disperse form up to consciousness; does not unite with the eye faculty up to the mind faculty, does not disperse the eye faculty up to the mind faculty; does not unite with the form sphere up to the dharma sphere, does not disperse the form sphere up to the dharma sphere; does not unite with the eye element up to the mind element, does not disperse the eye element up to the mind element; does not unite with the form element up to the dharma element, does not disperse the form element up to the dharma element; does not unite with the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element, does not disperse the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; does not unite with eye-contact up to mind-contact, does not disperse eye-contact up to mind-contact; does not unite with feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to feelings arising dependent on mind-contact, does not disperse feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to feelings arising dependent on mind-contact; does not unite with the earth element up to the consciousness element, does not disperse the earth element up to the consciousness element; does not unite with causes and conditions up to the condition of predominance, does not disperse causes and conditions up to the condition of predominance; does not unite with dharmas arisen through conditions, does not disperse dharmas arisen through conditions; does not unite with ignorance up to aging-and-death, does not disperse ignorance up to aging-and-death; does not unite with Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā, does not disperse Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā; does not unite with the emptiness of internal dharmas up to the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness itself, does not disperse the emptiness of internal dharmas up to the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness itself; does not unite with suchness up to the inconceivable realm, does not disperse suchness up to the inconceivable realm; does not unite with the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and path, does not disperse the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and path; does not unite with the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path, does not disperse the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; does not unite with the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions, does not disperse the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; does not unite with the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, does not disperse the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; does not unite with the eight liberations up to the ten totalities, does not disperse the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; does not unite with the stages from Pure Observation up to Thus Come One, does not disperse the stages from Pure Observation up to Thus Come One; does not unite with the stages from Joyful Stage up to Dharma Cloud Stage, does not disperse the stages from Joyful Stage up to Dharma Cloud Stage; does not unite with all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates, does not disperse all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates; does not unite with the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers, does not disperse the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; does not unite with the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unshared Buddha qualities, does not disperse the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unshared Buddha qualities; does not unite with great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity, does not disperse great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; does not unite with the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics, does not disperse the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; does not unite with the qualities of not forgetting and always maintaining equanimity, does not disperse the qualities of not forgetting and always maintaining equanimity; does not unite with all-knowing wisdom, wisdom knowing the aspects of the path, and wisdom knowing all aspects, does not disperse all-knowing wisdom, wisdom knowing the aspects of the path, and wisdom knowing all aspects; does not unite with the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, does not disperse the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; does not unite with all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, does not disperse all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas.
Why? Because such dharmas have no self-nature that can be united or dispersed.
Thus, Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas who practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā courageously and diligently cultivate the Bodhi path.”
At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas have no self-nature that can be united or dispersed, then how does a Great Bodhisattva give rise to Prajñāpāramitā and cultivate it within such dharmas? If a Great Bodhisattva does not study Prajñāpāramitā, then he certainly cannot attain his sought-after goal, the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Indeed, indeed, it is exactly as you say! A Great Bodhisattva who does not study Prajñāpāramitā certainly cannot attain his sought-after goal, the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Śāriputra, a Great Bodhisattva who seeks to realize the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment must study Prajñāpāramitā in order to attain it.
Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas seeking the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment must possess skillful means in order to attain it; they cannot attain it without skillful means.
Śāriputra, when Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, if they saw a self-nature of dharmas that could be attained, they should grasp it. But if they do not see any self-nature of dharmas that can be attained, what would they grasp? Therefore, they do not grasp: ‘This is Prajñāpāramitā; this is the Perfection of Meditation, Diligence, Patience, Pure Conduct, and Giving; this is the form aggregate up to the consciousness aggregate; this is the eye faculty up to the mind faculty; this is the form sphere up to the dharma sphere; this is the eye element up to the mind element; this is the form element up to the dharma element; this is the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; this is eye-contact up to mind-contact; this is the feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to the feelings arising dependent on mind-contact; this is the earth element up to the consciousness element; this is causes and conditions up to the condition of predominance; this is the dharmas arisen through conditions; this is ignorance up to aging-and-death; this is the emptiness of internal dharmas up to the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness itself; this is suchness up to the inconceivable realm; this is the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and path; this is the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; this is the four meditations, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; this is the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; this is the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; this is the stages from Pure Observation up to Thus Come One; this is the stages from Joyful Stage up to Dharma Cloud Stage; this is all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates; this is the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; this is the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unshared Buddha qualities; this is great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; this is the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; this is the qualities of not forgetting and always maintaining equanimity; this is all-knowing wisdom, wisdom knowing the aspects of the path, and wisdom knowing all aspects; this is the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; this is all the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; this is the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas; this is ordinary beings; this is Śrāvakas; this is Pratyekabuddhas; this is Great Bodhisattvas; this is Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One.’
Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā truly understand that the nature of all dharmas cannot be grasped. Therefore, Prajñā up to the Perfection of Giving cannot be grasped; the form aggregate up to the consciousness aggregate cannot be grasped; the eye faculty up to the mind faculty cannot be grasped; the form sphere up to the dharma sphere cannot be grasped; the eye element up to the mind element cannot be grasped; the form element up to the dharma element cannot be grasped; the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element cannot be grasped; eye-contact up to mind-contact cannot be grasped; feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to feelings arising dependent on mind-contact cannot be grasped; the earth element up to the consciousness element cannot be grasped; causes and conditions up to the condition of predominance cannot be grasped; dharmas arisen through conditions cannot be grasped; ignorance up to aging-and-death cannot be grasped; the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path cannot be grasped; the emptiness of internal dharmas up to the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness itself cannot be grasped; suchness up to the inconceivable realm cannot be grasped; the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and path cannot be grasped; the four meditations, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions cannot be grasped; the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness cannot be grasped; the eight liberations up to the ten totalities cannot be grasped; the stages from Pure Observation up to Thus Come One cannot be grasped; the stages from Joyful Stage up to Dharma Cloud Stage cannot be grasped; all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates cannot be grasped; the five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers cannot be grasped; the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unshared Buddha qualities cannot be grasped; great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity cannot be grasped; the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics cannot be grasped; the qualities of not forgetting and always maintaining equanimity cannot be grasped; all-knowing wisdom, wisdom knowing the aspects of the path, and wisdom knowing all aspects cannot be grasped; the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment cannot be grasped; all practices of Great Bodhisattvas and the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas cannot be grasped; all ordinary beings, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas cannot be grasped.
Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā truly understand that the nature of all dharmas is without grasping, and therefore have no obstruction toward all dharmas.
Śāriputra, this Perfection that cannot be grasped is precisely the unobstructed Perfection. Such unobstructed Perfection is precisely Prajñāpāramitā. Great Bodhisattvas should study in this way.
Śāriputra, if a Great Bodhisattva can study in this way, and yet cannot even learn about all dharmas because they are completely without anything to be attained, how much less can he attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, how much less can he attain Prajñāpāramitā, how much less can he attain the fruits of ordinary beings, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddha-dharmas! Why? Śāriputra, because there is not even the slightest dharma that truly has self-nature. Within all dharmas that lack self-nature, what dharmas are the dharmas of ordinary beings? What dharmas are the fruits of Stream Entry up to Buddha-dharmas?
Śāriputra, since such dharmas cannot be grasped, upon what dharmas can people be established? Since people cannot be grasped, how can one say: ‘This is an ordinary being, this is Stream Entry up to Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One’?”
At that time Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, if all dharmas have no self-nature and do not truly exist, then based on what can one know: ‘This is an ordinary being, this is the dharma of ordinary beings’? Expanding further, how can one know: ‘This is Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, this is the dharma of Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One’?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“What do you think? Is there truly form, whether already existing or to exist in the future, as ordinary beings conceive and grasp? Is there truly feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, whether already existing or to exist in the future, as ordinary beings conceive and grasp? Expanding further, is there truly the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment of all Buddhas, whether already existing or to exist in the future, as ordinary beings conceive and grasp? Is there truly ordinary beings up to Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, whether already existing or to exist in the future, as ordinary beings conceive and grasp?”
Śāriputra replied:
“No, World-Honored One. It is only because ordinary beings are deluded and inverted that they grasp such existence.”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, using skillful means, although they contemplate that all dharmas completely lack self-nature and do not truly exist, nevertheless, relying on conventional truth, generate the aspiration toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and for the sake of sentient beings skillfully teach the Dharma, enabling them to correctly understand and abandon all inversions.”
At that time Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how do Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means and the majestic power of those skillful means, although contemplating that all dharmas lack self-nature and do not truly exist, still rely on conventional truth to generate the aspiration toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, skillfully teach sentient beings, and enable them to correctly understand and abandon all inversions?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, having accomplished such skillful means, do not see even the slightest truly existing dharma abiding internally. If they still abide internally, there is obstruction; because of obstruction there is regression; because of regression the mind weakens; and because the mind weakens, laziness arises.
Śāriputra, because all dharmas are unreal, without self and without anything belonging to self, all take emptiness as their self-nature; their original nature is quiescent, and their own characteristics are quiescent. Only all ordinary beings, confused and inverted, cling to the form aggregate up to the consciousness aggregate; cling to the eye faculty up to the mind faculty; cling to the form sphere up to the dharma sphere; cling to the eye element up to the mind element; cling to the form element up to the dharma element; cling to the eye-consciousness element up to the mind-consciousness element; cling to eye-contact up to mind-contact; cling to feelings arising dependent on eye-contact up to feelings arising dependent on mind-contact; cling to the earth element up to the consciousness element; cling to causes and conditions up to the condition of predominance; cling to dharmas arisen through conditions; cling to ignorance up to aging-and-death; cling to Giving up to Prajñāpāramitā; cling to the emptiness of internal dharmas up to the emptiness of the self-nature of emptiness itself; cling to suchness up to the inconceivable realm; cling to the noble truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and path; cling to the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; cling to the four meditations, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions; cling to the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cling to the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; cling to the stages from Pure Observation up to Thus Come One; cling to the stages from Joyful Stage up to Dharma Cloud Stage; cling to all dhāraṇī gates and all samādhi gates; cling to the five kinds of eyes and six supernatural powers; cling to the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unshared Buddha qualities; cling to great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity; cling to the thirty-two marks of the Great Being and the eighty excellent characteristics; cling to the qualities of not forgetting and always maintaining equanimity; cling to all-knowing wisdom, wisdom knowing the aspects of the path, and wisdom knowing all aspects; cling to the fruit of Stream Entry up to Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; cling to the practices of Great Bodhisattvas; cling to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; cling to ordinary beings up to Thus Come One, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One.
For this reason, Great Bodhisattvas contemplate that all dharmas are completely unreal, without self and without anything belonging to self, all take emptiness as their self-nature, their original nature is quiescent, and their own characteristics are quiescent. Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā cultivate like magicians, and for the sake of sentient beings teach the Dharma: for those who are greedy, they teach Giving; for those who violate precepts, they teach Pure Conduct; for those who are angry, they teach Patience; for those who are lazy, they teach Diligence; for those who are scattered, they teach Meditation; for those with evil wisdom, they teach Prajñā.
Such a Great Bodhisattva establishes sentient beings and causes them to abide in the Perfections of Giving up to Prajñā. Then again, for their sake, he teaches the supreme noble Dharma to liberate them from birth and death, causing sentient beings to rely on it and cultivate. They may realize the fruit of Stream Entry, attain the fruit of Once Returner, attain the fruit of Non-Returner, attain the fruit of Arhatship, attain Pratyekabuddha enlightenment, enter the stages of Great Bodhisattvas, or abide in unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”
At that time Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, why are these Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā not called those who possess attainment, while they teach sentient beings that there is truly nothing to possess, establish them in Giving, Pure Conduct, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, and Prajñā, and again teach them the supreme noble Dharma to liberate them from birth and death, causing them to attain the fruit of Stream Entry up to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā do not possess attainment regarding sentient beings. Why? Because when these Great Bodhisattvas practice the profound Prajñāpāramitā, they do not see even the slightest sentient being that truly can be grasped; there are only conventionally designated sentient beings.
Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā abide in the two truths and teach the true Dharma for sentient beings. What are the two? One is conventional truth; the other is ultimate truth.
Śāriputra, although sentient beings are established within the two truths, they cannot be grasped. Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means, teach essential Dharma for sentient beings, causing sentient beings who hear the true Dharma to have, even in the present Dharma, no attainable self, much less something to be attained or sought as a noble fruit in the future.
Thus, Śāriputra, Great Bodhisattvas practicing the profound Prajñāpāramitā, through skillful means, although teaching essential Dharma for sentient beings and causing them to practice the true conduct in order to attain fruits, their minds remain without attainment regarding this matter, because they know clearly that dharmas cannot be grasped.”
At that time Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, these Great Bodhisattvas are truly Great Bodhisattvas. Although regarding dharmas they do not grasp sameness, do not grasp difference, do not grasp generality, and do not grasp particularity, they nevertheless put on such great armor of merit. Because they put on such great armor of merit, they are not born in the Desire Realm, are not born in the Form Realm, are not born in the Formless Realm, do not see conditioned realms, do not see unconditioned realms. Although they teach and transform sentient beings so that they leave the three realms, they cannot grasp sentient beings at all, nor can they grasp the establishment of sentient beings. Because the establishment of sentient beings cannot be grasped, there is neither bondage nor liberation. Because there is neither bondage nor liberation, there is neither defilement nor purity. Because there is neither defilement nor purity, there is no discrimination among different realms. Because there is no discrimination among different realms, there is no karma and no afflictions. Because there is no karma and no afflictions, there are also no karmic results. Since there are no karmic results, how can there be a self and various kinds of sentient beings wandering through the destinies and being born within the three realms?”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
“Indeed, indeed, it is exactly as you have said.”
O Śāriputra, if there were sentient beings who existed before and did not exist afterward, then the Bodhisattvas and the Tathāgatas would be at fault; or if they did not exist before and existed afterward, the reasoning would likewise be the same. As for beings revolving in the realms of saṃsāra, it is likewise so with regard to existence and nonexistence.
Therefore, Śāriputra, whether or not a Tathāgata appears in the world, the nature of phenomena always remains abiding; suchness, the nature of the dharma realm, is not false, its nature does not change. This is because the nature of phenomena, the dharma realm, the abiding of phenomena, the determination of phenomena, suchness, and the ultimate reality of all phenomena are all like empty space. Within these, there is not even a self that can be apprehended—how much less could there be phenomena such as form that can be apprehended! Since phenomena such as form cannot be apprehended, how could there be realms of saṃsāra? Since the realms of saṃsāra cannot be apprehended, how could there be the act of bringing about the accomplishment of sentient beings and causing them to become liberated? It is only through conventional designation that it is falsely said to exist.
Śāriputra, because phenomena such as these are all empty in their own nature, the great Bodhisattvas of the past, having truly heard the teachings from the Buddhas, sought to attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in order to liberate sentient beings who were deluded and attached. While seeking to attain it, they did not think: “Through this Dharma, I have attained, or will attain, something; I have caused those sentient beings to have crossed over, or will cause them to cross over, their attachment to the suffering of birth and death.”
Śāriputra, this great Bodhisattva, because of sentient beings who are deluded and attached, puts on the armor of merit, makes great vows of adornment, is courageous and diligent, is not attached, does not regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and always does not give rise to doubt regarding Bodhi, thinking: “Will I attain it or will I not attain it?” Rather, one should maintain right mindfulness: “I will certainly attain the object I seek, the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and bring true benefit to sentient beings.” This is liberating them from the deluded and inverted realms of saṃsāra where they undergo the suffering of birth and death.
Śāriputra, although this great Bodhisattva liberates sentient beings from the deluded and inverted realms of birth and death, there is nothing attained; it is only through conventional designation that this matter is spoken of as existing.
Śāriputra, just as a skilled magician and his apprentice, relying on magical arts, transform and create countless hundreds of thousands of millions of beings, and further manifest excellent food, giving it as a gift so that sentient beings may become full, after the illusionist has done this, he rejoices and says: “I have obtained great merit.” What do you think? Do this skilled magician and his apprentice truly cause those sentient beings to become satiated?
Śāriputra replied:
“World-Honored One, no.”
The Buddha said to Śāriputra:
The great Bodhisattvas are likewise. From the time they first generate the mind, wishing to liberate all sentient beings, they cultivate generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā; abide in the emptiness of the internal up to the emptiness of the nonexistence of the nature of emptiness itself; abide in suchness up to the inconceivable realm; abide in the noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and path; cultivate the four applications of mindfulness up to the eightfold noble path; cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; cultivate the liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivate the eight liberations up to the ten totalities; cultivate the stages from the stage of Supreme Joy up to the Dharma Cloud stage; cultivate all dhāraṇī methods and all samādhi methods; cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers; cultivate the ten powers of the Tathāgata up to the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; cultivate great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; cultivate the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty excellent qualities; cultivate the quality of not forgetting and the nature of always being equanimous; cultivate the wisdom of all-knowingness, the wisdom of the path-aspects, and the wisdom of all aspects; perfect the great Bodhi path of the Bodhisattva, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, and purify the Buddha realms.
Śāriputra, although the great Bodhisattvas perform these deeds, with regard to sentient beings and all phenomena they have nothing whatsoever to attain. They do not think: “I use this Dharma to discipline such sentient beings, causing them to abandon deluded attachments and no longer return to undergo the suffering of birth and death.”
At that time, Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, what is called the great Bodhi path of the Bodhisattva, through which the great Bodhisattvas practice this path, use skillful means to bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, purify Buddha lands, and quickly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“The practices cultivated by the great Bodhisattvas from the time they first generate the mind, such as generosity up to Prajñāpāramitā, and, broadly speaking, up to cultivating the wisdom of all-knowingness, the wisdom of the path-aspects, the wisdom of all aspects, and all other immeasurable and boundless Buddha-dharmas, are all the great Bodhi path of the Bodhisattva.
The great Bodhisattvas who cultivate this path, using skillful means, bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, purify Buddha lands, and quickly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, but they do not have the notion of sentient beings, Buddha…”
Venerable Subhūti said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One, how does a great Bodhisattva, when practicing the perfection of generosity, use skillful means to bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings?”
The Buddha said to Subhūti:
“There is a great Bodhisattva who, when practicing the perfection of generosity, uses skillful means to personally practice generosity, also encourages others to practice generosity, earnestly instructs and transmits teachings to them, saying: ‘Good sons, do not cling to the act of giving. If you cling to giving, you will be reborn; if you are reborn, then because of this you will continue to revolve and undergo immeasurable and boundless great suffering. Good sons, in ultimate truth there is completely no giving, no giver, no receiver, no gift, and no results of giving. Phenomena such as these are all empty in their own nature. Within emptiness of inherent nature, there is no phenomenon that can be apprehended; the emptiness of phenomena also cannot be apprehended.’”
Thus, Subhūti, when the great Bodhisattvas practice the perfection of generosity, although they personally practice giving to sentient beings and encourage others to practice giving, with regard to giving, the giver, the receiver, the gift, and the results of giving, they completely have nothing to attain. Such generosity is called the perfection of generosity without attainment.
Subhūti, you should know that when this great Bodhisattva, through skillful means, abides in this nonattainment of all phenomena, they can teach and transform sentient beings so that they abide in the fruit of Stream-entry, and broadly speaking, attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
Thus, Subhūti, when the great Bodhisattvas practice the perfection of generosity, they bring about the accomplishment of sentient beings, causing them to gain benefit and happiness.
Subhūti, you should know that this great Bodhisattva personally practices generosity, encourages others to practice generosity, constantly praises the practice of generosity, and rejoices in praising those who practice generosity.
After this great Bodhisattva has cultivated such great generosity, they will be born into great Kṣatriya families, great Brahmin families, great elder families, or wealthy and prosperous householder families; or they may become a minor king in a small country, wealthy and independent; or a great king in a large country, wealthy and independent; or a Great Wheel-Turning King throughout the four continents, wealthy and independent.
Having been born in such noble places, this great Bodhisattva uses the four means of attraction to teach and transform sentient beings. First, they teach them to abide in generosity; from this they gradually teach them to abide in pure discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom. They further cause them to abide in the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, and the three liberation doors.
After this great Bodhisattva has taught sentient beings to abide in such wholesome Dharma, they either cause them to enter the right nature of liberation from birth and death and attain the fruit of Stream-entry up to the fruit of Arhatship; or cause them, after entering the right nature of liberation from birth and death, to gradually attain Pratyekabuddha enlightenment; or cause them to enter the right nature of liberation from birth and death and gradually learn the Bodhisattva stages, quickly attaining unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. They then tell sentient beings:
“Good sons, you should generate great vows to quickly proceed toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and accomplish supreme benefit for sentient beings. These sentient beings, because of false conceptualization, always regard the objects they grasp among phenomena as having inherent natures, and because of inversion they falsely apprehend them as existing. Therefore, you should diligently and vigorously eliminate these inversions yourselves, and also encourage others to eliminate them; liberate yourselves from birth and death, and also cause others to become liberated; obtain great benefit yourselves, and also cause others to obtain great benefit.”