大般若波羅蜜多經
Chinese title:大般若波羅蜜多經
XXXXVII. CHAPTER ON SUCHNESS
07
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the perfection of generosity regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Do the perfections of ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the perfection of generosity, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the perfection of ethical discipline through prajnaparamita, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the perfection of generosity regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the perfection of ethical discipline through the suchness of prajnaparamita regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the perfection of generosity, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the perfection of ethical discipline through the suchness of prajnaparamita, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the emptiness of the internal regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Do the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the emptiness of the internal, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the emptiness of the external through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the emptiness of the internal regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the emptiness of the external through the suchness of the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the emptiness of the internal, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the emptiness of the external through the suchness of the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does suchness regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Do the dharma realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature free from arising, the fixity of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from suchness, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the dharma realm through the inconceivable realm, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of suchness regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the dharma realm through the suchness of the inconceivable realm regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of suchness, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the dharma realm through the suchness of the inconceivable realm, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Do the four foundations of mindfulness regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Do the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the four foundations of mindfulness, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the four right efforts through the Noble Eightfold Path, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the four foundations of mindfulness regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of the four right efforts through the suchness of the Noble Eightfold Path regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the four foundations of mindfulness, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Apart from the suchness of the four right efforts through the suchness of the Noble Eightfold Path, is there any dharma that regresses from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the Noble Truth of suffering regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Do the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the noble truth of suffering, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the noble truths of the origin of suffering, cessation, and the path, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the noble truth of suffering fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the noble truths of the origin of suffering, cessation, and the path fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the noble truth of suffering, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the noble truths of the origin of suffering, cessation, and the path, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the four dhyanas fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the four dhyanas, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the four dhyanas fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the four dhyanas, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the eight liberations fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the eight liberations, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the eight liberations fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the eight liberations, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the gateway to liberation through emptiness fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the gateway to liberation through emptiness, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the gateway to liberation through emptiness fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the gateway to liberation through emptiness, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the five kinds of eyes fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the six superknowledges fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the five kinds of eyes, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the six superknowledges, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the five kinds of eyes fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Can the suchness of the six superknowledges fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the five kinds of eyes, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra, what do you think? Apart from the suchness of the six superknowledges, is there any dharma that can fall away from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the samadhi gateways regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the dharani gateways regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the samadhi gateways, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the dharani gateways, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the samadhi gateways regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the dharani gateways regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the samadhi gateways, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the dharani gateways, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the ten powers of a Buddha regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the ten powers of a Buddha, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the four fearlessnesses through to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the ten powers of a Buddha regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the four fearlessnesses through to the true suchness of the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the ten powers of a Buddha, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the four fearlessnesses through to the true suchness of the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the fruit of stream-entry regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the fruit of stream-entry, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the fruit of stream-entry regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the fruit of stream-entry, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the fruit of a pratyekabuddha regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the fruit of a pratyekabuddha regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can all-knowledge regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from all-knowledge, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of all-knowledge regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Can the true suchness of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of all-knowledge, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Shariputra! What do you think? Apart from the true suchness of the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, is there any dharma that can regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
Shariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to Shariputra: If all dharmas are certain and abiding, utterly without anything whatsoever, and entirely ungraspable, then what dharmas can be said to regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
At that time, Sariputra said to the Venerable Subhuti: According to what you have said, within the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas there is absolutely no dharma, nor is there any bodhisattva of whom it can be said that he retreats from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. If so, why did the Buddha speak of three kinds of sentient beings abiding in the Bodhisattva Vehicle? He should have spoken of only one. Furthermore, according to what you have said, there should not be three bodhisattva vehicles, but only the single Vehicle of Perfect Enlightenment.
At that time, the Venerable Purna said to Sariputra: You should first ask Subhuti whether there is only one Bodhisattva Vehicle, and only afterward raise the objection that three distinct vehicles should not be established and that there should be only the single Vehicle of Perfect Enlightenment.
At that time, Sariputra asked Subhuti:
– Is there only one Bodhisattva Vehicle?
Then Subhuti said to Sariputra:
– Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Within the suchness of all dharmas, are there three distinct characteristics of sentient beings abiding in the Bodhisattva Vehicle—namely, those who are certain to retreat from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, those who are certain not to retreat, and those whose status is indeterminate?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Within the suchness of all dharmas, are there three distinct bodhisattva vehicles: the Sravaka Bodhisattva Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Bodhisattva Vehicle, and the Perfect Enlightenment Bodhisattva Vehicle?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Within the suchness of all dharmas, is there truly a single Bodhisattva Vehicle that is certain never to retreat?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Within the suchness of all dharmas, is there truly a single Perfect Enlightenment Bodhisattva Vehicle?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Does the suchness of all dharmas possess one, two, or three characteristics?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Venerable Sariputra! What do you think? Within the suchness of all dharmas, is there any single dharma or any single bodhisattva that can be apprehended?
Sariputra replied: No, Subhuti!
Then Subhuti said to Sariputra: If all dharmas are firmly established and abiding, utterly devoid of anything whatsoever, and entirely unapprehendable, how can Sariputra think: Such a bodhisattva is certain to retreat from the Buddha’s unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; such a bodhisattva is certain not to retreat from the Buddha’s unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; such a bodhisattva is indeterminate regarding the Buddha’s unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; such a bodhisattva belongs to the Sravaka Vehicle; such a bodhisattva belongs to the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle; and such a bodhisattva belongs to the Vehicle of Perfect Enlightenment? Are these three, or are they one?
Venerable Sariputra! If a great bodhisattva has absolutely no attainment with regard to any dharma; can also properly have faith in and understand the suchness of all dharmas while having absolutely no attainment; has no attainment with regard to bodhisattvas; and has no attainment with regard to the Buddha’s unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, you should know that this is a true great bodhisattva.
Venerable Sariputra! If great bodhisattvas hear it taught that the characteristic of the suchness of all dharmas is unapprehendable, and their minds are neither startled, frightened, terrified, doubtful, regretful, retreating, nor dejected, then those great bodhisattvas will swiftly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
At that time, the Buddha said to the Venerable Subhuti:
– Subhuti! Excellent! Excellent! You are now able to expound the essential Dharma for the sake of the great bodhisattvas. Everything you have said has been empowered by the Tathagata’s majestic spiritual power and is not due to your own power.
Subhuti! If great bodhisattvas develop profound faith and understanding regarding the unapprehendable characteristic of the suchness of all dharmas, know that all dharmas have no differentiated characteristics, and, upon hearing it taught that the characteristic of the suchness of all dharmas is unapprehendable, their minds are neither startled, frightened, terrified, doubtful, regretful, retreating, nor dejected, then those great bodhisattvas will swiftly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
At that time, Sariputra said to the Buddha:
– Blessed One! If great bodhisattvas accomplish this Dharma, will they swiftly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment?
The Buddha said: Sariputra! So it is! So it is! If great bodhisattvas accomplish this Dharma, they will swiftly attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and will not fall to the stages of the Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas.
XXXXVIII. CHAPTER ON THE ABIDING OF BODHISATTVAS
01
At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha: Blessed One! If great bodhisattvas wish to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, where should they abide, and how should they abide?
The Buddha said: “Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, toward all sentient beings he should abide with a mind of equality and should not abide with a mind of inequality; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of equality and should not arouse a mind of inequality; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind of equality and should not speak to them with a mind of inequality; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of great loving-kindness and should not arouse a mind of anger; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind of great loving-kindness and should not speak to them with a mind of anger;
toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of great compassion and should not harbor a mind intent on harming them; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind of great compassion and should not speak to them with a mind intent on harming them; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of great sympathetic joy and should not arouse a mind of jealousy; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind of great sympathetic joy and should not speak to them with a mind of jealousy; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of great equanimity and should not arouse a mind of partiality or factionalism; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind of great equanimity and should not speak to them with a mind of partiality or factionalism;
toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of reverence and should not arouse a mind of arrogance; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind of reverence and should not speak to them with a mind of arrogance; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a straightforward and sincere mind and should not arouse a deceitful and flattering mind; he should speak to all sentient beings with a straightforward and sincere mind and should not speak to them with a deceitful and flattering mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a gentle mind and should not arouse an obstinate mind; he should speak to all sentient beings with a gentle mind and should not speak to them with an obstinate mind;
toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind intent on benefiting them and should not arouse a mind that does not benefit them; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind intent on benefiting them and should not speak to them with a mind that does not benefit them; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind intent on their peace and happiness and should not arouse a mind that does not conduce to their peace and happiness; he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind intent on their peace and happiness and should not speak to them with a mind that does not conduce to their peace and happiness; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind free from attachment and should not arouse an attached mind;
he should speak to all sentient beings with a mind free from attachment and should not speak to them with an attached mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as fathers and mothers, as elder and younger brothers, as elder and younger sisters, as sons and daughters, and as kinsfolk, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as friends, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as preceptors, teachers, disciples, and fellow students, and he should also speak to them with this mind;
toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arhats, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as pratyekabuddhas, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as great bodhisattvas, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind that regards them as Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened Ones, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind of reverence, offering, honor, and praise, and he should also speak to them with this mind;
toward all sentient beings he should arouse a mind intent on rescuing, cherishing, and protecting them, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse the understanding that they are ultimately empty, without anything possessed, and incapable of being apprehended, and he should also speak to them with this mind; toward all sentient beings he should arouse the understanding of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and he should also speak to them with this mind.
“Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should employ non-apprehension as the skillful means and abide herein.
“Furthermore, Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself abstain from taking life, encourage others to abstain from taking life, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of abstaining from taking life, and joyfully praise those who abstain from taking life. He should himself abstain from taking what has not been given and from sexual misconduct, encourage others to abstain from taking what has not been given and from sexual misconduct, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of abstaining from taking what has not been given and from sexual misconduct, and joyfully praise those who abstain from taking what has not been given and from sexual misconduct.
“Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself abstain from false speech, encourage others to abstain from false speech, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of abstaining from false speech, and joyfully praise those who abstain from false speech. He should himself abstain from harsh speech, divisive speech, and frivolous speech, encourage others to abstain from harsh speech, divisive speech, and frivolous speech, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of abstaining from harsh speech, divisive speech, and frivolous speech, and joyfully praise those who abstain from harsh speech, divisive speech, and frivolous speech.
“Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself abstain from covetousness, encourage others to abstain from covetousness, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of abstaining from covetousness, and joyfully praise those who abstain from covetousness. He should himself abstain from anger and wrong views, encourage others to abstain from anger and wrong views, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of abstaining from anger and wrong views, and joyfully praise those who abstain from anger and wrong views.
“Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself cultivate the first dhyana, encourage others to cultivate the first dhyana, constantly proclaim the Dharma of cultivating the first dhyana, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the first dhyana. He should himself cultivate the second, third, and fourth dhyanas, encourage others to cultivate the second, third, and fourth dhyanas, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of cultivating the second, third, and fourth dhyanas, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the second, third, and fourth dhyanas.
“Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself cultivate the immeasurable loving-kindness, encourage others to cultivate the immeasurable loving-kindness, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of cultivating the immeasurable loving-kindness, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the immeasurable loving-kindness. He should himself cultivate the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, encourage others to cultivate the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, constantly and rightly proclaim the Dharma of cultivating the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, and also joyfully praise those who cultivate the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.”
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally cultivate the concentration of the Sphere of Infinite Space, encourage others to cultivate the concentration of the Sphere of Infinite Space, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the concentration of the Sphere of Infinite Space, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the concentration of the Sphere of Infinite Space.
They should personally cultivate the concentrations of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; encourage others to cultivate the concentrations of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the concentrations of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; and joyfully praise those who cultivate the concentrations of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally perfect the prajnaparamita of generosity, encourage others to perfect the prajnaparamita of generosity, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of perfecting the prajnaparamita of generosity, and joyfully praise those who perfect the prajnaparamita of generosity. They should personally perfect the prajnaparamitas of pure ethical conduct, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; encourage others to perfect the prajnaparamitas of pure ethical conduct, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna;
constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of perfecting the prajnaparamitas of pure ethical conduct, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; and joyfully praise those who perfect the prajnaparamitas of pure ethical conduct, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally abide in the emptiness of the internal, encourage others to abide in the emptiness of the internal, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of abiding in the emptiness of the internal, and joyfully praise others who abide in the emptiness of the internal. They should personally abide in the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of essential nature,
the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.
They should also encourage others to abide in the emptiness of the external through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of abiding in the emptiness of the external through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence, and joyfully praise those who abide in the emptiness of the external through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally abide in suchness, encourage others to abide in suchness, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of abiding in suchness, and joyfully praise those who abide in suchness. They should personally abide in the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the true limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm.
They should also encourage others to abide in the dharma-dhatu through the inconceivable realm, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of abiding in the dharma-dhatu through the inconceivable realm, and joyfully praise those who abide in the dharma-dhatu through the inconceivable realm.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, encourage others to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness. They should personally cultivate the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations; encourage others to cultivate the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations; constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations;
and joyfully praise those who cultivate the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally cultivate the Noble Truth of suffering, encourage others to cultivate the Noble Truth of suffering, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the Noble Truth of suffering, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the Noble Truth of suffering. They should personally cultivate the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path; encourage others to cultivate the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path; constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path;
and joyfully praise those who cultivate the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally cultivate the eight liberations, encourage others to cultivate the eight liberations, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the eight liberations, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the eight liberations. They should personally cultivate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality; encourage others to cultivate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality; constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality;
and joyfully praise those who cultivate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten spheres of totality.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness, encourage others to cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the liberation gateway of emptiness, and joyfully praise those who cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness. They should personally cultivate the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; encourage others to cultivate the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of cultivating the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; and joyfully praise those who cultivate the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally perfect the Stage of Great Joy, encourage others to perfect the Stage of Great Joy, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of perfecting the Stage of Great Joy, and joyfully praise those who perfect the Stage of Great Joy. They should personally perfect the Stage of Stainlessness, the Stage of Radiance, the Stage of Blazing Wisdom, the Stage Difficult to Conquer, the Stage of Presence, the Stage of Far-Reaching, the Stage of Immovability, the Stage of Excellent Wisdom, and the Stage of the Dharma Cloud.
They should also encourage others to perfect the Stage of Stainlessness through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of perfecting the Stage of Stainlessness through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, and joyfully praise those who perfect the Stage of Stainlessness through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud.
Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they should personally perfect the five kinds of eyes, encourage others to perfect the five kinds of eyes, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of perfecting the five kinds of eyes, and joyfully praise those who perfect the teaching of the five kinds of eyes. They should personally perfect the six superknowledges, encourage others to perfect the six superknowledges, constantly and properly proclaim the teaching of perfecting the six superknowledges, and joyfully praise those who perfect the six superknowledges.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself perfect the gateway of samadhi, encourage others to perfect the gateway of samadhi, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching for perfecting the gateway of samadhi, and joyfully praise those who perfect the gateway of samadhi. He should himself perfect the gateway of dharani, encourage others to perfect the gateway of dharani, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching for perfecting the gateway of dharani, and joyfully praise those who perfect the gateway of dharani.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself perfect the ten powers of a Buddha, encourage others to perfect the ten powers of a Buddha, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching for perfecting the ten powers of a Buddha, and joyfully praise those who perfect the ten powers of a Buddha. He should himself perfect the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; encourage others to perfect the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha;
constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching for perfecting the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; and joyfully praise those who perfect the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination in both forward and reverse order, encourage others to contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination in both forward and reverse order, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination in both forward and reverse order, and joyfully praise those who contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination in both forward and reverse order.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself fully know suffering, abandon its origin, realize its cessation, and cultivate the path; encourage others to fully know suffering, abandon its origin, realize its cessation, and cultivate the path; constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of fully knowing suffering, abandoning its origin, realizing its cessation, and cultivating the path; and joyfully praise those who fully know suffering, abandon its origin, realize its cessation, and cultivate the path.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruit of stream-entry, yet not actually realize and attain the fruit of stream-entry; encourage others to arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruit of stream-entry and actually realize and attain the fruit of stream-entry; constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of arousing the wisdom that realizes the fruit of stream-entry and actually realizing and attaining the fruit of stream-entry; and joyfully praise those who arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruit of stream-entry and actually realize and attain the fruit of stream-entry.
He should himself arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship, yet not actually realize and attain the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship; encourage others to arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship and actually realize and attain the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship; constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of arousing the wisdom that realizes the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship and actually realizing and attaining the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship;
and joyfully praise those who arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship and actually realize and attain the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruit of a pratyekabuddha, yet not actually realize and attain the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; encourage others to arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruit of a pratyekabuddha and actually realize and attain the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of arousing the wisdom that realizes the fruit of a pratyekabuddha yet not actually realizing and attaining the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; and joyfully praise those who arouse the wisdom that realizes the fruit of a pratyekabuddha and actually realize and attain the fruit of a pratyekabuddha.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself enter the bodhisattva's stage of the certainty of rightness, beyond birth; encourage others to enter the bodhisattva's stage of the certainty of rightness, beyond birth; constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of entering the bodhisattva's stage of the certainty of rightness, beyond birth; and joyfully praise those who enter the bodhisattva's stage of the certainty of rightness, beyond birth.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself adorn and purify a Buddha-land, encourage others to adorn and purify a Buddha-land, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of adorning and purifying a Buddha-land, and joyfully praise those who adorn and purify a Buddha-land.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself bring sentient beings to maturity, teach others to bring sentient beings to maturity, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of bringing sentient beings to maturity, and joyfully praise those who bring sentient beings to maturity.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself develop the bodhisattva's supernormal powers, teach others to develop the bodhisattva's supernormal powers, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of developing the bodhisattva's supernormal powers, and joyfully praise those who develop the bodhisattva's supernormal powers.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself arouse the knowledge of all things, teach others to arouse the knowledge of all things, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of arousing the knowledge of all things, and joyfully praise those who arouse the knowledge of all things. He should himself arouse the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, teach others to arouse the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of arousing the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects, and joyfully praise those who arouse the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects.
Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva wishes to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he should himself abandon all continuously persisting habitual tendencies of the afflictions, encourage others to abandon all continuously persisting habitual tendencies of the afflictions, constantly and rightly proclaim the teaching of abandoning all continuously persisting habitual tendencies of the afflictions, and joyfully praise those who abandon all continuously persisting habitual tendencies of the afflictions.
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