大般若波羅蜜多經

LX. CHAPTER ON MUTUAL INCLUSION

02

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, include and draw in the perfection of patience?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, while abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, cultivates and trains in patience, contemplating form as a mass of foam, feeling as a bubble, perception as a mirage, volitional formations as a plantain tree, and consciousness as an illusion; then, while contemplating in this way, he constantly maintains the perception that the five appropriated skandhas are insubstantial. He further reflects thus: ‘All dharmas are empty and devoid of self and what belongs to a self.

Whose form is form? Whose feeling is feeling? Whose perception is perception?

Whose volitional formations are volitional formations? Whose consciousness is consciousness?’ While contemplating in this way, he further reflects thus: ‘All dharmas are empty, apart from self and what belongs to a self. Who cuts, and who is cut?

Who reviles, and who is reviled? Moreover, concerning these matters, who becomes angry?’ Relying upon meditative concentration, the bodhisattva contemplates and carefully examines in this way, and is always fully endowed with patience. He also enables all sentient beings equally to share in the roots of virtue arising from such patience, and dedicates them to the attainment of unsurpassed awakening, employing non-apprehension as skillful means.

When he thus dedicates them to great bodhi, he remains free from the three thoughts, namely: who makes the dedication, for what purpose the dedication is made, and to what the dedication is directed. When these three thoughts never arise, Subhuti, this is how a great bodhisattva, while abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, includes and draws in the perfection of patience.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, while abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, include and draw in the perfection of diligence?”

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, abiding in dhyana-paramita, arouses courageous and vigorous diligence—that is, the great bodhisattva, secluded from sensual desires and evil, unwholesome dharmas, with initial application and sustained application, with joy and bliss born of seclusion, enters and fully abides in the first dhyana; with initial and sustained application stilled, inwardly serene and with the mind unified, without initial or sustained application, with joy and bliss born of concentration, enters and fully abides in the second dhyana; detached from joy, abiding in equanimity, endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, experiencing bliss throughout the body—that of which the Noble Ones declare, “One abides in equanimity, mindful and blissful”—enters and fully abides in the third dhyana; having abandoned pleasure and abandoned pain, with gladness and sorrow having previously disappeared, neither painful nor pleasant, with purity of mindfulness through equanimity, enters and fully abides in the fourth dhyana. When the bodhisattva cultivates dhyana in this way, he apprehends no characteristics in any of the dhyanas or their factors.

He arouses the superior superknowledge of miraculous powers and is able to perform boundlessly many great miraculous deeds: he causes worlds throughout the ten directions to quake; transforms one into many and many into one; appears or disappears; passes swiftly and unobstructedly through mountains, cliffs, and walls as though through empty space; moves through the sky like a bird; enters and emerges from the earth as though entering and emerging from water; walks upon water as though walking upon land; emits smoke and flames from his body like a blazing highland; pours forth streams of water from his body like melting snow mountains;

and, with spiritual potency and majestic power that even the sun and moon can scarcely equal, covers their light with his hand, extending as far as the Pure Abodes.

He transforms his body freely and performs miraculous transformations such as these in boundless number.

He arouses the superior superknowledge of the divine ear, clear and pure beyond the ears of devas and humans, and is able to hear just as they truly are the various sounds of sentient and insentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions. That is, he hears all the sounds of the hells, animals, the realm of ghosts, humans, devas, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas; sounds disparaging samsara and praising nirvana; sounds renouncing the conditioned and proceeding toward bodhi; sounds weary of the contaminated and delighting in the uncontaminated; sounds extolling the Three Jewels and subduing heterodox paths; sounds of analytical discussion and the chanting of scriptures;

sounds exhorting beings to abandon evil dharmas and causing them to cultivate wholesome dharmas; and sounds of rescuing beings from suffering and calamity.

Whether such sounds are loud or soft, he hears them all without obstruction.

He develops the superior superknowledge of others’ minds and is able to know just as they truly are the minds and mental factors of other sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions. That is, he knows comprehensively whether the minds of other sentient beings are accompanied by greed or free from greed, accompanied by hatred or free from hatred, accompanied by delusion or free from delusion, accompanied by craving or free from craving, accompanied by grasping or free from grasping, collected or distracted, narrow or expansive, exalted or lowly, tranquil or untranquil, agitated or unagitated, concentrated or unconcentrated, liberated or unliberated, contaminated or uncontaminated, cultivated or uncultivated,

directed toward higher attainment or not directed toward higher attainment.

He knows all such minds just as they truly are.

He develops the superior superknowledge of recollecting past lives and remembers and knows just as they truly are the past experiences of immeasurable sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions. According to his recollection, he remembers the past experiences of himself or others over the span of one thought, ten thoughts, a hundred thoughts, a thousand thoughts, or many hundreds of thousands of thoughts; or he remembers past experiences over the span of one day, ten days, a hundred days, a thousand days, or many hundreds of thousands of days; or he remembers past experiences over the span of one month, ten months, a hundred months, a thousand months, or many hundreds of thousands of months;

or he remembers past experiences over the span of one year, ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years, or many hundreds of thousands of years; or he remembers past experiences over the span of one kalpa, ten kalpas, a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, many hundreds of thousands of kalpas, and even immeasurable and innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis and millions of kalpas.

Or, according to his recollection, he remembers events in former lives: “At that time and in that place, I had such a name, such a family, such a lineage, such food and drink, remained for such a length of time, had such a lifespan, lived for such a duration, experienced such pleasures, and underwent such sufferings. Dying there, I was born here; dying here, I was born there. Such was my appearance, and such was my speech.” Whether briefly or in detail, whether concerning himself or others, he knows all past events according to his recollection.

He develops the superior superknowledge of the divine eye, clear and pure beyond the eyes of devas and humans, and is able to see just as they truly are the various forms of sentient and insentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions. That is, he sees completely the births and deaths of sentient beings, their refined and coarse forms, their good and evil destinies, and whether they are superior or inferior.

Having seen their various forms in this way, he further knows how sentient beings undergo different births according to the functioning of the power of karma: “These sentient beings accomplished evil bodily conduct, accomplished evil verbal conduct, accomplished evil mental conduct, reviled the Noble Ones, and acted from wrong views. When their bodies break up and their lives end, they will fall into evil destinies: they may be born in the hells, among animals, in the realm of ghosts, or among lowly and cruel sentient beings in border regions, where they undergo many kinds of suffering.

These other sentient beings accomplished excellent bodily conduct, accomplished excellent verbal conduct, accomplished excellent mental conduct, praised the Noble Ones, and acted from right view. When their bodies break up and their lives end, they will be born in good destinies: they may be born among devas or humans, where they enjoy many pleasures.” He knows just as they truly are all the different fruits experienced by sentient beings according to their various karmas.

Abiding in these five kinds of sublime superknowledge, the bodhisattva travels from one Buddha-land to another, draws near to and makes offerings to the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and asks them about the profound meaning of the Dharma. He plants immeasurable, sublime roots of virtue, brings sentient beings to maturity, adorns and purifies Buddha-lands, and diligently cultivates the practices of a bodhisattva. Through these roots of virtue, he does not seek the stages of a sravaka or pratyekabuddha, but shares them equally with all sentient beings and dedicates them to unsurpassed perfect awakening, taking non-attainment as skillful means.

When dedicating them to great bodhi, he remains entirely free from three thoughts: who makes the dedication, what is being dedicated, and to what it is dedicated. When these three kinds of thought never arise, then, Subhuti, this is how a great bodhisattva, abiding in dhyana-paramita, draws forth and encompasses virya-paramita.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, abiding in dhyana-paramita, draw forth and encompass prajnaparamita?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, contemplates form as ungraspable, contemplates feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as ungraspable; contemplates the eye ayatana as ungraspable, contemplates the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas as ungraspable; contemplates the form ayatana as ungraspable, contemplates the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma ayatanas as ungraspable; contemplates the eye dhatu as ungraspable, contemplates the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus as ungraspable; contemplates the form dhatu as ungraspable, contemplates the sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharma dhatus as ungraspable; contemplates the eye-consciousness dhatu as ungraspable, contemplates the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus as ungraspable; contemplates eye-contact as ungraspable, contemplates ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as ungraspable; contemplates the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition as ungraspable, contemplates the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition as ungraspable; contemplates the earth dhatu as ungraspable, contemplates the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus as ungraspable; contemplates ignorance as ungraspable, contemplates formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, dejection, and distress as ungraspable; contemplates the perfection of generosity as ungraspable, contemplates the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita as ungraspable; contemplates the emptiness of internal dharmas as ungraspable, contemplates the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of internal and external dharmas, 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 immutable, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence as ungraspable; contemplates suchness as ungraspable, contemplates the Dharma realm, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the immutable nature, the nature of equality, the nature transcending birth, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm as ungraspable; contemplates the Noble Truth of suffering as ungraspable, contemplates the Noble Truths of origin, cessation, and the path as ungraspable; contemplates the four meditative absorptions as ungraspable, contemplates the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations as ungraspable; contemplates the eight liberations as ungraspable, contemplates the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totality spheres as ungraspable; contemplates the four foundations of mindfulness as ungraspable, contemplates the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path as ungraspable; contemplates the emptiness gateway to liberation as ungraspable, contemplates the signless and wishless gateways to liberation as ungraspable; contemplates the five kinds of eyes as ungraspable, contemplates the six superknowledges as ungraspable; contemplates the ten powers of a Buddha as ungraspable, contemplates the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha as ungraspable; contemplates freedom from forgetfulness as ungraspable, contemplates the nature of perpetual equanimity as ungraspable; contemplates the knowledge of all things as ungraspable, contemplates the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects as ungraspable; contemplates all dharani gateways as ungraspable, contemplates all samadhi gateways as ungraspable; contemplates the fruit of stream-entry as ungraspable, contemplates the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship as ungraspable; contemplates the attainment of a pratyekabuddha as ungraspable; contemplates all practices of great bodhisattvas as ungraspable; contemplates the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas as ungraspable; and contemplates the conditioned realm as ungraspable and the unconditioned realm as ungraspable. Because the bodhisattva thus contemplates all dharmas as ungraspable, the bodhisattva does not fabricate them; because they are not fabricated, they do not arise; because they do not arise, they do not cease; because they do not cease, they are ultimately pure, eternally abiding, and immutable. Why is this? Whether a Tathagata appears in the world or does not appear in the world, with regard to all dharmas, the nature of dharmas abides, the Dharma realm abides, the abiding of dharmas abides, and the certainty of dharmas abides; they neither arise nor cease and are eternally unchanging. That great bodhisattva’s mind is never disturbed and perpetually abides in mental attention corresponding to the knowledge of omniscience, contemplating in accordance with reality that the nature of all dharmas is utterly devoid of anything whatsoever. The bodhisattva further shares the wholesome roots of this wondrous wisdom equally with all sentient beings and dedicates them to unsurpassed awakening, taking non-apprehension as the skillful means. When thus dedicating them to great bodhi, the bodhisattva remains far removed from three thoughts: who makes the dedication, what is being dedicated, and to what the dedication is directed. When these three thoughts never arise, then, Subhuti, this is a great bodhisattva abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration and encompassing prajnaparamita.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva abide in prajnaparamita and encompass the perfection of generosity?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abides in prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva contemplates all dharmas as empty and devoid of anything whatsoever.

The Venerable Subhuti then addressed the Buddha:

– How does a great bodhisattva contemplate all dharmas as empty and devoid of anything whatsoever?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! That great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, contemplates the nature of internal emptiness, yet the nature of internal emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of external emptiness, yet the nature of external emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of internal-and-external emptiness, yet the nature of internal-and-external emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of emptiness, yet the nature of the emptiness of emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of great emptiness, yet the nature of great emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of ultimate meaning, yet the nature of the emptiness of ultimate meaning cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of the conditioned, yet the nature of the emptiness of the conditioned cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of the unconditioned, yet the nature of the emptiness of the unconditioned cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of ultimate emptiness, yet the nature of ultimate emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of boundless emptiness, yet the nature of boundless emptiness cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of dispersion, yet the nature of the emptiness of dispersion cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of the unchanging, yet the nature of the emptiness of the unchanging cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of essential nature, yet the nature of the emptiness of essential nature cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, yet the nature of the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of common characteristics, yet the nature of the emptiness of common characteristics cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of all dharmas, yet the nature of the emptiness of all dharmas cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of non-apprehensibility, yet the nature of the emptiness of non-apprehensibility cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of nonexistence, yet the nature of the emptiness of nonexistence cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of self-nature, yet the nature of the emptiness of self-nature cannot be apprehended; contemplates the nature of the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature, yet the nature of the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature cannot be apprehended. Abiding in such contemplations of the emptiness of dharmas, that great bodhisattva does not apprehend form as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the eye ayatana as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the form ayatana as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma ayatana as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the eye dhatu as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the form dhatu as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, or dharma dhatu as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the eye-consciousness dhatu as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend eye-contact as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the feelings arising in dependence upon ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the earth dhatu as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend ignorance as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, or distress as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the prajnaparamita of generosity as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the prajnaparamitas of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or wisdom as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend internal emptiness as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, 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 non-apprehensibility, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend suchness as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature transcending birth, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the Noble Truth of suffering as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the Noble Truths of origination, cessation, or the path as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the four meditative concentrations as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the four immeasurables or the four formless attainments as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the eight liberations as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, or the ten spheres of totality as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the four foundations of mindfulness as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, or the eightfold noble path as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the emptiness gateway to liberation as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the signless or wishless gateways to liberation as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the five kinds of eyes as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the six superknowledges as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the Buddha’s ten powers as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the Dharma free from forgetfulness as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the nature of perpetual equanimity as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the knowledge of all things as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the path or the knowledge of all aspects as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend any dharani gateway as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend any samadhi gateway as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the fruit of stream-entry as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the fruit of a pratyekabuddha as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend any practice of a great bodhisattva as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas as either empty or nonempty; he does not apprehend the conditioned realm as either empty or nonempty, nor does he apprehend the unconditioned realm as either empty or nonempty. Abiding in profound prajnaparamita in this way, this great bodhisattva gives to sentient beings food or drink, clothing, various kinds of incense and flowers, bedding, dwellings, lamps, seats and couches, or various kinds of vajra, mani gems, pearls, marakata gems, conch shells, jade, coral, musaragalva gems, indranila gems, vaidurya gems, and so forth...

abundant with all kinds of precious treasures, or various medicines, ointments, powdered incense, wealth, grain, and utensils; with regard to all these, the bodhisattva contemplates them as empty. Whether it is the giver, the gift, or the merit of giving, all such things are likewise contemplated as empty. At that time, the bodhisattva ultimately gives rise to neither a miserly mind nor a mind of attachment.

Why? Because this great bodhisattva practices the profound prajnaparamita, and from the first arising of the aspiration until seated upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment, such discriminations definitely do not arise. Just as the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones, have never given rise to a miserly mind or a mind of attachment, so too does this great bodhisattva, practicing the profound prajnaparamita, never again give rise to a miserly mind or a mind of attachment.

Subhuti, you should know! The profound prajnaparamita is the teacher of great bodhisattvas and is able to prevent the assembly of great bodhisattvas from giving rise to any deluded conceptual discrimination. When great bodhisattvas abide in the profound prajnaparamita in this way, their practice of giving is entirely free from defilement and attachment.

Moreover, they share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness arising from such giving and dedicate them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, using non-apprehension as skillful means. When they dedicate them toward great enlightenment in this way, they remain free from three kinds of thought: who dedicates, for what purpose the dedication is made, and toward what it is dedicated. None of these three kinds of thought ever arises.

Subhuti, this is how a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, encompasses the perfection of giving.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, encompass the perfection of pure morality?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abides in prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva does not give rise to the thoughts of a sravaka or pratyekabuddha. Why? Because this great bodhisattva contemplates that sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are all ungraspable, and that the thoughts directed toward the attainments of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, as well as their bodies and speech, are likewise ungraspable. Abiding in prajnaparamita, from the first arising of the aspiration until seated upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment, throughout the intervening period this great bodhisattva personally abstains from taking life, encourages others to abstain from taking life, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from taking life, and joyfully praises those who abstain from taking life; personally abstains from taking what is not given, encourages others to abstain from taking what is not given, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from taking what is not given, and joyfully praises those who abstain from taking what is not given; personally abstains from sexual misconduct, encourages others to abstain from sexual misconduct, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from sexual misconduct, and joyfully praises those who abstain from sexual misconduct; personally abstains from false speech, encourages others to abstain from false speech, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from false speech, and joyfully praises those who abstain from false speech; personally abstains from harsh speech, encourages others to abstain from harsh speech, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from harsh speech, and joyfully praises those who abstain from harsh speech; personally abstains from divisive speech, encourages others to abstain from divisive speech, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from divisive speech, and joyfully praises those who abstain from divisive speech; personally abstains from frivolous speech, encourages others to abstain from frivolous speech, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from frivolous speech, and joyfully praises those who abstain from frivolous speech; personally abstains from covetousness, encourages others to abstain from covetousness, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from covetousness, and joyfully praises those who abstain from covetousness; personally abstains from anger, encourages others to abstain from anger, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from anger, and joyfully praises those who abstain from anger; personally abstains from wrong views, encourages others to abstain from wrong views, does nothing contrary to the praise of the teaching of abstaining from wrong views, and joyfully praises those who abstain from wrong views. This great bodhisattva does not seek the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, or the Formless Realm by means of the roots of goodness produced through such pure morality, nor does the bodhisattva seek the attainment of a sravaka or pratyekabuddha. Instead, the bodhisattva shares equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness arising from such pure morality and dedicates them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, using non-apprehension as skillful means. When dedicating them toward great enlightenment in this way, the bodhisattva remains free from three kinds of thought: who dedicates, for what purpose the dedication is made, and toward what it is dedicated. None of these three kinds of thought ever arises. Subhuti, this is how a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, encompasses the perfection of pure morality.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, encompass the perfection of patient acceptance?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abiding in prajnaparamita gives rise to conforming acceptance, then, having attained this acceptance, the bodhisattva always thinks: Among all dharmas, there is no dharma that either arises or ceases, is either born or extinguished, or undergoes either aging or illness. Nor is there anyone who reviles or anyone who is reviled, anyone who slanders or anyone who is slandered, anyone who cuts or anyone who is cut, anyone who mutilates or anyone who is mutilated, anyone who stabs or anyone who is stabbed, anyone who injures or anyone who is injured, anyone who binds or anyone who is bound, anyone who strikes or anyone who is struck, anyone who torments or anyone who is tormented, or anyone who kills or anyone who is killed. Thus, the intrinsic nature and characteristics of all these are empty, and one should not engage in deluded conceptual discrimination concerning them. From the first arising of the aspiration until seated upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment, throughout the intervening period, even if all kinds of sentient beings were to come and disparage, rebuke, insult, and harm this great bodhisattva, pelting and injuring the bodhisattva with various knives, staves, bricks, stones, clods of earth, and so forth, cutting, mutilating, and stabbing the bodhisattva, even to the point of severing all four limbs from the body, the bodhisattva's mind would remain unchanged. The bodhisattva would think only: How exceedingly strange! Within the intrinsic nature of all dharmas there are absolutely no such things as disparagement, rebuke, insult, injury, and so forth, yet sentient beings, through deluded conceptual discrimination, regard them as truly existent and thereby generate various afflictions and evil karma, undergoing many sufferings in the present and the future. This great bodhisattva further shares equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness arising from such patient acceptance and dedicates them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, using non-apprehension as skillful means. When dedicating them toward great enlightenment in this way, the bodhisattva remains free from three kinds of thought: who dedicates, for what purpose the dedication is made, and toward what it is dedicated. None of these three kinds of thought ever arises. Subhuti, this is how a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, encompasses the perfection of patient acceptance.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How does a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, encompass the perfection of diligence?

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, if a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, exerts courageous diligence and expounds the True Dharma for sentient beings without weariness of body or mind, that great bodhisattva, abiding in the four bases of spiritual power and endowed with skillful means, is ever diligent in body and mind, never indolent and never resting. Constantly, among the sentient beings of one world, or ten worlds, or a hundred worlds, or a thousand worlds, or a hundred thousand worlds, or hundreds of thousands of millions of trillions of worlds, he expounds the True Dharma and, through skillful means, teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the perfection of generosity;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the perfections of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the emptiness of internal phenomena;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, 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 nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in suchness;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the dharma-dhatu, the nature of phenomena, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixed order of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the reality-limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the Noble Truth of suffering; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the four meditative absorptions;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the four immeasurables and the four formless concentrations; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the eight liberations; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, and the ten totalities; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the four foundations of mindfulness; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in 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;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the Dharma gateway of liberation through emptiness; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the Dharma gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the five kinds of eyes; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the six superknowledges; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the ten powers of a Buddha;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in 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; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the quality of never losing mindfulness; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the nature of perpetual equanimity; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the knowledge of all things; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects;

through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in all dharani gateways; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in all samadhi gateways; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the fruit of stream-entry; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, and arhatship; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the attainment of a pratyekabuddha; through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in all the practices of a great bodhisattva; and through skillful means, he teaches and guides them, causing them to abide in the unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Although he causes them to abide in the various qualities and virtues described above, he does not cause them to become attached to abiding in either the conditioned or the unconditioned realm. That great bodhisattva then shares equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness arising from such diligence and dedicates them to unsurpassed enlightenment, employing nonapprehension as skillful means. When he dedicates them to great bodhi in this way, he remains far removed from the three thoughts—namely, who makes the dedication, for what purpose the dedication is made, and to what it is dedicated.

When these three thoughts never arise, then, Subhuti, this is how a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, incorporates the perfection of diligence.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, how does a great bodhisattva, abiding in prajnaparamita, incorporate the perfection of meditation?”

The Buddha said:

– “Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva abides in prajnaparamita, then, apart from the Buddha’s samadhi, he can exercise mastery over all other samadhis—whether the samadhis of sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, or great bodhisattvas—and can enter and emerge from them at will. Abiding in mastery of samadhi, that great bodhisattva can freely enter and emerge from the eight liberations in both forward and reverse order. What are the eight? The first liberation is when one who inwardly possesses perceptions of form contemplates external forms. The second liberation is when one who inwardly has no perceptions of form contemplates external forms. The third liberation is personally realizing and fully abiding in the supreme liberation of purity. The fourth liberation is transcending all perceptions of form, bringing perceptions of resistance to an end, giving no attention to perceptions of diversity, entering the attainment of infinite space, and fully abiding in the sphere of infinite space. The fifth liberation is transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of infinite space, entering the attainment of infinite consciousness, and fully abiding in the sphere of infinite consciousness. The sixth liberation is transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, entering the attainment in which there is not even the slightest thing, and fully abiding in the sphere of nothingness. The seventh liberation is transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of nothingness, entering the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and fully abiding therein. The eighth liberation is transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, entering the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, and fully abiding therein. That great bodhisattva is able to enter and emerge freely from these eight liberations in either forward or reverse order.

“He is also able to enter and emerge freely at will from the nine successive attainments in both forward and reverse order. What are the nine? Having withdrawn from sensual desires and unwholesome, evil dharmas, with applied thought and sustained thought, and with the joy and bliss born of seclusion, he enters the first dhyana and fully abides therein; this is the first successive attainment.

With applied thought and sustained thought stilled, abiding in the pure equanimity and one-pointedness of mind, without applied thought or sustained thought, and with the joy and bliss born of samadhi, he enters the second dhyana and fully abides therein; this is the second successive attainment. Free from joy, he abides in equanimity, endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, and experiences bliss throughout the body—that of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one abides in bliss’—he enters the third dhyana and fully abides therein; this is the third successive attainment.

Having abandoned pleasure and pain, with gladness and sorrow having previously disappeared, neither painful nor pleasant, and with mindfulness purified by equanimity, he enters the fourth dhyana and fully abides therein; this is the fourth successive attainment. Transcending all perceptions of form, bringing perceptions of resistance to an end, giving no attention to perceptions of diversity, he enters the attainment of infinite space and fully abides in the sphere of infinite space; this is the fifth successive attainment.

Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he enters the attainment of infinite consciousness and fully abides in the sphere of infinite consciousness; this is the sixth successive attainment. Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he enters the attainment in which there is not even the slightest thing and fully abides in the sphere of nothingness; this is the seventh successive attainment.

Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he enters the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception and fully abides therein; this is the eighth successive attainment. Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling and fully abides therein; this is the ninth successive attainment.

That great bodhisattva is able to enter and emerge freely from these nine successive attainments in either forward or reverse order.

“Subhuti, you should know that, having thoroughly mastered the eight liberations and nine successive attainments, that great bodhisattva is further able to enter the great bodhisattva’s Lion’s Stretch Samadhi. What is called the great bodhisattva’s Lion’s Stretch Samadhi? Subhuti!

A great bodhisattva withdraws from sensual desires and unwholesome, evil dharmas and, with applied thought and sustained thought, and with the joy and bliss born of seclusion, enters the first dhyana and fully abides therein. With applied thought and sustained thought stilled, abiding in the pure equanimity and one-pointedness of mind, without applied thought or sustained thought, and with the joy and bliss born of samadhi, he enters the second dhyana and fully abides therein.

Free from joy, he abides in equanimity, endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, and experiences bliss throughout the body—that of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one abides in bliss’—he enters the third dhyana and fully abides therein. Having abandoned pleasure and pain, with gladness and sorrow having disappeared, neither painful nor pleasant, and with mindfulness purified by equanimity, he enters the fourth dhyana and fully abides therein.

Transcending all perceptions of form, bringing perceptions of resistance to an end, and giving no attention to perceptions of diversity, he enters the attainment of infinite space and fully abides in the sphere of infinite space. Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he enters the attainment of infinite consciousness and fully abides in the sphere of infinite consciousness. Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he enters the attainment in which there is not even the slightest thing and fully abides in the sphere of nothingness.

Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he enters the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception and fully abides therein. Transcending the entire attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling and fully abides therein.

“He then emerges from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling and reenters the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters the attainment of the sphere of nothingness. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he enters the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness.

Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he enters the attainment of the sphere of infinite space. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he enters the fourth dhyana. Emerging from the fourth dhyana, he enters the third dhyana.

Emerging from the third dhyana, he enters the second dhyana. Emerging from the second dhyana, he enters the first dhyana. Subhuti, this is the great bodhisattva’s Lion’s Stretch Samadhi.

“Subhuti, you should know that, having thoroughly mastered the Lion’s Stretch Samadhi, that great bodhisattva is further able to enter the great bodhisattva’s Gathering and Dispersing Samadhi. What is the great bodhisattva’s Gathering and Dispersing Samadhi?”

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva, secluded from sensual desires and unwholesome states, with applied thought and sustained thought, enters and fully abides in the first dhyana, with the joy and bliss born of seclusion; emerging from the first dhyana, enters and fully abides in the second dhyana; emerging from the second dhyana, enters and fully abides in the third dhyana; emerging from the third dhyana, enters and fully abides in the fourth dhyana; emerging from the fourth dhyana, enters and fully abides in the attainment of the sphere of infinite space; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, enters and fully abides in the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness;

emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, enters and fully abides in the attainment of the sphere of nothingness; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, enters and fully abides in the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and fully abides in the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the first dhyana; emerging from the first dhyana, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the second dhyana;

emerging from the second dhyana, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the third dhyana; emerging from the third dhyana, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the fourth dhyana; emerging from the fourth dhyana, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the attainment of the sphere of infinite space; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling;

emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the attainment of the sphere of nothingness; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, enters the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception;

emerging from the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling; emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the attainment of the sphere of nothingness;

emerging from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the attainment of the sphere of infinite space; emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the fourth dhyana; emerging from the fourth dhyana, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the third dhyana; emerging from the third dhyana, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the second dhyana;

emerging from the second dhyana, abides with an unconcentrated mind; from an unconcentrated mind, enters the first dhyana; and emerging from the first dhyana, abides with an unconcentrated mind—then, Subhuti, this is the great bodhisattva’s Samadhi of Collection and Dispersion.

If a great bodhisattva abides in the Samadhi of Collection and Dispersion and realizes the true nature of the equality of all dharmas, that great bodhisattva further shares equally with all sentient beings the roots of virtue arising from such meditative concentrations and dedicates them to unsurpassed awakening, employing non-attainment as skillful means. When making such a dedication to great bodhi, the bodhisattva remains free from three kinds of thought: who makes the dedication, what is dedicated, and toward what it is dedicated.

When these three kinds of thought never arise, then, Subhuti, this is a great bodhisattva abiding in prajnaparamita and thereby encompassing the perfection of meditative concentration.

Scroll 350

THE END