大般若波羅蜜多經

02

Furthermore, Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas abide in the five appropriated skandhas as being like a dream, an echo, a reflection, a flash of lightning, a mirage, an illusion, and a magical transformation. Having known in accordance with reality that the five skandhas, like a dream through like a magical transformation, are all devoid of true characteristics, they arouse courageous vigor and exert themselves in body and mind.

By arousing courageous vigor and exerting themselves in body and mind, these great bodhisattvas swiftly develop excellent supernormal powers. They can travel to Buddha worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, draw near to the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones, and make offerings to them with immeasurable kinds of exquisite articles, revering, honoring, respecting, and praising them.

They plant roots of virtue in the presence of those Buddhas, bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings, and are also able to adorn and purify Buddha lands.

Through bodily vigor, these great bodhisattvas bring sentient beings to maturity and, according to their capacities, employ the teachings of the three vehicles, skillfully establishing them so that they all attain the ultimate goal.

Therefore, Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, through bodily vigor great bodhisattvas swiftly perfect the signless perfection of vigor. Because these great bodhisattvas arouse a courageous and vigorous mind, they bring forth the uncontaminated factors of the noble path included within the noble path and perfect the perfection of vigor.

These include such wholesome dharmas as the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions; the eight liberations through the ten totalities; the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna; the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; suchness through the inconceivable realm; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

the ten powers of a Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity; or the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects.

Through mental vigor, all the excellent qualities of these great bodhisattvas are perfected. They emit great light that illuminates boundless worlds. Because their mental vigor is completely perfected, they can permanently sever the continuity of all habitual tendencies of the afflictions, realize unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening, and turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, fully endowed with the thirty-two marks, causing the trichiliocosm to quake in six ways.

When the sentient beings therein are reached by that light, they see this quaking and hear the sound of the true Dharma. According to their capacities, they attain nonretrogression and ultimately reach the final goal of the paths of the three vehicles. Therefore, Subhuti!

Great bodhisattvas practicing the profound prajnaparamita perfect the perfection of vigor. Through the deeds arising from this perfection of vigor, these great bodhisattvas, abiding in the perfection of vigor, can quickly perfect all Buddha-dharmas and quickly realize unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas abide in the five appropriated skandhas as being like a dream, an echo, a reflection, a flash of lightning, a mirage, an illusion, and a magical transformation, in order to perfect the perfection of dhyana.

Subhuti! When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, how do great bodhisattvas abide in the five appropriated skandhas as being like a dream through like a magical transformation in order to perfect the perfection of dhyana? When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, after knowing in accordance with reality that the five skandhas are like a dream through like a magical transformation, great bodhisattvas enter the first dhyana through the fourth dhyana; enter the immeasurable loving-kindness through the immeasurable equanimity; enter the absorption of the sphere of infinite space through the absorption of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; cultivate the samadhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; cultivate the lightning-like samadhi;

cultivate the vajra-like samadhi; and cultivate the true samadhi of the noble ones.

Abiding in the vajra-like samadhi, apart from a Tathagata's level of absorption, they can enter and fully abide in all other levels of absorption, such as those of the two vehicles and other excellent absorptions. Yet they do not become attached to the delightful flavor of the dhyanas, immeasurables, or formless absorptions, nor do they become attached to attaining their fruits. Why?

Because these great bodhisattvas know in accordance with reality that those dhyanas, immeasurables, and formless absorptions, as well as all dharmas, alike have signlessness and the absence of self-nature as their nature. How could signlessness be attached to signlessness? How could the absence of self-nature be attached to the absence of self-nature?

Because they are not attached, they definitely will not be born in the form realm or the formless realm under the influence of the dhyanas, immeasurables, and formless absorptions. Why? Because these great bodhisattvas apprehend absolutely nothing in any realm of experience; with regard to the one who enters absorption, the absorption entered, and the reason for entering absorption, they likewise apprehend nothing.

Because they apprehend nothing in any dharma, these great bodhisattvas can swiftly perfect the signless perfection of dhyana. Through this perfection of dhyana, they transcend the stages of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! How do these great bodhisattvas, having perfected the signless perfection of dhyana, transcend the stages of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“By training fully in internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of self-nature, these great bodhisattvas are able to perfect the signless perfection of dhyana and transcend the stages of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. These great bodhisattvas abide in the emptiness of dharmas, apprehend absolutely nothing in any dharma, and see no dharma apart from that emptiness of dharmas. Abiding therein, these great bodhisattvas do not attain the fruit of stream-entry through pratyekabuddha awakening, nor do they apprehend the practices of bodhisattvas or a Buddha's unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening.

These emptinesses of dharmas are themselves also empty. By abiding in this emptiness of dharmas, those great bodhisattvas transcend the stages of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas and enter the bodhisattvas' certainty of rightness beyond birth.”

Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“What do great bodhisattvas take as birth? What do they take as freedom from birth?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Great bodhisattvas take all dharmas in which something is apprehended as birth, and they take all dharmas in which nothing is apprehended as freedom from birth.”

Venerable Subhuti said:

“World-Honored One! What do great bodhisattvas take as apprehending something, and what do they take as apprehending nothing?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– The great bodhisattvas regard all dharmas as something to be attained. That is, the great bodhisattvas regard form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as something to be attained; the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana as something to be attained; the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana as something to be attained; the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu as something to be attained; the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu as something to be attained; the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu as something to be attained; eye-contact through mind-contact as something to be attained; the feelings arising from eye-contact through the feelings arising from mind-contact as something to be attained; the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu as something to be attained; the causal condition through the dominant condition as something to be attained; ignorance through aging and death as something to be attained; the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna as something to be attained; internal emptiness through the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature as something to be attained; suchness through the inconceivable realm as something to be attained; the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path as something to be attained; the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path as something to be attained; the liberation gates of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness as something to be attained; the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations as something to be attained; the eight liberations through the ten spheres of totality as something to be attained; the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata as something to be attained; the Stage of Great Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud as something to be attained; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways as something to be attained; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges as something to be attained; the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha as something to be attained; the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being as something to be attained; the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity as something to be attained; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects as something to be attained; the fruit of stream-entry through the bodhi of a pratyekabuddha as something to be attained; all practices of the great bodhisattvas as something to be attained; the fruit of the unsurpassed, perfect and complete bodhi of the Buddhas as something to be attained; and the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom as something to be attained.

Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas regard such Dharma gateways as something to be attained, this attainment is called birth.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas regard all dharmas as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means. That is to say: Great bodhisattvas regard form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of form through the intrinsic nature of consciousness cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the eye ayatana through the intrinsic nature of the mind ayatana cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the form ayatana through the intrinsic nature of the dharma ayatana cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the eye dhatu through the intrinsic nature of the mind dhatu cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the form dhatu through the intrinsic nature of the dharma dhatu cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the eye-consciousness dhatu through the intrinsic nature of the mind-consciousness dhatu cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard eye-contact through mind-contact as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of eye-contact through the intrinsic nature of mind-contact cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the earth dhatu through the intrinsic nature of the consciousness dhatu cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the causal condition through the dominant condition as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the causal condition through the intrinsic nature of the dominant condition cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard ignorance through aging and death as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of ignorance through the intrinsic nature of aging and death cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the perfection of generosity through the intrinsic nature of the perfection of prajna cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of inner emptiness through the intrinsic nature of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard suchness through the inconceivable realm as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of suchness through the intrinsic nature of the inconceivable realm cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path as incapable of being practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the four foundations of mindfulness through the intrinsic nature of the Noble Eightfold Path cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the three gates of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the three gates of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the eight liberations through the ten totalities as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the eight liberations through the intrinsic nature of the ten totalities cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the intrinsic nature of the Stage of the Tathagata cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the Stage of Utmost Joy through the intrinsic nature of the Stage of the Dharma Cloud cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why? Because the intrinsic nature of the ten powers of the Tathagata through the intrinsic nature of the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha cannot be practiced, realized, spoken of, or indicated. Great bodhisattvas regard the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being as incapable of being practiced, attained, spoken of, or indicated, and thus take non-attainment as their means.

Why?

For the intrinsic nature of the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated. The great bodhisattvas take the non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity as non-apprehension. Why?

Because the intrinsic nature of the Dharma of non-forgetfulness and the nature of constant equanimity cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated. The great bodhisattvas take the non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects as non-apprehension. Why?

Because the intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated. The great bodhisattvas take the non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha as non-apprehension. Why?

Because the intrinsic nature of the fruit of stream-entry through the intrinsic nature of the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated. The great bodhisattvas take the non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of all the practices of great bodhisattvas as non-apprehension. Why?

Because the intrinsic nature of all the practices of great bodhisattvas cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated. The great bodhisattvas take the non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment as non-apprehension. Why?

Because the intrinsic nature of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated. The great bodhisattvas take the non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom as non-apprehension. Why?

Because the intrinsic nature of the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom cannot be practiced, attained, spoken of, or demonstrated.

Subhuti! The great bodhisattvas take such non-practice, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-demonstration of all dharmas as non-apprehension. This non-apprehension is called separation from arising. After entering the stage of the certainty of rightness that is separated from arising and perfecting all dhyanas, liberations, samadhis, and meditative attainments, the great bodhisattvas are not reborn even through the power of concentration, much less through the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion. If they were reborn through the power of the afflictions, that would indeed be unreasonable. Abiding therein, these great bodhisattvas perform various karmic deeds. If, through the power of karma, they were to wander among the various destinies, that too would indeed be unreasonable.

Although abiding in illusory activities and bringing genuine benefit to sentient beings, these great bodhisattvas apprehend neither illusions nor sentient beings. When these great bodhisattvas have no apprehension regarding such matters, they mature sentient beings and adorn Buddha-fields without ever becoming indolent.

Therefore, Subhuti, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas can swiftly perfect the signless perfection of meditation. Because this perfection of meditation is soon perfected, they swiftly attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment and turn the wondrous Dharma wheel to liberate sentient beings. Such a Dharma wheel is called non-apprehension.

Furthermore, Subhuti, when practicing prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas abide in the five aggregates subject to clinging as being like dreams, echoes, shadows, reflections, flashes of lightning, mirages, illusions, and magical transformations, thereby perfecting prajnaparamita. These great bodhisattvas know and see, in accordance with reality, that the nature and characteristics of all dharmas are like dreams through to magical transformations, and thus they can perfect the signless prajnaparamita.

The Venerable Subhuti said:

– Blessed One! When practicing profound prajnaparamita, how do the great bodhisattvas know and see, in accordance with reality, that the nature and characteristics of all dharmas are like dreams through to magical transformations?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– When practicing prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas do not see a dream or one who dreams; they do not hear an echo or see one who hears an echo; they do not see a shadow or one who sees a shadow; they do not see a reflection or one who sees a reflection; they do not see a mirage or one who sees a mirage; they do not see an illusion or one who sees an illusion; and they do not see a magical transformation or one who sees a magical transformation. Why? Because dreams through to illusory transformations are all objects of attachment for foolish, deluded, and inverted ordinary beings. Arhats, pratyekabuddhas, great bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, do not see a dream or one who dreams, through to not seeing a magical transformation or one who sees a magical transformation. Why? Because all dharmas have non-nature as their nature; they are unproduced, unreal, signless, unconditioned, devoid of true nature, and equal to nirvana. If all dharmas have non-nature as their nature, and so forth through to being equal to nirvana, then when practicing profound prajnaparamita, how could the great bodhisattvas conceive dharmas as possessing nature, as produced, as real, as possessing signs, as conditioned, or as possessing true nature? If they were to give rise to such conceptions, that would indeed be unreasonable. Why? Because if all dharmas possessed even the slightest intrinsic nature, were produced, were real, possessed conditioned signs, or possessed an attainable true nature, then the prajnaparamita that is cultivated should not be prajnaparamita.

Therefore, Subhuti, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas do not become attached to form, up to and including consciousness; they do not become attached to the eye ayatana, up to and including the mind ayatana; they do not become attached to the form ayatana, up to and including the dharma ayatana; they do not become attached to the eye dhatu, up to and including the mind dhatu; they do not become attached to the form dhatu, up to and including the dharma dhatu; they do not become attached to the eye-consciousness dhatu, up to and including the mind-consciousness dhatu; they do not become attached to eye-contact, up to and including mind-contact;

they do not become attached to feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, up to and including feelings arising with mind-contact as condition; they do not become attached to the earth dhatu, up to and including the consciousness dhatu; they do not become attached to causal conditions, up to and including the dominant condition; they do not become attached to dharmas arising from causal conditions; they do not become attached to ignorance, up to and including aging and death; they do not become attached to the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm; they do not become attached to any dhyana, liberation, samadhi, or meditative attainment; they do not become attached to the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the Noble Eightfold Path;

they do not become attached to the three gates of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; they do not become attached to the perfection of generosity, up to and including prajnaparamita; they do not become attached to the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; they do not become attached to inner emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; they do not become attached to suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm; they do not become attached to the Ground of Pure Contemplation, up to and including the Ground of the Tathagata; they do not become attached to the Ground of Utmost Joy, up to and including the Ground of the Dharma Cloud; they do not become attached to any dharani gateway or samadhi gateway;

they do not become attached to the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges; they do not become attached to the ten powers of the Tathagata, up to and including the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; they do not become attached to the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty noble characteristics of a Great Being; they do not become attached to the Dharma of never forgetting or the nature of perpetual equanimity; they do not become attached to the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or the knowledge of all aspects; they do not become attached to the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; they do not become attached to any practice of great bodhisattvas;

they do not become attached to the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas; and they do not become attached to the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom.

When practicing profound prajnaparamita, because they are not attached to any such Dharma gateway, these great bodhisattvas perfect the bodhisattva grounds from the first through the tenth, yet do not crave or cling to those grounds. Why? Because these great bodhisattvas do not apprehend either one who perfects the first through tenth grounds or the grounds that are perfected; how, then, could craving or attachment to those grounds arise?

Although they practice profound prajnaparamita, these great bodhisattvas do not apprehend profound prajnaparamita. Because they do not apprehend profound prajnaparamita, they also do not apprehend any dharma. Although they contemplate profound prajnaparamita as encompassing all dharmas, these great bodhisattvas apprehend no dharma whatsoever.

Why? Because all dharmas and this prajnaparamita are nondual and not divided into two. Why?

Because the nature of all dharmas cannot be discriminated. It is called suchness, the dharma realm, and the true limit, for dharmas are neither intermingled nor differentiated.

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, if the nature of all dharmas is neither intermingled nor differentiated, how can one say that this is wholesome and that is unwholesome, that this is determinate and that is indeterminate, that this is defiled and that is undefiled, that this is mundane and that is supramundane, or that this is conditioned and that is unconditioned? How can there be such distinctions among the Dharma gateways?”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“What do you think? Within the true nature of all dharmas, is there any dharma that can be said to be wholesome or unwholesome, determinate or indeterminate, defiled or undefiled, mundane or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned, the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of arhatship, the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, any practice of great bodhisattvas, or the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, World-Honored One.”

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

“Therefore, you should know that all dharmas are neither intermingled nor differentiated; they are signless, unborn, unceasing, unobstructed, ineffable, and incapable of being indicated. Subhuti, you should know that formerly, when cultivating and training in the bodhisattva path, I apprehended nothing whatsoever in the self-nature of dharmas. That is, I did not apprehend form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; I did not apprehend the eye ayatana, up to and including the mind ayatana; I did not apprehend the form ayatana, up to and including the dharma ayatana; I did not apprehend the eye dhatu, up to and including the mind dhatu; I did not apprehend the form dhatu, up to and including the dharma dhatu;

I did not apprehend the eye-consciousness dhatu, up to and including the mind-consciousness dhatu; I did not apprehend eye-contact, up to and including mind-contact; I did not apprehend feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, up to and including feelings arising with mind-contact as condition; I did not apprehend the earth dhatu, up to and including the consciousness dhatu; I did not apprehend causal conditions, up to and including the dominant condition; I did not apprehend dharmas arising from causal conditions; I did not apprehend ignorance, up to and including aging and death; I did not apprehend the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm; I did not apprehend the wholesome or the unwholesome; I did not apprehend the determinate or the indeterminate;

I did not apprehend the defiled or the undefiled; I did not apprehend the mundane or the supramundane; I did not apprehend the conditioned or the unconditioned; I did not apprehend the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the Noble Eightfold Path; I did not apprehend the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, or the four formless attainments; I did not apprehend the eight liberations, up to and including the ten spheres of totality; I did not apprehend the three gates of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; I did not apprehend the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; I did not apprehend the perfection of generosity, up to and including prajnaparamita;

I did not apprehend inner emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the absence of self-nature; I did not apprehend suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm; I did not apprehend the Ground of Pure Contemplation, up to and including the Ground of the Tathagata; I did not apprehend the Ground of Utmost Joy, up to and including the Ground of the Dharma Cloud; I did not apprehend any dharani gateway or samadhi gateway; I did not apprehend the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges; I did not apprehend the ten powers of the Tathagata, up to and including the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; I did not apprehend the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty noble characteristics of a Great Being;

I did not apprehend the Dharma of never forgetting or the nature of perpetual equanimity; I did not apprehend the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or the knowledge of all aspects; I did not apprehend the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; I did not apprehend any practice of great bodhisattvas; and I did not apprehend the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas.

“Therefore, Subhuti, when practicing profound prajnaparamita, from the time they first give rise to the aspiration until they are seated upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment, great bodhisattvas must fully train in the self-nature of all dharmas. Whoever can fully train in the self-nature of all dharmas can completely purify the great path to enlightenment, perfect the bodhisattva practices, bring sentient beings to maturity, adorn Buddha lands, swiftly realize unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, turn the wondrous Dharma wheel, and skillfully employ the teachings of the three vehicles to tame sentient beings, enabling them never again to revolve through samsara in the three realms and to attain the complete bliss of nirvana.

“Therefore, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas should use signlessness as a skillful means when cultivating and training in prajnaparamita.”

LXXVI. CHAPTER ON THE VIRTUOUS QUALITIES

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! If all dharmas are like dreams, echoes, shadows, reflections, mirages, illusions, and magical transformations—entirely unreal, having non-nature as their nature, and empty in their own characteristics—then how can they be designated as wholesome or unwholesome, determinate or indeterminate, with outflows or without outflows, mundane or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned; and so forth, up to the fruit of stream-entry and the dharmas by which the fruit of stream-entry may be attained, the fruit of once-returning and the dharmas by which the fruit of once-returning may be attained, the fruit of non-returning and the dharmas by which the fruit of non-returning may be attained, the fruit of arhatship and the dharmas by which the fruit of arhatship may be attained, the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha and the dharmas by which the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha may be attained, the stages of great bodhisattvas and the dharmas by which the stages of great bodhisattvas may be attained, the fruit of the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, and the dharmas by which the fruit of the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas may be attained?

The Buddha said to Subhuti:

– Foolish, unlearned ordinary people in the world apprehend dreams and apprehend those who see dreams; and so forth, up to apprehending magical illusions and apprehending those who see magical illusions. Having apprehended dreams, and so forth, up to apprehending magical illusions, these foolish ordinary people of meager understanding, through their inverted attachments, perform either unwholesome actions of body, speech, and mind; wholesome actions of body, speech, and mind; indeterminate actions of body, speech, and mind; non-meritorious actions of body, speech, and mind; meritorious actions of body, speech, and mind; or imperturbable actions of body, speech, and mind. Because of these actions, they come and go along the paths of birth and death, revolving without cease.

When practicing the profound prajnaparamita, great bodhisattvas contemplate all dharmas by means of two kinds of emptiness. These two kinds of emptiness are ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness. Abiding in these two kinds of emptiness, those great bodhisattvas expound the true Dharma to sentient beings.

They teach: You should know that form is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the eye ayatana is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the form ayatana is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the eye dhatu is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the form dhatu is empty, free from self and what belongs to self;

the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the eye-consciousness dhatu is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; eye-contact is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as their condition are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the earth dhatu is empty, free from self and what belongs to self;

the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the causal condition is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and dominant condition are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the dharmas arising from causes and conditions are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; ignorance is empty, free from self and what belongs to self; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; wholesome dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; unwholesome dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self;

determinate dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; indeterminate dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; dharmas with outflows are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; dharmas without outflows are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; mundane dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; supramundane dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; conditioned dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; unconditioned dharmas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the perfection of generosity through the perfection of wisdom are empty, free from self and what belongs to self;

inner emptiness through the emptiness of the non-nature of intrinsic nature are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; suchness through the inconceivable realm are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the four meditative absorptions, four immeasurables, and four formless attainments are empty, free from self and what belongs to self;

the eight liberations through the ten totalities are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the Stage of Pure Contemplation through the Stage of the Tathagata are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the Stage of Utmost Joy through the Stage of the Dharma Cloud are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the five kinds of eyes and six superknowledges are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being are empty, free from self and what belongs to self;

the quality of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and knowledge of all aspects are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; all practices of great bodhisattvas are empty, free from self and what belongs to self; and the fruit of the unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas is empty, free from self and what belongs to self.

He further said: You should know! Form, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the eye ayatana, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the form ayatana, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature;

the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object ayatanas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the eye dhatu, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the form dhatu, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature;

the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and mental-object dhatus, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the eye-consciousness dhatu, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature; the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; eye-contact, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature;

ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the feelings produced with eye-contact as condition, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the earth dhatu, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature;

the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the causal condition, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature; the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the predominant condition, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; dharmas arising from causes and conditions, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

ignorance, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature; formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and aging-and-death, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; wholesome dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; unwholesome dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

determinate dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; indeterminate dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; contaminated dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; uncontaminated dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; worldly dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

supramundane dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; conditioned dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; unconditioned dharmas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the perfection of generosity, up to prajnaparamita, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; inner emptiness, up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

suchness, up to the inconceivable realm, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the four establishments of mindfulness, up to the Noble Eightfold Path, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the eight liberations, up to the ten totalities, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the Stage of Pure Contemplation, up to the Stage of the Tathagata, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the Stage of Utmost Joy, up to the Stage of the Dharma Cloud, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the ten powers of the Tathagata, up to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

the quality of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; the fruit of stream-entry, up to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature; all practices of great bodhisattvas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, are entirely without self-nature;

the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas, being like a dream and so forth, up to being like an illusion and a magical creation, is entirely without self-nature.

He further thought: You should know! Within that emptiness there is no form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; there is no eye ayatana, up to the mind ayatana; there is no form ayatana, up to the mental-object ayatana; there is no eye dhatu, up to the mind dhatu; there is no form dhatu, up to the mental-object dhatu; there is no eye-consciousness dhatu, up to the mind-consciousness dhatu; there is no eye-contact, up to mind-contact; there are no feelings produced with eye-contact as condition, nor are there any feelings produced with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as condition; there is no earth dhatu, up to the consciousness dhatu; there is no causal condition, up to the predominant condition; there are no dharmas arising from causes and conditions;

there is no ignorance, up to aging-and-death; there are no wholesome or unwholesome dharmas; there are no determinate or indeterminate dharmas; there are no contaminated or uncontaminated dharmas; there are no worldly or supramundane dharmas; there are no conditioned or unconditioned dharmas; there is no perfection of generosity, up to prajnaparamita; there is no inner emptiness, up to the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; there is no suchness, up to the inconceivable realm; there are no Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; there are no four establishments of mindfulness, up to the Noble Eightfold Path; there are no liberation gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

there are no four dhyanas, four immeasurables, or four formless absorptions; there are no eight liberations, up to the ten totalities; there is no Stage of Pure Contemplation, up to the Stage of the Tathagata; there is no Stage of Utmost Joy, up to the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; there are no dharani gateways or samadhi gateways; there are no five kinds of eyes or six superknowledges; there are no ten powers of the Tathagata, up to the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; there are no thirty-two excellent marks or eighty beautiful characteristics of a Great Being; there is no quality of never forgetting or nature of constant equanimity; there is no knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects;

there is no fruit of stream-entry, up to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; there are no practices of great bodhisattvas; there is no unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas; there is no dream and no one who sees a dream; there is no echo and no one who hears an echo; there is no image and no one who sees an image; there is no flash of lightning and no one who sees a flash of lightning; there is no mirage and no one who sees a mirage; there is no illusion and no one who sees an illusion; there is no magical creation and no one who sees a magical creation.

He further said: “You should know! All these dharmas are not truly real; they take non-nature as their nature. Because of false discrimination, you conceive the existence of skandhas where there are no skandhas, conceive the existence of ayatanas where there are no ayatanas, conceive the existence of dhatus where there are no dhatus, conceive the existence of contact where there is no contact, and conceive the existence of feeling where there is no feeling.

“He further said: “You should know! The nature of all dharmas, such as the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus, arises from conditions, originates through delusion, and is sustained by the ripening of karma. Why do you conceive true reality in dharmas that are false and unreal?”

At that time, the bodhisattva, employing skillful means and endowed with great spiritual powers, sought ways to rescue those sentient beings who were greedy and miserly, helping them abandon greed and miserliness. After those sentient beings had abandoned avarice, he taught them to cultivate the perfection of generosity. Through generosity, those sentient beings attained wealth, freedom, abundant possessions, and high status.

From that position, the bodhisattva continued to employ skillful means to assist them, teaching them to cultivate the perfection of pure morality. Through pure morality, those sentient beings were born in favorable realms and attained exalted status and freedom. From that position, the bodhisattva continued to assist them, teaching them to cultivate the perfection of patient endurance.

Through patient endurance, those sentient beings could soon attain the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. From that position, the bodhisattva continued to employ skillful means to assist them, teaching them to cultivate the perfection of diligence. Through diligence, until they attained unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, those sentient beings did not regress from wholesome dharmas.

From that position, the bodhisattva continued to seek ways to assist them, teaching them to cultivate the perfection of meditative concentration. Through meditative concentration, those sentient beings were born in the Brahma heaven and dwelt freely in the first meditative absorption. From the first meditative absorption, the bodhisattva sought ways to assist them and caused them to dwell in the second meditative absorption.

Proceeding successively in this manner, the bodhisattva sought ways to assist them and caused them to dwell up to the concentration of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. From that position, he again sought ways to assist them and caused them to abide in one of the three vehicles according to their capacities: he might help them abide in the four foundations of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; or help them abide in the three gateways to liberation; or help them abide in the eight liberations through the ten totalities; or help them abide in the Four Noble Truths; or help them abide in the six perfections; or help them abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the non-nature of intrinsic nature;

or help them abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; or help them abide in the Ground of Utmost Joy through the Ground of the Dharma Cloud; or help them abide in the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways; or help them abide in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or help them abide in the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha; or help them abide in the Dharma of unfailing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity; or help them abide in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

This great bodhisattva possesses skillful means. If sentient beings are attached to the conditioned rewards of generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, and other wholesome dharmas, he employs various skillful means to comfort and assist them, causing them to abide in the realm of nirvana without remainder. Practicing skillful means and profound prajnaparamita, this great bodhisattva accomplishes and abides in the true, uncontaminated Dharma that is formless, invisible, and without resistance.

Those sentient beings who should attain the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, pratyekabuddha enlightenment, or unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, he instructs, admonishes, encourages, and gladdens, seeking ways to assist them and causing them to attain the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Therefore, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita and contemplate the two kinds of emptiness, although they know that all dharmas are like dreams, up to and including like magical transformations, are entirely unreal, take non-nature as their nature, and are empty of intrinsic characteristics, they are nevertheless able to establish wholesome and unwholesome dharmas and, broadly speaking, even attain a Buddha’s unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, all without confusion.

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