大般若波羅蜜多經

02

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! What are the extremely rare qualities possessed by great bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita that are not possessed by shravakas or pratyekabuddhas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Listen well! Listen well! And reflect carefully. For your sake, I shall distinguish and explain the extremely rare qualities of great bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita.

“Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they abide in the karmically matured perfections of giving, pure morality, patient acceptance, vigor, meditation, and prajnaparamita; the five subtle superknowledges; the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening; the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, and four formless attainments; the four unobstructed understandings; the eight liberations, eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten spheres of totality; the samadhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; and immeasurable other meritorious qualities.

They travel throughout the worlds of the ten directions. If sentient beings should be benefited through giving, they benefit them through giving. If they should be benefited through pure morality, they benefit them through pure morality.

If they should be benefited through patient acceptance, they benefit them through patient acceptance. If they should be benefited through vigor, they benefit them through vigor. If they should be benefited through meditation, they benefit them through meditation.

If they should be benefited through prajna, they benefit them through prajna. If they should be benefited through the first meditative absorption, they benefit them through the first meditative absorption. If they should be benefited through the second, third, or fourth meditative absorption, they benefit them through the second, third, or fourth meditative absorption.

If they should be benefited through the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, they benefit them through the attainment of the sphere of infinite space. If they should be benefited through the attainments of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, they benefit them through the attainments of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, or the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.

If they should be benefited through the immeasurable loving-kindness, they benefit them through the immeasurable loving-kindness. If they should be benefited through the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, or equanimity, they benefit them through the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, or equanimity. If they should be benefited through the four establishments of mindfulness, they benefit them through the four establishments of mindfulness.

If they should be benefited through the four right efforts, four bases of supernormal power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, or Noble Eightfold Path, they benefit them through the four right efforts and so forth, up to the Noble Eightfold Path. If they should be benefited through the samadhi of emptiness, they benefit them through the samadhi of emptiness. If they should be benefited through the samadhis of signlessness or wishlessness, they benefit them through the samadhis of signlessness or wishlessness.

If they should be benefited through other wholesome dharmas, they benefit them through those other wholesome dharmas.”

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, how do they abide in the karmically matured perfections of giving, pure morality, patient acceptance, vigor, meditation, and prajnaparamita; the five subtle superknowledges; the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening; the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, and four formless attainments; the four unobstructed understandings; the eight liberations, eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten spheres of totality; the samadhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; and immeasurable other meritorious qualities, and benefit sentient beings through giving and so forth?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they give sentient beings whatever necessities they require: those needing food are given food; those needing drink are given drink; those needing clothing are given clothing; those needing vehicles are given vehicles; those needing incense and flowers are given incense and flowers; those needing banners, pennants, and precious canopies are given banners, pennants, and precious canopies; those needing bedding are given bedding; those needing ornaments such as necklaces are given ornaments such as necklaces; those needing houses are given houses; those needing lamps are given lamps; those needing music are given music; and those needing medicine are given medicine.

Whatever kinds of necessities they require are all provided, without deficiency. As they present offerings to Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones, so too do they present them to pratyekabuddhas. As they present offerings to pratyekabuddhas, so too do they present them to arhats.

As they present offerings to arhats, so too do they present them to non-returners. As they present offerings to non-returners, so too do they present them to once-returners. As they present offerings to once-returners, so too do they present them to stream-enterers.

As they present offerings to stream-enterers, so too do they present them to those who have rightly entered upon and rightly practice the path. As they present offerings to those who have rightly entered upon and rightly practice the path, so too do they present them to those who uphold morality. As they present offerings to those who uphold morality, so too do they present them to those who violate morality.

As they give necessities to those who violate morality, so too do they give them to followers of non-Buddhist paths. As they give necessities to followers of non-Buddhist paths, so too do they give them to all other classes of people. As they give necessities to human beings, so too do they give them to nonhuman beings.

As they give necessities to nonhuman beings, so too do they give them to animals.

“Toward all sentient beings, the bodhisattvas’ minds are impartial and form no conception of difference as they practice giving. From the Buddhas above down to animals below, they give with complete equality and make no distinctions. Why? Because great bodhisattvas fully comprehend that the intrinsic characteristics of all dharmas and sentient beings are empty and utterly without difference. Therefore, they practice giving without any conception of difference or discrimination. Because these great bodhisattvas practice giving without any conception of difference or discrimination, they will attain a fruit that is free from difference and discrimination: namely, the complete fulfillment of the Buddhas’ knowledge of all aspects and their immeasurable other meritorious qualities.”

Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva sees a beggar and thinks: “If this person is a Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, and thus a field of merit, I should respectfully make offerings; but if this person is an animal and not a field of merit, I should not give them the necessities of life,” then that great bodhisattva’s arousing such a thought is not the Dharma of a bodhisattva. Why is this?

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who have generated the mind of bodhi and seek to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment must purify their own minds; only then will their field of merit be pure. Upon seeing a beggar, they should not think: “I should give to and benefit this kind of sentient being, but I should not give to or benefit that kind of sentient being.” Such a thought would contradict the mind of bodhi they formerly generated, when they resolved: “Having generated the mind of bodhi, I shall become a refuge and support, a shore, a dwelling, and a protector for sentient beings.” When they see beggars, they should think: “This sentient being is now poor, destitute, and alone.

I shall benefit them through giving. Through this cause and condition, they may also be transformed, becoming content with few desires; abandoning the taking of life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech; and also abandoning covetousness, ill will, and wrong views. Through this cause and condition, they may be born into a great kshatriya family, a great brahmin family, a great householder family, a great lay family, or some other wealthy and noble household, endowed with treasures and able to cultivate wholesome karma.

Or, through the beneficial cause and condition of giving, they may gradually rely upon the Three Vehicles and attain deliverance; that is, they may be led to enter the three realms of nirvana without remainder belonging respectively to the shravaka, pratyekabuddha, and Supreme Vehicles.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva has enemies, or if sentient beings come to harm them, or if people in want come to make requests, that great bodhisattva never gives rise to discriminatory thoughts such as: “I should give to this person, but I should not give to that person.” Instead, they constantly arouse a mind of equality and give to everyone according to what is requested. Why is this?

Because that great bodhisattva seeks to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment for the sake of universally benefiting all sentient beings. But if they give rise to discriminatory thoughts such as: “I should give to this person, but I should not give to that person,” then the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, together with the bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, shravakas, devas, humans, asuras, and others in the world, will all reproach them, saying: “Who asked you to generate the mind of bodhi and vow to benefit and bring happiness to all kinds of sentient beings, to become a refuge for those without refuge, a protector for those without protection, a dwelling for those without a dwelling, and a resting place for those without a resting place,

when now you discriminate between those to whom you will give and those to whom you will not give?”

Furthermore, Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, if humans or nonhumans come to request parts of their body—such as their hands, feet, joints, or limbs—that great bodhisattva does not entertain the two thoughts of giving or not giving, but thinks only: “I shall give to them according to their request.” Why is this? Because that great bodhisattva constantly thinks: “I have assumed this body for the benefit and happiness of sentient beings.

If sentient beings come to request it, I shall certainly give it and should not refuse.” Therefore, upon seeing someone make such a request, they immediately think: “I originally assumed birth in this body for their sake. Even if they did not come to take it, I would still have to offer it to them myself; how much more so when they come and request it—how could I not give?” Having reflected in this way, they leap with joy, cut off each requested part themselves, and hand it to them, rejoicing further that they have now obtained a great benefit.

Subhuti! A great bodhisattva practicing profound prajnaparamita should train in this way.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If a great bodhisattva sees someone making a request, they immediately think: “In this matter, who gives, who receives, what is given, from what does the giving arise, for what purpose is it given, and how is it given?” The intrinsic nature of all dharmas is utterly ungraspable. Why is this? Because all such dharmas are ultimately empty, and within emptiness there is neither giving nor receiving.

Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, they should train in the emptiness of all dharmas in this way: they are empty by virtue of inner emptiness, empty by virtue of outer emptiness, empty by virtue of inner-and-outer emptiness, empty by virtue of the emptiness of emptiness, empty by virtue of great emptiness, empty by virtue of ultimate-truth emptiness, empty by virtue of conditioned emptiness, empty by virtue of unconditioned emptiness, empty by virtue of ultimate emptiness, empty by virtue of beginningless-and-endless emptiness, empty by virtue of dispersive emptiness, empty by virtue of the emptiness of transformation, empty by virtue of the emptiness of original nature, empty by virtue of the emptiness of individual characteristics,

empty by virtue of the emptiness of common characteristics, empty by virtue of the emptiness of all dharmas, empty by virtue of the emptiness of the unobtainable, empty by virtue of the emptiness of nonexistence, empty by virtue of the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and empty by virtue of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence.

Abiding in this emptiness, that great bodhisattva practices giving without interruption and perfects the paramita of giving. Because the paramita of giving has been perfected, when others sever or mutilate their inner or outer possessions, their mind is entirely free of anger and discrimination. They merely think: “Sentient beings and dharmas are all empty.

Who, then, mutilates me? Who is mutilated? And who contemplates emptiness?”

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I universally survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see great bodhisattvas who, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to all kinds of sentient beings, vow to enter the great hells. Having entered, they employ three kinds of guidance.

What are the three? First, guidance through miraculous transformations; second, guidance through revealing the thoughts of others; and third, guidance through instruction and admonition. Through guidance by miraculous transformations, those great bodhisattvas eliminate the various instruments of suffering in the hells, such as boiling water, fire, and knives.

Through guidance by revealing the thoughts of others, they discern the thoughts in the minds of sentient beings and teach them the Dharma accordingly. Through guidance by instruction and admonition, they arouse great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity toward them and teach them the Dharma, causing all the sentient beings in those hells to develop pure faith in the bodhisattvas.

Through this cause and condition, after emerging from the hells, those beings are reborn in the heavenly realms or among humans and, gradually relying upon the Three Vehicles, transcend the cycle of suffering and affliction.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I universally survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see great bodhisattvas who, while attending upon and making offerings to the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, rejoice from the depths of their hearts and are not without joy; delight from the depths of their hearts and are not without delight; and show reverence from the depths of their hearts and are not without reverence.

Those great bodhisattvas respectfully listen to, receive, retain, read, and recite the true Dharma taught by the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and never forget it until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. In accordance with the Dharma they have heard, they constantly explain it clearly to sentient beings, enabling them to attain excellent benefit and happiness; and until they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, they never become indolent or abandon this task.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye I survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas willingly relinquishing their own lives because they wish to benefit sentient beings in the animal realm. Seeing animals tormented by the fires of hunger and seeking to harm and devour one another, these great bodhisattvas give rise to compassion, cut flesh from every part of their bodies, sever their joints and limbs, and cast them throughout the ten directions for those creatures to eat as they please.

All the animals that eat the flesh of these bodhisattvas feel profound shame and deep sorrow for them. Through these causes and conditions, they escape the animal realm and are born in the heavens or among human beings, where they encounter the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, hear the true Dharma, and practice in accordance with the Dharma. Gradually, relying upon the three vehicles, they attain liberation; that is, each accordingly realizes and enters the three realms of nirvana without remainder belonging to the shravaka, pratyekabuddha, and Supreme Vehicles.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas constantly perform difficult deeds for the world and bring abundant benefit. That is, for the welfare and happiness of sentient beings, they themselves first give rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi; they also cause others to give rise to a mind of revulsion toward birth and death and to seek the fruit of bodhi. They themselves cultivate the practices of the true Dharma in accordance with reality and also cause others to practice them, gradually entering the realms of nirvana of the three vehicles.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye I survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas who, wishing to benefit sentient beings in the realm of hungry ghosts, vow to be born in that realm and, through skillful means, eliminate the suffering of hunger and thirst. When the sufferings of those hungry ghosts have ceased, they feel shame before these bodhisattvas and hold them in profound loving reverence.

Through these wholesome roots, they escape the realm of hungry ghosts and are born in the heavens or among human beings. They constantly encounter the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, respectfully make offerings to him, and hear him expound the true Dharma. Gradually, they cultivate the right practices of the three vehicles until they enter the three realms of nirvana without remainder.

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas abide in great compassion toward sentient beings and employ boundless skillful means to rescue them and cause them to enter the nirvana of the three vehicles, attaining ultimate peace and happiness.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye I survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas expounding the true Dharma to the assemblies of gods of the Four Great Kings, or expounding the true Dharma to the gods of the Thirty-Three, or expounding the true Dharma to the Yama gods, or expounding the true Dharma to the Tushita gods, or expounding the true Dharma to the gods who Delight in Creation, or expounding the true Dharma to the gods who Exercise Mastery over the Creations of Others.

After hearing the true Dharma from the bodhisattvas, these assemblies of gods gradually rely upon the three vehicles and diligently cultivate the right practices. In accordance with what they cultivate, they enter the three realms of nirvana without remainder.

Subhuti! Among these assemblies of gods are devas who are infatuated with the exquisite pleasures of the five desires in the heavenly realms and with the jeweled palaces in which they dwell. Those great bodhisattvas manifest fires arising and burning those palaces, causing the devas to become frightened and disenchanted.

Taking this occasion, they teach them the Dharma in this way: “Devas! You should carefully contemplate that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, suffering, empty, and not-self; they cannot be relied upon or trusted. What wise person would delight in and cling to such things?” When the devas hear these sounds of Dharma, they all become disenchanted with and detach themselves from the five desires.

They contemplate their own bodies and lives as false and impermanent, like plantain trees, flashes of lightning, and mirages, and contemplate their palaces as prisons. Having contemplated in this way, they gradually rely upon the three vehicles, diligently cultivate the right practices, and attain cessation.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the pure and unobstructed Buddha-eye I survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas who, seeing Brahma gods attached to various views, employ skillful means to teach and guide them, causing them to abandon those views. They say: “Divine sages! Why do you give rise to such various pernicious views concerning all phenomena, which are empty, signless, false, and unreal? You should quickly abandon them, faithfully accept the true Dharma, and thereby attain the unsurpassed ambrosia.”

Subhuti! In this way, great bodhisattvas abide in great compassion and expound the true Dharma for sentient beings.

Subhuti! Such great bodhisattvas possess qualities that are exceedingly rare.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye I survey immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas embracing and transforming sentient beings by means of the four methods of attraction. What are these four? The first is generosity, the second is kind speech, the third is beneficial conduct, and the fourth is cooperation.

Subhuti! How do great bodhisattvas embrace and transform sentient beings through generosity?

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas embrace and transform sentient beings through two kinds of generosity. What are these two? The first is the giving of material wealth, and the second is the giving of Dharma.

Subhuti! How do great bodhisattvas constantly embrace and transform sentient beings through the giving of material wealth?

Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, they constantly give sentient beings various kinds of gold, silver, precious jewels, pearls, mani gems, coral, vaidurya, sphatika jewels, conch shells, jade, indranila gems, mahanila gems, stone-garbha gems, vajra-garbha gems, red lotuses, and so forth; or they give sentient beings various kinds of clothing, food and drink, palaces, towers, rooms and houses, bedding, vehicles, incense and flowers, lamps and torches, music, banners, canopies, necklaces, and so forth; or they give sentient beings their wives, concubines, sons, daughters, servants, and attendants; or they give sentient beings various animals, such as elephants, horses, cattle, goats, donkeys, and so forth;

or they give sentient beings various kinds of wealth, treasuries, cities, towns, villages, and even their royal throne; or they give sentient beings parts of their own bodies, such as their hands, feet, joints, head, eyes, marrow, and brain.

That great bodhisattva places these various articles at a crossroads upon a high platform and proclaims: ‘Let all sentient beings who need anything come freely and take it. Do not give rise to doubt or conceit. Take these things as though they were your own, without thinking otherwise.’ After giving sentient beings whatever articles they require, that great bodhisattva further exhorts them to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; or exhorts them to undertake and uphold the five precepts of a lay follower; or exhorts them to undertake and uphold the eight precepts of one dwelling near; or exhorts them to undertake and uphold the ten wholesome courses of karma; or exhorts them to cultivate the first dhyana;

or exhorts them to cultivate the second, third, or fourth dhyana; or exhorts them to cultivate the immeasurable loving-kindness; or exhorts them to cultivate the immeasurable compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; or exhorts them to cultivate the concentration of the Sphere of Infinite Space; or exhorts them to cultivate the concentrations of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception; or exhorts them to cultivate mindfulness of the Buddha; or exhorts them to cultivate mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Sangha, mindfulness of morality, mindfulness of generosity, and mindfulness of the devas; or exhorts them to cultivate the contemplation of impurity;

or exhorts them to cultivate mindfulness of breathing; or exhorts them to cultivate the perception of impermanence; or exhorts them to cultivate the perception of suffering in impermanence, the perception of non-self in suffering, the perception of impurity, the perception of repulsiveness in food, the perception that nothing in the entire world is delightful, the perception of death, the perception of abandonment, the perception of dispassion, and the perception of cessation; or exhorts them to cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness; or exhorts them to cultivate the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; or exhorts them to cultivate the samadhi of emptiness;

or exhorts them to cultivate the samadhis of signlessness and wishlessness; or exhorts them to cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness; or exhorts them to cultivate the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; or exhorts them to cultivate the eight liberations; or exhorts them to cultivate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; or exhorts them to cultivate the paramita of generosity; or exhorts them to cultivate the paramitas of pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, prajna, skillful means, vows, powers, and knowledge; or exhorts them to abide in the Noble Truth of suffering; or exhorts them to abide in the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path;

or exhorts them to abide in the emptiness of internal phenomena; or exhorts 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 conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of non-change, 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; or exhorts them to abide in suchness;

or exhorts them to abide in the dharmadhatu, the nature of phenomena, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixed order of phenomena, the abiding of phenomena, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; or exhorts them to cultivate all dharani gateways; or exhorts them to cultivate all samadhi gateways; or exhorts them to cultivate the Ground of Great Joy; or exhorts them to cultivate the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminousness, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Dharma Cloud Ground;

or exhorts them to cultivate the five kinds of eyes; or exhorts them to cultivate the six superknowledges; or exhorts them to cultivate the Tathagata’s ten powers; or exhorts them to cultivate the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or exhorts them to cultivate great loving-kindness; or exhorts them to cultivate great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; or exhorts them to cultivate the Dharma of never losing mindfulness; or exhorts them to cultivate the nature of perpetual equanimity; or exhorts them to cultivate the knowledge of all things; or exhorts them to cultivate the knowledge of the aspects of the path and the knowledge of all aspects;

or exhorts them to cultivate the thirty-two marks of a great being; or exhorts them to cultivate the eighty subsidiary characteristics; or exhorts them to cultivate the fruit of stream-entry; or exhorts them to cultivate the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the realization of a pratyekabuddha; or exhorts them to cultivate all the practices of a great bodhisattva; or exhorts them to cultivate the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas.

Subhuti! Thus, great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita, by means of skillful means, first practice the giving of material wealth toward sentient beings and then skillfully establish the various kinds of sentient beings, causing them to abide in the unsurpassed state of peace and security, ultimately enabling them to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

Subhuti! This is an exceedingly rare quality possessed by a great bodhisattva who practices profound prajnaparamita.

Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, how do they constantly gather and transform the various kinds of sentient beings through the gift of Dharma?

Subhuti! A great bodhisattva’s gift of Dharma is of two kinds. What are the two? The first is the mundane gift of Dharma, and the second is the supramundane gift of Dharma.

Subhuti! What is a great bodhisattva’s mundane gift of Dharma?

Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva practices profound prajnaparamita, they proclaim, teach, reveal, and clearly distinguish mundane phenomena for sentient beings, namely, the contemplation of impurity, mindfulness of breathing, the four dhyanas, the four divine abodes, the four formless concentrations, and other mundane practices shared with ordinary beings. This is called the mundane gift of Dharma.

Subhuti! After that great bodhisattva has practiced the mundane gift of Dharma, they employ various skillful means to teach and guide sentient beings, causing them to leave mundane phenomena far behind. Through various skillful means, they teach and guide sentient beings, causing them to abide in the noble Dharma and the fruits of the noble Dharma.

Subhuti! What are the noble Dharma and the fruits of the noble Dharma?

Subhuti! The noble Dharma consists of the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; the paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajna; the eight liberations and the nine successive absorptions; the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways; the ten bodhisattva grounds; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

the Tathagata’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of perpetual equanimity; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, the knowledge of all aspects, and other uncontaminated phenomena.

Subhuti! The fruits of the noble Dharma are the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the realization of a pratyekabuddha, and the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas.

Furthermore, Subhuti, the noble dharmas of a great bodhisattva are the knowledge of the fruit of stream-entry, the knowledge of the fruit of once-returning, the knowledge of the fruit of non-returning, the knowledge of the fruit of arhatship, the knowledge of the state of a pratyekabuddha, and the knowledge of the supreme awakening of the Buddhas; knowledge of the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; knowledge of the liberation gateway of emptiness and knowledge of the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness; knowledge of the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions;

knowledge of the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities; knowledge of the perfection of generosity and knowledge of the perfections of ethical discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and prajnaparamita; knowledge of all dharani gateways and knowledge of all samadhi gateways; knowledge of the Noble Truth of suffering and knowledge of the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path;

knowledge of the emptiness of the internal, 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 nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic 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 self-nature, and the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature;

knowledge of suchness, knowledge of the dharma-dhatu, dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, 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; knowledge of the ten bodhisattva bhumis; knowledge of the five kinds of eyes and knowledge of the six superknowledges; knowledge of the Tathagata’s ten powers, 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; knowledge of the dharma of nonforgetfulness and knowledge of the nature of perpetual equanimity;

knowledge of all-knowledge, knowledge of the aspects of the path, knowledge of all aspects, and all other worldly and supramundane kinds of knowledge; knowledge of contaminated and uncontaminated dharmas; and knowledge of conditioned and unconditioned dharmas.

These are called the noble dharmas. The fruit of the noble dharmas is the permanent severance of the entire continuum of habitual afflictive tendencies; this is called the fruit of the noble dharmas.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, can great bodhisattvas also attain knowledge of all aspects?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is! So it is! Great bodhisattvas can also attain knowledge of all aspects.”

Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, if great bodhisattvas can also attain knowledge of all aspects, how do they differ from the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, great bodhisattvas are said to be those who are in the process of attaining knowledge of all aspects, whereas all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones are said to be those who have already attained knowledge of all aspects. Why is this? It is not that the minds of the great bodhisattvas suddenly become different from those of the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones.

Both the assemblies of great bodhisattvas and the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones abide in the undifferentiated nature of all dharmas with respect to their characteristics. Those who seek perfect, universal knowledge are called the assembly of great bodhisattvas; those who have reached the ultimate culmination are Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones. While abiding at the causal stage, if they clearly illuminate, without obscurity and with complete purity, the individual and common characteristics of all dharmas, they are called the assembly of great bodhisattvas.

If they attain the resultant state, they are called Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones. Therefore, although both great bodhisattvas and Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones are said to attain knowledge of all aspects, there is nevertheless a distinction between them.

“Subhuti, this is called the worldly gift of Dharma made by great bodhisattvas. Relying upon such a worldly gift of Dharma, great bodhisattvas also constantly practice the supramundane gift of Dharma. That is, great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita, through skillful means, first teach sentient beings worldly wholesome dharmas; afterward, they cause them to relinquish worldly wholesome dharmas and abide in the uncontaminated, supramundane noble dharmas, even causing them to attain the knowledge of all-knowledge.

“Subhuti, what are the supramundane noble dharmas that great bodhisattvas expound, reveal, and clearly distinguish for sentient beings, calling this the gift of Dharma?

“Subhuti, all wholesome dharmas that differ from the dharmas of ordinary beings, when properly cultivated, enable sentient beings to transcend the world and abide in peace and security. Therefore, they are called supramundane. They are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; the three gateways to liberation, the eight liberations, the nine successive absorptions, the four knowledges of the Noble Truths, the perfections, the knowledges of emptiness and so forth, and the ten bodhisattva bhumis; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

the Tathagata’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; the thirty-two marks of a great being, the eighty subsidiary characteristics, all dharani gateways, and all samadhi gateways.

All such uncontaminated wholesome dharmas are called supramundane noble dharmas.

“Subhuti, what are called the four foundations of mindfulness?

“Subhuti, one abides contemplating the body in the internal body; one abides contemplating the body in the external body; and one abides contemplating the body in the internal and external body. Endowed with right effort, right comprehension, and right mindfulness, one removes covetousness toward the world. One abides contemplating the arising of the body and abides contemplating the cessation of the body. Thus, one abides contemplating the body in the body; one abides contemplating the arising of the body and abides contemplating the cessation of the body, without reliance and without appropriating any worldly dharma. This is the first.

“One abides contemplating feelings in internal feelings; one abides contemplating feelings in external feelings; and one abides contemplating feelings in internal and external feelings. Endowed with right effort, right comprehension, and right mindfulness, one removes covetousness toward the world. One abides contemplating the arising of feelings and abides contemplating the cessation of feelings. Thus, one abides contemplating feelings in feelings; one abides contemplating the arising of feelings and abides contemplating the cessation of feelings, without reliance and without appropriating any worldly dharma. This is the second.

“One abides contemplating mind in the internal mind; one abides contemplating mind in the external mind; and one abides contemplating mind in the internal and external mind. Endowed with right effort, right comprehension, and right mindfulness, one removes covetousness toward the world. One abides contemplating the arising of mind and abides contemplating the cessation of mind. Thus, one abides contemplating mind in mind; one abides contemplating the arising of mind and abides contemplating the cessation of mind, without reliance and without appropriating any worldly dharma. This is the third.

“One abides contemplating dharmas in internal dharmas; one abides contemplating dharmas in external dharmas; and one abides contemplating dharmas in internal and external dharmas. Endowed with right effort, right comprehension, and right mindfulness, one removes covetousness toward the world. One abides contemplating the arising of dharmas and abides contemplating the cessation of dharmas. Thus, one abides contemplating dharmas in dharmas; one abides contemplating the arising of dharmas and abides contemplating the cessation of dharmas, without reliance and without appropriating any worldly dharma. This is the fourth.

“Subhuti, these are called the four foundations of mindfulness.

“Subhuti, what are called the four right efforts?”

Subhuti! To ensure that evil and unwholesome dharmas not yet arisen do not arise, one generates aspiration, diligently applies effort, arouses the mind, and sustains the mind. This is the first.

To ensure that evil and unwholesome dharmas already arisen are abandoned and extinguished, one generates aspiration, diligently applies effort, arouses the mind, and sustains the mind. This is the second. To ensure that wholesome dharmas not yet arisen come to arise, one generates aspiration, diligently applies effort, arouses the mind, and sustains the mind.

This is the third. To ensure that wholesome dharmas already arisen remain firmly established and are not lost, and that through cultivation and realization the knowledge thereof is brought to fulfillment, increase, and vast expansion, one generates aspiration, diligently applies effort, arouses the mind, and sustains the mind. This is the fourth.

Subhuti! These are the four right efforts.

Subhuti! What are the four bases of spiritual power?

Subhuti! One accomplishes the samadhi of aspiration accompanied by the activity of abandonment, cultivates the basis of spiritual power, relying upon dispassion, relying upon detachment, relying upon cessation, and inclining toward relinquishment. This is the first.

One accomplishes the samadhi of diligence accompanied by the activity of abandonment, cultivates the basis of spiritual power, relying upon dispassion, relying upon detachment, relying upon cessation, and inclining toward relinquishment. This is the second. One accomplishes the samadhi of mind accompanied by the activity of abandonment, cultivates the basis of spiritual power, relying upon dispassion, relying upon detachment, relying upon cessation, and inclining toward relinquishment.

This is the third. One accomplishes the samadhi of contemplation accompanied by the activity of abandonment, cultivates the basis of spiritual power, relying upon dispassion, relying upon detachment, relying upon cessation, and inclining toward relinquishment. This is the fourth.

Subhuti! These are called the four bases of spiritual power.

Subhuti! What are called the five faculties?

Subhuti! The faculty of faith, the faculty of diligence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, and the faculty of wisdom.

Subhuti! These are the five faculties.

Subhuti! What are the five powers?

Subhuti! The power of faith, the power of diligence, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, and the power of wisdom.

Subhuti! These are called the five powers.

Subhuti! What are called the seven factors of awakening?

Subhuti! The awakening factor of mindfulness, the awakening factor of investigation of dharmas, the awakening factor of diligence, the awakening factor of joy, the awakening factor of tranquility, the awakening factor of concentration, and the awakening factor of equanimity.

Subhuti! These are called the seven factors of awakening.

Subhuti! What are called the eight factors of the Noble Path?

Subhuti! Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

Subhuti! These are called the eight factors of the Noble Path.

Subhuti! What are called the three gateways to liberation?

Subhuti! The gateway to liberation through emptiness, the gateway to liberation through signlessness, and the gateway to liberation through wishlessness.

Subhuti! These are called the three gateways to liberation.

Subhuti! What is called the gateway to liberation through emptiness?

Subhuti! If the mind is one-pointedly established upon the aspect of emptiness, the aspect of non-self, the aspect of falsity, and the aspect of the absence of intrinsic nature, then, Subhuti, this is called the gateway to liberation through emptiness.

Subhuti! What is called the gateway to liberation through signlessness?

Subhuti! If the mind is one-pointedly established upon the aspect of cessation, the aspect of peace, and the aspect of seclusion, then, Subhuti, this is called the gateway to liberation through signlessness.

Subhuti! What is called the gateway to liberation through wishlessness?

Subhuti! If the mind is one-pointedly established upon the aspect of suffering, the aspect of impermanence, and the aspect of inversion, then, Subhuti, this is called the gateway to liberation through wishlessness.

Subhuti! What are called the eight liberations?

Subhuti! Contemplating forms while possessing form is the first liberation. Contemplating external forms while inwardly having no perception of form is the second liberation.

Personally realizing and fully dwelling in the supreme, pure liberation is the third liberation. Having completely transcended all perceptions of form, extinguished perceptions of resistance, and ceased attending to perceptions of diversity, one enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Infinite Space, thinking, “Space is infinite.” This is the fourth liberation. Having completely transcended the Sphere of Infinite Space, one enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, thinking, “Consciousness is infinite.” This is the fifth liberation.

Having completely transcended the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, one enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Nothingness, thinking, “There is nothing whatsoever.” This is the sixth liberation. Having completely transcended the Sphere of Nothingness, one enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. This is the seventh liberation.

Having completely transcended the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, one enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth liberation.

Subhuti! These are called the eight liberations.

Subhuti! What are called the nine successive attainments?

Subhuti! One, secluded from sensual desires and evil, unwholesome dharmas, with applied thought and sustained thought, enters and fully dwells in the first dhyana, which is born of seclusion and accompanied by joy and bliss. This is the first.

Again, one, with applied thought and sustained thought stilled, inwardly serene and with the mind unified, without applied thought or sustained thought, enters and fully dwells in the second dhyana, which is born of concentration and accompanied by joy and bliss. This is the second. Again, one, separated from joy, dwells in equanimity, with right mindfulness and right comprehension, and experiences bodily bliss; as the Noble Ones say, “One who has equanimity and mindfulness dwells in bliss.” One enters and fully dwells in the third dhyana.

This is the third. Again, one, having abandoned pleasure and abandoned pain, and with prior gladness and sorrow having disappeared, enters and fully dwells in the fourth dhyana, which is neither painful nor pleasant and possesses purity of mindfulness through equanimity. This is the fourth.

Again, one, having completely transcended all perceptions of form, extinguished perceptions of resistance, and ceased attending to perceptions of diversity, enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Infinite Space, thinking, “Space is infinite.” This is the fifth. Again, one, having completely transcended the Sphere of Infinite Space, enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, thinking, “Consciousness is infinite.” This is the sixth.

Again, one, having completely transcended the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Nothingness, thinking, “There is nothing whatsoever.” This is the seventh. Again, one, having completely transcended the Sphere of Nothingness, enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. This is the eighth.

Again, one, having completely transcended the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, enters and fully dwells in the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the ninth.

Subhuti! These are the nine successive attainments.

Subhuti! What are called the four knowledges of the Noble Truths?

Subhuti! Knowledge of suffering, knowledge of its origin, knowledge of its cessation, and knowledge of the path.

Subhuti! These are the four knowledges of the Noble Truths.

Subhuti! What are called the paramitas?

Subhuti! The paramitas of generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajna, skillful means, sublime aspiration, power, and knowledge.

Subhuti! These are called the paramitas.

Subhuti! What are called the knowledges of emptiness?

Subhuti! Knowledge of inner emptiness, knowledge of outer emptiness, knowledge of inner and outer emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of emptiness, knowledge of great emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of ultimate meaning, knowledge of the emptiness of the conditioned, knowledge of the emptiness of the unconditioned, knowledge of ultimate emptiness, knowledge of boundless emptiness, knowledge of the emptiness of dispersion, knowledge of the emptiness of the unchanging, knowledge of the emptiness of original nature, knowledge of the emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, knowledge of the emptiness of common characteristics, knowledge of the emptiness of all dharmas, knowledge of the emptiness of the ungraspable, knowledge of the emptiness of nonexistence,

knowledge of the emptiness of intrinsic nature, and knowledge of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence; or knowledge of suchness, knowledge of the dhatu of dharmas, knowledge of the nature of dharmas, knowledge of the nature free from falsity, knowledge of the unchanging nature, knowledge of the nature of equality, knowledge of the nature free from arising, knowledge of the fixed order of dharmas, knowledge of the abiding of dharmas, knowledge of the ultimate reality, knowledge of the realm of space, and knowledge of the inconceivable realm.

Subhuti! These are called the various knowledges of emptiness and so forth.

Subhuti! What are the ten bodhisattva grounds?

Subhuti! The Ground of Utmost Joy, the Ground Free from Defilement, the Luminous Ground, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Extremely Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Ground of the Dharma Cloud.

Subhuti, these are called the ten bodhisattva bhumis.

Subhuti, what are the five kinds of eyes?

Subhuti, they are the fleshly eye, the divine eye, the noble wisdom-eye, the Dharma-eye, and the Buddha-eye.

Subhuti, these are the five kinds of eyes.

Subhuti, what are the six superknowledges?

Subhuti, they are the superknowledge realized through knowledge of miraculous powers, the superknowledge realized through knowledge of the divine eye, the superknowledge realized through knowledge of the divine ear, the superknowledge realized through knowledge of others’ minds, the superknowledge realized through knowledge of recollecting former abodes, and the superknowledge realized through knowledge of the exhaustion of the outflows.

Subhuti, these are called the six superknowledges.

Subhuti, what are called the ten powers of the Tathagata?

Subhuti, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as it truly is that what is possible is possible and that what is impossible is impossible. This is the first. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are the karmas of sentient beings, the circumstances in which their results are experienced, and the causes of their maturation in the past, future, and present.

This is the second. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are all the various realms of the worlds, not merely a single realm. This is the third.

All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are the various kinds of inclinations found throughout the worlds, not merely a single inclination. This is the fourth. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are the superior and inferior faculties of all pudgalas and sentient beings.

This is called the fifth. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are all courses of practice leading to the various destinies. This is the sixth.

All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are the faculties, powers, factors of enlightenment, factors of the path, meditative absorptions, liberations, samadhis, attainments, defilements, and purifications. This is the seventh. With the purified divine eye, surpassing that of humans, all Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, see the wholesome and unwholesome circumstances of sentient beings at birth and death.

They see that certain sentient beings, because of evil deeds of body, speech, and mind, wrong views, and reviling the Noble Ones, fall into evil destinies; and that other sentient beings, because of wholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, right views, and praising the Noble Ones, are born in fortunate destinies and in the heavenly realms. Moreover, with the purified divine eye surpassing that of ordinary humans, they see the beautiful and ugly forms of sentient beings at birth and death, and see them passing from this place to be reborn in fortunate or miserable destinies.

They know as they truly are how sentient beings, under the power of karma, are born in fortunate or miserable destinies. This is the eighth. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are the innumerable events in the former lives of sentient beings in the past—whether one life, a hundred lives, a thousand lives, a hundred thousand lives, a hundred million lives, ten billion lives, a hundred billion lives, or countless hundreds of billions of trillions of lives; whether one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, a hundred thousand kalpas, a hundred million kalpas, ten billion kalpas, countless hundreds of billions of kalpas, or countless hundreds of billions of trillions of kalpas—as well as all their deeds, words, and characteristics in those former lives.

This is the ninth. All Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, know as they truly are the exhaustion of the outflows, the liberation of mind free from outflows, and the liberation of wisdom free from outflows. Having personally realized and penetrated the true Dharma of liberation through the exhaustion of their own outflows, they abide in its complete fulfillment and know as it truly is: “My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, and there will be no further existence.” This is the tenth.

Subhuti, these are the ten powers of the Tathagata.

Fascicle 380

END