Toh 46The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Chapter Teaching the Purification of Boundless Gateways”

Summary

The Chapter Teaching the Purification of Boundless
Gateways consists of an extended discourse presented by the Buddha
to his bodhisattva disciple Anantavyūha. The instruction consists of a so-called
dhāraṇī gateway, a teaching that involves a series of
dhāraṇī spells, which are interspersed throughout. The teaching is generally
concerned with well-known Mahāyāna Buddhist themes, ranging from the lack of
inherent identity to the qualities of complete awakening, but these topics are
here presented within a larger exegesis on the meaning of the dhāraṇī
gateway.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the
supervision of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation was produced by Zachary
Beer. Benjamin Collet-Cassart, Ryan Damron, and Andreas Doctor checked the
translation against the Tibetan and edited the text.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

The generous sponsorship of Qiang Li (李强) and Ya Wen (文雅), which helped
make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

The Chapter Teaching the Purification of
Boundless Gateways is the second scripture among the forty-nine
sūtras included in the Heap of Jewels (Ratnakūṭa) collection in the Degé Kangyur.

The sūtra takes the form of a conversation between the Buddha and
the bodhisattva Anantavyūha. The teaching itself commences when Anantavyūha
requests from the Buddha a dhāraṇī gateway. This is an
important concept common to many Great Vehicle sūtras. As a magical formula,
a dhāraṇī constitutes a gateway to the infinite
qualities of awakening, the awakened state itself, and the various forms of
buddha activity. Just as those qualities are innumerable, so are the dhāraṇī
gateways. The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra
explains the term by comparing a dhāraṇī gateway to a
samādhi gateway. Just as a
samādhi gateway allows access to any desired quality or magical power, so
too can a dhāraṇī gateway. The difference is that while the samādhi comes
and goes, the dhāraṇī never leaves those who have “obtained” it, following
them like a shadow from life to life. This is because, when realizing or
“obtaining” a dhāraṇī, one becomes “sealed” by it. Hence a dhāraṇī is often
also called a dhāraṇī seal.

The word dhāraṇī derives from the Sanskrit
verbal root √dhṛ (“to
hold,” “support,” “contain,” “retain,” or “remember”). The sense of
containing could be applied to both the formula,
which magically “contains” certain qualities, and the person who has
obtained this dhāraṇī formula or seal. Once it has been obtained, that
person becomes “sealed” or “stamped” with whatever quality the dhāraṇī
contains and subsequently has the power to activate this quality or invoke
the corresponding buddha activity. Though not explicit in the literal
meaning of the term, a dhāraṇī is always a vehicle for the blessing of the
buddhas and the magical power sealed therein. The sūtras and commentaries
often describe the dhāraṇī power of retaining things in memory, but dhāraṇīs
can also function as the gateway to innumerable other qualities, such as
loving kindness, compassion, and so forth, and invoke any kind of awakened
activity. As for the dhāraṇī formula itself, being a supplication or a
command with a message, a dhāraṇī tends to be longer than the average
mantra. It may also, and often does, include words devoid of lexical
meaning. Perhaps the dhāraṇīs, with their tendency to include vernacular
forms and seemingly alliterative derivations, were intended to resonate with
the native speakers of the language, directly impacting their minds and
feelings. Thus, the alliterative forms in the dhāraṇīs that seem
unintelligible to us might have been intelligible to the native speakers of
the period, or at least conjured up the meanings and feelings evoked by
similar-sounding words known to them.

A dhāraṇī cannot be reduced to a simple spell, however. Anantavyūha
remarks, “this dhāraṇī gateway is as wide as the sky; it is a peerless great
gateway. For that reason, it is described with words such as
immeasurable and limitless.”
This is not to say that the conversation does not focus on the unique
efficacy of the actual dhāraṇī syllables. The Buddha explains that “dhāraṇīs
are the condensation, the inclusion, the main essence, and the heart of
every explanation, praise, utterance, declaration, and illustration.”
Accordingly, dhāraṇīs are first and foremost potent, condensed speech. To
penetrate them necessitates that one engages deeply with language and
internalizes an understanding of the Sanskrit alphabet in particular.
According to the sūtra, dhāraṇīs are not fanciful magic, for part of their
efficacy hinges on the inseparable connection that exists between language
and the phenomenal world.

Like most Great Vehicle sūtras, this text reinforces the need for
its own preservation via a discussion of why it is vital that all
bodhisattvas take up the practice of this dhāraṇī. This spurs in turn a
discussion of the benefits of having excelled in the dhāraṇī: nothing less
than the achievement of the ten powers of a buddha, the factors
of awakening, and the four types of fearlessness. Each of these traditional
Buddhist lists is given its own unique treatment. Several dhāraṇīs are
presented, including a series of spells that enable the practitioner to
subdue Māra and to invoke and summon a variety of different gods of
different locales, including Śakra, Brahmā, and the four great kings along
with their retinues. Each of the latter will in turn bestow on the
practitioner a variety of powers. The audience is finally urged to uphold
and practice the sūtra’s instructions in a series of exhortations that
encapsulate many of the sūtra’s central themes in an extended set of verses.

Only a few of the texts contained in the Heap of Jewels are extant
in Sanskrit, and this scripture is not one of them. The Tibetan translation,
which we have rendered into English here, was completed in the early
translation period and is listed in the early-ninth-century Denkarma
catalogue.
According to the colophon to the Tibetan translation, the sūtra was
translated into Tibetan by the translator Kawa Paltsek (under the name Paltsek Rakṣita) and the
Indian preceptor Surendrabodhi, who both participated in numerous translation
projects in Tibet during the early translation period. The Chinese canon
also contains a translation of this sūtra (T. 310–2), which was produced
during the early eighth century by Bodhiruci (d. 727), a renowned translator
who originally hailed from South India. This Bodhiruci is responsible for
translating much of the Heap of Jewels collection, among other texts, into
Chinese. This English translation was based primarily on the Tibetan Degé
edition, with consultation of the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma).

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Chapter Teaching the Purification of Boundless

Gateways

Homage to all buddhas and
bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at
Kalandakanivāpa, in the Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha, along with a great
saṅgha of monks and innumerable bodhisattva great beings with only one birth
remaining who had gathered from various buddhafields. At that time, the
Blessed One was teaching the Dharma while surrounded by an audience
numbering many hundreds of thousands. At one point, a bodhisattva named
Anantavyūha, who was present among the assembly, stood up, draped his shawl
over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Bowing with palms joined
toward the Blessed One, he said, “If the Thus-Gone One will grant me the
opportunity, I would like to ask the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect
Buddha some questions, that I may receive a reply to my inquiries.”

The Blessed One answered the bodhisattva Anantavyūha, “Anantavyūha,
you may ask the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha whatever you wish. My
replies will bring satisfaction to your mind.”

The bodhisattva Anantavyūha then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I would like to ask several
questions on behalf of bodhisattva great beings who cultivate boundless,
immeasurable wisdom and don the great armor.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of
bodhisattva great beings who dwell at the level of great skill
in means, who are skilled in methods for knowing limitless topics, who
cultivate definitive great wisdom, and who have set out on the bodhisattva
path.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of
bodhisattva great beings who benefit all beings, whose minds are
incomparable, whose intention is to know that all phenomena are pure, who
analyze with great skillful understanding, who have developed skill in means
for ascertaining innumerable topics, who pursue the great lion throne, who
sit on the lion throne of omniscience, who cultivate intense subjugation,
who are experts in irrefutable analysis, and who have fully donned the great
armor that consists in applying great diligence in analysis.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of those
beings who aim to serve as the foremost among beings and to reach perfection as lords ruling over everyone. Blessed
One, I ask this on behalf of those who aim
to achieve unhindered and fearless knowledge, who maintain fearlessness and
teach the Dharma to beings through methods and conditions that are beyond
increase and decrease, who skillfully and extensively teach beings about the
meaning of all phenomena, and who show how to penetrate the essential nature
of things. Blessed One, I ask this on behalf of those whose minds are
incomparable, unexcelled, superior, and foremost, and who seek to attain
mastery of the mind.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of those
who, for the welfare and happiness of the entire world, crack the eggshell
of ignorance and aim for the treasury of self-manifest wisdom to become
supreme, foremost, preeminent, superior, and exalted in the whole world with
its gods, without relying on a teacher.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of those who
live for the welfare and happiness of the entire world, who aim to achieve
the wisdom of great fearlessness, who, maintaining the strength of
self-manifest wisdom, aim to discern how to be skillful in teaching about
this boundless wisdom, and who aim to teach the infinite, limitless,
definitive Dharma. Blessed One, I ask this on behalf of those who aim to
illuminate the entire world with its gods.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of those who
aim to genuinely and skillfully teach beings about vast, unsurpassed,
unobstructed wisdom and aim to discern how
to be skillful in teaching about this utterly pure wisdom.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of those who
aim to achieve the level of skillfulness in omniscient wisdom.

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One on behalf of
bodhisattvas who dwell on the levels and swiftly bring the
level of buddhahood to culmination, who actualize the
inconceivable perfection in skillful means, who
develop with little hardship the inconceivable skill in means to bring
beings to maturity, and who practice in order to manifest wisdom that will
eradicate beings’ nonvirtuous qualities and foster their virtuous qualities,
serve the family line of the Omniscient One, and lead countless thousands of
beings to the level where one is destined for unsurpassed and
perfect buddhahood. Blessed One, I ask this on behalf of those who teach the
path of awakening to sentient beings and bodhisattvas and who delight in the
qualities of buddhahood.

“Blessed One, it is now the time and the occasion for revealing
these Dharma gateways. Thus-Gone One, please teach these Dharma gateways to
the large audience that has gathered here and carry out a Dharma teaching!
These bodhisattvas have perfected their inconceivable aspirations and have only one birth remaining, and their
roots of virtue are ripe. Therefore, Blessed One, will the Thus-Gone One
please make these bodhisattvas skillful in the dhāraṇī gateways, so that
they may achieve the foundation of expertise in discerning the boundless
ways of the Dharma; so that they may realize and teach the meaning of every
definition; so that, if they strive, they may fully awaken
to buddhahood; so that, if they strive, they may develop the infinite
strength of miraculous power with which to bring countless beings to
maturity; and so that they may become skilled in possessing the qualities
and wisdom of buddhahood. Blessed One, if in this way the Thus-Gone One were
to genuinely reveal such Dharma gateways, innumerable beings would become
skilled and matured on the path to awakening. Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One
has aspired for a long time to lead countless beings to awakened knowledge
and self-manifest wisdom; now the time has come! Blessed One, please reveal
and teach this dhāraṇī gateway so that these bodhisattvas’ individual roots
of virtue may ripen, so that they may become more and more skilled in making
inconceivable aspirations, and so that, through the Thus-Gone One’s
powers, they may develop infinite, inconceivable skill in
means. Blessed One, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha has gained mastery
of infinite skill in means and reached the level of great
fearlessness. Since he has focused his intention on genuine accomplishment
for countless millions of eons, he is skilled in fulfilling all beings’
wishes. Blessed One, everyone present here
in this retinue gazes upon the Thus-Gone One’s face; these bodhisattvas are
never sated in looking at the Thus-Gone One. They are insatiable in their
pursuit of omniscient wisdom, in their pursuit of the Dharma, and they never
tire of listening to the treasury of the Dharma of definitive meaning.

“Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One is skilled in fulfilling the wishes
of those present in this audience. The Thus-Gone One also understands the
skill involved in all these bodhisattvas’ aspirations, the skill involved in
application, and the skill involved in bringing them to maturity. Therefore,
Blessed One, will the Thus-Gone One please reveal and explain the words of
the Dharma gateways and dhāraṇī gateways, by which they may penetrate the
unsurpassed sphere of the buddhas, the thus-gone ones, and come to perfect
the skill in ascertaining all phenomena?

“Blessed One, how do bodhisattvas who are not yet matured come to be
matured? How do those who are matured achieve efficient superknowledge and
the omniscient mind with liberated wisdom vision? Blessed One, I ask the
Thus-Gone One for true certainty so that these beings who are still in
uncertain states may be matured to the sphere of omniscience upon hearing
such a Dharma teaching. Blessed One, please remain with us to explain the
Dharma and thereby nurture beings with your great love!

“Blessed One, there will come a time in the future when hatred is
rampant, when desire, anger, ignorance,
and other afflictions proliferate, when beings, overcome with ignorance,
will argue, quarrel, bicker, and fight about the Dharma. I ask the Blessed
One, the Thus-Gone One, to settle these matters so that at such a time
bodhisattvas will be able, with great love in their hearts, to remain
patient and neutral during such fights and, instead of arguing, adopt this
Dharma way; so that, seized by great compassion, they may act harmoniously
and not argue; and so that they may increase the power of their roots of
virtue.

“Blessed One, if the Thus-Gone One will reveal this unobstructed
Dharma way for the bodhisattvas, then, Blessed One, what are the gateways of
Dharma teaching and Dharma illumination that lead to expertise in
summarizing all the teachings? The Thus-Gone One, who is skilled in
summarizing all the teachings, has said that this Dharma way is undeceiving
and brings peace. Please reveal the unfathomable Dharma treasures! Please
unlock the Dharma treasuries!

“The Thus-Gone One is unsurpassable and incorruptible. Endowed with
perfect, unceasing realization, you subdue and annihilate all opposition in
a way that is aligned with the Dharma. You conquer all demons and generate
roots of virtue in beings through your awakened qualities. You accomplish
and display to beings your extraordinary, infinite skill in aspiration. You
excel in omniscient wisdom and keep in mind the limitless compendia of the
teachings. In possession of perfect and infinite eloquence, you have mastered infinite skill in the way
of dhāraṇī through illuminating, incomparable syllables and unceasing and
refined discriminating knowledge. You are expert in the way of ascertaining
all phenomena. You hasten the fulfillment of beings’ wishes and demonstrate
to them the connection between past and future. You teach beings about the
phenomena of the past, present, and future, you explain to them what is
based on causes, and you teach the Dharma without any attachment. You make
perfect meaningful statements to blessed buddhas in the realms of the ten
directions, and in every realm in the ten directions you eradicate beings’
views about the Dharma through your miraculous power and fearlessness.
Teaching beings this incredible, definitive Dharma, you are skilled in
bringing awakened wisdom to maturity. Please offer such bountiful spiritual
advice!

“Blessed One, I ask this of the Thus-Gone One, in order to discern
the level of great skill in means and to perfectly summarize
the incredible skill in means required to know every topic.

“Furthermore, Blessed One, will the Thus-Gone One please present
teachings by which bodhisattvas may become skilled in aspirations, skilled
in maturing, and perfectly skilled in means: such Dharma teachings that,
when bodhisattvas hear them, they each may be illuminated by the great light
of the Dharma, become matured for the path
of awakening, and mature their skill in extraordinary aspiration?”

The Blessed One then replied to the bodhisattva Anantavyūha,
“Anantavyūha, it is excellent that you have asked this of the Thus-Gone One
with such a disciplined mind. Anantavyūha, you have asked the Thus-Gone One
to resolve these matters for all bodhisattvas and out of compassion for all
beings, to bring about the perfection of the
bodhisattvas’ skill in means and the purification of their aspirations. The
qualities that you possess are not easily achieved! Thus, Anantavyūha,
listen carefully and pay attention. I shall now explain how bodhisattvas may
rise up to the sphere of omniscient wisdom through those and other boundless
qualities.”

The bodhisattva Anantavyūha agreed and gave his full attention to
the Blessed One, who proceeded, “Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who seek infinite
skill in aspiration should employ the secret words conceived of by the
Thus-Gone One; they should remember them, analyze them, and properly resolve
them in their minds. How should they correctly resolve them? Anantavyūha,
since this teaching of the Thus-Gone One emerges from the wisdom of the
buddhas who are skilled in summarizing, it
does not arise from impurity. Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas should correctly
train in this way: they should rely on the Dharma taught by the blessed
buddhas, maintain great compassion, and extend great love to beings. In that
way they will develop similar definitive qualities.

“Certain beings who are dedicated to what is inferior will reach the
state of a śrāvaka. Other beings who are dedicated to what is inferior will
reach the state of a pratyekabuddha. Beings who have made perfect great
aspirations and are dedicated to what is vast will reach complete omniscient
wisdom. We who have discarded lower, inferior teachings maintain this kind
of dedication to the vast Dharma and come to understand the scope of the
secret words that reveal the realization of the thus-gone ones. We properly
adopt the entire Dharma through the vast, sublime, and incomparable
syllables of the thus-gone ones’ Dharma teachings, so that beings may be
brought to maturity in accordance with their faculties and inclinations.

“All those Dharma teachings are equal, without anything added or
left out. They are not formless but of equal form, they
are beyond waning and fullness, and they are infinite, deathless, and
inherently pure. Although the blessed buddhas perceive and realize precisely
the essential nature of the Dharma that is taught, there is no Dharma
whatsoever that they comprehend or realize. Why is that? Because all Dharma
teachings have been explained and taught
contextually, and whatever is presented contextually transcends the
superficial labels of Dharma and
non-Dharma. All imputed phenomena are ultimately
beyond imputation. The Thus-Gone One has taught how to endeavor correctly in
the true reality of phenomena. Dharma and non-Dharma are not established
through conceptualization or through the absence of conceptualization. Since
all phenomena are conceptually equal, they are beyond conceptualization.
Since all phenomena are comprehended distinctly, they are beyond
distinction. Since all phenomena are beyond origination, they are unborn.
Since all phenomena are identified and brought into being through inaccurate
conceptualization, they are unreal. Since all phenomena must come into
being, they are beyond arising. Because phenomena do not come into contact,
they do not interact. Since all phenomena are the perfection of sameness, they are beyond dependence. Since there
is no acceptance or rejection of any phenomena, they are beyond engagement;
this is the unique fulfillment of the activity of aspiration. All phenomena
lack identity, and because they transcend identity there is no concept of
mine. Since all these phenomena are beyond
elaboration, they are equal, without distinction. Even if qualities are
accomplished just as one has aspired, there is no aspiration whatsoever.
Since all these phenomena tend towards dependence, they are nothing
whatsoever. For those reasons, the Thus-Gone One has taught the nature of
all these phenomena to be like a dream or an illusion; with respect to the
nature of different phenomena, there are not the slightest distinctions of
better, middling, and worse. In order to benefit beings I, with pure
aspirations, have led them to form vast
aspirations and give up fixation on any phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, this is the shining of the rays of the solar lineage;
it is a Dharma illumination by which bodhisattvas’ unique and perfect
aspirations flourish and excel. Therefore, the children of noble family who
are devoted to this mode of Dharma teaching cultivate this light of the
Dharma. Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who reflect properly on an inward level
while not letting their attention be distracted outwardly, who are stable in
the abandonment of obscurations, who recollect the illumination of the
bodhisattvas’ meditative absorption, and who are devoted to the profound
Dharma should investigate this teaching. This teaching has been given by the
Thus-Gone One to elicit expertise in what is conditioned. He has explained
that those phenomena whose identity is to be conditioned are hollow, fake,
void, essenceless, false, and deceptive by nature. The causes and conditions
that make beings afflicted are also hollow, fake, void, essenceless, false,
and deceptive. Even if you were to search throughout the worlds of the ten
directions, you could never perceive or observe causes and conditions that
lead beings to purity. These cannot be observed because they are beyond
grasper and grasped and are nonexistent. If the Thus-Gone One has determined
that phenomena are to be abandoned, what need is there to mention the
abandonment of non-phenomena? What is abandoned is beyond being adopted; it
is spontaneously present and intrinsically pure and thus does not know even
the slightest existence. When all phenomena are comprehended precisely as
they inherently are, there is no thinking or conceptualizing. Since all
phenomena are not otherwise, their basis
cannot be identified. Therefore all these phenomena are groundless and
baseless. They are verbal labels, and verbal labels are void. They persist
without inherent identity, yet they do not persist. They are baseless, and
because they have no basis they do not remain. The Thus-Gone One has taught
using synonyms such as ending,
transformation, and cessation.
The Thus-Gone One’s intentional synonyms apply here as well.

“You should not fixate on either virtuous or nonvirtuous things. By
fixating on nonvirtuous things one becomes fixated on nonvirtuous things. By
fixating on nonvirtuous things, suffering and mental unease emerge. These
are referred to as the noble truth of suffering and thus have been taught by
the Thus-Gone One in the Dharma discourse on nonvirtue. In the Dharma
discourse on virtue, the Thus-Gone One has taught the absence of fixation on
both virtue and nonvirtue, as well as the cessation of craving, so that one
may abandon the origin and realize the second noble truth. In order that one
may reach cessation and be free from concepts, in the discourse on the third
noble truth the Thus-Gone One has taught extinction, investigation into the
state of freedom from attachment, and the absence of grasping, delight,
perception, and sensation, as well as freedom from concepts, so that one may
realize the noble truth of the cessation of suffering. In order that one may
realize the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering,
in the discourse of the fourth noble truth the Thus-Gone One has taught
those paths concerned with the pursuit of the level of
realization of phenomena just as they are, and he taught the state that
utterly transcends concepts, deceit, and all conceptual elaboration. He also
taught the presentation of the eightfold path from cultivation of the right
view up to right concentration. The
blessed buddhas have categorized the suffering to be understood, its origin
to be abandoned, the cessation to be actualized, and the path to be
cultivated as suffering, its origin, the cessation of suffering, and the
path leading to the cessation of suffering. This suffering is a mere
convention that does not really exist.

“There are the two bases for understanding ignorance and so forth.
What are they? There is no basis whatsoever for the absence of knowledge;
since it is beyond realization, experience, knowledge, and inclusion, what
could its basis be? It is nonexistent, fake, false, and deceptive. It has no
basis other than being a label. There is no basis for fixating on it as
being something eternal or finite. This is how one should analyze the
basis of suffering, without fixation on concepts. In that way, one should
understand that without a basis there can also be no understanding. Since
suffering arises in connection with ignorance, it has the nature of
unknowing. Ignorance is neither associated nor unassociated with anything
and thus is nonexistent; it is beyond association. For these reasons,
ignorance is not referred to as a creator or considered
to be one, and thus it does not think or conceptualize; it does not act or
perform any function.

“Anantavyūha, this is the gateway to the comprehension of the
identity of ignorance, which is aligned with the bodhisattvas’ knowledge and
through which the darkness of ignorance is dispelled and the Dharma gateway
that accords with knowledge is made manifest. One purifies and accomplishes these gateways in order to
realize expertise in the bodhisattvas’ noble truths. While focusing on
suffering, one brings its origin to an end, to exhaustion, to cessation, by
training in and cultivating the path of sameness. By practicing this path of
sameness, one comes to know and understand all such phenomena. By knowing,
one should abandon. By knowing, one should actualize. By knowing, one should
cultivate. Thus what is known is understood, what is understood is
abandoned, the abandonment is what is actualized, and what is actualized is
taught to be cultivation. Understanding the Dharma of the noble ones in this
way, one accomplishes the truth nonconceptually while remaining diligent;
one remains free from acceptance and rejection.

“Anantavyūha, noble beings understand that everything is imagined,
created, and cherished, yet they do not become involved with concepts or
conceptual elaboration, but maintain correct perception without clinging or
reification. Thus they do not generate concepts or conceptual elaboration
about the path, what is to be abandoned, or what is virtuous, not to mention
concepts about what is nonvirtuous! If they are not caught up in the
abandonment of these, why mention the abandonment of non-Dharma in a
nonconceptual way? Those who are skilled in abandoning fetters neither bind
themselves to what is spiritual nor to what is non-spiritual. They know that
all phenomena are false, deceptive, void, hollow, and fake, and thus they
have realized their true nature. Because they have perfected equanimity,
abandoned fetters, and follow the path,
and because beings are bound to die, they spurn attachment and anger, and
they realize that the essence of reality is neither to be accepted nor
rejected.

“In any case, Anantavyūha, since it is the inherent identity of
phenomena to be intrinsically empty, all phenomena lack inherent identity,
and therefore no creator of phenomena can be apprehended. Since the fetters
are not present in any phenomena, one can neither associate with them nor
disassociate from them. Thus one should not fixate even on the unreal or
form ideas and concepts about abandoning the real and unreal. Through
understanding of the purity of conditions, one knows that because any
phenomena produced by conditions are empty of the conditions through which
they arise, and vice versa, and because beings lack inherent identity, they
are utterly pure and disengaged. Therefore, conditions are not associated
with causes, and causes are not associated with conditions. No phenomena
impel or become involved with each other, and so, Anantavyūha, focusing on
inactive phenomena, one should penetrate this Dharma gateway of
groundlessness.

“This pure gateway that forms the basis for the light of the Dharma
will not decline but will grow, and those who uphold it will be pure. It
will produce light that is free of conceptual elaboration, and because of
this light one will be free from conceit and
become engaged. It utterly transcends scripture and, since it is free of
attachment, leads to freedom.

“Anantavyūha, all phenomena are conventionally described using names
and characteristics. Characteristics refers to the
labeling of the four elements as form, while names
refers to the labeling of the remaining four aggregates as other than
form. Names are false imputations, and due to the inaccurate
distortion of characteristics, the self is considered a type of form, while the body is held to belong to the
self. Names are given due to the conceptualization of characteristics. Name
and form are entirely unreal: they are fake, false, deceptive, illusory, and
similar to forms in a dream. Forms are explained to be just like the
physical bodies experienced in a dream. One should understand that forms,
which lack essence, and the remaining four aggregates grouped under
name, are all mere conventions. If one can
understand that, one will not be affected by suffering, nor will one grasp
at truth. Nothing whatsoever will be held in one’s mind; nothing will be
apprehended, not even the slightest sense of having passed beyond suffering.
Since perception is utterly transcended in this way, sensation will
cease.

“Anantavyūha, beings in the three realms are born out of the mental
activity of perception. Since the mental activity of perception is
nonexistent, those born in the three realms are also taught to be
nonexistent. Whenever there is comprehension, there is fixation on form. Any
mental activity is explained to be associated with sensation, perception,
formation, and consciousness. Since it is the nature of phenomena to be
neither associated nor disassociated, the mental activity of perception is
nonexistent. Since the mental activity of perception is inherently
nonexistent, it is labeled with words while being nonexistent; it is
categorized as inherently peaceful.

“Anantavyūha, the categories of Dharma explanations come from the
nature of phenomena. Bodhisattvas should understand the truth that is
established by the sameness of explanations and utterances. Anantavyūha, the
Dharma explanations of the thus-gone ones come about in order to eliminate
all fetters—they are not fruitless. You should form an immense resolve, engage with the Dharma teachings, and
engender great love and compassion for beings while free of fixation,
concepts, conceptual elaboration of phenomena, or any sense that there are
beings. This is how you should enter, traverse, and resolve these Dharma
gateways. Which Dharma gateways? One realizes that all conditioned things
arise out of unknowing and that all unconditioned things arise from wisdom
vision. With wisdom free of conceptual elaboration, one should then
correctly engage with and purify both the conditioned and the unconditioned.
As one proceeds to apply the uncountable Dharma teachings, the enumerations
have no enumeration; enumerations have no basis in enumerations. Since the
gateway to the unconditioned is a Dharma gateway, it is utterly pure and
leads to the apprehending of all the aspects of the Dharma illumination.
Without letting what has been grasped and apprehended go to waste, one
describes and teaches it with a mind that has achieved skill in means.

“Anantavyūha, this is the entrance to the bodhisattvas’ dhāraṇī
gateway, through which the discernment of the mind becomes vastly superior
and all the etymological meanings of wisdom are revealed.
Anantavyūha, what is the Dharma section of the dhāraṇī gateway through which
bodhisattvas become skilled in apprehending all phenomena? Anantavyūha, a
bodhisattva with expertise in pure wisdom maintains the wisdom of eloquence
and looks into the intrinsic identity of phenomena with a mind that accords
with the meaning. The bodhisattva then teaches, using the words of guidance,
to describe the inexpressible: that all phenomena are essentially
groundless, nameless, signless, unequaled, and beyond concordance, and yet
they are not formless. The nature of
phenomena is undefinable, beyond coming and going, and beyond letters; it is
the purity of letters, spontaneously present. Why is that? Because the
nature of phenomena is similar and comparable to space. All things are
therefore false and lack establishment; like space, they cannot be
characterized by analysis and expression; they are utterly pure.

“All these phenomena constitute a gateless gate; their gateway is
completely pure, as they are unafflicted and undisturbed. How so? The nature
of all things is utterly unborn and unformed because the identity of
phenomena is beyond birth and formation. For this reason, all these
phenomena are described and defined as having the intrinsic identity of
being unreal; their nature is to have the intrinsic identity of being
unreal. In that way, if one does not fixate on them, then the bodhisattvas’
Dharma gateway that is beyond fixation, the dhāraṇī gateway, and the gateway
of Dharma sections become completely pure. When discussing the features of
any phenomenon, we speak conventionally about ‘such-and-such features.’ Yet
whatever is a feature is devoid of features, thus features are beyond
actions, deeds, attachment, and anger. For this reason the gateway of purity
is explained to be a non-gateway. Because that pure gateway is an immaculate
gateway that engages with the absence of features, a
feature is thus explained to be not truly existent.
In the same way it is explained, for the purpose of recognizing ignorance,
as being unformed and devoid of features. Anantavyūha, this gateway is the
purification of dhāraṇī. Anantavyūha,
gateway is the realization that all phenomena are like
a gate of space and, like a gate of space, are beyond appearances. Within
that realization, one understands the sameness of everything that arises and
disintegrates. All those phenomena should therefore be apprehended in a way
that transcends realization, disappearance, and apprehending.

“This entrance to the gateway of features, consisting in the absence
of apprehending, abandonment, sameness, lack of sameness, and observation of
even the smallest atoms, is the purity of the absence of features.
Anantavyūha, absence of features refers to that which
is devoid of both a body and something labeled as a body. The
absence of features refers to that which is devoid of both an
assemblage of names and something labeled by an assemblage of words. The
absence of features implies that one should meditate in a space-like manner
and understand the truth to be like space. Space is
devoid of space, and space is therefore a label formed
by an assemblage of words. This is the Dharma section of the gateway to the
production of the power of wisdom knowledge, which concords with ignorance
and by which a bodhisattva comes to realize expertise in the way of dhāraṇī.
Since it is to be upheld, and since it is indisputable and free of delusion,
one should penetrate the meaning of the secret dhāraṇī words, which are
uninterrupted like the rains and rivers unleashed by the nāga king
Anavatapta.

“Anantavyūha, how are the secret words of dhāraṇī explained?”

The bodhisattva Anantavyūha replied to the Blessed One, “Blessed
One,
dhāraṇī is a
term that refers to knowledge of the connections between phenomena.
Blessed One, dhāraṇī means to maintain the act of
recollection. They are called dhāraṇī because they
teach the bases of secret words that maintain the power of the treasure
of insight. . In this way, I will
uphold the infinite power of awakening with a mind that utilizes
expertise in wisdom. Blessed One, in order to help all
beings, I will generate the stream of the Dharma as well as an uninterrupted
power of expertise in revealing infinite wisdom. Blessed One, this dhāraṇī
gateway is as wide as the sky; it is an unequaled great gateway. For that
reason, it is defined as immeasurable and limitless. Statements such as
equality of expression,
facilitation, and instruction
refer to its categorization in terms of expertise in teaching and its
uniqueness. Since distinctions among letters are mastered, the comprehensive
knowledge of language will be mastered. Since the meaning is
analyzed and there is skill in teaching, comprehensive knowledge of the
meaning will be mastered. Since there is skill in ascertaining phenomena,
the comprehensive knowledge of phenomena will be mastered. Since there is
purity of eloquence in the gateways of the Dharma, comprehensive knowledge
of eloquence will be mastered. One fosters and maintains great love and
great compassion in order to help beings, and yet one displays equanimity
free of conceptual elaboration, without any sense of knowing or teaching
others. Blessed One, these Dharma sections—expertise in limitless topics and
expertise in the dhāraṇī gateway—came from the mouth of the Thus-Gone One.”

The Thus-Gone One then said to the bodhisattva Anantavyūha,
“Anantavyūha, gateway is a synonym for the Thus-Gone
One’s omniscient wisdom. Anantavyūha,
these Dharma teachings are taught and articulated from the gateway of the
Thus-Gone One’s utterly pure wisdom vision. They are based in the infinite
pure gateways, are baseless, and manifest baselessly in the apprehending of
numerous phenomena. Anantavyūha, I have stated that ‘all phenomena are the
Buddha’s Dharma,’ which means that when there is realization of all
phenomena, it is called the Buddha’s Dharma. In other
words, these phenomena are the Buddha’s Dharma because the nature of all
phenomena has been realized to be equal through awakened wisdom. The
expression comprehension of all phenomena is used
because all phenomena must be realized, and the realization of all phenomena
is the realization of the dhāraṇī gateway because it subsumes all phenomena.
Anantavyūha, these dhāraṇīs are the condensation, the inclusion, the main
essence, and the heart of every explanation, praise, utterance, declaration, and
illustration. All praises, explanations, and illustrations are articulated,
described, and illuminated through the knowledge of letters.

“Anantavyūha, in terms of the knowledge of letters, a comes first. In terms of their
expression, ha is the last.
Anantavyūha, as an analogy, a mother must be present before a baby can be
formed and carried, a father must be present first for the deposit of the
seed, and birth must precede the maturation of the aggregates. After that,
all the different appendages, the various sense sources, the various
faculties, and the various shapes of the fully-matured faculties can form in their entirety. Similarly,
everything that is distinguishable is preceded by syllables. Here, the
syllable a is positioned in
proximity to the consonants at the beginning while ha is the last. These subsume
the other letters, which follow after and join with them. This is an
explanation and description of how to enter the dhāraṇī gateway.

“Moreover, one should investigate the destruction of all that
belongs to the category of conditioned things. For instance, the combination
of kha and yang shows that everything
subsumed within the category of karmic formations—which pertains to the link
of existence—is shown to be exhausted insofar as it perishes in the same way
that one stops studying the alphabet once it has been mastered. For example, just
as possession implies both cessation and dependence, so
does everything related to both having what is associated with the fetters
of existence and having what is subsumed within existence. Thus one should
analyze all phenomena associated with the real and unreal, until in the end
one has purified the gateway of the unformed. This is the entrance to the
Dharma gateway that shows birth and destruction, and it is the explanation
of the section of the dhāraṇī gateway that perfects the bodhisattvas’ skill
in means. In this way, one should pronounce the first letter of the
alphabet, progressing through ḍha and on until one masters the pronunciation of ha, thereby penetrating the
meaning of secret mantra by means of explanation and correct articulation.
Moreover, one should unobstructedly contemplate the proclamations that
penetrate what is in accord with the Dharma.

“For instance, Anantavyūha, to analyze the alphabet one would first
pronounce the letter a and
then examine and bring to mind the other letters until one has uttered and familiarized oneself with ḍha and ha by following the appropriate
stages. One would then see that there is no letter that can be designated
apart from these. The accomplishment of nondual attention with regard to
everything in the category of the aggregate of formation is similar to this.
Anantavyūha, for someone free of dualistic concepts, there is ultimately
nothing at all that can be designated as a letter, nor are there any
concepts from the perspective of fundamental reality. For someone without
concepts, there is nothing at all that can be labeled as
formation. Anantavyūha, to understand all phenomena
is to maintain the knowledge of letters; because letters are uncreated they
are beyond features. Why is this? Because there is no a that is truly brought about,
and one should regard everything that is conditioned as lacking features.
Since they are uncompounded, one should also abandon all aggregates.

“Anantavyūha, this is the gateway to expertise in immaculate
dhāraṇī, the gateway of retention, the gateway of Dharma sections. If they
train in it, bodhisattvas will come to excel in being utterly free from
delusion. They will free beings from spiritual poverty, and they will not
generate or entertain conceptual notions. Abandoning mental involvement with
conceptual notions, they will take birth out of love for sentient beings. In
order to become skilled in resolving their understanding of the unexcelled
Dharma, they will mentally disperse the light of the Dharma and recollect
the Thus-Gone One’s treasury of teachings. In order to comprehend the
Dharma, they will achieve expertise in the infinite ways of mental
understanding. Anantavyūha, in order to be free from clinging, bodhisattvas
should know that all phenomena are mere names and, with that knowledge,
comprehend a variety of words, discussions, and utterances; this is how they should pursue knowledge in
the way of dhāraṇī.

“How should one pursue knowledge in the way of dhāraṇī? Expressions
and explanations are the same in not being located in any place or
direction, not being part of anything, and not being included anywhere.
Realizing them to be nothing more than mere names, one should accurately
comprehend the authentic terms for phenomena. Anantavyūha, the entirety of
the thus-gone ones’ Dharma is beyond features and expressions. It is a state
of power and fearlessness. All phenomena should be explained in terms of
this gateway. While the Thus-Gone One may indeed teach phenomena to have
numerous features, phenomena are beyond sameness or difference; they are all
unborn and nonexistent. Thus all phenomena are taught to be emptiness;
whatever is empty is signless, and whatever is signless is wishless and
beyond comprehension. Those phenomena that are empty, signless, unaffected
by wishes, beyond comprehension, and beyond differentiation cannot be said
to be either existent or nonexistent—not even the conventional designation
nonexistent applies to them.

“Those phenomena cannot be fixated upon with the thought ‘They do
not exist.’ Why is this? Because the Thus-Gone One has taught that all
phenomena are ultimately beyond fixation. In this way, what is fixated upon,
the one fixating, and the act of fixating upon something all have the nature
of being void, hollow, and illusive; such deceptions and presumptions are
conceptual elaborations. Anantavyūha, these Dharma teachings depend on the
Teacher; he has not taught in any specific way or taught in a way that was immaculate, and yet one must
say that he is the Teacher. Anantavyūha, this is how the Dharma teachings of
the Thus-Gone One emerge. Anantavyūha, those who are omniscient in this way
are rare, and these days there are many individuals like you present before
me who are interested in this teaching and follow the training to bring
about omniscience. Anantavyūha, at a later time in the future, those who
fully understand teachings such as this will be few, other than those now
present before me who don the armor of resolve, thinking, ‘In the future, we
will uphold the way of the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma in order to bring benefit
and happiness to numerous beings!’ Anantavyūha, those who will uphold this
teaching will be bodhisattvas who have served the victors of the past, who
are devoted to the profound, who are knowledgeable in the profound
teachings, and who are zealous and strive to hear them.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One served the victors of the past,
revered numerous buddhas, and was grounded in the profound way. He was
faithful, sought out virtue, was full of zeal, dwelled in vastness, exerted
himself in pursuit of the Great Vehicle, and showed no interest in either
the vehicle of the śrāvakas or anything worldly. In order to bring benefit
and happiness to all beings he repeatedly taught practitioners of the
profound Dharma this unprecedented, profound, and expansive way of Dharma
that is immeasurable, difficult to encounter and comprehend, does not
contain anything that is heard among the foolish, and is hard to fathom by
those who are fixated. It is not for those who do not seek it.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One teaches the Dharma to mundane
individuals like you, including the gods, whose conduct and personal
associations are excellent, who are afraid
to commit even the slightest unwholesome act, who wish to be free from all
fears, and who do not succumb to laziness. In order to do this the Thus-Gone
One, when engaged in the practices of a bodhisattva, trained in this
profound Dharma for many millions of eons until he became free.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One teaches this Dharma way and lends
his blessing so that by all means every being may come to turn the
unexcelled Dharma wheel and experience the unexcelled great wisdom, and to
ensure that the lineage of omniscient wisdom remains unbroken. Moreover, he
speaks and teaches so that by all means beings may become free through the
Buddha’s Dharma, spread the words of dhāraṇī that make up this teaching, and
rejoice in this Dharma way.

“Anantavyūha, so that the Dharma is revealed and taught to faithful
beings, individuals like you who are followers of the Thus-Gone One should
cultivate stability in the Dharma in the same way that bodhisattvas have
extensively revealed and taught the Dharma just as they heard it.

“They will arrive at the wisdom of the Buddha and swiftly acquire
the dhāraṇī. Through the attainment of the dhāraṇī they will uphold the
immaculate, luminous, and pure gateways of the Dharma with little
hardship.

“Anantavyūha, all phenomena are intrinsically pure; their intrinsic
nature is neither to be connected nor separate, nor to exist in a
relationship of either possession or absence. Anantavyūha, there are no
existent phenomena among phenomena, nor is
there anything that such an absence can be truly applied to apart from both
the demonstrations of causality and the designations regarding the
exhaustion of causes, freedom from desire, and cessation, both of which are
meant to elicit understanding in beings. Anantavyūha, the nature of
phenomena is beyond causes, free of the exhaustion of causes, beyond the
freedom from desire, and devoid of cessation; recognize that this is how the
Thus-Gone One’s pure exposition of the Dharma manifests.

“Anantavyūha, even those who recognize the Thus-Gone One as the true
nature of phenomena do not have a pure vision of the Thus-Gone One. Why?
Because the Thus-Gone One is neither a phenomenon nor a non-phenomenon.
Since the Thus-Gone One is not related to any phenomenon, it goes without
saying that he is not related to any non-phenomenon. In this way, he is
nonexistent. Because the Thus-Gone One transcends what can be labeled as a
phenomenon, he cannot be described in any way. The Thus-Gone One is the
purity of description, and thus he is profound, vast, and immeasurable.

“Anantavyūha, if there is no cognition of visual form nor any
cognition of sensation, perception, formation, or consciousness regarding
the Thus-Gone One, then what is it that designates him as the Thus-Gone One?
What is known to designate him? The Thus-Gone One is endowed with the
freedom entailed by the exhaustion of form, and likewise with the freedom
entailed by the exhaustion of sensation, perception, formation, and
consciousness. The Thus-Gone One is not related to or associated with form,
sensation, perception, formation, or consciousness. He does not make claims or generate conceptual elaborations
about being conditioned or unconditioned, nor does he possess the two types
of grasping. The Thus-Gone One is not related to or associated with the
perpetuating causes of form, sensation, perception, formation, or
consciousness. He has severed the roots; all things being rootless, he is
beyond conceptual elaboration, immovable and unshakeable; he has crossed to
the other shore and is unexcelled. He is present exclusively within the
sphere of the buddhas, thus one should not say he is not present. The
Thus-Gone One does not comprehend, adopt, or conceptualize anything. He
appears to teach things authentically, but he doesn’t correspond to anything
and teaches the Dharma for the sake of freedom. The true nature of the
Thus-Gone One is exactly how all things truly are; he teaches definitively
and precisely the mode of the suchness of all things. Therefore the
Thus-Gone One and the entirety of phenomena are referred to as
suchness. Just as suchness is both the true nature
of the Thus-Gone One and the true nature of all phenomena, so too is
everything; it is nondual and cannot be made two, and it is neither a
singularity nor a multiplicity.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One does not think or conceptualize, and
yet he teaches the Dharma in order not to transcend all phenomena. Why is
this? Because the Thus-Gone One does not apprehend any truly transcendent
phenomenon whatsoever.

“Anantavyūha, when the Thus-Gone One fully awakens to unexcelled and
perfect buddhahood, there is nothing that he comprehends, knows, or
realizes. He does not recognize any
phenomenon to be the true way of things, nor does he form the thought, ‘I
don’t recognize any phenomenon that corresponds to something unobservable.’
At that time, the Thus-Gone One does not engage or involve himself with the
notions of Dharma or non-Dharma; such discursive ideas do not occur in his
mind. The Thus-Gone One then rests naturally within the purity of the true
nature of phenomena. While indeed he correctly knows and discerns the fact
that all phenomena are unstable, there is no one who knows or discerns this.

“Anantavyūha, these words pointing out the ultimate truth are the
words of the Thus-Gone One; they are nonexistent, immaculate words. They are
a way for bodhisattvas to understand the immaculate words. Someone who has
realized the way of infinite gateways and the dhāraṇī gateway neither
realizes the Dharma in the slightest way nor fails to realize it.

“Anantavyūha, a word is not something called a
word; one should understand all words by accessing the
absence of words. All words are devoid of attachment, and in this way such
words are erroneous. All erroneous words are devoid of attachment, and all
such words are deceptive. All deceptive words are the words of suchness, and
all words of suchness are ultimate words. All ultimate words are words of
exhaustion, of the absence of attachment, and of cessation. All words of
exhaustion, of the absence of attachment, and of cessation are words of
nirvāṇa; they are words beyond words, beyond fetters, and beyond
designation.

“Anantavyūha, there is one type of phrase that signifies that no
phenomena are included in virtue and nonvirtue. What is that one type of
phrase? It is words devoid of attachment;
in the absence of attachment there are no words whatsoever. Just as all
words are free of attachment so too are they pure. Thus all words are devoid
of words. The purity of words is the purity of nirvāṇa, and the purity of
nirvāṇa is the purity of words. In this way all words are inexpressible. A
voice that utters words is not found anywhere in the ten directions. Whether
it is the one speaking, the audience, that which is spoken, or the reason
why or the manner in which something is spoken, it is nonexistent. One
should not make claims or form complex concepts about that which has no
existence as being nonexistent. All words are words beyond claims and
complex concepts. Therefore, if practitioners seek out and comprehend such
words, they will reach freedom from attachment, cessation, and nirvāṇa,
which is no different from those words.

“Yet even these words are inexpressible, and so words are one thing
and speech another. The speech by which words are articulated is powerless,
hollow, delusive, and deceptive. In order to become knowledgeable in the
articulation of immaculate words, one makes words perceptible without
designating anything. What is beyond designation is thus designated.
Different words are designated, different words that are nonconceptual.
That which is nonconceptual refers to the
abandonment of concepts and what is subsumed within the true nature of
phenomena. In order to go beyond discrimination, one does not involve
oneself with, commit to, engage in, participate in, or carry out any
conventional behavior. Maintaining these principles has been described by
the Thus-Gone One as The Vehicle of the Thus-Gone One.
To not engage in anything whatsoever
is to train in the level of bodhisattvas. Those who have
reached this level have become skilled in purifying infinite
dhāraṇīs.

“Anantavyūha, I will now reveal the words of the dhāraṇī gateway by
which bodhisattvas accomplish individual dhāraṇīs and then come to reveal
infinite Dharma treasures, annihilate all opposition, and dwell within the
level beyond dispute. Those words of the dhāraṇī gateway
lead one to propagate the Dharma that brings peace. What are these
words?

Syādyathedan
jaye vijaye uke ukavati āloke ālokavati prabhe prabhavati nirdarśane
nirdarśanavati arthe arthavati śodhani śodhanavati pariśodhane kriye
vikriyavati uttaraṇi saraṇi mahāvijaye mahāvijayavati anusandhi
apratisandhi yugapatinaddha siddhi siddhārathavati mati mateprabhe
uttare uttaravati vicare vicara anusandhi sare sarvati sara anugate
samesamārabhavigate gate anigate apratinivarte viśeṣe viśeṣavati
avahini nivahini pravahini uha uttaraṇe mālavanaye aśeṣe anupaśeṣe
anugame apratigame agate anagate gativiśodhani pariśodhani
kaṃkṣacchedani atematipratite mativiśodhani samanta anugate
samantaparivāre samantaviśodhani anupragṛhi anupragṛhite hinārthe
arthaviśuddhi parame hetunidvisanne pratīte pratītavati viniścaye
viniścaya anugate anantārathe anantavigrahi madaviśiddhi anugrahe
agrahaviśodhani adhyādamavigate
bahavaviśodhani vidyā anugati vidyā anusandhi pariśodhani.

“Anantavyūha, the presentation of these words of secret mantra will
bring comprehension of dhāraṇī. Through them, bodhisattvas will recall an
infinite quantity of the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma treasures, teach beings,
dwell within the state free of delusion, understand every mode of
terminology and meaning, comprehend the vast and countless divisions of the
Buddha’s teachings, and experience the fulfillment of their wishes.

“Anantavyūha, I will now explain how bodhisattvas reach special
realization in their skill in the way of dhāraṇī and how, with that
realization, they become skilled in orienting themselves in the proper way
and become experts in the understanding of the divisions of the way of
dhāraṇī. How does one gain such understanding? Anantavyūha, the eye
apprehends form, the ear apprehends sound, the nose apprehends smell, the
mouth apprehends taste, the body apprehends texture, and the mind apprehends
mental phenomena. Anantavyūha, how is it that the six inner entities
apprehend the six outer entities? Anantavyūha, when bodhisattvas see a form
with their eyes, they recognize it to be impermanent and understand it to be
characterized by birth and disintegration. They recognize it as exhaustion,
the absence of attachment, and cessation. With no attachment to the power of
insight, with skill in mindfulness, and with no deceptiveness, their inner
eye elements apprehend without conceptualizing in terms of self or non-self.
They maintain knowledge of the purity of the visual sense source. In order
to facilitate the apprehending of form,
they should purify the dhāraṇī gateway and, without fettering themselves to
something other than these outer and inner phenomena, look with
disengagement, look without attachment, and look within a state of
cessation. They should not engage in any conceptual elaboration at all.
Skilled in apprehending without elaboration, they remain in a state free of
concepts. They let the visual consciousness and the phenomena cognized by
the visual consciousness remain equal, without generating concepts. They
remember that, just as their vision is pure, so too are phenomena like
illusions. Through such extraordinary vision they maintain expertise in the
purity of cognition and what is cognized, and they come to possess vast
accumulations of merit and wisdom.

“This applies likewise to the way the ear, nose, tongue, body, and
mind apprehend phenomena. When bodhisattvas cognize mental phenomena with
their minds, they recognize them to be impermanent and regard them as being
characterized by birth and disintegration. They recognize them as
exhaustion, the absence of attachment, and cessation. With no attachment to
the power of insight, with skill in mindfulness, and with no deceptiveness,
their inner mental sense sources apprehend without conceptualizing in terms
of self or non-self. Being skilled in recognizing multiplicity, they discern
the ground of the mental consciousness and subsequently sustain knowledge of
the purity of the mental sense source. In order to foster the apprehending
of mental phenomena, they purify the dhāraṇī gateway. They should purify the
dhāraṇī gateway and, without fettering themselves to something other than
these outer and inner phenomena, look with disengagement, look without
attachment, and look within a state of cessation. They should not engage in
denigration or conceptual elaboration at all. Skilled in apprehending without elaboration, they remain
in a state free of concepts. They let the mental consciousness and the
phenomena cognized by the mental consciousness remain equal, without
generating thoughts or concepts. They remember that phenomena are just as
pure as their vision is pure. They maintain expertise in the purity of
cognition and what is cognized and, with extraordinary vision, come to
possess vast accumulations of merit and wisdom.

“In this way they apprehend all outer and inner phenomena—whether of
the past, present, or future—with their skill in the means of mentally
accessing the true meaning via the power of insight. Thereby they do not
regard anything as being causeless, nor do they regard anything as arising
out of causes and conditions. Understanding instead that no phenomena are
conjoined with any other, they pursue the nature of things as they are. All
these phenomena are inherently luminous; they exist in the sense of being
supports for each other, considering how they maintain and qualify each
other rather than being present in the ordinary sense of being counted among
all phenomena.

“Phenomena that do not arise or recede cannot be described.
Phenomena that serve a function and yet are not of the same type as each
other are neither related nor unrelated. There is no creator of phenomena
and no instigation of creation. Phenomena are devoid of life force,
sentience, and individual beings. All phenomena are established as words;
when they are apprehended as they are, they are identical with nirvāṇa. All
phenomena are beyond attachment, lack attachment, and are free of
attachment. Anantavyūha, this instruction on the skill in discerning dhāraṇī
entails that bodhisattvas investigate
all things from the perspective of the bodhisattvas’ outer and inner
phenomena. Explained in this way, bodhisattvas are to give up the internal
and not adopt the external. Instead they think, ‘Alas, the inhabitants of
the world are living within the wheel of cyclic existence that is without
beginning or end. Controlled by ignorance, they have entered the eggshell of
ignorance where they roam, rove, and wander. They develop and evolve within
this wheel of cyclic existence that is beyond apprehending and actuality,
yet what results from the transformations of the wheel of cyclic existence
is not genuine either. While this is how it is to inhabit the world, the
world is beyond apprehending and actuality. Not understanding this, beings
move, circulate, rush, hurry, and hasten through it. Alas, these beings do
not understand this, have been misled by what is false, and become attached
to the notion of a being where there is no being. They are bound by the
fetter of their notion of a being. Alas, lacking understanding, these beings
fall into fear, dread, and distress. While facing unreal hostile forces,
waging wars, and falling into darkness, they do not go anywhere or come from
anywhere. Alas, these beings cling to their attachments and are bound by the
fetters of their attachments. Since they do not know about liberation, I
will of course teach them this Dharma way in order to help and care for
them!’

“Anantavyūha, if bodhisattvas analyze things in this way, they will soon achieve great illumination
regarding phenomena, accomplish the immaculate gateway, and acquire correct
knowledge. They will become diligent in manifesting great acceptance,
possess great love and great compassion, and become skilled in revealing the
intent of the teachings. They will know all turns of phrase and innumerable
words, and they will remember their past existences. Revealing what is
beneficial, they will not go against any of the teachings but draw beings
toward the undisputed activities. They will annihilate all opponents in a
way that is in accord with the Dharma, and they will teach the Dharma in
order to liberate beings from darkness. The thus-gone ones will utter
meaningful statements throughout the ten directions. They will emit the
great light of the Dharma, become benefactors of the inconceivable Dharma,
enjoy the Dharma treasures of the thus-gone ones, and not be deluded. They
will possess extraordinary aspirations that will be fulfilled precisely as
they wish. They will realize incredible skill in methods and will be
encouraged to fulfill the wishes of beings. They will demonstrate the causes
related to the past and future and knowledge of the past and the future.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas should strive to accomplish the gateway
of meditative absorption. Bodhisattvas who are skilled in achieving the
gateway of meditative absorption will achieve the dhāraṇī gateway and become
realized. Bodhisattvas who have actualized the knowledge to achieve the
dhāraṇī gateway will become skilled in teaching the mode of intentions, take up the mode of wisdom, become realized
in the way of the profound Dharma, understand how to present the teachings,
have no uncertainty about anything, maintain an acceptance that doesn’t
depend on anything else, and become skilled in engendering great
diligence.

“Anantavyūha, for bodhisattvas who, out of their love for beings,
endeavor to gain skill in amassing knowledge about all phenomena, there is
no vehicle that they will not genuinely comprehend. It will be easy for them
to achieve the Buddha’s wisdom, and they will fully refine omniscient
wisdom, the great wisdom that entails a level of understanding more exalted
than all the worlds.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas are gathered by the Dharma found in this
instruction, which is taken from the section of the Dharma concerned with
knowledge in the way of dhāraṇī. Indeed, bodhisattvas will uphold vast
activities and comprehend every secret mantra, every intention, every word
spoken, and every true expression. I will now explain all the qualities that
bring comprehension through the knowledge that understands the
classifications of the mind. What are these qualities?

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas increase their cultivation of the pure
expertise in the foundation of discipline, expertise in the force of truth,
and expertise in abandonment. They exert themselves in the pursuit of the
Dharma free of clinging to mine and the notion of
possession and train in the foundation of methods. In doing so, they will
realize the foundation for knowledge in the ways of all phenomena and will
never show signs of decline. They will remain at the level of
nonregression, swiftly excel through their perfect eloquence, and develop
through their ocean-like insight.

“Anantavyūha, in the future, no one will adopt these teachings
except for those bodhisattvas who take interest when the way of the profound
Dharma is taught, who desire and long to open the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma
treasury, and who have perfect intention, a virtuous mindset, and goodwill.
Those who exert themselves in this way of the Dharma and engage in its
training will come to realize this style of teaching and the essential
nature of phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, even though the Thus-Gone One teaches the Dharma in
different ways, the Thus-Gone One does not contradict the nature of
phenomena; he speaks in a way that does not contradict this nature. He
describes all things as uncreated, and yet he does not provide descriptions
or statements about phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One has realized the perfection of skill in teaching and yet there is nothing that
the Thus-Gone One has realized, comprehended, or recognized. It is not that
the Thus-Gone One teaches the Dharma so that something is discarded, or so
that some particular thing is abandoned. It is also not the case that he
teaches the Dharma so that something is produced, achieved, or not achieved.
The Thus-Gone One maintains no specific focus and yet neither maintains nor
does not maintain anything. How is this? The Thus-Gone One is not to be
defined in any way. When the Thus-Gone One uses phrases like ‘The Thus-Gone
One remains in this way’ or ‘He remains in that way,’ this does not entail
either singularity or multiplicity. The Thus-Gone One is not to be labeled
as either going or coming; he is beyond conceptual elaboration. He utterly transcends conceptual
elaboration and yet there is nothing that he transcends. For the Thus-Gone
One there is no transcendence, and he knows that he is beyond transcendence.
The Thus-Gone One does not think of being a Thus-Gone One, nor does he think
of the Thus-Gone One as unmistaken suchness or as suchness that is unique.
As the Thus-Gone One does not teach anything whatsoever, he teaches the true
nature of the Thus-Gone One while not revealing or teaching anything. The
Thus-Gone One is consistent with the nature of all phenomena, and yet the
nature of all phenomena cannot be labeled.

“Phenomena have no inherent nature; the Thus-Gone One has said, ‘All
phenomena are uncreated, immutable, utterly unborn, unceasing, and not
separate. All phenomena are totally pure, they cannot be gained or
accomplished, and are beyond apprehending.’ All phenomena are beyond
comprehension and in this way there is nothing to be gained. Phenomena are
not to be gained in the slightest; any phenomenon that can be realized is
not a phenomenon. There is also no one who realizes, gains, or accomplishes
anything. In light of this, since all phenomena are unborn, they cannot be
realized. In order that the teachings of the thus-gone ones are cultivated
and accomplished, they came to be referred to as noble
Dharma, and yet that noble Dharma cannot be achieved at all.
For noble beings, there is no Dharma or non-Dharma whatsoever, and the
Dharma is neither noble nor ignoble. The
teachings of the thus-gone ones do not follow the conventions of being
understood as teaching the application or lack of application of any kind of
Dharma. The Thus-Gone One has defined the Dharma but has not defined the
basic condition of the Dharma. The Thus-Gone One has taught about non-Dharma
but has not defined the basic condition of non-Dharma. The Thus-Gone One has
defined virtue and nonvirtue but has not defined the basic condition of
virtue and nonvirtue. The Thus-Gone One has defined all phenomena but has
not defined the basic condition of all phenomena. The Thus-Gone One has
taught that all phenomena are beyond designation but has not defined the
basic condition of this absence of designation. Anantavyūha, this
presentation of the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma is extremely profound; one who
has not trained in the profound Dharma cannot fully understand it.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who seek complete and perfect awakening
and long to be free from cyclic existence should accomplish, explain, and
realize the thus-gone ones’ teachings. Anantavyūha, when bodhisattvas
discern these teachings without doubt or hesitation, there is nothing that
they adopt or reject, nothing they produce or stop, and nothing about which
they fabricate elaborate concepts. They connect to the accomplishment of the
truth while not fixating on the presentation of the accomplishment of the
truth. In that way they come to fully understand the immaculate Dharma
gateway, and by accomplishing the gateway of meditative absorption they
become completely purified.

“Anantavyūha, take as an analogy Mount Meru, the king of mountains:
it provides a home for those who have accumulated merit, created roots of
virtue, and now live in its palaces. Those who take birth there will
experience great delight. Similarly, the jewel of the all-inclusive teaching
is a teacher for bodhisattvas who have created roots of virtue. Through such
a jewel as this, bodhisattvas achieve the jewel of omniscient wisdom and
become adherents of the jewel of knowledge of the unsurpassed Dharma.

“Anantavyūha, this discourse that condenses all Dharma teachings
emerged from the thus-gone ones in order to perfectly reveal the dhāraṇī of
the Dharma treasury. While this extensive Dharma dhāraṇī has appeared, it is
not actually present. All the teachings of the thus-gone ones emerge from
the dhāraṇī of boundless gateways. The Thus-Gone One has taught this way of
upholding Dharma teachings in order to purify gateways and condense all the
discourses. This dhāraṇī that perfectly condenses all discourses is beyond
action, immutable, without edge, without center, and inexhaustible; this
dhāraṇī is an immeasurable undertaking. This dhāraṇī gateway is practiced in
every universe in the ten directions through the Thus-Gone One’s blessings.

“Anantavyūha, in this Dharma instruction, this was the description
of the Dharma way, the first section on the dhāraṇī gateway.

“Anantavyūha, those bodhisattvas who have realized this way of
Dharma that condenses all Dharma teachings, who wish to enter an unbroken
stream of Dharma and adhere to the seal of groundless phenomena, whose
comprehension of secret mantra and intent is unimpaired, who are steady in their cultivation of great diligence,
who perfectly understand this teaching, and who have realized the defining
mark of the essential nature of phenomena should not use expressions or
instructions to create conventional labels. Instead, they should make use of
all secret mantras and their intentions and attain true realization. In
order to bring benefit and happiness to beings, they should develop their
knowledge of statements on letter combination, deeply understand the
classification system, and, drawing from that knowledge of the way phenomena
are classified, summarize the latent meaning through the skillful use of
analogy.

“Bodhisattvas should lecture on the Dharma, engage with Dharma
teachers, maintain a loving and helpful attitude, long for the Buddha’s
wisdom, have no attachment toward anything, remain within a dispassionate
state, be content, access nondual wisdom, be
free of deceit, and not teach outer and inner knowledge dualistically. Thus
they should not teach beings in an approximate manner but should exert
themselves with perseverance free of laziness in gaining increasing skill in
pursuing the teachings. They should harmonize their entire
language so that it is free from contradictions. They
should focus on the benefit of self and other and gain skill in dismantling
the notions of self and other. Adhering to the purity of all phenomena, they
should discover the absence of identity in phenomena and yearn for the
complete purification of the self. Whether someone requests it or not, they
should teach the way of the Dharma without keeping it for themselves.

“They should give rise to an immeasurable attitude, thinking, ‘I
will supply beings with the precious treasury of the unsurpassed Dharma, the
most supreme and sacred form of generosity. I will connect them with the
inexpressible precious Dharma. Whether it
benefits them or not, I will avoid being miserly with the Dharma with
anyone; I will act without such miserliness. I will be generous and carry
out the activities of the Omniscient One, the Thus-Gone One, who is the
foremost of all benefactors—the benefactor of the Dharma. I will unload the
great burden of beings, prepare the Dharma ferry so that they may ford the
great river, and lead them to the accomplishment of every type of
happiness!’

“In this way, with a mindset born of love, bodhisattvas will
swiftly realize the extraordinary Dharma. They will be matured for this
discourse that teaches the classifications and achievement of dhāraṇī. They
will overcome rebirth, and no opponents will be able to affect them.
Defeating all demons, they will eradicate all opposition in a way that is in
harmony with the Dharma and achieve the complete pacification of dispute.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One upholds this dhāraṇī and bears it
in mind. Anantavyūha, consider the example of bodhisattvas in their last
existences. They dwell in the Joyous Realm, which lies at the center of the
Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Heaven Free from Strife, the Heaven of
Delighting in Emanations, and the Heaven of Making Use of Others’
Emanations. It is the highest destination for the gods and where all beings
experience sheer delight. It is the complete ripening of their roots of
virtue that are suffused with great merit. They possess the accumulation of
merit, the accumulation of discipline, the perfect and immaculate generosity
that surpasses everything, and the
accumulation of insight of those who have a single existence remaining.
Their roots of virtue are not outshone by any being among all those in this
great trichiliocosm, they are worshiped and praised by everyone, and they
are on the verge of attaining omniscient wisdom. When they then pass on from
the Joyous Realm and take birth in the central land of Jambudvīpa, they are
born at the geographical midpoint, in the hub of the fearless world, the
nucleus of the earth, the sacred and supreme locale, the great,
extraordinary central city where all beings reside. This is how bodhisattvas
appear among beings, and they are to be regarded, bowed to, worshiped, and
revered by all.

“Similarly, while this dhāraṇī gateway discourse is included and
contained within phenomena, it outshines everything and is immaterial. Those
bodhisattvas who have entered it will be matured and developed; they will
achieve supremacy and become the masters of all phenomena. In this way,
bodhisattvas in their last existences who are born among humans utilize
phenomena, watching over beings through the meditative absorption of their
invisible crown protrusion. They comprehend every world in the great
trichiliocosm, and with a vast mindset empowered by the blessings of great
insight they come to attain the quintessence of the Dharma dhāraṇī. They
take no pleasure in any type of sensual enjoyment, and they do not pursue
the types of things that lead to attachment and desire. They possess minds
that regard all phenomena through the meditative absorption of emptiness,
and they achieve expertise in the absence of characteristics. They have no attachment toward any
spiritual state, and they do not savor the experience of any of the three
realms. They have realized the scope of the defects, as well as
renunciation, tranquility, and enthusiasm, and yet they do not fixate on
them; they cultivate an unfixed state of mind. So that they might comprehend
phenomena and eradicate their origin, they engender great love and
compassion for beings and give birth to an attitude of renunciation in those
with mature faculties.

“With their expertise in the way of the intellect aligned with
supreme insight, they bring to mind their mastery of expertise in the way of
all beings and achieve expertise in the uncorrupted way of dhāraṇī with
respect to phenomena. Perfectly regarding all phenomena with their expertise
in understanding classifications, they resolve the inconceivable way of the
Dharma. In their youth, they play with pleasurable things until their
detached minds turn toward weariness and they forsake all their wealth,
grains, and friends and renounce their home for homelessness. Leaving home,
they amass deeds that are appropriate and excellent with minds skilled in
the inconceivable way, and so they reach the seat of awakening where they
achieve unsurpassed skill in the way of dhāraṇī according to their
aspirations. With their immaculate expertise in dhāraṇī perfected, they come
to comprehend all phenomena through self-manifest wisdom and achieve
unimpaired expertise in upholding omniscient wisdom. Attaining the dhāraṇī
of omniscient wisdom, they achieve a refined, definitive omniscient wisdom.
They remain within the sphere of unsurpassed omniscient wisdom and turn the
unsurpassed Dharma wheel in accord with the teachings. Knowing all phenomena
and offering instruction, they appear
utterly resplendent as they melodiously bring understanding to the world
with its gods.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who remain within the seal of the
dhāraṇī of omniscient wisdom will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood. Bodhisattvas with only one birth remaining use the roots of
virtue to genuinely practice the inexpressible dhāraṇī gateway for many
millions of eons; no one else could understand. Such bodhisattvas reside at
the seat of awakening. They have long since attained acceptance of the
profound teachings for the sake of awakening, and they have long since
maintained chastity. In this way, I manifest the dhāraṇī gateway
discerningly, only for those who have long cultivated an attitude born of
great love and compassion for all beings.

“Anantavyūha, through this dhāraṇī gateway bodhisattvas first stay
at the seat of awakening and then awaken there to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood. Anantavyūha, the knowledge of such a dhāraṇī gateway is not
something I can impart to you now; it is only at that time that bodhisattvas
can come to know it on their own. At that time the dhāraṇī gateway of the
bodhisattvas is a boundless gateway, a causal gateway, an immeasurable
gateway, an incomparable gateway. This gateway is indescribable; it is more
exalted than all the world. This gateway is not common to the world of
beings including the gods, demons, ascetics, and brahmins. This gateway is
supreme among the teachings and leads to immaculate omniscient wisdom.

“Bodhisattvas refine their self-manifest wisdom through this
gateway. Having gained this self-manifest wisdom, they turn the Dharma
wheel, and in order that countless beings
may refine the Dharma gateway and purify the gateway of nirvāṇa they
gradually lead them to seize the gateway of omniscient wisdom. They teach
expertise in acquiring the numerous causes of the Dharma way, lead beings to
gain skill in acquiring the knowledge of the aggregates, and describe how to
be skilled in acquiring the knowledge of the aggregates’ purity. They teach
the knowledge of the elements, sense sources, and dependent origination.
They lead beings to the gateway of the accomplishment of the noble truths
and produce in them expertise in apprehending the immaculate noble truths.
They maintain expertise in the thirty-seven factors of awakening, produce
discernment of them, and correctly explain the immaculate knowledge of them.
They describe the expertise of upholding the knowledge of
tranquility and special insight and demonstrate the
immaculate knowledge of tranquility and special insight. They
induce the acquisition of expertise in meditative absorption and equipoise
and describe the expertise of acquiring immaculate concentration, meditative
absorption, and equipoise. They demonstrate expertise in maintaining freedom
from confusion and the absence of confusion and demonstrate expertise in
maintaining the immaculate knowledge of freedom from confusion and the
absence of confusion. They teach the expertise of maintaining the knowledge
of exhaustion, of the absence of desire, and of the unborn, and they teach
the immaculate knowledge of exhaustion, of the absence of desire, and of the
unborn. They teach expertise in maintaining the knowledge of awareness and
liberation and teach expertise in maintaining the immaculate knowledge of
awareness and liberation. They describe the immaculate gateway of nirvāṇa
and teach expertise in maintaining freedom from all immaculate words. They
describe, through various categories, the
immaculate gateways of what is conditioned, unconditioned, defiled,
undefiled, mundane, and supramundane. They perfectly teach the causes for
acquiring expertise in the ascertainment of the unsurpassed Dharma and the
pure knowledge of beings.

“Anantavyūha, in order to produce the power of expertise in the
dhāraṇī of omniscient wisdom, the Thus-Gone One, in accordance with the
aspirations of beings, teaches the conduct while engaging in the expertise
of precisely discerning different mental modes. He displays unexcelled power
in the dhāraṇī of the Dharma treasure, sets forth a stream of Dharma, causes
Dharma rain to fall, and satisfies all beings through the gift of Dharma.

“Anantavyūha, you should emulate the Thus-Gone One and live in
harmony with this definitive profound teaching, not in disharmony with it.
Immediately acquire this dhāraṇī of the seal of omniscient wisdom and,
maintaining this dhāraṇī, bring about the welfare of beings just as I am
doing. Teach this discourse on the dhāraṇī gateway and describe and explain
the ascertainment of phenomena using numerous approaches.

“Anantavyūha, without forsaking the development of the awakened
attitude, you should aim to engender the power of determination. How should
you aim to engender the power of determination? You should not separate
yourself from the accumulation of the branches of awakening. How should
bodhisattvas dedicate themselves to becoming knowledgeable in the mode of
all phenomena? Phenomena are beyond birth, death, arising, transference,
fluctuation, coming, and going. All phenomena are empty of their defining
characteristics. Thus one should not fixate on emptiness, let alone fixate on features such as form. That would
show a lack of tolerance for the conception of features. No marks are
present within emptiness; features have no function within emptiness.

“The Thus-Gone One has also stated that the entire category of
formations is empty of identity, the concept mine, life
force, sentience, humanity, humankind, and personhood. Emptiness is devoid
of attachment but not distinct from attachment. Emptiness is devoid of
aversion but not distinct from aversion. Emptiness is devoid of delusion but
is also not distinct from delusion. Emptiness is devoid of passion but is
also not distinct from passion. Emptiness does not dwell, abide, or reside
within emptiness. Emptiness is free of desire; it is cessation and peace.
Within it there is no thought, no concept, no ideation, and no imputation;
it does not begin and is beyond affliction. Its essential nature is free of
grasping and immaculate. The nature of everything—whether virtuous or
nonvirtuous, conditioned or unconditioned, mundane or supramundane—is
emptiness. One who dedicates themselves to this will be led to liberation.
With liberation, one will come to realize liberated wisdom. Remaining in
stainless, immaculate liberation, one will perfectly achieve the
accumulation of the branches of awakening.

“What is the set of branches of awakening? It is immaculate
discipline, immaculate insight, immaculate meditative absorption, immaculate
liberation, immaculate vision of liberated wisdom, immaculate perfection of generosity, immaculate
perfection of discipline, immaculate perfection of patience, immaculate
perfection of diligence, immaculate perfection of concentration, and
immaculate perfection of insight. What is immaculate is utterly pure, and
utter purity is the stainless gateway itself.

“The mind is inherently lucid and permanently unafflicted. The
subsidiary afflictions are of a threefold nature: they are adventitious,
unreal, and insignificant and thus are nonexistent. The mind is not mixed
with affliction nor associated with purification. How is this? The mind is
nondual and indivisible; its nature is immaculate. Those who understand this
will not be disturbed by afflictions. Afflictions do not occur inside or
outside the mind or anywhere in between those two. Except for the mind that
arises from the combination of referents, causes, and conditions, the mind
cannot be observed. In this sense, while it arises it does not really
appear; nowhere in the ten directions does the mind cognize or behold the
mind. The mind is likewise not associated with an observed object, nor is an
observed object associated with the mind. The mind does not merge with
causes and conditions, nor do causes and conditions merge with the mind.
Everything is just mind; it is equivalent to mind. Those phenomena that are
equivalent to the mind cannot know or see each other, let alone those that
are not equivalent to mind. Ultimately the mind is neither equivalent nor
nonequivalent with anything. How is this?
Nothing is associated or unassociated with anything else; all phenomena are
essentially peaceful. They neither have nor lack an essence. The essence of
phenomena is their inherent nature, and their inherent nature is that they
are essenceless.

“Although the teachings conventionally refer to ‘the essence and
nature of all phenomena,’ phenomena are actually devoid of an inherent
essence or a nature. The inherent nature of things is that they are empty
and lack an essence. All that is empty and devoid of an essence has a single
characteristic: since phenomena are devoid of characteristics, their
characteristic is complete purity, and thus by definition there is nothing
to label as empty or essenceless. Since by definition there is nothing to
label as empty or essenceless, no phenomena can, by definition, be labeled.
Within the lack of essence and emptiness, there is no affliction or
purification. This is what the inherent nature of phenomena is like. The
inherent nature of phenomena does not abide, dwell, or reside either in
affliction or in purification.

“Anantavyūha, phenomena do not abide, dwell, or reside, so how do
beings become deluded? If delusion does not exist, consider how pitiful it
is that the inhabitants of the world are confused due to false delusion.
Alas, the inhabitants of the world have ended up in this unreal wheel of
confusion, and yet there is nowhere they have ended up. They have not ended
up anywhere, yet they are bound by fetters of space. Alas, these beings have
ended up in a wheel of space, and yet space cannot be labeled as a wheel.
They have become confused due to their
immense delusion, and yet they are devoid of ignorance or delusion.

“Anantavyūha, look at how, due to the cataract of their ignorance,
beings do not understand or comprehend these phenomena and are preoccupied
with argument. Anantavyūha, those who are preoccupied with argument are free
of preoccupation, but due to their delusion they simply do not know or see
this. Those who are preoccupied do not become pure, as they are not
preoccupied with the immaculate roots of virtue. Thus they are preoccupied.
Anantavyūha, except for those who like you have cultivated virtuous
qualities in solitude for a long time, no one will be able to understand
this expression of the Thus-Gone One’s intent.

“When the Thus-Gone One says, ‘Those who are preoccupied do not
become pure,’ you may wonder what they are preoccupied with. They are
preoccupied with nonvirtue. That in which nonvirtue is found does not exist,
and the categories of being preoccupied and unpreoccupied do not apply to
that which is nonexistent. Those who are preoccupied with virtue belong to a
category. Those who belong to a category may comprehend this teaching free
of unwholesomeness, and yet they will not become purified. It is impossible.

“Ordinary, naive, dull-witted sentient beings, preoccupied with
intense affliction, cannot comprehend through their insight even a fraction
of a Dharma teaching that is in accord with this, let alone a teaching that
is in accord with this and teaches numerous categories. When it is stated,
‘Those who are preoccupied possess the quality of purity,’ you may wonder
what they are preoccupied with. They are preoccupied with virtue and the
factors of renunciation, yet in
renunciation there are no elements or the designation of elements. Even
though those who are preoccupied with the element of nirvāṇa are described
as a category, there is not the slightest such thing as nirvāṇa or anyone
preoccupied with nirvāṇa.

“Some people say, ‘If the Thus-Gone One no longer exists upon
attaining nirvāṇa after passing away, no one would attain nirvāṇa, and it
would be impossible that beings like me who do not engage in the practices
of the profound Dharma become deluded.’ Yet one should not teach using
categories such as ‘The Thus-Gone One exists after passing away’ or ‘The
Thus-Gone One does not exist after passing away.’ Whether the Thus-Gone One
had a physical form or not, after death he would not exist—in each case he
would neither be existent nor nonexistent. Everything that is not born and
does not cease cannot be said to either exist or not exist after perishing.
The Thus-Gone One is beyond birth and cessation, and thus following death he
is neither existent nor nonexistent. The Thus-Gone One has said that all
phenomena are beyond the extremes of existence and nonexistence. Where there
are no edges there is no center, and that which lacks a center is neither
existent nor nonexistent.

“If both existence and nonexistence were real, there would be no
contradiction with dependent origination. And yet, dependent origination is
unceasing, thus it is impossible for it not to contradict existence and
nonexistence. That which originates in dependence is devoid of the slightest trace of center and edge.
Anantavyūha, while the phrase all phenomena is
conventionally imputed upon that which is neither existent nor nonexistent,
those things that are neither existent nor nonexistent do not become
conventional imputations.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One has great skill in methods. In
order to crack the eggshell of beings’ ignorance, he declares and
instructs—in a way that does not contradict the nature of things—that ‘all
phenomena arise in dependence.’ That which is included in dependent
origination cannot be labeled by the terms center or
edge, and that which cannot be labeled cannot be
attained at all.

“Anantavyūha, notice how, with skill in methods and skill in
perceiving phenomena, one may designate the middle way as free of the
extremes of phenomena, yet you will not find anything that causes
perception, or even the idea of finding it. You should know and understand
this in the same way as the absence of coming and going. This is not to say
that some sort of essential misfortune has beset these phenomena. There is
no misfortune that may beset phenomena; their fortune is not damaged or
ruined. There is no disparity between the fortunes of any phenomena. They
are neither identical nor different but are of the highest perfection, even though there are no phenomena that
are the perfection of any other. Because they are
all nirvāṇa, they are not to be described, except when teaching on a
relative level to present the middle way. The middle way is the path leading
to nirvāṇa, but nirvāṇa does not involve going anywhere. Since there is no
going or coming at all, it is stated that
all things are equal to nirvāṇa: this is the expression of the sameness of
phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, the middle way is neither to be accomplished nor not
to be accomplished. Since it cannot be appropriated, it is free from
extremes—where will you find a middle where there are no extremes? Although
extremes are groundless, ordinary naive beings fail to recognize the
groundlessness of extremes. Thus they become attached to what is groundless
and unreal and remain unfree.

“Anantavyūha, notice how the mind that is settled in great skillful
means is used to present the middle way as baseless and groundless.
Anantavyūha, the thus-gone ones hold no doubts or confusion about those who
teach the Dharma. The blessed buddhas are always settled in composure. With
their mastery of meditative absorption, they are always all-seeing and
perfectly settled in composure, and thus they are free from concepts and
maintain their experience of boundless wisdom. The blessed buddhas do not
endure, and they teach the immaculate Dharma in a way that does not endure.
The blessed buddhas teach the immaculate Dharma and the Dharma of
pacification. When teaching the Dharma, the blessed buddhas leave nothing
out.

“Anantavyūha, say there was a jewel called variegated
gem in the great ocean that dried up the immense amount of
water such that the body of water could not be replenished, and the great
ocean became empty. All the rivers would evaporate, and everything would
become like a great mass of fire. Similarly, after awakening to unsurpassed
and perfect buddhahood, the Thus-Gone One
burns and dries up beings’ afflictions with the boundless light of his
insight. Anantavyūha, all the words the Thus-Gone One pronounces day and
night gradually and definitively burn their afflictions away; thus the
awakened activity of his speech is meaningful. To say, ‘I pay homage to the
buddhas!’ also constitutes a great lamp, as it will definitely burn the
afflictions away. Hearing the thus-gone ones’ names is also a great cause to
reach nirvāṇa.

“Anantavyūha, in this way the Thus-Gone One causes a rain of Dharma
to fall in order to pacify the afflictions of his followers. Anantavyūha,
those who utter the thus-gone ones’ names and those who hear the thus-gone
ones’ names will become free from darkness. While the Dharma taught by the
Thus-Gone One is indeed unmistaken reality as it is and nothing else, in
reality there is no teaching or instruction whatsoever. There is not the
slightest reality or lack of reality to be found in phenomena. Anantavyūha,
the Thus-Gone One speaks genuinely; keeping to what is real, he teaches this
Dharma discourse that reveals the sections of the dhāraṇī gateway.
Anantavyūha, who will not understand this? Aside from bodhisattvas who have
recognized the truth, whose view is perfect, and who are trained in the
profound Dharma, no one will understand this.

“Anantavyūha, you should comprehend this system. Use your powers of
recollection to focus directly on this teaching without placing your faith
in anything else. Bodhisattvas should aim
for insight that does not depend upon others. They should engender
acceptance in accord with this teaching to bring benefit and happiness to
all beings. Those who succeed in engendering such acceptance will never live
in disharmony.

“Anantavyūha, naive, ordinary, uneducated beings who live
incompatible lifestyles will not understand this Dharma and Vinaya.
Moreover, there is no chance that this way of Dharma will even fall on the
ears of those who are under the sway of non-Buddhist views, have non-Buddhist
lifestyles, engage in non-Buddhist paths, follow perverted paths, do not
cultivate virtue, or adhere to non-Buddhist belief systems. Anantavyūha,
notice how, when this Dharma treasure, this unobscured Dharma light, is
revealed, those who are naive, uneducated, ill-mannered, ill-tempered, and
unrestrained throw it completely away. If all those ordinary naive beings
who have not trained physically and who have become far removed from this
Dharma and Vinaya have not even developed the acceptance aligned with a
teaching such as this, what need is there to mention developing the skillful
mode of acceptance of what is free from defilement?

“Anantavyūha, those within this assembly who follow this teaching
are not attached to anything; they are free from decline and have purpose.
Why is this? Because all of them dwell at the level that is
free of obscuration. Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One teaches this discourse
on the dhāraṇī gateway out of his love for all beings and in order to refine
the skill in teaching the unobscured Dharma; he does so due to their roots
of virtue and his blessings. Anantavyūha, you should understand that those
individuals who follow this sacred teaching are correctly engaged. They
dwell on the bodhisattva levels and before long will attain
acceptance without grasping; before long
they will receive prophecy. Anantavyūha, devote yourself to the discipline
of this profound Dharma.

“Anantavyūha, this is the level of those who do not
apprehend views; thus it is the level of nonapprehending. It is
the level of those who have reached acceptance free of
apprehending. This is the sphere of those who have served the victors of the
past, who have long trained their minds, controlled their bodies, guarded
their speech, and disciplined their minds, who recall the sameness of
consciousness, and who do not apprehend the mind. In order to take up a
teaching like this they would engage with this discourse even if it meant
giving up life and limb. Since in the future it will be rare for beings to
exert themselves in order to hear a teaching like this, what need is there
to mention copying it down, reading it, carrying it, reciting it, or
teaching it in detail to others? Those who spread this Dharma discourse and
teach it to others will before long perfect this dhāraṇī gateway teaching,
swiftly attain immaculate wisdom, and adhere to the path of omniscient
wisdom.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One expounds this Dharma treasure in
order that beings might achieve omniscient wisdom. There is nothing
whatsoever that is not explained here. He teaches the Dharma, engages in
purification, and expounds on this immaculate Dharma gateway in order to
eradicate the afflictions.

“When it is stated, ‘All things are like space,’ in what way are
they like space? Being equal to space here means that space is neither equal
nor unequal to anything else. Just as
space is neither equal nor unequal, all phenomena are also neither equal nor
unequal. Just as space is not contained in anything else, so phenomena are
not contained in anything else. There are no extremes to be apprehended in
phenomena; this nonapprehending of extremes means that they are beyond
extremes. Where there are no extremes, nothing can be labeled as an extreme.
Those who uphold this way uphold the way of the Thus-Gone One; they are
beyond words. Those who are beyond words comprehend the sameness of
imputations. Therefore, they avoid involvement and do not adhere to
extremes. Those who do not follow extremes will meet the middle way and
abandon all categories of edge and
center. Here, ‘to abandon’ is not to be imputed as
a departure. In this way they achieve immaculate wisdom. Those who do not
engage in Dharma practice will not rely on it.

“Phenomena do not come into being, nor do they perish. Why is this?
All phenomena are devoid of an essential nature, an identity, therefore no
identity can be apprehended. Anantavyūha, just as the Thus-Gone One explains
that all conditioned things are impermanent, so too does he teach the
meaning of change. Just as the Thus-Gone One explains the meaning of
suffering, so too does he teach the meaning of reversal and the meaning of
the freedom from desire. Just as the Thus-Gone One explains that nirvāṇa is
peace, so too does he teach the meaning of definitively abandoning the
aggregates. He expounds on the immaculate Dharma gateway by means of
impermanence, suffering, the absence of identity, and nirvāṇa.

“Anantavyūha, to actualize the teachings of the thus-gone ones is
to express the essential nature of phenomena. The Thus-Gone One has
expounded these instructions through a variety of categories, gateways, and
teaching formulations. Although he expresses them conventionally, the
Thus-Gone One does not label phenomena as either different or identical. All
things are beyond duality, neither identical nor different; they are
subsumed within the indefinable. Because phenomena both have and do not have
characteristics, they have the same essential nature as space.

“Anantavyūha, this dhāraṇī gateway, whose nature is fundamentally
pure, tames bodhisattvas. What does it tame? It tames their desire, their
anger, and their ignorance. The desire, anger, and ignorance to be tamed do
not exist and cannot be apprehended at all. That which is not desire, anger,
and ignorance cannot be apprehended; if you thoroughly search for them, you
will not find them. Since desire, anger, and ignorance do not exist, they
are hollow, delusive, beguiling to the naive, and deceptive. There is no
basis from which desire, anger, and ignorance arise; it cannot be found and
is thus absent. You should regard them as lacking such basis. How should you
regard them? Regard them as unborn. Since desire, anger, and ignorance are
fallacies that originate from error, any notion of something from which they
arise or something that produces them is void and delusive.

“Desire, anger, and ignorance are inherently nonexistent insofar as they are based on the unknowing
and misperception inherent to the darkness of ignorance. For those who
recognize this, the inconceivable immaculate gateway will arise and the
dhāraṇī will be accomplished. This understanding of the equality of
consciousness is the function of insight; it is the function of achieving
dhāraṇī, and it purifies the branches of awakening. It is a state of
aspiration, diligence, and conscientiousness, a state in which carelessness
is tamed. It entails unimpaired discipline, view, and ritual action and the
immaculate activities of body, speech, and mind. It ensues from the wisdom
of selflessness, the absence of characteristics, and it is associated with
the abandonment of perception. It is accomplished through infinite skill in
means. Those who comprehend and train correctly in an instruction such as
this will master it and attain release.

“Anantavyūha, the inherent characteristics of phenomena may be
expressed and these Dharma discourses may be taught and explained, and while
it may be pointed out that all phenomena are like space, you should still
recognize that there is no one to be labeled as a teacher and that the
teachings are intangible. Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who train in these words
of introduction to the gateway of the teachings will progress far using the
oceanic force of their minds. They will be unaffected by any opposition and
will achieve the different aspects of wisdom. They will realize expertise in
displaying wisdom that is not dependent upon anything else. They will
realize expertise in inconceivable, perfect sameness, and with that
expertise they will expound on the teachings beyond words and signs while
not teaching anything. They will be
teachers known as buddhas, omniscient
ones, and self-manifest ones, achieving
purity of words and signs. They will swiftly attain many types of melodies
that are delightful, beautiful, harmonious, pure, and perfect. Their words
will be noble. They will become the ones worthy to approach and ask
questions. They will know how to accomplish expertise in ascertaining
beings’ insight. They will become speakers of assertions, speakers of logic,
and helpful speakers. The words they utter will be beneficial and excellent
and will resolve the truth. They will know how to resolve numerous topics by
explaining a single one.

“Anantavyūha, regard bodhisattvas who practice this instruction as
possessing the same multitude of qualities as a fully awakened buddha. Their
adherence to the abandonment of attachment and anger will not be taken away
by the lustful and the angry, just as they will not be swayed by anything
that leads to attachment, anger, or delusion. They will become thoroughly
purified, skilled in both means and insight, and experts in the discernment
of words. They will have perfect, well-trained acceptance toward everything,
immeasurable qualities, and perfect motivation. They will maintain perfect
acceptance, their engagement will be excellent, and their speech will be
perfectly honest.

“Anantavyūha, those bodhisattvas who do not exert themselves in, do
not know about, or do not apply themselves to this instruction will not gain
the slightest bit of these qualities. Anantavyūha, few—very few indeed—are
those beings who exert themselves in this instruction. Rare—very rare
indeed—are those beings who strive for complete perfection and completely master what they aspire to, what they
do, and what they are intent on. Those who understand the practice of
acceptance and develop renunciation based on this instruction will attain
inexhaustible superknowledge and great wisdom, wisdom that is more exalted
than all the worlds, self-manifest wisdom, immeasurable and boundless
wisdom.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas should train in this point of entry to
the gateway that teaches the section of Dharma called The Seal of
Dhāraṇī. Those bodhisattvas who train in it will come close
to the seat of awakening. They will serve beings through their awakened
activity. They will serve all beings by cultivating deep love. They will
serve beings by cultivating deep compassion. Anantavyūha, what is this point
of entry to the gateway that teaches the section of Dharma called
The Seal of Dhāraṇī? Anantavyūha, this seal that
turns all phenomena into syllables subsumes all phenomena. How are they
subsumed? All these phenomena are subsumed in sameness. Sameness cannot
truly see itself, nor can it comprehend or apprehend itself. If one does not
conceptualize the identity of all phenomena as it is, all things are there
subsumed without distinction between what is conditioned and what is
unconditioned. There are teachings that
are rendered as syllables and those that are formed through verbal
expressions. Both those that are rendered as syllables and those that are
verbal expressions are fundamentally the same by nature and so do not exist.
Within that absence of existence, such expressions are not real, nor is what
is rendered as syllables or the act of making verbal expressions. This is
all another way of referring to indivisibility. Without
remainder is an alternate expression for the absence of
superimposition.

“This Dharma way is indefinable because all phenomena are neither
real nor unreal. Why is this? Because the nature of all phenomena is peace.
Everything expressed in writing, described in words, seen, or apprehended
lacks an inherent nature. In this sense, all things are uncreated and are
beyond sameness, lack of sameness, calm, peace, and tranquility. It is not
the characteristic of phenomena to exist or remain within peace or
tranquility. All phenomena are immutable, and thus they cannot be defined as
anything. Since phenomena do not endure and thus cannot be counted, how
could verbal expressions that describe phenomena in terms of enumerations
categorize them? Verbal expressions and syllables do not exist in any place
or locale. Written and verbal undertakings do not come from or go anywhere;
they are not found at the limits of any phenomena, nor at their center. The
entire functioning of syllables is devoid of action, syllables, and effort.
Likewise, the workings of speech are also devoid of syllables and
effort.
All syllables are empty of the nature of
syllables, while verbal activity is also empty of the nature of verbal
activity. They are empty of an identity as self, other, or the combination
of both. That which is empty is detached, that which is detached is
tranquil, and all phenomena possess the gateway of tranquility. Any gateway
used to express the names of things, to express syllables, and to express
semantic activity is a non-gateway. Since it is not existent, it is the
purification of gateways. Any gateway that expresses the Dharma is a
compendium of that which is pure. What is another way of saying ‘All
phenomena are free of desire?’ Desire is inherently nonexistent, while an
inherent nature implies utter purity. Within utter purity, there is no
desire and nothing that can be labeled as desire. All these phenomena are
unwavering, free of deceit, and beyond conceptual elaboration.

“This is the entrance to the gateway presenting the section of the
teaching known as The Seal of Dhāraṇī. By entering this
gateway, bodhisattvas dispel the cloudy vision of dark ignorance and bring
to mind the Dharma lineage in harmony with awareness. How do they bring this
to mind? All phenomena have a pure appearance, thus bodhisattvas will
achieve the Dharma eye, penetrate the dhāraṇī gateway, and realize this
section of the Dharma that is formulated in syllables. They will acquire the
utterly pure gateway of omniscient wisdom and come close to the thus-gone
ones. They will be able to use what aligns with the Dharma to defeat all
non-Buddhists and defeat the factions of Māra. They will remain so that they may gather the roots of
virtue for the sake of all beings and will endeavor to connect with all the
qualities of the thus-gone ones. They will reach dhāraṇī gateways like this
one and, through this dhāraṇī gateway, attain the great light of the Dharma
related to the Thus-Gone One’s ten powers and swiftly
accomplish the power of the Thus-Gone One.

“Anantavyūha, the attainment of the generation of the Thus-Gone
One’s power includes the Thus-Gone One’s ten powers—those great
powers that are more exalted than all the worlds,
powers by which he emits his lion’s roar in the assembly
and proclaims and teaches the presentation of the immaculate dhāraṇī gateway
to the bodhisattvas. What are these ten powers, these great
dispassionate and limitless powers by which the Thus-Gone One
teaches?

“Anantavyūha, with the unexcelled power of omniscient wisdom he has
produced, the Thus-Gone One precisely knows what is possible and impossible.
This is the first power of the Thus-Gone One. With this power, the Thus-Gone
One pledges himself to the exalted, sublime state and teaches the Dharma to
beings. He turns the unsurpassed Dharma wheel for the whole world with its
gods and for those gods and humans elsewhere—for all those for whom it has
not already been turned.

“With his nonconceptual omniscient wisdom free of attachment and
obstruction, the Thus-Gone One precisely knows the variety of virtuous and
nonvirtuous actions carried out in the past, present, and future, as well as
the causes of taking on karma. This is the second power.

“With his nonconceptual omniscient wisdom free of attachment and
obstruction, the Thus-Gone One precisely knows the whole range of behaviors
of all beings without exception. This is the third power.

“With his unsurpassed power of omniscient wisdom, the Thus-Gone One
precisely knows the various and numerous aspirations, ideas, and thoughts of
all beings. This is the fourth power.

“The Thus-Gone One precisely knows the various and numerous
elements and the various and numerous sense sources of the inhabitants of
the world. This is the fifth power.

“The Thus-Gone One precisely knows the path that brings realization
of the knowledge of causes and conditions. This is the sixth power.

“The Thus-Gone One uses his divine eye to perceive unobscured
wisdom and, through the unsurpassed power of the omniscient wisdom he has
thus produced, precisely knows beings’ death and rebirth. This is the
seventh power.

“The Thus-Gone One precisely knows affliction, purification, and
emergence in relation to concentrations, liberations, meditative
absorptions, and attainments. This is the eighth power.

“The Thus-Gone One precisely knows his past existences, which are
manifest to his recollection. This is the ninth power.

“The Thus-Gone One precisely knows the exhaustion of defilements,
the knowledge of which has become manifest to him. This is the tenth power.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One possesses these immeasurable,
unsurpassable powers of omniscience. Anantavyūha, this Dharma
treasure has been taught to bodhisattvas so that all beings may give rise to
the wisdom of buddhahood and refine their understanding of the Dharma.
Anantavyūha, notice how profound the explanations of the Thus-Gone One’s
wisdom are and how difficult they are to comprehend. An instruction that expresses the Thus-Gone One and the
Thus-Gone One’s powers entails the refinement of the power of
omniscient wisdom; the Thus-Gone One’s teachings cannot be apprehended or
labeled. Anantavyūha, these powers cannot be suppressed. This
is the unexcelled Dharma gateway, the Dharma gateway of the Thus-Gone One.
On the basis of this gateway to omniscience, this Dharma way is proclaimed.
All phenomena—which are impotent, unmanifest, essenceless, and free from
essence—are limitlessly and infinitely described, thus perfecting the
Thus-Gone One’s ten powers.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One possesses infinite powers; he has
acquired expertise in boundless Dharma gateways. Anantavyūha, this is the
Thus-Gone One’s boundless Dharma gateway. On the basis of this Dharma
gateway, the Thus-Gone One’s ten powers have been explained;
the Thus-Gone One’s pure and immaculate powers have been
proclaimed. Furthermore, Anantavyūha, in order to purify the bodhisattvas’
gateway, listen to this proclamation of the instruction that reveals the
seal of the dhāraṇī gateway:

Pramocane
vipramuṃcati acale avyāthani prabha-anugate teje mahāteje apratyāvaraṇi
anāvaraṇi āvaraṇi viśodhani vidhana praviśani dhura anikṣepani valgu
valgu svare svaraviśodhani mudra mudra viśodhani parivāre
samantaparivāre agra-anumati arthasādhani saṃgramcchedani śūre śure
vīrye āharaṇi upanamati nidariśani
samantaparipulyai gate tāra-anugate aniviśani asanniviśani dhāraṇigate
nidhanapariśodhani anuddhara vivasani bhadre bhadravati mukhamukhavati
sandharaṇi upadhāraṇi anantaprabhe prabhūtaparivāre svaśani
parisvaśani mahāvākāśe ākāśasamosāraṇi vidhimarikarṇi
sarvadjñāpathaviśodhani nirvāṇapathasanadriśaṇi.

“Anantavyūha, this was the revelation of the seal of the dhāraṇī
gateway, a revelation encompassing all teachings. Anantavyūha, as they train in this
gateway to this section of Dharma, bodhisattvas will pursue learning. They
will become experts in the classifications of mind and have full mastery of
their marvelous eloquence. They will have mastery of the foundation for
accomplishing the words of dhāraṇīs. What is the foundation for
accomplishing those words?

Sāgara-aparyanta sumeruratana sāgarasaṃnicaya abhītani asambhītani
abhivare vajrasanni nirveṣani akṣobhini asaṃkṣobhini akṣaya-avyayikṣaya
aparyante akṣiṇa kṣayāntasandrīśe aparikṣaye abhikṣubhini avigale
avigalajñāniharani.

“Anantavyūha, this was the foundation for accomplishing those
words. Those bodhisattvas who train in it will develop insight as
imperturbable as the ocean and see with vast vision. What will their
perspective be like? They will think, ‘I will soothe all beings by extending
infinite love to them. I will prepare a great medicine for you, and with it
I will heal your blurry vision, the darkness of ignorance. I will remove the
thorns of suffering, dissatisfaction, and pain you experience in cyclic
existence, which is beginningless and endless. I will free you from the bondage of craving. I will save
you from the flood of cyclic existence and shine the light of the Dharma.
Without a doubt, I will guide those beings who have connected to roots of
nonvirtue.’ Those sublime beings and supreme captains will by all means see
with vast vision and bring beings to freedom, not allowing any of them to
stray from unsurpassable omniscient wisdom. In this way, they extend their
love to all beings and illuminate the authentic Dharma gateways that reveal
what was previously unheard, that are free of desire, and that pertain to
the knowledge of the unborn.

“Anantavyūha, when bodhisattvas wish to give a Dharma lecture, how
should they proceed? Actualizing these words established through dhāraṇī and
secret mantra, they should sit on lion thrones with the intent not to hold
back any of their expertise in the Dharma. With their boundless intellect,
they should bring the Thus-Gone One to mind. Arousing the great and vast
power of their skillful means and insight, they should engender great
compassion and great love for the beings who have gathered for the Dharma
lecture, teach on the definitive way of the Dharma, and refine their
expertise in recollection. Discerning, through their great expertise in mind
and wisdom, the intentions that beings have formed, they should carry out
their unfathomable Dharma lectures in exact accordance with the definitive
Dharma way, without adding or subtracting anything and with their voices
clear, their syllables and words well enunciated, and their speech well
determined.

“Through such Dharma lectures, their own roots of virtue will
increase, and beings will gather incredible qualities. For this reason, the Thus-Gone One uses numerous
analogies and presentations to explain and expound upon this condensation of
the Dharma, this section of the Dharma on the dhāraṇī gateway. May you also
give unsurpassable Dharma lectures in that way, may you attend to beings
through awakened activity, and may you swiftly perfect the fearlessness of
the Thus-Gone One!

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who use great wisdom activity to train
in the activities that bring about superknowledge will acquire a great
accumulation of wisdom. What is this conduct that brings about
superknowledge? Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas maintain the foundations of
miraculous power. They possess unobscured wisdom vision by focusing on the
idea that the numerous distinctions of right conduct are as baseless as the
sky; they possess the limitless power of the Thus-Gone One’s wisdom vision;
and, through the limitless power of skill in insight and wisdom, they attain
definitive expertise in the knowledge of all phenomena. And yet, they have
not gained any qualities in the slightest, nor do they apprehend anything.
While the Thus-Gone One maintains freedom from apprehending and remains
peerless, the Thus-Gone One maintains nothing. The Thus-Gone One dwells in
solitude, remains free from attachment, and maintains his immaculate wisdom
vision, so there is nothing whatsoever that the Thus-Gone One fails to
understand or see. The Thus-Gone One maintains a limitless vision of
self-manifest wisdom, and being free of the darkness of error, he is
unobscured.

“The Thus-Gone One has in this way fully awakened to the sameness
of all phenomena, which he explains to be
illusory by nature, dream-like, similar to reflections, beyond names, and
beyond ideas. You should follow the Thus-Gone One’s footsteps in this. The
Thus-Gone One displays unobstructed wisdom and is proficient in discerning
the superior and inferior faculties of beings. The Thus-Gone One displays
unobstructed wisdom as well as proficiency in all forms of knowledge and
demonstrates to bodhisattvas the peerless and indomitable actions that bring
about superknowledge. By such actions that bring about superknowledge,
bodhisattvas accomplish the miraculous powers of the gateway of
superknowledge, and they also accomplish the power of the blessings of
truth. They sustain the development of the power of immaculate discipline.
They sustain the development of the power of meditative absorption,
immaculate insight, and immaculate wisdom. They sustain the development of
the power of liberation and the power of seeing the wisdom of liberation.
They sustain the power of immaculate generosity and the power of knowing the
Dharma. Sustaining the development of these powers, bodhisattvas attain the
powerful blessings of truth, and through them they will physically reign
over the world up to the Brahmā realms. They will experience numerous
miracles and beat a variety of Dharma drums. Seated on lion thrones, they
will satisfy their assemblies with the Dharma and will always bring about
the benefit of all beings.

“Anantavyūha, take as an analogy the regal mountains that make up
the great ring of mountains. Since it is unsuitable for beings to smell the
unpleasant stench of hell beings, to hear their sounds, or to see them, the great ring of mountains encircles the
periphery of the world as a maturation of beings’ karma. Similarly,
bodhisattvas should provide all beings with the unobscured Dharma and
introduce them to the undefiled nature of all phenomena. Any bodhisattvas
who train in this teaching using the adamantine power of insight and skill
in means will, after finding release through the profound Dharma and
remaining free from perception, be anointed with ambrosia.

“How will they be anointed with ambrosia? They will be untouched by
the demon of afflictions, and they will not even come close to being
controlled by the demon of the aggregates, the demon of the divine son, and
the demon of the lord of death. Even the notion of passing away will not
occur to them. Why? These sublime beings embody emptiness and bring
signlessness perfectly to mind, thus they do not aspire toward anything.
Indeed, there is nothing that is born, that dies, that comes, that goes,
that stays, that becomes afflicted, that becomes purified, that acquires
power, or that falls into decline. Since no phenomena can be apprehended,
they have no concepts about anything whatsoever. Forsaking pride, arrogance,
and haughtiness, and with a humble attitude, they are undeluded about what
is to be understood on an inner level, and they know well what is to be
understood on an outer level. They are not overcome by the things they see,
hear, analyze, or cognize. These sublime beings sustain unmistaken suchness
and unaltered suchness that is not other, as taught by the thus-gone ones
who declare that all phenomena are like space.

“This is how bodhisattvas access the perfection of insight. All
those who uphold this way will accomplish infinite insight and, by the force
of such insight, actualize the instructions on inconceivable wisdom and
access the explanations of the intended meaning. They will understand all
phenomena, and as they realize that awakening and the deeds with immediate
result are equal, they will actualize awakening itself. They will come to
understand that awakening is beyond comprehension because the deeds with
immediate result are beyond comprehension. They will come to realize that
awakening cannot be realized because the deeds with immediate result cannot
be realized. Knowing that both awakening and the deeds with immediate result
are beyond apprehending, they will act neither in discord with the deeds
with immediate result nor in accord with awakening; they neither create nor
bring to an end deeds with immediate result, nor awakening.

“Those who become well trained in this presentation of the meaning
will not fixate on or form concepts about actions and their results. They
will know that actions and consequences do not exist and are equal, that
actions and results are equal, not dissimilar. They will not apprehend
actions and their consequences, nor will they form concepts about them or
fixate on them. Why is this? Their karmic obscurations and afflictive
obscurations have diminished because the causes have not been created for
them. They gain clarity about this teaching on the gateway of all phenomena,
this section of instruction on the dhāraṇī gateway. They will practice this
immaculate Dharma gateway throughout the worlds in the ten directions and be
immaculate in their conduct. They will not become puffed up or discouraged
due to worldly things. They will serve as fields of merit and objects of
offering and as models of what is to be attained by the whole world with its
gods.

“Anantavyūha, I have declared that noble sons on the eighth
level are unfathomable, immeasurable objects of worship,
not to mention bodhisattva great beings who follow this instruction. Those
who do not apprehend, aggrandize, or form elaborate concepts about
awakening, sentient beings, the Dharma, illumination, or worldly things, who
fully comprehend this instruction, and who maintain authentic practice of
the Dharma have made the most exalted offering. The Thus-Gone One refers to
them as supreme objects of offering.

“Anantavyūha, for bodhisattvas who train in this instruction, there
is no type of excellence or veneration that they will lack. They will come
to possess everything that is excellent and will be free from fear, anxiety,
and dread. They will forsake life and limb and uphold my vast and definitive
teachings; there will be no teaching that they will fail to uphold. They
will sit on lion’s thrones and proclaim the Dharma with great lion’s roars.
They will defeat the non-Buddhists in a way that is in harmony with the
Dharma and overcome the evil Māra along with his legions. They will lead
beings to freedom from obscuration and establish them on the path to
omniscience. They will ensure that beings are on an appropriate path and
will not do anything that is in disharmony with the noble truths. They will
inspire beings with the factors of awakening. They will bestow the gift of
the Dharma upon beings and ensure that they comprehend it.

“Anantavyūha, those who continuously cultivate acceptance of this
section of the Dharma on the dhāraṇī gateway will be equal to those who have
already received the prophecy of awakening. Such sublime beings will obtain a prophecy that they bestow upon
themselves. Anantavyūha, upon hearing this instruction, these bodhisattvas
will think, ‘The Thus-Gone One, the sage and king of the Śākyas, has
entrusted this instruction to us, explained its context, established us in
this seal of dhāraṇī, and introduced us to this Dharma gateway. In doing so,
the Thus-Gone One has aided us with the foremost of all types of benefit.
The Thus-Gone One is our loving father!’ With such thoughts, those
bodhisattvas will perceive me as a father. Anantavyūha, they will all be
counted among those who are comparable to the present thus-gone ones like
myself.

“This was the second section of the instruction on the dhāraṇī
gateway.”

Then, surveying the four directions and displaying his supernatural
powers, the Thus-Gone One conjured a miraculous display such that the
bodhisattvas who had gathered in the assembly beheld innumerable blessed
buddhas throughout the worlds of the ten directions and heard their
teachings. Afterward, the Blessed One addressed the bodhisattva Anantavyūha,
“Anantavyūha, notice how the Thus-Gone One creates miraculous displays
precisely because phenomena are beyond creation. Such power of the Thus-Gone
One is immeasurable, incalculable, and inestimable. The Thus-Gone One is
neither identical with fearlessness nor distinct from it. Since the
Thus-Gone One does not exist, he is neither singular nor multiple. The
Thus-Gone One is not suchness, nor is he other than suchness. He is not the
essential nature, nor is he other than the essential nature. You should
realize that the Thus-Gone One does not apprehend even beneficial qualities.
Those who understand the Thus-Gone One
in this way have no understanding at all, and those who know absolutely
nothing are free of afflictions and grasping.

“Anantavyūha, although the Thus-Gone One has overcome existence and
nonexistence, he has never overcome anything. All phenomena have the
essential nature of space. Anantavyūha, those bodhisattvas who believe this
will be boundlessly eloquent and discover clarity about all phenomena.
Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One is unafraid because he has the fearlessness
of a thus-gone one. He has found supreme fearlessness without attaining it;
he guides nothing, increases nothing, decreases nothing, and leads nothing
to decline. The thus-gone ones are not born, and their mode of being is the
essential condition of all phenomena, the expanse of phenomena, the faultless
nature of phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, all phenomena are free of fault, their actions being
nothing but unreal imputation. Phenomena are neither actions nor results and
so are included within the gateway where there are no actions or results.
According to the true nature of things, phenomena are devoid of actions,
devoid of results, devoid of the cessation of causes, and devoid of the path
that leads to the cessation of causes. The Thus-Gone One teaches that all
phenomena arise from the gathering of causes, but their causes do not exist
and phenomena are not controlled by them; thus he also proclaims that all
phenomena are causeless. This entails the thus-gone ones’ level
of fearlessness.

“I have reached the level of fearlessness of a
thus-gone one through perfect and limitless eloquence. What is this
level of fearlessness? Anantavyūha, the thus-gone ones have four types of fearlessness.
Pratyekabuddhas do not have them, why speak of śrāvakas and other
worldly beings? What are these four types of fearlessness?

“When I fully awakened to all
phenomena, I did not see any features anywhere in the world, including
the god realms, about which it could be argued, ‘The omniscient and
all-seeing one has not fully awakened to these phenomena.’ Since I did
not see any such features, I achieved supreme fearlessness. I proclaimed
my lion’s roar among the assembly and taught and illuminated this
profound, vast, limitless, and unsurpassed Dharma and Vinaya.

“I realized the exhaustion of
defilements, and I did not see any features anywhere about which it
could be argued, ‘These defilements have not been exhausted.’ Since I
did not see any such features, I remained at ease and discerned how I
had established the unsurpassed foundation of the Dharma during many
millions of eons.

“It is impossible that
something I have described as leading to freedom, discernment, or the
exhaustion of suffering does not in fact lead to freedom, discernment,
or the exhaustion of suffering. Therefore, I did not see any features
anywhere in the world, including among demons and gods such as Brahmā,
that could contradict me. Since I did not see any features, I reached a
supreme state of ease, proclaimed my lion’s roar among the assembly, and
taught beings this way of the Dharma.

“It is impossible that
something I have declared to be obstructing is not in fact obstructing.
Therefore, I did not see any features anywhere in the world of beings,
including demons, gods such as Brahmā, mendicants, and brahmins, that
could contradict me. Since I did not see any such features, I reached a
supreme state of ease, proclaimed my lion’s roar among the assembly, and
turned this Dharma wheel, which had not been turned anywhere in this
world with its gods or elsewhere, or by any followers of other
traditions.

“Anantavyūha, these are the Thus-Gone One’s four types of
fearlessness. Those bodhisattvas who train in this will swiftly attain the
Thus-Gone One’s level of fearlessness and become foremost in
this world with its gods.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who reflect on the fact that concepts
are like space will understand the gateway to be inconceivable and
immaculate. Through this immaculate gateway they will reach the primary
realization about phenomena. No phenomena are to be realized, and phenomena
are not really seen to be like space. There is no space to engage with apart
from phenomena, and there are no phenomena that can be engaged with apart
from space. One may meditate on all phenomena by meditating on space without
generating concepts or conceptual elaboration about space. One may attain
expertise in altruistic deeds, and yet the expanse of phenomena does not
come from anywhere, does not go anywhere, and is not truly achieved; thus
one will understand that all phenomena are beyond achievement, beyond
coming, and beyond going. One will shine
the light of the Dharma on all phenomena, thereby shining the light of
Dharma on beings as well.

“Anantavyūha, these Dharma discourses enhance and bring benefit to
bodhisattvas. Notice how they bring about the attainment of a buddha’s
powers and fearlessnesses without there being any kind of
decrease or diminishment. Anantavyūha, all phenomena are taught to be like
space and like the open air in order to bring about realization. Actions,
deeds, and causes are also taught to be like the open air. While those
phenomena are described in that way, in reality nothing is apprehended.
Anantavyūha, this profound Dharma and Vinaya does not accord with
anything in the world. The Dharma and Vinaya does not accord with the
world because the world is fundamentally mistaken insofar as its phenomena
are destructible and perishable. The world cannot understand the world’s
properties; in that respect all worldly phenomena are in conflict with the
Dharma and do not lead to freedom. Even though all the world’s inhabitants
may fixate upon the notion of phenomena, there are no
phenomena whatsoever to seize or fixate upon. Those worldly beings form
ideas by fixating upon all phenomena as phenomena, and thus they end up in
disagreement and conflict with the Thus-Gone One and the Dharma and Vinaya realized by the Thus-Gone One because they fail to understand the
intrinsically unborn nature of all phenomena. Due to such lack of
understanding and ignorance, this refined comprehension of the expertise in
the profound Dharma and Vinaya is in discord with the entire world.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One thoroughly taught about the
profound Dharma and Vinaya that is in discord with the entire world with
its gods, and yet he did not teach
anything. Since the Thus-Gone One has definitely left all paths behind, he
teaches the Dharma that quells dispute while not fixating upon the notion of
path, let alone imputing it to be unending.

“Anantavyūha, the phrase ‘the entirety of existence’ is a reference
to virtuous and nonvirtuous qualities. All phenomena are imputed to possess
virtuous or nonvirtuous qualities. Yet, virtue and nonvirtue are both empty
and absent; virtue does not blend together with nonvirtue, and nonvirtue
does not blend together with virtue. There are no causes or conditions to
fixate upon in relation to virtue and nonvirtue. Thus, the Thus-Gone One
proclaimed that all phenomena are indeterminate. Virtue does not genuinely
exist, and that which does not exist is indeterminate; it has no causes and
is not taught to be a cause.

“Anantavyūha, since phenomena are to be understood in this manner,
know that all phenomena are taught to be indeterminate and ineffable. This
indeterminacy and ineffability of all phenomena is the bodhisattvas’ gateway
of sameness in its entirety. No phenomena, whether virtuous or nonvirtuous,
correspond to the way they appear; rather, they correspond to the gateway of
indeterminacy. The gateway of indeterminacy is not a gateway, and no gateway
will be found where there is no gateway. That which cannot be apprehended as
a gateway is an immaculate gateway. This is the purification of the
phenomena that serve as the bodhisattvas’ entry point to the dhāraṇī
gateway. Having clarified all phenomena through this gateway, the
bodhisattvas will be free of delusion, doubt, and hesitation concerning
phenomena and will come to realize expertise in understanding the Dharma
without hindrances.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas should long for the immaculate eye of
insight. In what way should they long for it? Because phenomena are free of
grasping, they should refrain from accepting or rejecting and thereby
transcend states of being. By not striving for anything virtuous or
nonvirtuous, they disregard everything classified as conditioned and all
mundane phenomena. They do not remain at the level of
conscientiousness, at the unexcelled level, or at the
level of nonapprehending; they do not accept or reject
anything or become engaged or involved with anything. This is known as
the eye of insight, an immaculate eye. To realize
the essential nature of abandonment, rejection, nongrasping, and
renunciation is known as the eye of insight. The eye of
insight entails the comprehension of exhaustion and detachment and an
understanding of cessation, of the absence of arising, and of the absence of
formation. It is the level of peace, quietude, and tranquility.
It is the absence of linkage and connection, the severance of linkages. It
is the unimpaired comprehension of the absence of severance and disruption.
It is wisdom unconcealed.

“Such a state free of conceptual elaboration is the eye of insight.
Those in possession of this eye of insight will give rise to an attitude of
great love and compassion for the behavior of beings. This is mastered and
stabilized when directed toward beings. They will understand that all
phenomena are devoid of sentience and life force. After awakening to
unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they should without a doubt expound on
this unexcelled Dharma treasure, this section of the teachings that purifies
the dhāraṇī gateway. They should focus on
this Dharma seal.

“Anantavyūha, this section of the teaching on the dhāraṇī gateway
is realized and upheld by all buddhas in order to make the lineage of the
thus-gone ones continue uninterruptedly. Moreover, all buddhas practice and
teach this Dharma gateway. All blessed buddhas of the past, present, and
future dwelling throughout the ten directions proclaim this section of the
teachings on the dhāraṇī gateway. This Dharma gateway is the purification of
the bodhisattvas’ Dharma teaching on the sameness of the three times;
through it they accurately work with the phenomena of all three times—past,
present, and future. For bodhisattvas, this Dharma gateway encompasses the
purity of the three times. Even though they have no concept of time, they
still eliminate nonvirtue and acquire the various virtuous roots. They will
uphold immaculate physical, verbal, and mental actions, purify boundless
gateways in order to gain pure wisdom, practice the mode of Dharma that is
free of apprehending, and describe all phenomena as being like space. In
order to teach and expound on pure insight, they will display the great
light of insight that reaches the limits of space. In order to realize the
space-like nature of phenomena, purify the path of omniscient wisdom, and
properly fulfill the aspirations to awaken via the pure path, they will
become skilled in actualizing knowledge of the truth. In order to show how the truth is indivisible, they will
display the wisdom of buddhahood.

“Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who train in this Dharma will swiftly
purify the branches of awakening so that they can understand everything.
Although they are not far, but rather close to awakening, they do not
consider themselves far from anything that contradicts the Dharma or close
to this Dharma teaching. They do not regard awakening in terms of either
Dharma or non-Dharma. Understanding and recognizing that awakening is not
something to know, they realize it as being sameness beyond knowledge. They
do not realize awakening while looking for peace among phenomena. They do
not see tranquility through tranquility, nor do they see tranquility through
something other than tranquility. Although they see nothing at all, they
purify views in every way while not purifying anything at all. This is the
bodhisattvas’ immaculate wisdom gateway, through which they will bring to
mind the thus-gone ones’ infinite Dharma treasures. They will teach these
Dharma treasures with the complete comprehension of the natures of beings
and remember the immaculate activity of insight and wisdom.

“If this is desirable, then after fully awakening to perfect
buddhahood, engage in altruistic aspirations. You will recall your skill in
pure aspirations, swiftly gain control over all phenomena, and uphold and
manifest the Thus-Gone One’s great love and compassion. Expert in the
Thus-Gone One’s Dharma treasure, you will also display the immeasurable and
boundless Dharma light and reach freedom within the domain of the buddhas.

“Anantavyūha, what do the words ‘immeasurable’ and ‘boundless’
refer to? These words are used because all phenomena of the earth element,
water element, fire element, wind element, space element, and consciousness
element are immeasurable. Although the realms of beings—the desire, form,
and formless realms—are immeasurable, beings are nonexistent, so they cannot
be apprehended or designated. Similarly, those realms are nonexistent, so
they cannot be apprehended or designated either. Therefore, all phenomena
are perfectly subsumed within the realm of nirvāṇa. The mode of the water
element shares the qualities of the realm of nirvāṇa, just as all phenomena
share the qualities of nirvāṇa. In this sense, all phenomena have the
distinction of being inexpressible. The realm of nirvāṇa is utterly devoid
of obscuration. Since the realm of nirvāṇa is purified of obscuration, it is
unobscured. The realm of nirvāṇa is pure and immaculate, and in this sense
the water element is not an element. Since elements are nonexistent, the
elements are expressed by demonstrating what transcends the elements.
Expressions are likewise not elements, and because they are not elements,
they do not come into being. Expressions are devoid of elements. Since all
phenomena are expressed by conventions, they are beyond expression. In that
way no act of expression can be apprehended or observed within them. All
expressions are non-expressions. In that sense, all expressions have the
identity of space—they are perfectly subsumed within space.

“The earth element is also inexpressible and ineffable. The same
goes for the water element, the fire
element, the wind element, and the space element; everything up to the space
element is ineffable. The consciousness element is that which uses
conventions to describe all phenomena, thus the descriptive consciousness
element is similar to the water element. The consciousness element is not
categorized as an element; it is not comprised of elements and arises out of
space. The consciousness element is therefore categorized as space. The
consciousness element cannot be apprehended internally, externally, or
anywhere in between. Nor is the consciousness element included in
descriptions of what is conditioned. The consciousness element is pervaded
by luminous space and subsumed within space; it cannot be designated or
defined. That which cannot be designated is completely devoid of anything
conditioned. Such is the entrance to this gateway. In defining the expanse
of phenomena, it may be pointed out that the essential nature of all
phenomena is equal and similar to space, and yet phenomena are completely
beyond expanse and non-expanse. All things are like open space, and so the
Thus-Gone One has stated, ‘All phenomena are like space.’ Since their
measurements cannot be apprehended, they are inherently equal and similar to
space.

“Anantavyūha, notice how the thus-gone ones’ immaculate wisdom
instructions do not produce or confer any Dharma. Bodhisattvas should strive
to unmistakenly understand this
immaculate Dharma way. Without becoming conceited or arrogant about their
wisdom, which does not depend on anything else, they should work to
accomplish the purification of the inexpressible Dharma gateway and the
purification of the knowledge of all phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, what is the domain of a winged bird?”

“Blessed One, its domain is the sky.”

“And what, Anantavyūha, is the sky’s domain?”

“Blessed One, it does not have one.”

“Likewise, Anantavyūha, all phenomena have space as their domain.
Phenomena have a domain which is beyond domain; it cannot be apprehended.
For this reason, all phenomena are without a domain and devoid of action,
behavior, and activity. The nature of phenomena should not be expressed in
any manner. This Dharma gateway will purify a bodhisattva’s consciousness so
that it is space-like. This Dharma gateway is limitless light. Bodhisattvas,
upon attaining this Dharma gateway, can see throughout the worldly realms in
the ten directions and perceive all their worlds in the same way that light,
though nonexistent, pervades the infinite, boundless, and all-pervasive sky.
Anantavyūha, this is the state to be understood through the bodhisattvas’
wisdom, the state of penetrating insight; it is not the state of opponents.
This inexpressible Dharma way is an inexpressible Dharma seal; it cannot be
expressed or designated as a seal. Therefore, all phenomena lack seals; they
are truly beyond seals. By realizing the expertise in entities beyond seals,
all phenomena become marked with the seal of open space; they clearly reveal
the seal devoid of characteristics. Space is completely devoid of
characteristics; it does not have the characteristics of something
conditioned and expressible. Even when it
is stated, ‘This is space,’ space is not being pointed to as a body of real
aggregates. Phenomena should ultimately be understood to be inexpressible
perfection.

“Anantavyūha, I will now reveal, with immaculate words understood
to be like space, the words that purify the seal of the dhāraṇī gateway. You
should understand these words to be similar to space, beyond words and
purity. What are these words?

Vivare
vivara-anusahite pra-anuni nisanna vicaraṇi abhyavakāśa sandarśaṇi
prābhari prābhariviśodhani niravikalpe ākāśasamavasaraṇi niṣaṃge
śaṃgāpagati śaṃgavimocani anādāni ādhanavīgate kaṃkṣachedaparikarma
achede anupachede asame asamasame divyajñāna-aharaṇe
prajñācakṣuviśodhani śallya-apanayani driṅgi-udtaraṇi ayuge aviyuge
asamaprayuke aviprayuke agrapadanirahare nirdeśavadaviśodhani
atīta-anāgatapratyutpannaviśodhani kṛtaparikarmavinite
nata-artha-anugate asaṃkrame agrapadaviśodhani padaprabhedajñāna
viśodhani nirbhase ābhasaviśodhani asamantadaśadigvyavalokani
virāgavadanirhare prajñāviśuddhe obhasa-aprameyakaraṇi akalpadharma
darśaniviśodhani bhūta-arthsandarśani anubodhi-arthaviśodhani
sāgaracitana-anupraviśe merūpanisaṃsthāne raśmipratibhani
sarvaloka-adhipate yajñānaviśodhani
apratihata-asaṃgajñānadarśane.

“Anantavyūha, these are the words that purify the seal of the
dhāraṇī gateway. Like space, these words are unbroken, unceasing, and
uninterrupted. In them there are no words, not even words that are revealed
to be immaculate. Anantavyūha, these secret mantra words are revealed
through the Thus-Gone One’s blessings to those noble sons who have entered
the Great Vehicle, those who will engage
with these words, pursue the profound Dharma, aim to fully awaken to
buddhahood, and seek to bring about the benefit of beings. These secret
mantra words will summon nonhumans and gods of the pure abodes, as well as
any gods who have set out for unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

Upasaṃhare
saṃhare hrī śrī dhṛtiviśodhanikalyaṇa-arthanirdeśapratibhati
cittāmaṇinavijñānaviśodhani adhyādmavaharidhapariśodhani
gatismṛtimati-aharaṇi ganta gantavati sare saravati.

“With these secret mantra words, those gods that live on the
snow-covered king of mountains and are blessed by the Thus-Gone One will
descend and manifest the light of the Dharma for those noble sons who
proclaim the Dharma.

“Those gods who live on Mount Kailāśa, the king of mountains, will
enable those who proclaim the Dharma to achieve the immaculate eye, the
immaculate ear, the immaculate nose, the immaculate tongue, and the
immaculate body. Moreover, they will occasionally join their speech with
that of those who expound the Dharma, and they will teach it continuously.

Pratīpavidhi vairocanavati buddhamati vasumati dharmamati
asaṃpramośavati obhāsasandarivati upasaṃharanirdeśavati.

“Those gods who establish their homes and live in the sāla forest
will induce immaculate physical, verbal, and mental activity in those who
proclaim the Dharma. They will imbue them with melodious
language as well as pleasant, harmonious, and delightful
voices. They will elicit from them
language that is pleasant and free of disharmony.

Nirālaṃbhe
agrakare kṣemavicaye nirbhasavati nirharavati ojovati upanāmati
upasaṃharakaraṇi abhiśatha-ihadhāraṇīmukhe dharmamukhe
dharmapatale.

“Anantavyūha, those gods who reside on the south face of the
snow-covered king of mountains will imbue with charisma those who proclaim
the Dharma and exert themselves in this practice.

“Anantavyūha, those gods who dwell on the banks of the great ocean
will provide alms for those who proclaim the Dharma. The Thus-Gone One has
revealed these secret mantra phrases for those who listen to this discourse.
These secret mantras will summon the lord of gods, Śakra. What are they?

Makhipati
vasumati devarājāśacimapati sarva-asurāṇānanirghatāni
vajreyasupratiṣṭhita pramardhana-upa-asurānāṃ
devana-adhipatimasādha puraskṛtopi devehi śovasebhasavasadha
purandaramahāketutāpesi asusamada dhvajagranta
pāpaśyintāvidhyāṃ-sitamahā-asura-indrasapalavantibhitatrastadiśodiśa
namanabuddhasyakīrtiśye nāmagotranamahāyaśa devapurasmisaṃgrame
buddhaśapata-anuttaraṃ-śrāvisidevavijaya namo buddhavibhāśita
saṃkrāmachandasividyābuddhanāmenbhahitā vijayesotata deva-asuraś
ca vinitavana kṛtāte rakṣadevanāṃ manuṣyanām rakṣasaṃvita yam iha
dharmanirdeśa otaranti supratiṣṭhita nigṛhitadvayā asura
rākṣasa
yakṣa
kinnara
nāga
kumbhaṇḍa bhūtāni pūtani piśāca dānavātathā
acala-asthānaprāvatosi
indra-indrapuraskṛta atigambhīra śānatana ca agrapuruṣasevita
mudrāvantosi deva-indra buddhimantathāviśuddha aviśa iha
sūtrasmirakṣasamvitahi ca sahasranetrasumukha-avasaraiparivarta
upabhuñjasvakakarmapurvahetusmiyaṃkṛtama atipaśca-anuprāpata
acalasupratiṣṭhita kṛtaṃhikuśalaṅvūre manuṣyeśumahīpati
pūrvaṃgama-usidevanāṃ pūjanatina ca manuṣa buddhasya kṛtatvasadkāraṃ
pūjāveśyatite bahu mahācamani vivaraṃbhavanamavaśa-utpate
devālayasya madhasmiyakṣobhiparivārato pralaṃbaharibahuta vaskviśata
agravahisatimati suratapati suratathāprabhuskandha
anilacamarādcchamahābhāgimahāskandha mahāhetusupradhipa
mahābalam atiyakṣamahāteja rakṣanti bhavānantapa bahuyakṣaparivāro
yena śobhasivāsa ca vasusarvavasutamahāteja mahāgani
mahāpraharanocayiva-abhinirharayātathaivara ca sumerumurnitapa
vāsavasarvadevapuraskṛto śobhate bhavana
obhasaṃprabhamuñcasitejasa.

“These are the words for calling down Śakra, the lord of the gods,
the words by which Śakra is summoned. In the future, these secret mantra
words will ensure that those beings who have set out toward awakening will
uphold the teachings and maintain expertise in magnetizing beings.

“The eldest son of Kubera

Is known as the yakṣa Sañjaya.

He lives without anger or effort

And, along with his father,

Always protects those

Who delight in these teachings.

“Likewise, the king Dhṛtarāṣṭra,

Along with his retinue,

Always guards

The well-spoken discourses.

“The mighty Virūpākṣa,

Along with his retinue,

Protects all those

Who uphold this way.

“The mighty king Virūḍhaka,

Along with his mount,

Also protects all those

Who long for these teachings.

“Anantavyūha, this is the incantation for invoking the four great
kings along with their retinues, servants, children, wives, and followers.

“Residing in the eastern direction

Are the illustrious

Rākṣasīs Dhvajaketu,

Mahāketu, and Mahābalā.

“They will all descend

With their retinues

And remain forever to guard

This Dharma gateway.

“The blazing Pralambā,

Siddhārthā, and Manohārī—

Each of them resides

In the southern direction.

“They will descend here,

Bring about resplendence,

Carry out supreme protection,

And, seeing everything, offer counsel.

“The illustrious rākṣasīs

Kambalā, Saṃvarā,

Rāvaṇī, and the Mixed One,

Who reside in the western direction,

“Will descend all together

And forever protect

Those who know the meaning of this teaching,

So that the Dharma will be taught to them.

“In this gateway the renowned rākṣasīs

Faithless, Truthful,

And The Untruthful One

All dwell in the northern direction.

“They will descend here

And, through the Thus-Gone One’s splendor,

Will join their palms together

And guard the foremost of humans.

Mitre
mitravati kāruṇe kāruṇavati vibuddhi vibuddhavati pramocani
pramocanavati kṛta kṛtavati anugami anugamavati upadchedani
kamavivarjani kṛṣṇasamudśoṣaṇi nigṛhītamārabalaṃ udtaraṇavati
pratyudtāraṇavati upekṣa-anusahite ārambaṇaviśodhani nidarśana
asamohani niṣprapañcavane.

“Anantavyūha, these are the words for subjugating the evil Māra.
They will prevent one from being harmed by the evil Māra with his legions
and mounts. What are the words for invoking the great Brahmā?

Atipatimahāsthānapati svayakṛtasthānamati nānābahuvividha
pratyudpasthānakaraṇa-adhikasthānapati śuddhasthānagato
sahamapati adhikrāntaviśoṣaṇaśubhaparivaraśubha-adhimugata
prāpataśrita nivāsanaprabhutaprabha nigrahītakāmam svastikamam
apratyupasthāna.

“These are the words for invoking the great Brahmā. By these words
the great Brahmā will induce pure letters and words, pure conduct, and
perfect equipoise in those who proclaim the Dharma.

Viśodhanavati anatimahākāruṇika kāmabhava-usatani
paryanirmitaniparyantapratyupasthāna paryavasāna
ālayaviśodhani ādjñāparyante karaṇi-antima
deśapratyupsthāne.

“Anantavyūha, these are the words for manifesting the Dharma of the
gods of the pure abodes. These words that illuminate the Dharma establish
the Dharma foundation for those noble sons. Anantavyūha, the lords of the
gods, of the nāgas, of the asuras, of the kinnaras, and of the garuḍas—any
beings whether powerful, weak, faithful,
or faithless—should accomplish these secret mantra words. Those who are
faithful will thereby completely embrace this Dharma teaching, while those
who are faithless will not say anything and remain neutral rather than
engaging in disputes and quarrels. They will leave this Dharma gateway alone
and will not bring harm, injury, or ruin to it. What are the words for
invoking those with faith and trust?

Gurudhare
sacale svastinirharakovide nirjanaprativiloyite cittasancanani
cittaparipagake cittasamprasādhani manasyahariśakaraṇi vīdjñānasya
anusvati anudharmo no upekṣaṇe hetusandariśane tathā-akṣarapada
nirdeśaśothiva yathāgāthā yathānukulasama upamanirdeśaśodhite
tatra kālenacakartavavya samprasādana arthato sama yayathānukulan ca
mukha upasaṃsārayoniśa ākāśasya viśuddhi yayathāśodhitilakṣaṇa
lakṣaṇi lakṣaṇavati lakṣaṇaviśodhani pratibedha arthasandhadariśani
kuśalabhothasarvehapravicaye samosarani kṛta anurakṣisatya arthe
satyānāṃ suviśodhite.

“Anantavyūha, these are the words for bringing about the descent of
those who have trust. These words will generate, in those who proclaim the
Dharma, meaningful roots of virtue that accord with what is taught here.
What are the words for subjugating those who lack faith?

Kṣame
kṣamavati maitre parikarmapratyupasthāne karuṇapratilabhahita
anukampasañjanani saṃgrahavastuhitavastu
sandariṣaṇiparivarajniyavarjani pāpamitrasevani na tatra
deśesthātavavyayatravigrahavartito sarvagranthapradalati
upacārasandariśaṇi niśayaviśodhani ādma anugame para upasaṃharaṇi
nirminaṇi
anurakṣapratyupasthāne.

“Anantavyūha, these are words of rebuke for beings who lack trust
and faith. Because of them, they will recognize their faults. Anantavyūha,
there is so much opposition to the virtuous Dharma. There is no need to
mention the opposition to this Dharma and Vinaya, which is unsurpassed,
overcomes all faults, and unties all knots of dispute! Anantavyūha, notice
those beings, lacking faith and trust, who come before me looking to find
fault, full of malicious thoughts and intent on harm. Knowing their thoughts
and guile, the Thus-Gone One uses the Dharma gateways to inspire them to be
rich in the roots of virtue, abandon concepts, and acquire the causes of the
roots of virtue.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One knows what is happening in the
minds of all beings; he knows what their minds hold. Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One has the
eighteen unshared qualities of a buddha. What are they? Anantavyūha,
from the night the Thus-Gone One fully awakens to unsurpassed and
perfect buddhahood until he passes on into the realm of nirvāṇa without
remainder, the Thus-Gone One is never deluded. His voice is never
jarring, and he never forgets anything. His state of cessation is not a
state of indifference, his perception is undifferentiated, and his mind
is always composed. His diligence never wanes, his recollection never
wanes, his effort never wanes, his meditative absorption never wanes,
his insight never wanes, his liberation never wanes, and his liberated
wisdom vision never wanes. His
physical actions are guided by wisdom and are in alignment with wisdom,
his verbal actions are guided by wisdom and are in alignment with
wisdom, and his mental actions are guided by wisdom and are in alignment
with wisdom. The Thus-Gone One’s wisdom vision is disinterested in and
unobstructed by the past, disinterested in and unobstructed by the
future, and disinterested in and unobstructed by the present. The
Thus-Gone One possesses these eighteen unshared qualities of a
buddha.

“Anantavyūha, in order to induce faith in those who lack faith, and
in order for those who have faith to achieve pure wisdom in this Dharma and Vinaya, the Thus-Gone One proclaims, with the immeasurable power of his
wisdom vision, this section of the teaching on the purification of the
dhāraṇī gateway. Anantavyūha, if the Thus-Gone One desired, he could
endlessly describe this section of the teaching on the dhāraṇī gateway, but
even if he taught endlessly, not even a hundredth or a trillionth of this
teaching that describes the dhāraṇī gateway and eliminates all doubts would
be revealed; it would not be revealed in terms of any enumeration, any
analogy, or any fraction of it. Why is this? Because this Dharma gateway is
a boundless gateway, an inconceivable gateway. Omniscient wisdom is achieved
through this gateway. Therefore, Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One has taught
this Dharma gateway in numerous categories so that you might by any means
come to comprehend this boundless, infinite dharma gateway and receive the
dhāraṇī.

“Anantavyūha, this is the exposition of the arrangement of words
for purifying the seal of dhāraṇī, revealed in this section of the
instruction that teaches the achievement of the dhāraṇī gateway. By
possessing these words, bodhisattvas will, with little trouble, come to
realize expertise in understanding the discernment of words. They will come
closer to great compassion and will realize, with a mind that accords with
the meaning, insight that ascertains all phenomena.

“Anantavyūha, these words are a great medicine; they dispel the
dense, black, gloomy darkness, the disease of ignorance and unknowing, and
enable the perfection of qualities in harmony
with awareness. They enable the perfection of
expertise in knowing the qualities that support the recollection of past
existences. They enable knowledge of the qualities conducive to the
awareness that leads to the accomplishment of the divine eye. They enable
the abandonment of all aggregates, which supports the awareness that knows
the exhaustion of defilements. Moreover, they enable the perfection of all trainings, the vision of unsurpassed wisdom,
the vision of omniscient wisdom, and the state of omniscient wisdom.
Anantavyūha, notice how the Thus-Gone One’s extensive Dharma teaching
perfects skills in means.

“Anantavyūha, the Thus-Gone One possesses great wisdom and has
omniscient wisdom, power, and fearlessness. He expounds and reveals his
precious, unsurpassed treasury of teachings mastered through the roots of
virtue he has accumulated for many trillions of eons. For this reason, the
Thus-Gone One has upheld this Dharma gateway and established this section of
instruction on the purification of the dhāraṇī gateway so that those like you can ripen the qualities of a
buddha and become experts in achieving this Dharma way.

“Anantavyūha, those noble sons or daughters who strive for
awakening, who wish to train as I have, who wish to train in my Dharma way,
and who wish to uphold the thus-gone ones’ immeasurable Dharma treasury
should exert themselves in this Dharma teaching. Anantavyūha, those who have
interest and persevere in this teaching, who are conscientious and entirely
disregard the three realms, who have become stable through their focus on
the wisdom of the omniscient mind and thereby endeavor to become experts in
the pure apprehending of form, feeling, perception, formation, and
consciousness, and who endeavor to become experts in the unblemished mastery
of words of truth should long for the immaculate wisdom of all phenomena.

“Since what is internal is pure, all phenomena are pure. Since what
is internal is detached, all phenomena are detached. Since what is internal
is pacified, all phenomena are pacified. Since what is internal is devoid of
appropriation, all phenomena are devoid of appropriation. Since what is
internal is abandoned, all phenomena are abandoned. Since what is internal
ceases, all phenomena cease. Since what is internal is beyond formation, all
phenomena are beyond formation. Anantavyūha, these bodhisattva gateways
bring about the purification of what is internal.

“What is external is inherently devoid of conceptuality, thus
bodhisattvas do not have concepts about anything at all. They uphold the
immaculate dhāraṇī gateway, become free of pride, and abandon attachment and anger. They are praised even
by the thus-gone ones, become the foremost among beings, and wield
unsurpassed power. They take pleasure in displaying detached wisdom, achieve
eloquence, acquire a clear understanding of the past and future, and bring
to mind the tranquil middle way. On the basis of the acceptance of the
unborn nature of phenomena they have achieved, they come to realize their
exceptional aspirations and achieve the purity of aspirations. They come to
possess extraordinary expertise in understanding all phenomena and shower
down a great rain of authoritative speech and teachings.

“Anantavyūha, after achieving the distinct aspirations of
bodhisattvas, they will gain acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena
and come to realize the purity of all things. In this way, they come to
understand the instruction that states, ‘All phenomena are devoid of birth
and disintegration.’ They also come to understand the instruction that
states, ‘All phenomena arise from what has not arisen. After arising they do
not become real, yet while being unreal they are distinct. Thus they are
included among and are separate from phenomena that are distinct.’
Independence is summarized as the feature of birthlessness. All phenomena
that are characterized by birthlessness are characterized by cessation and
detachment. To actualize this implies abandoning the formation of
apprehending and conceptual elaboration. Anantavyūha, this is the way of
entering the dhāraṇī gateway for acquiring expertise in the bodhisattvas’
gateway of knowledge of the unborn nature of phenomena. The acceptance of
the unborn nature of phenomena will thereby be swiftly achieved, and they will become guides with perfect
eloquence.”

Then, in order to describe the accomplishment of this Dharma
gateway, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Phenomena arise out of the unarisen

And, once arisen, become distinct.

When an object becomes distinct upon arising,

What is there to hold on to?

“All phenomena are unreal,

Unafflicted, and cannot be grasped.

Where no qualities are found,

What is there to hold on to?

“Those who claim that all phenomena

Are unattainable by nature

Yet get caught up in appearances

Will never acquire this dhāraṇī.

“Therefore, all phenomena

Are radiant like the sky,

And the pure sky and its radiance

Are both nonexistent.

“All these phenomena do not exist

And are devoid of nonexistence.

The dhāraṇī is born in those

Who understand the Dharma this way.

“Those who realize the absence of an edge

And do not conceive of a middle

Teach, with minds free of concepts,

That all things are nonexistent.

“There is no essence

Where no essence can be found,

So how can any phenomena be grasped

As being truly real?

“In short, this immaculate dhāraṇī

Will come about for those who know

That phenomena

Are inherently free of affliction.

“All dhāraṇīs are born in those

Who realize through insight

That all phenomena are like space—

Forever akin to the open sky.

“All phenomena are unborn, nonarising,

And devoid of affliction.

How can there be clinging

To that which has no affliction and is free of grasping?

“All phenomena are intrinsically free

Of conceptual elaboration and characteristics.

Since all things are free of characteristics,

They are taught to be unafflicted.

“Those who understand the Dharma in this way

And do not engage in false presumptions

About anything whatsoever

Will apprehend all phenomena correctly.

“The dhāraṇī is born in those

Who realize the meaning of nonexistence:

That all things, by their very nature,

Are absent; they do not exist.

“Those heroes who understand this

Are not affected by anything;

They apprehend all phenomena

Without conceiving of them as empty.

“Insight and wisdom thrive in those who,

Without attachment,

Understand the facts of impermanence,

Nonexistence, and suffering.

“Those with steadfast intelligence who,

For the sake of nirvāṇa free of grasping,

Restrain themselves properly through the Dharma

And do not get caught up in concepts

“Will understand what is difficult to recognize:

The fact that all phenomena

Lack essence, are devoid of affliction and grasping,

And are detached and empty.

“Those who know how to explain the Dharma

And do not overly conceptualize what they say

Will understand without grasping;

This is the way to be free of concepts.

“Those who dismantle signs

And recognize signlessness

Will not develop notions

About abandoning phenomena.

“They comprehend the meaning

Explained by the perfect buddhas,

Realize it, and are skilled in teaching.

It is they who recognize equality.

“Those who correctly come to the conviction

That all phenomena are beyond limits

Will realize that this way

Is sameness, beyond measure.

“Those who realize that phenomena

Are devoid of names and characteristics

Will develop acceptance

And comprehend this meaning.

“They will fully comprehend

What is special about aspiration

And will never act against

The essence of resolve.

“These steadfast ones fully understand

This tradition of truth.

There are no phenomena

That cause them any doubt.

“Those who, using their insight,

Fully discern the features of phenomena

And who definitively know

How to work with what is featureless

“Will know and uphold

The details of this teaching style

And will gain the qualities and fearlessness

Of the buddhas.

“Those who do not reify concepts of phenomena

Or conceptually regard them as equal

Will know how to work with all phenomena

And be free of both passion and delusion.

“Those who do not presume to exhaust the aggregates

For the sake of cessation and tranquility

Will correctly attain

This Dharma of equality.

“Those who continue to cultivate

Both love and compassion

And strive to help all beings

Will gain unsurpassed realization.

“Those who are free of the notion of being

And understand the teaching that there are no beings

Will correctly avoid reifying the fact

That phenomena are beyond reification.

“Those who hear this instruction

And quickly gain faith in it

Will behold Maitreya, the perfect buddha,

The foremost of humans.

“Those fine people who encounter this instruction

And become pleased

When they hear it

Also delight me.

“Those fine people who develop

Undivided faith in the Thus-Gone One

Will become overjoyed

When they hear these instructions.

“Those who long to lay eyes

On the victorious ones of this fortunate eon

Will please those victorious ones

If they train well in this approach.

“Those who long to lay eyes on

Amitāyus, Mahātejas,

Akṣobhya, and Mahāyaśas

Should train in this approach.

“Those who seek tranquility

And sublime awakening, so difficult to see,

And who wish to become universal monarchs

Should train in this approach.

“Those who wish to become true experts

In this unsurpassed approach to dhāraṇī

Should train well in this instruction

And always remain vigilant.

“Those who chiefly and constantly

Develop sublime and vast aspirations

And now wish to realize awakening

Should train in these instructions.

“The unexcelled seal,

Definitively expressed in this discourse,

Is also explained in the dhāraṇī

That describes all phenomena.

“All phenomena are said to be

Included within this dhāraṇī.

They have the quality of space,

Clearly defined in the sense of infinitude.

“From among these phenomena

The gateway that reveals the gateway has been well described.

This dhāraṇī comes about

For the sake of perfecting expertise.

“This definitive teaching on insight

Enables an understanding of all phenomena.

In order to gain expertise,

You should possess insight.

“Understand the Buddha’s qualities

Presented in this discourse.

The unsurpassed branches of awakening

Are expressed here implicitly.

“Expertise in the distinctions of insight

Has also been explained here.

Train yourself in what are unexcelled—

The factors conducive to awakening.

“Expertise in the unsurpassed way

Has also been described in this instruction.

Preach this teaching

While relying on wisdom and method.

“Train in this unsurpassed instruction

On the nature of phenomena,

And teach to others

Its ambrosial meaning.

“Learned ones who long

For awakened wisdom free of attachment

Will attain unsurpassed wisdom

If they train in these topics.

“I have trained in this instruction as well,

For innumerable eons in the past—

Countless millions of eons.

This way is one of tranquility.

“In the past, I have also served

Many thousands of buddhas.

For that reason, I have understood and realized

All these unsurpassed instructions.

“I have worked for your vast benefit

And that of an unfathomable number of beings.

Because of this,

I have achieved this dhāraṇī.

“Learned ones who practice

Just a single word from this

Seal of the dhāraṇī gateway

Will embark on this way.

“My wisdom is immeasurable,

Infinite, and unsurpassed.

I have expounded on this teaching

Through my tremendous wisdom.

“Those intelligent and fearless ones

Who seek realization conducive to awakening

Should genuinely endeavor

In this way of truth.

“Those learned ones who pursue

The many illuminations of insight

Should serve the Buddha

And train in these ways.

“Those intelligent ones who wish

To turn the Dharma wheel

And blow the Dharma conch

Should train in this instruction.

“Those people who wish

To emit limitless light rays

And who strive for the Buddha’s Dharma

Should genuinely train in this instruction.

“Those sublime beings who wish to outshine

The whole world with its gods

Should train in this discourse

That definitively resolves all phenomena.

“My wisdom is immeasurable,

As are my wisdom endeavors.

Those who seek the Buddha’s wisdom

Should train in accordance with this.

“All those who pursue awakened wisdom

Free of conceptual elaboration

And wish to teach the way of sublime wisdom

Should train in this meaning.

“Those who wish to teach and expound

On wisdom free of attachment

Should train in this instruction

And reveal its nectar.

“Those who wish to illuminate

The countless individual world systems

Should genuinely train

In this instruction.

“This gateway is unsurpassed;

It purifies all phenomena.

In this discourse the purity

Of all things is clearly explained.

“Here, the Omniscient One, the Foremost of Humans

Has taught this unsurpassed discourse

To the bodhisattvas

In a most extensive way.

“Therefore, Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas should master this discourse
in order to benefit beings. They should
develop faith in this Dharma way, gather its teachings, and keep it in
written form in order to preserve it for a long time. Anantavyūha, those who
hear this instruction in the future and bring the Thus-Gone One to mind with
a sense of joy and happiness will gain the thus-gone ones’ infinite Dharma
treasury, acquire perfect eloquence, and swiftly achieve power over all
phenomena. They will amass wondrous buddha realms, śrāvakas, and
bodhisattvas.

“Anantavyūha, this instruction on purifying the dhāraṇī gateway
will manifest for those bodhisattvas who maintain the freedom from
conceptual elaboration intrinsic to all phenomena; they will also come to
possess countless inconceivable and extraordinary qualities. Anantavyūha,
this was the third section in the discourse that teaches the dhāraṇī
gateway.

“Therefore, Anantavyūha, bodhisattvas who wish to train as I did
should follow a spiritual friend, forsake unwholesome companions, preserve
these teachings, and even forsake life and limb to uphold this dhāraṇī seal.
Anantavyūha, take as an analogy the full moon of the middle autumn month,
which, surrounded by stars, is so bright and resplendent. In a similar way,
everything included in this section of instructions on the dhāraṇī seal is
lovely and magnificent, as it subsumes and distills all other discourses.
With great devotion and having grown into boundless eloquence, bodhisattvas
should yearn for a state of vigilance in this. What is this kind of vigilance like? It is to remain free
of concepts as one gains both definitive understanding through the proper
investigation of these teachings and a pure acceptance of the realization
that aligns with it.

“Bodhisattvas who wish to cultivate this state of vigilance should,
with their expertise in the teachings, strive with respect and reverence to
ensure that these teachings will be preserved for a long time. They should
write them down and teach them to those who yearn for and strive to reach
awakening. They should always wear them, teach on them, recite them, write
them out, and expound on their meaning. They should not be secretive with
this Dharma gateway but be liberal in discussing it, just as they have
internalized it. If you wish for all sentient beings to gain the Buddha’s
unsurpassed teachings, you should ensure that they never part from them.

“Among bodhisattvas who are oriented in this way, there are none
who have failed to reach accomplishment in the Dharma or who have failed to
realize its meaning. Anantavyūha, since there is nothing left unexpressed in
this Dharma gateway, please retain this section of instruction on the
purification of the dhāraṇī gateway in order to bring welfare and benefit to
all beings.”

The Blessed One then advised the long-lived Ānanda, “Ānanda, please
retain the exposition of this Dharma gateway.”

Ānanda replied, “Blessed One, I will retain it by the Thus-Gone
One’s power! Blessed One, limitless Dharma gateways will manifest to those
who possess this Dharma gateway.”

The Blessed One continued, “Indeed, Ānanda, numerous Dharma
gateways will manifest to those who, by the Thus-Gone One’s power, have
faith in this Dharma gateway and who uphold and venerate it. Therefore,
Ānanda, please retain this Dharma gateway,
which is a treasury of the Thus-Gone One’s numerous teachings. Ānanda, by
teaching this Dharma gateway, countless bodhisattvas in this assembly will
come to dwell in the great light of the Dharma. By that light of Dharma they
will actualize the Dharma teachings of many thousands of buddhas, approach
omniscient wisdom more closely, and have all their wishes fulfilled in a
continuous stream.

“Ānanda, notice how the Thus-Gone One explains with words and signs
the profound nature of phenomena, which is beyond characteristics. Although
he describes the nature of phenomena and refines the immaculate view, there
is no one who teaches and nothing whatsoever being taught. Ānanda, this
Dharma gateway is the proper way to reach limitless wisdom. By teaching this
Dharma gateway, countless bodhisattvas will develop acceptance in realizing
the unborn nature of phenomena, and countless beings will become oriented
toward awakening. Ānanda, all those who engender the awakening mind for the
first time and orient themselves toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening
will, after countless eons, fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood and become free within the state of boundless eloquence.”

The Blessed One then emitted light rays to consecrate this Dharma
gateway that teaches the dhāraṇī seal. As these light rays spread throughout
the countless world systems, all the beings who inhabit those worlds heard
this Dharma exposition that teaches the dhāraṇī seal. Upon hearing it, they
developed the factors conducive to awakening, and those beings living in these countless world systems
gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

At that moment, all beings were overjoyed. A shower of divine
flowers rained down, and all the bodhisattvas present in the assembly
exclaimed, “May all beings achieve the wisdom of buddhahood!”

The bodhisattva Anantapratibhāna then addressed the Blessed One,
asking, “Blessed One, what is the name of this Dharma discourse? How should
it be remembered?”

The Blessed One replied, “Anantapratibhāna, remember it as
The Teaching on the King of Dhāraṇīs, The
Boundless Eloquence, The Purification of the
Dhāraṇī Seal, and The Expertise in Gathering the
Three Collections. Anantapratibhāna, this is the Dharma
gateway for expertise in the collection of all topics. This Dharma gateway
illuminates all phenomena and eliminates all the bodhisattvas’ doubts. It is
my instruction.”

At that moment, the entire assembly scattered flowers of five
colors over the Blessed One. When the Blessed One had spoken, the
bodhisattvas, the entirety of the audience that was present, and the world
with all its gods, gandharvas, humans, and asuras rejoiced and praised the
Blessed One’s words.

This concludes The
Teaching on the Purification of Boundless Gateways, the
second of the one hundred thousand sections of the Dharma
discourse known as The Noble Great Heap of Jewels.

Colophon

Translated, edited, and finalized by the Indian preceptor
Surendrabodhi and the translator-editor Bandé Paltsek Rakṣita.

Notes

Abbreviations

C
Choné Kangyur

H
Lhasa Kangyur

J
Lithang Kangyur

K
Kangxi Kangyur

KY

Yongle Kangyur

L
Shelkar Kangyur

N
Narthang Kangyur

S
Stok Palace Manuscript

Bibliography

Faithless

ma dad
མ་དད།

Paltsek Rakṣita

dpal brtsegs rak+Shi ta
དཔལ་བརྩེགས་རཀྵི་ཏ།

The Mixed One

’dres pa
འདྲེས་པ།

Untruthful One

bden mi ldan
བདེན་མི་ལྡན།

Truthful

bden pa
བདེན་པ།