THE GREAT PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ SŪTRA
Assembly VIII
VOLUME 576
Chapter: NĀGAŚRĪ
Thus have I heard:
At one time, in the Jeta Grove of Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park in the city of Śrāvastī, the World-Honored One was expounding the true Dharma for the great assembly.
At that time, in the morning, the Great Bodhisattva Wonderful Auspiciousness (Mañjuśrī) put on his robe, held his alms bowl, and slowly entered the city of Śrāvastī. At that moment, there was a Bodhisattva named Dragon Auspiciousness (Nāgaśrī) who saw him and asked:
“Venerable One, where have you come from?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness replied:
“I wish to enter this city of Śrāvastī in sequence to seek alms, in order to bring benefit and happiness to many sentient beings, out of compassion for the sentient beings of the world, and in order to benefit and bring peace and happiness to gods and humans.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“Venerable One, have you still not broken through the perception of food?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Regarding the perception of food, I completely do not see that there is such a thing. Then what is there to break? Why? Because the nature of all phenomena is empty like space, neither destroyed nor interrupted. Therefore, what can I break? Gods, Māras, Brahmās, the world, Śramaṇas, and Brāhmaṇas also cannot break it. Why is this so? The self-nature of all phenomena is like the realm of space, completely empty and unmoving. How could it be broken?
Furthermore, all phenomena are like space, vast and without any gods, Māras, Brahmās, Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, or sentient beings who can grasp them. Why? Because all phenomena have the nature of being far removed from attachment, and thus there is nothing to grasp.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“If that is so, then why do Bodhisattvas battle with Māras?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Bodhisattvas have never fought with the armies of Māra beating great drums. At that time, Bodhisattvas do not see even the slightest bit of any phenomenon that is real and upon which they can rely to enter concentration. Why? Although they see Māra beating drums, Bodhisattvas are not afraid.
It is like a magician creating an enemy through illusion. Although that enemy manifests an appearance of threatening and harming him, the magician is not frightened. In the same way, Bodhisattvas know that the nature of phenomena is empty, and all are completely like illusions, so there is nothing to fear.
If at that time Bodhisattvas were afraid, then they would not be those worthy of offerings from gods and humans. But because Bodhisattvas understand that all phenomena are empty and are without fear, they can become a pure and genuine field of merit.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“Then is there anyone who can attain Bodhi?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“There are indeed those who can attain it.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“Who is the one who attains it?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“The person who has no name, no nature, no fabrication, and no speech—such a person can attain it.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“If that person is such, then how can he attain it?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“His mind does not arise, does not conceive of Bodhi or the Bodhi seat, and does not cherish all sentient beings. Through a mind that does not manifest and a mind that does not perceive, he can attain the supreme enlightenment.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“If that is so, with what kind of mind do you, Venerable One, attain Bodhi?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“I have no place toward which I proceed, nor is there anything toward which I proceed. I do not study anything at all. In the future, I will not go to the Bodhi tree, sit upon the vajra seat, attain great Bodhi, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, or rescue sentient beings from birth and death. Why? Because all phenomena do not move, cannot be destroyed, cannot be grasped, and are completely empty. I use this mind that has nowhere to proceed to attain Bodhi.”
Dragon Auspiciousness said:
“What the Venerable One has said is entirely based upon ultimate truth. It helps sentient beings develop faith and understanding. This is the Dharma of liberation from afflictions. If sentient beings are liberated from afflictions, they can completely destroy the net of Māra.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“The net of Māra cannot be destroyed. Why? Māra is not different from the concept of Bodhi. Why is this so? The Māra and the nature of the armies of Māra do not exist and are completely impossible to grasp. Therefore, I say that Māra has no concept of Bodhi.”
Dragon Auspiciousness asked:
“What is the meaning of Bodhi?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Bodhi is the Dharma that pervades all times, places, and all phenomena. It is like space, which is completely without obstruction regarding time, place, and phenomena, and exists nowhere that it does not exist. Likewise, because it is unobstructed, Bodhi pervades all times, places, and phenomena. Therefore, Bodhi is supreme. Then what Bodhi do you wish to attain?”
Dragon Auspiciousness said:
“I wish to attain the supreme enlightenment.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“You are wishing to attain the supreme enlightenment, which is a Dharma that cannot be attained. If you wish to attain it, then you are engaging in conceptual fabrication. Why? The attainment of supreme enlightenment is quiescent and free from characteristics, yet you wish to grasp it; therefore, it becomes conceptual fabrication.
It is like someone saying: ‘I will make an illusory person sit upon the Bodhi seat and attain illusory supreme enlightenment.’ This statement becomes conceptual fabrication, because even illusory people cannot be grasped; how could one help an illusory being attain illusory great Bodhi?
The illusory does not unite with the illusory Dharma, nor does it separate from it. It neither holds nor abandons; its self-nature is completely empty. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, teach: All phenomena cannot be discriminated and are all like illusions.
Now you wish to attain supreme enlightenment; how could this not become discrimination regarding illusory phenomena? Yet all phenomena cannot be grasped and cannot be abandoned. They neither come into being nor perish. There is no phenomenon that can create or destroy another phenomenon, and there is no phenomenon that can unite with or separate from another phenomenon.
Why? Because all phenomena neither unite nor separate. Their self-nature is completely empty, separated from self and what belongs to self. They are like the realm of space: without speech, without indication, without praise, without criticism, without high, without low, without harm, without benefit, unimaginable, beyond conceptual fabrication, inherently tranquil, completely empty like illusions and dreams, without comparison or opposition. How could one give rise to discriminating thoughts toward them?”
Dragon Auspiciousness said:
“Well said, Venerable One! Therefore, I will definitely attain Bodhi. Why? Because the Venerable One has explained to me this profound Dharma.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“I have never expounded or spoken to you of any Dharma, whether revealing or concealing, profound or shallow. How then could I help you attain Bodhi? Why? The self-nature of all phenomena cannot be spoken of, yet you think that I have taught you a profound Dharma; this itself is engaging in conceptual fabrication. In truth, I cannot teach the Dharma. This is because the self-nature of phenomena cannot be spoken of.
It is like someone saying: ‘I can clearly explain the characteristics of an illusory person, meaning that the illusory person knows how to discriminate in this way and that way.’ Through such words, that person harms his own true speech. Why? An illusory person does not even possess discrimination, much less the characteristics of consciousness.
Now you think that I have taught a profound Dharma to help you attain supreme enlightenment. It is the same in this way. Because all phenomena are like illusions and their nature is completely empty, they cannot even exist—how much less can there be the act of teaching and explaining?”
At that time, the Great Bodhisattva Invincible One (Ajita) came to that place. After hearing this, that Bodhisattva praised:
“Excellent, excellent, O Noble One! Great Being, you are able to discuss together this profound Dharma gate.”
Mañjuśrī immediately asked Venerable Venerable Invincible:
“Virtuous One! What Dharma has the Great Being been teaching? A bodhisattva should not think: ‘I am a bodhisattva, a virtuous one!’ Can the Great Being expound profound Dharma for sentient beings to hear? Whoever thinks in this way is engaging in frivolous conceptualization. Furthermore, O Invincible, is there any actual echo possessing its own nature that can produce speech for people to hear and discuss the Dharma?”
Invincible replied:
“No.”
Mañjuśrī said:
“All phenomena are likewise. They are unreal, just like echoes, without name, without characteristics, without anything to grasp. Whoever grasps such phenomena is engaging in frivolous conceptualization. Whoever engages in frivolous conceptualization wanders in saṃsāra. Because they do not know things as they truly are, they generate disputes regarding all phenomena, which are like echoes. Because disputes arise, their minds become disturbed. Because their minds become disturbed, many delusions arise. Because delusions increase, they transmigrate throughout the realms of existence.
Therefore, day and night, the World-Honored One constantly instructs the bhikṣus: ‘Bhikṣus, do not engage in frivolous conceptualization. Regarding the quiescent Dharma that I teach, you should always carefully contemplate and observe it, diligently cultivate the patience with regard to the unborn Dharma.’
This Great Sage, the Silent Sage, the Dharma King, the Able One, teaches that all phenomena are empty, their own nature is quiescent, uncontaminated, without attainment, without a place of reliance. Those who can know liberation from birth and death as it truly is will certainly attain unsurpassed Bodhi and Nirvāṇa.
After hearing these words, Nāga Mañjuśrī again asked Mañjuśrī:
“What kind of liberation from birth and death has the Venerable One attained?”
Mañjuśrī said:
“What do you think? From what birth and death did the Tathāgata become liberated? The World-Honored One, possessing the Ten Powers, has always taught: ‘Past, future, and present are the phenomena of birth and death.’”
Nāga Mañjuśrī asked:
“Did the World-Honored One not say that all phenomena are like illusions and transformations? If so, then sentient beings should already have attained the highest enlightenment. Why would there still be birth and death? Why? The Venerable One himself has said that phenomena are unreal and all are like illusions.”
Mañjuśrī said:
“From beginningless time until now, regarding the nature and characteristics of all phenomena, I have never explained them, nor have I discriminated, grasped, or created anything. Why? The nature and characteristics of phenomena cannot be expressed, cannot be discriminated, cannot be grasped, and cannot be created.
If all sentient beings could truly understand that all phenomena are like illusions and transformations, then they would already have attained the highest enlightenment. But because sentient beings cannot truly understand that all phenomena are like illusions and transformations, they must undergo birth and death and transmigrate throughout the realms.
It is like a magician who, according to objects, creates various illusory appearances such as the world, gods, Māras, Brahmās, Indras, śramaṇas, Brahmins, nāgas, yakṣas, asuras, humans and non-humans. Foolish beings deluded by attachment take these as truly existing. The wise and the magician clearly see that they have no true nature and are merely manifestations of various false appearances.
Likewise, although all phenomena are like illusions and transformations, foolish sentient beings do not understand this. They take what does not exist as existing, take impermanent things as permanent, and discriminate in many ways regarding phenomena. They discriminate form, mind, conditioned phenomena, unconditioned phenomena, contaminated phenomena, and uncontaminated phenomena. They make all kinds of discriminations regarding such things.
Because of these discriminations, they do not know as they truly are that all phenomena are like illusions and transformations. Because they do not know this, they undergo birth and death and transmigrate.
If sentient beings truly knew that all phenomena are like illusions and transformations, then they would not need to increase anything in the Buddha Dharma. Why? All sentient beings have always possessed these things. All the wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas has always existed.
Because they do not lose Buddha wisdom, all sentient beings can remain firm and become stable. Regarding the wondrous Dharma and wisdom of the Buddhas, they know the Dharma nature as empty: without name, without characteristics, without reliance, without abiding, without holding, without grasping, without obstruction, without attachment. It is like space: it does not contain, it does not grasp, nothing is more peaceful, utterly serene, unborn, undying, uncontaminated, unpurified, neither accomplished nor destroyed, neither existent nor nonexistent.
Therefore, within this, they attain profound patience with the Dharma and never separate from the wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas. Why? Because the wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas is free from nature and characteristics; it cannot be established, cannot be spoken, cannot be expressed, and exists throughout all sentient beings like space.”
At that time, Nāga Mañjuśrī heard this profound Dharma and was exceedingly delighted. He praised Mañjuśrī:
“Excellent, excellent! The Dharma taught by the Venerable One is exceedingly wondrous and inconceivable. This Dharma teaches sentient beings to never separate from the wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas. Who can believe and understand it?”
Mañjuśrī said:
“True disciples of the Buddhas can all believe and understand it. They are those who follow their nature in practice, those who follow Dharma in practice, those in the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, solitary buddhas, and irreversible bodhisattvas who are unmoving and unchanging regarding the pure Dharma. They have well established themselves in the Dharma of complete emptiness and the Dharma of no attainment, and they can deeply believe and understand it.
Why? The wondrous Bodhi seat of this bodhisattva has already appeared before his eyes. In the presence of the world, gods, Māras, Brahmās, Indras, śramaṇas, Brahmins, asuras, humans and non-humans, he can roar the lion’s roar:
‘I sit cross-legged upon this seat. Until I attain the highest enlightenment, I will never temporarily leave this seat midway.’
Why? These bodhisattvas have completely established themselves in the Dharma of complete emptiness and the Dharma of no attainment, and therefore they cannot be moved. They are like an extremely firm and solid stake that cannot be moved even by mighty bulls. These bodhisattvas have well established themselves in the Dharma of complete emptiness and the Dharma of no attainment, and therefore no sentient being can move them or cause them to turn away from enlightenment, awakening, or the Bodhi seat.”
Nāga Mañjuśrī said:
“What do enlightenment, awakening, and the Bodhi seat mean?”
At that time, Mañjuśrī asked him in return:
“What is called the transformation of the Tathāgata? What is the place where the transformation of the Tathāgata occurs? What is the basis upon which the transformation of the Tathāgata depends? What is the Dharma attained through the transformation of the Tathāgata? Therefore, what is meant by saying that the Tathāgata transforms and teaches the Dharma?”
Nāga Mañjuśrī said:
“I do not even see that the Tathāgata truly exists, let alone seeing the transformation of the Tathāgata, the place of transformation, the basis of transformation, or the Dharma attained through transformation, such that one could say that the Tathāgata transforms and teaches the Dharma.”
Mañjuśrī said:
“Excellent, excellent! What you have said and understood is entirely reasonable. You have attained patience with regard to the non-attainment of all phenomena and are able to speak in this way. Therefore, know that enlightenment and awakening are likewise.”
Nāga Mañjuśrī said:
“The patience with regard to the non-attainment of all phenomena does not arise and does not cease. Why? Because all phenomena are empty, without self-nature, and without inherent characteristics. Such phenomena are without marks, without opposition, without form, without perception, and identical with space. How could patience with regard to the non-attainment of phenomena arise?
If the patience with regard to the non-attainment of all phenomena had meaning and could arise, then would the patience of echoes, the patience of reflections of light, the patience of heaps of foam, the patience of bubbles, the patience of mirages, the patience of banana trees, the patience of magical illusions, the patience of dreams, the patience of transformations, the patience of images in mirrors, the patience of the city of gandharvas, and the patience of the realm of space also have meaning and function?
Why? If the patience of space had another meaning, that would be truly unreasonable.
Any great bodhisattva who hears this Dharma and is not frightened, not confused, not doubtful, and not trembling has attained the bodhisattva’s patience with regard to the unborn Dharma.”
Mañjuśrī said:
“Is there not a distinction in the bodhisattva’s non-grasping patience with regard to Dharma?”
Nāga Mañjuśrī said:
“If a great bodhisattva has attachment to even the smallest Dharma, then that is an activity of attainment. If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can understand profound Dharma completely,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I am one who has accomplished profound patience,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can believe in and remember profound Dharma,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can understand meanings,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can know phenomena clearly,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can understand the intrinsic nature of phenomena,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can practice the conduct of the bodhisattva path,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can adorn Buddha realms,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can mature sentient beings,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I will definitely attain Bodhi,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I will definitely be able to turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can rescue sentient beings,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I practice and I attain,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can practice generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and Prajñāpāramitā,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can practice the thirty-seven factors of Bodhi, such as the four foundations of mindfulness,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
If bodhisattvas think: ‘I can attain the ten powers of the Tathāgata, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of unobstructed understanding, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, great equanimity, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and the immeasurable and boundless wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas,’ then that is an activity of attainment.
Because bodhisattvas do not engage in activities of attainment, the Dharma patience of non-attainment has no distinction.”
Mañjuśrī asked:
“If this is so, then how does a bodhisattva cultivate and learn while moving toward the conduct of Bodhi?”
Nāga Mañjuśrī said:
If the Bodhisattvas do not cling to the phenomena, then that is cultivation and learning directed toward the practice of Bodhi. If the Bodhisattvas are not dependent upon the phenomena, then that is cultivation and learning directed toward the practice of Bodhi. If the Bodhisattvas directly contemplate all phenomena, relying on causes and conditions, without inherent nature, separated from self and what belongs to self, then that is cultivation and learning directed toward the practice of Bodhi. If the Bodhisattvas, although practicing cultivation, do not have the notion of cultivation, then that is cultivation and learning directed toward the practice of Bodhi.
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
Indeed, indeed, it is exactly as you have said! Just as a person in a dream may see themselves walking and standing in various places, yet there is no actual coming, going, walking, standing, lying down, or sitting, and there is no real place where they walk or stand. Likewise, although awake and engaged in cultivation, the Bodhisattva has no notion of practice. They contemplate that actions and the nature of actions are completely empty, do not cling to phenomena, understand thoroughly that all phenomena have no form, no appearance, no containment, cannot be grasped, are identical with space, and have an inherently empty and still nature. Those Bodhisattvas who can practice in this way, clinging to nothing whatsoever and leaving behind all conceptual fabrications, are the pure and genuine fields of merit of gods and humans, worthy of receiving the respect and offerings of the world.
After hearing these words, Auspicious Dragon became extremely joyful and said: “Venerable One, I wish to go to the city of Śrāvastī and beg for alms in sequence for the sake of sentient beings.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Go as you wish, but while going, you must not lift your feet, you must not put your feet down, do not bend, do not extend, do not give rise to thoughts of self, do not engage in conceptual elaboration, do not form thoughts about roads, do not form thoughts about cities, settlements, or villages, do not give rise to thoughts of males, females, the old, or the young, and do not form thoughts about crossroads, gardens, houses, gates, or windows. Why is this so? Because Bodhi is free from thoughts concerning all possessed objects; it is neither high nor low, neither bent nor curved, neither contracted nor extended. The mind is free from agitation, there is no verbal conceptual fabrication, and there is no measure. This is the Bodhi toward which the Bodhisattva proceeds. Now, if you can practice in this way, then you may go begging for alms wherever you wish.”
At that time, Auspicious Dragon, relying upon the majestic power of that instruction, entered the concentration called the Ocean Simile, which was like a great ocean whose waters are extremely deep, vast, completely full, and tranquil, containing precious treasures and sustaining the lives of aquatic beings. The majestic power of this concentration was likewise deep and vast, with inconceivable spiritual functions, the three karmic activities being peaceful and pure, complete with the treasures of merit and virtue, helping and nurturing sentient beings.
At that time, the Bodhisattva named Good Thought wished to cause that person to quickly emerge from concentration, so he created a great condition to shake that person’s body. Although he caused the mountains and earth throughout the three-thousandfold world system to tremble in six different ways, the body and mind of Auspicious Dragon remained peaceful, firm, and unmoving like Mount Sumeru. Why was this so? Because the power of this concentration caused his body, speech, and mind to remain stable and unmoved. Afterwards, upon emerging from concentration, various fragrant flowers rained down. He bowed toward the Jeta Grove, joined his palms, and sincerely said with reverence:
“I pay homage to the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. The realization and teachings are both extremely profound, their own natures are empty, undefiled, and without attainment. They can enable those who hear them to attain this Supreme Concentration.”
The Bodhisattva Good Thought then asked him:
“When you were in concentration, did you know that the earth was moving?”
Auspicious Dragon replied:
“Good Thought, you should know that those whose bodies and minds undergo movement and disturbance see the great earth as tilting and shaking. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, irreversible Bodhisattvas, great Pratyekabuddhas, and great Arhats have bodies and minds that are peaceful and free from agitation, so they neither see nor know movement, change, tilting, or shaking with regard to phenomena. Why is this so? Because they constantly abide in the Dharma that is unmoving, unchanging, not tilting, and not shaking: emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the sign of peaceful realization, and the Dharma of separation from inherently empty existence. Because they abide in this Dharma, their bodies and minds do not move.”
After hearing and witnessing this matter, Wonderful Auspiciousness rejoiced and praised Auspicious Dragon:
“Excellent, excellent! You have been able to accomplish this. Go into the city to beg for alms as you wish.”
Auspicious Dragon said:
“I have already attained the Supreme Ocean Simile Concentration, which is the unsurpassed Dharma food, so I no longer seek ordinary food. Now I only seek Giving, Pure Conduct, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, Prajñā, skillful means, the wondrous vow-paramita of wisdom power, and the other limitless supreme practices of Bodhisattvas, so that I may quickly attain the highest Enlightenment, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, rescue sentient beings from the great suffering of birth and death, and cause them to abide in completely pure Nirvana. I seek to abandon all conditioned activities and do not wish to nourish this impure body and mind. Because I have been cared for by noble, pure, correct spiritual friends, I have exerted all my strength to attain the Supreme Concentration. Now I bow in reverence to Wonderful Auspiciousness, Boundless Auspiciousness, Valiant Auspiciousness, Vast Auspiciousness, Wondrous Dharma Auspiciousness, Supreme Wisdom Auspiciousness, and Inconceivable Auspiciousness, who are great sages, virtuous friends, and truly pure virtuous friends.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Excellent! Venerable One, you are able to attain this Supreme Ocean Simile Concentration and understand that all phenomena are like echoes, like reflections, like dreams, like illusions, like mirages, like images, like magical transformations, and like the city of the Gandharvas. Now you should seek the ten powers of the Tathāgata, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the eighteen uncommon Buddha qualities, and the immeasurable, boundless unsurpassed true Dharma, in order to benefit the Dharma body and liberation. All Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, rely upon this food to continue living for immeasurable, countless, inconceivable numbers of great kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Why is this so? Because this undefiled Dharma food, free from bondage, can forever liberate one from worldly clinging to phenomena that do not lead to liberation. It can also forever eliminate all arrogance, has no containment, no grasping, no conceptual fabrications, and an inherently empty and still nature. All great Bodhisattvas seek this food. You too should seek it and do not seek ordinary worldly food.”
Auspicious Dragon said:
“After hearing you praise this unsurpassed Dharma food, I have already become satisfied, let alone being able to partake of it. If in the future I obtain this Dharma food, I will use non-eating as the means to satisfy myself and to make all sentient beings satisfied.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Can you fill the realm of space?”
He answered:
“I cannot.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Can you fill echoes, reflections, dreams and illusions, mirages, images, magical transformations, and the city of the Gandharvas?”
He answered:
“I cannot.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Can you use all streams and rivers to completely fill the great oceans?”
He answered:
“I cannot.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Phenomena are the same. Why do you wish to make all things satisfied? If you wish all to be satisfied, then you wish to fill the vast realm of space. You also wish to fill echoes, reflections, and dreams. You also wish to fill all great oceans. You also wish to make full all phenomena of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, non-creation, non-action, non-arising, and non-ceasing. You also wish to make full the Nirvana that is separated, peaceful, free from defilement, and completely liberated. You also wish to fill what is formless, invisible, without opposition, of one nature, identical with space, which is suchness, the Dharma realm, and cannot be grasped.”
Auspicious Dragon said:
“As you have said, if food and the eater are both empty, then sentient beings should not need to rely upon food?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Indeed, indeed! All sentient beings do not rely upon food. Suppose the Buddha manifested countless sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and they all required food. Whom would you cause to create food for them?”
Auspicious Dragon said:
“If illusory beings do not need food, why create food for them?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Phenomena and sentient beings are both like illusions; therefore, all are without reliance upon food.
If sentient beings cannot clearly understand according to reality that all phenomena are like illusions, then regarding the paths of cyclic existence they falsely cling to the idea that there is something upon which they can rely and grasp. Yet such reliance and grasping can never truly be obtained. By truly observing, one sees that phenomena and sentient beings both have empty inherent natures, without even the slightest bit of true existence. Therefore, there is no reliance upon or grasping of food.”
Auspicious Dragon said:
“I wish to abide in the place where hunger and thirst are extinguished.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
Hunger and thirst do not even exist, so how could there be the act of eliminating them? It is like a magician saying, “I want to find water in a mirage in order to eliminate hunger and thirst.” You are the same. Why is this so? Because all phenomena are like mirages. All sentient beings are like magicians. Why do you wish to abide in the act of eliminating hunger and thirst? Within the illusory conceptual discriminations that have been created, neither elimination nor what is eliminated can be grasped. Since hunger and thirst do not exist, who is the person who eliminates hunger and thirst? From the very beginning, the intrinsic nature of all phenomena has always been completely full and free from hunger and thirst—then what is there to eliminate? Foolish ordinary beings, not knowing this reality as it truly is, think, “I am hungry and thirsty, and I want to seek a way to eliminate it.” Wise people can know reality as it truly is: hunger and thirst are originally nonexistent, and therefore they do not seek ways to eliminate them. Once one can clearly understand the empty nature of all phenomena, there is no longer samsaric birth and death in any realm, one is free from all conceptual elaborations, without discrimination, without defilement, without entering, without leaving, completely and eternally liberated without discrimination.
Long Auspiciousness said:
“Exactly as the Venerable One has explained the essential points of the Dharma.”
“So it is! So it is!”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“The true Dharma realm does not truly have arising, sinking, contraction, or extension. Why is this so? The true Dharma realm is free from characteristics, peaceful and quiescent, without arising, without sinking, beyond discrimination, beyond conceptual elaboration, without dependence, without abiding, without holding, without abandoning, unmoving and unchanging, undefiled and unpurified. It is like the realm of space, which is unmoving and unchanging, without holding, without abandoning, without dependence, without abiding, beyond conceptual elaboration, beyond discrimination, without arising and without sinking.
“Phenomena are likewise. Their own characteristics are originally empty, their nature does not exist, and their characteristics cannot be grasped. If the characteristics of phenomena could be grasped, then the Buddha who has entered Nirvana could also be grasped. All phenomena have no containment, no grasping, are without form, without seeing, without opposition, and have been peaceful and quiescent from the very beginning. Therefore, although Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River have entered Nirvana, there is not a single phenomenon that has ceased. This means there is no cessation of the form aggregate, nor cessation of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; there is no cessation of the eye faculty, nor cessation of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind faculties; there is no cessation of the form realm, nor cessation of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms; there is no cessation of the form realm, nor cessation of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma realms; there is no cessation of the eye element, nor cessation of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind elements; there is no cessation of the form element, nor cessation of sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma elements; there is no cessation of the eye consciousness element, nor cessation of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness elements; there is no cessation of eye contact, nor cessation of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; there is no cessation of feelings arising dependent upon eye contact, nor cessation of feelings arising dependent upon ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact; there is no cessation of the earth element, nor cessation of the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements.
“Therefore, although Buddhas enter Nirvana, there is no phenomenon that enters Nirvana. Sentient beings who wish to attain the state of entering Nirvana and wish to have a phenomenon that is destroyed are like those who wish to cause the vast realm of space itself to be destroyed. Why is this so? The nature of all phenomena has been peaceful and quiescent from the beginning; their intrinsic nature is supremely peaceful and quiescent and cannot be destroyed any further.
“Foolish ordinary beings, not knowing the reality of entering Nirvana as it truly is, give rise to the thought of destruction and believe that the self and what belongs to the self are destroyed at that time. Because such people cling to self and sentient beings, and broadly speaking, cling to the existence of a knower, a guide, and because they grasp at phenomena that lack intrinsic nature, they think that when entering Nirvana everything is permanently annihilated. Therefore I say that such people are unable to be liberated from birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, worry, suffering, and distress.
“Why? Because such foolish beings do not know and do not see the fundamental nature of phenomena. Because they do not know and do not see the fundamental nature of phenomena, they argue with the Buddha, the World-Honored One, great disciples, irreversible Bodhisattvas, those who have deep faith and understanding in profound Dharma, those who constantly delight in activities without attainment, those who have planted many roots of virtue before past Buddhas, those who possess great supernatural powers and great strength, such as the pure merchant leader and the supreme celestial sage. Because of such disputes, those foolish people wander for a long time in the filthy heap of impurity, and all noble beings distance themselves from them. The wise criticize the coarse evil of samsara.
“It is like a pile of excrement near a city, town, or village, where people and animals pass by day and night. In such a place, filth such as feces and urine continuously accumulates, foul, impure, bitter, and detestable. Likewise, foolish ordinary beings who cannot clearly know the fundamental nature of phenomena increase the impure, foul, extremely detestable cycle of birth and death, which is criticized by noble beings and abandoned by the wise. In my view, such people cannot be liberated from birth, aging, sickness, death, and various calamities.”
At that time, Long Auspiciousness asked:
“Venerable One, how can one know phenomena as they truly are?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Sentient beings who can use a non-discriminating mind, following toward separation, proceeding toward separation, and approaching separation, can know phenomena as they truly are.”
Long Auspiciousness said:
“Who can be free from illusion?”
At that time, Subhuti came to that place and asked:
“What are the two Great Beings discussing?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness asked in return:
“Venerable One, what Dharma do you call a ‘Great Being’? We do not see any truly existent small phenomenon called a ‘Great Being’ for us to discuss together. The Great Holy Dharma King has never said that there truly exists any small phenomenon called a ‘Great Being.’ Phenomena are like echoes and are not real. Could such an echo possibly have a place where it can be discussed?”
Hearing these words, Elder Subhuti immediately entered the samadhi of the Dharma-door of non-attainment. After a short while, he emerged from meditation, placed his palms together respectfully toward Jeta Grove, and said:
“I take refuge in the realization and teachings of the Buddha, the profound, wondrous, peaceful, and quiescent Dharma, difficult to see and difficult to understand, beyond thought and beyond the realm of thought, without further grasping, cutting off all bonds. Such a wondrous Dharma, inconceivable and beyond contemplation, enables sentient beings who hear it to attain benefit and happiness.
“If irreversible Bodhisattvas, with Mañjuśrī as their leader, and all Bodhisattvas who have newly generated the aspiration toward great enlightenment, together abide in this profound Dharma, gradually draw near one another, and engage in discussions such as this—”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Venerable One should know that here there is no closeness, no non-closeness, no delusion, no person who is deluded, and no matter of gradually discussing together. Why? No small phenomenon can be hostile or friendly toward any small phenomenon. Why? Because all phenomena do not truly exist.”
Elder Subhuti again said:
“Just now I saw two Great Beings discussing profound Dharma together. Why then do you say there is no matter of discussion?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Venerable One, have you ever heard of a magically created person, a dream-object, an echo, a reflection, a mirage, an image, a transformation, or a city of gandharvas successively discussing the meaning of profound Dharma together?”
He replied:
“No.”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Phenomena are spoken of as being like magical creations, dreams, and echoes. How could one say that one sees them discussing together? Could a magically created person hear the Buddha explain the meaning of profound Dharma, develop faith and understanding, receive and uphold it, grasp characteristics and contemplate it conceptually, and engage in matters such as names and collections?”
After hearing this, Subhuti immediately entered the cessation meditation at that place.
At that time, Śāriputra came there and asked Wonderful Auspiciousness:
“Great Being, do you know what meditation Subhuti has entered?”
Wonderful Auspiciousness said:
“Venerable Śāriputra, the Venerable Subhuti does not oppose any small phenomenon. Therefore he constantly enters the samadhi of non-violation of phenomena, the samadhi without abiding, the samadhi of the Dharma without dependence, the samadhi without a storehouse of grasping, and the samadhi that destroys the storehouse of grasping. Abiding within these, there is no speaking, no explaining, no coming and going, no standing and sitting. Why? Because the Venerable Subhuti has faith and understanding that the intrinsic nature of all phenomena is empty and cannot be grasped.”
At that time, Śāriputra again asked:
What do all phenomena take as their nature? Mañjuśrī replied:
All phenomena take emptiness as their nature. This nature of emptiness itself cannot be grasped.
At that time, Subhūti immediately emerged from absorption. Mañjuśrī said:
The time for the meal is approaching; we should quickly enter the city and go for alms in order. Subhūti replied:
Great Being, you should know that I will no longer enter the city for alms. Why? I have already abandoned all perceptions of cities, villages, and settlements, and have also abandoned all perceptions of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, and phenomena.
Mañjuśrī asked:
Venerable Subhūti, for one who has abandoned all perceptions, how can there be the activity of traveling back and forth?
Subhūti asked in return:
How can a magically created person by the Tathāgata possess form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness? How can such a person possess the activity of traveling back and forth, stretching and bending, looking around?
Mañjuśrī said:
Excellent, excellent! Venerable Subhūti, you are a true son of the Tathāgata. Therefore, the Tathāgata often says that Subhūti has attained the foremost abode of non-contention. Venerable, please set this matter aside for the moment. I wish to enter the city in order to seek alms. After eating, when I go to meet the Tathāgata, I will respectfully invite and assist the great elders in creating a rare and wondrous food so that complete benefit may be obtained.
Śāriputra said:
Today, Venerable, what kind of food do you wish to create for us?
Mañjuśrī said:
Venerable, the food I create today cannot be divided into small portions, cannot be swallowed, has no fragrance, taste, or touch, does not belong to the three realms, and is not something free from bondage. Venerable, you should know that this marvelous food is the food of the Tathāgata, not any other kind of food.
Śāriputra said:
Today, having heard the name of this rare food spoken by the Great Being, we are already satisfied, let alone if we were able to eat it.
Mañjuśrī said:
This food cannot be seen by the physical eye, the divine eye, or the wisdom eye.
Having heard these words, Subhūti and Śāriputra entered the cessation absorption with faith.
At that time, the Bodhisattva Virtuous Thought asked Mañjuśrī:
What kind of food are these two great beings eating, and into what absorptions have they entered?
Mañjuśrī said:
These two venerable ones eat undefiled food and enter into an absorption that is free from dependence and without mixture or defilement. Those who eat this food and abide in this absorption will completely no longer eat the food belonging to the realms of existence.
Then Subhūti and Śāriputra both emerged from absorption together with Mañjuśrī and the Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas. They congratulated one another, and all went into the city to seek alms in order, wherever they wished.
The venerable Subhūti entered a household and stood silently in a quiet place. A female lay follower saw him and asked:
Venerable, what do you need that you are standing here?
Subhūti replied:
You should know, I am standing here in order to request food.
The female lay follower said:
Venerable Subhūti, have you not fully understood the perception of food?
Subhūti replied:
Since long ago, I have fully understood the perception of food. Why is this so? The beginning, middle, and end stages of the perception of food are naturally empty.
The female lay follower said:
Please extend your hand, and I will offer you food.
The venerable Subhūti then extended his hand.
The female lay follower said:
Venerable Subhūti, is this the hand of an Arhat?
Subhūti replied:
The hand of an Arhat cannot be seen and also cannot be extended, just as an illusionary person asks another illusionary person: “What is the hand of an illusionary person? I wish to see it, so please extend it.” Do you know whether the hand of that illusionary person can be seen and extended?
The female lay follower said:
No, Venerable One.
Subhūti replied:
Lady, the Buddha taught that all phenomena are like illusions and are empty; therefore, one cannot say that the hand of an Arhat truly exists in a way that can be seen or extended.
At that time, after hearing these words, the woman could no longer find Subhūti’s hand. After a long while, she was unable to offer the food. She wished to place it into his bowl, but there was no bowl. The female lay follower walked around Subhūti’s body searching for his hand, but ultimately could not find it. In an instant, his body also disappeared. Therefore, she respectfully praised Subhūti, saying:
Excellent, excellent! A noble saint such as yourself is the only one who can be like this. The body does not abide, and the characteristics do not appear. This is truly rare and wondrous. Therefore, the Tathāgata often says: Subhūti has attained the foremost abode of non-contention.
At that very place, the female lay follower permanently cut off the view of self and attained the fruit of Stream-entry.
The venerable Subhūti immediately manifested his body again and praised her:
Excellent, excellent! You are able to accomplish such a deed of a true person.
At that time, the woman was extremely joyful and offered the food she was holding in her hands to Subhūti. After receiving it, Subhūti returned and consumed it.
At that time, Mañjuśrī, together with the Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas, had all finished their meals and went to see the Buddha. They bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated the Buddha three times, then withdrew and sat to one side, reporting fully to the World-Honored One what had occurred.
Having heard the account, the World-Honored One praised them:
Excellent, excellent! You have now accomplished this extraordinary deed. You should know that it was all due to the Buddha’s spiritual power.
The venerable Subhūti also reported to the Buddha the matter of teaching and transforming the female lay follower so that she attained the first fruit. At that time, the World-Honored One also praised his skillful means.
At that time, Mañjuśrī said to Subhūti:
The view of self that the female lay follower cut off was not truly the view of self. Therefore, the Tathāgata called it the view of self. Thus, Venerable, all sentient beings who arouse the aspiration toward the Bodhisattva vehicle should know, see, and have faith and understanding regarding all phenomena.
What does it mean to have faith and understanding? It means that, according to this teaching, one does not abide in perceptions. Why is this so? Venerable Subhūti, whatever is a perception of phenomena is not truly a perception of phenomena; therefore, the Tathāgata calls it a perception of phenomena. Venerable, you should know that if countless worlds were filled with the seven precious treasures and a Great Bodhisattva took the quantity of those treasures and gave them in generosity, and if there were a virtuous man or woman who received, upheld, even a single four-line verse from this Perfection of Wisdom, and then explained it to others without the perception of explaining, the merit attained by this virtuous man or woman would greatly surpass the former merit.
At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:
Like stars, dimmed eyes, lamps, illusions,
Dew, bubbles, dreams, lightning, clouds—
With regard to all conditioned things,
One should contemplate them in this way.
When the Blessed One had finished speaking this sutra, all Bodhisattvas, Bhikṣus, the worlds, gods, humans, and Asuras, and the entire assembly who heard the Buddha’s teaching rejoiced greatly, trusted it, and respectfully practiced it.