大般若波羅蜜多經

03

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they abide in the five aggregates of clinging as being like a dream, an echo, a reflected image, a shadow, a mirage, an illusion, a magical creation, and a city of the Gandharvas, and thereby perfect the perfection of meditation.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, how do they abide in the five aggregates of clinging as being like a dream, up to a city of the Gandharvas, and thereby perfect the perfection of meditation?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they know in accordance with reality that the five aggregates of clinging are like a dream, up to a city of the Gandharvas, and possess no real characteristic. Therefore, they enter the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations; cultivate the samadhis of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; and cultivate the noble samadhis called Lightning Flash and Vajra-Simile. Abiding in the Vajra-Simile Samadhi, apart from the Tathagata’s concentration, they are able to enter and abide fully in all other concentrations, whether the concentrations of the Two Vehicles or supreme concentrations. Yet they do not give rise to a mind that delights in or clings to such samadhis, nor are they intoxicated by the fruits thereby attained. Why is this? Because these great bodhisattvas know in accordance with reality that meditative absorptions, concentrations, and all dharmas alike have signlessness and the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature. Signlessness cannot delight in or cling to signlessness. The absence of intrinsic nature cannot delight in or cling to the absence of intrinsic nature. Because they neither delight in nor cling to them, they never follow the power of the concentrations of the Form Realm or the Formless Realm.

Why is this? Because in all realms these great bodhisattvas apprehend neither the concentration that enters nor the concentration entered. Therefore, when entering a state of concentration, they also apprehend nothing. Because these great bodhisattvas apprehend nothing in any dharma, they swiftly perfect the signless perfection of meditation. By perfecting this perfection of meditation, they surpass the stages of the shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth.

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How do these great bodhisattvas, by perfecting this signless perfection of meditation, surpass the stages of the shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Because these great bodhisattvas train well in inner emptiness, up to the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature, they perfect the signless perfection of meditation and surpass the stages of the shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth.

Abiding in these emptinesses, these great bodhisattvas apprehend nothing whatsoever in any dharma and see no dharma apart from these emptinesses. Abiding therein, these great bodhisattvas do not attain the fruit of stream-entry, up to the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; nor do they attain all the practices of great bodhisattvas; nor do they attain the unsurpassed, complete enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Why is this? Because within emptiness there is no dharma, nor is there even emptiness. Because these great bodhisattvas abide in this emptiness, they surpass the stages of the shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth, and enter the bodhisattvas’ certainty of rightness, free from arising.

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What do great bodhisattvas take as arising, and what do they take as freedom from arising?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas take every form of apprehension as arising and complete non-apprehension as freedom from arising.

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! What do great bodhisattvas take as apprehension, and what do they take as non-apprehension?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas take all dharmas as objects of apprehension. That is, great bodhisattvas take the form aggregate as an object of apprehension; they take the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as objects of apprehension. To elaborate, up to taking the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge as an object of apprehension. Great bodhisattvas take such various Dharma gateways and so forth as objects of apprehension. Apprehension itself is called arising, just as food and drink may give rise to illness.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas take the non-acting, non-attainment, ineffability, and indemonstrability of all dharmas as non-apprehension. That is, great bodhisattvas take the non-acting, non-attainment, ineffability, and indemonstrability of form, up to the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, as non-apprehension. Why is this? Because the intrinsic nature of form, up to the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, can neither be acted upon nor attained, neither spoken nor demonstrated.

Great bodhisattvas take the non-acting, non-attainment, ineffability, and indemonstrability of such various Dharma gateways and so forth as non-apprehension. Non-apprehension itself is called freedom from arising.

Having entered the state of certainty of rightness, free from arising, great bodhisattvas perfect all meditative absorptions, liberations, samadhis, and meditative attainments. They do not take birth under the power of concentration, much less under the power of afflictions such as greed, hatred, and delusion, or under the power of secondary afflictions. That is impossible!

Nor is it possible for these great bodhisattvas, while abiding therein, to create karma and, under the power of that karma, revolve through the various realms.

Although these great bodhisattvas abide among formations that are like illusions and bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings, they apprehend neither the illusions nor the sentient beings.

While engaging in such activities without apprehension, these great bodhisattvas never weary of or abandon the maturation of sentient beings and the purification of Buddha-fields.

Thus, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita swiftly perfect the signless perfection of meditation. By perfecting this perfection of meditation, they perfect all the qualities of a Buddha. Through this, they realize the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge, turn the wheel of the sublime Dharma, and bring uninterrupted benefit and happiness to sentient beings until the end of future time. Although they thus turn the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma and perform such deeds, there is no apprehension, because both the speaker and what is spoken lack intrinsic nature.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they abide in the five aggregates of clinging as being like a dream, an echo, a reflected image, a shadow, a mirage, an illusion, a magical creation, and a city of the Gandharvas, and thereby perfect prajnaparamita. These great bodhisattvas know in accordance with reality that the nature of all dharmas is like a dream, up to a city of the Gandharvas, and is entirely unreal. They thereby perfect signless prajnaparamita.

The Venerable Subhuti then said to the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, how do they know in accordance with reality that the nature of all dharmas is like a dream, up to a city of the Gandharvas?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they see neither a dream nor one who sees a dream; they hear neither an echo nor see one who hears an echo; they see neither a reflected image nor one who sees a reflected image; they see neither a shadow nor one who sees a shadow; they see neither a mirage nor one who sees a mirage; they see neither an illusion nor one who sees an illusion; they see neither a magical creation nor one who sees a magical creation; they see neither a city of the Gandharvas nor one who sees a city of the Gandharvas.

Why is this? Because dreams and those who see dreams, up to cities of the Gandharvas and those who see cities of the Gandharvas, are all objects of the inverted attachments of foolish ordinary beings. Arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas see neither dreams nor those who see dreams; to elaborate, they see neither cities of the Gandharvas nor those who see cities of the Gandharvas.

Why is this? Because the absence of intrinsic nature in all dharmas is their nature; they are neither accomplished nor real, are signless and unconditioned, have no truly existent nature, and are identical with nirvana. If the absence of intrinsic nature in all dharmas is their nature, and so forth, up to their being identical with nirvana, how could a great bodhisattva, while practicing profound prajnaparamita, give rise with regard to all dharmas to the perception that they have intrinsic nature, the perception that they are accomplished, the perception that they are real, the perception that they exist, or the perception that conditioned things have a real nature? That such perceptions should arise is impossible.

Why is this? If all dharmas possessed even the slightest intrinsic nature, were accomplished, real, characterized, fabricated, or had a real nature that could be apprehended, then the practice of profound prajnaparamita would not be prajnaparamita and could not apprehend the true nature and characteristics of dharmas.

Thus, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they do not grasp the form skandha, nor do they grasp the skandhas of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and so forth, up to their not grasping the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom. Because these great bodhisattvas are unattached to all such Dharma gateways, they can perfect the first bodhisattva bhumi through the tenth bhumi, yet they do not become attached to them.

Why is this? These great bodhisattvas do not apprehend the first bhumi through the tenth bhumi, nor one who perfects them or that which is perfected; how, then, could they become attached to them?

Although these great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they do not apprehend prajnaparamita. Because they do not apprehend prajnaparamita, they also do not apprehend any dharma.

Although these great bodhisattvas contemplate prajnaparamita as encompassing all dharmas, they apprehend none of those dharmas.

Why is this? Because all dharmas and this prajnaparamita are neither two nor different. Why? Because the nature of all dharmas cannot be differentiated. Dharmas are said to be suchness, the dharma-dhatu, and the ultimate reality because they are unmixed and undifferentiated.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, if the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is unmixed and undifferentiated, how can it be said, ‘This is wholesome; this is unwholesome; this is contaminated; this is uncontaminated; this is mundane; this is supramundane; this is conditioned; this is unconditioned,’ and that immeasurable dharmas differ in such ways?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the true nature of dharmas be described as wholesome or unwholesome, and so forth? Moreover, can it be described as the fruit of stream-entry, and so forth, up to its being described as a Buddha or enlightenment?”

Subhuti replied:

“Blessed One, it cannot be described in that way.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, for this reason you should know that the nature of dharmas is neither intermingled nor differentiated; it is without characteristics, neither arising nor ceasing, unobstructed, inexpressible, and incapable of being pointed out.

“Subhuti, you should know that in the past, when I trained in the bodhisattva path, I apprehended no intrinsic nature in any dharma. That is, I apprehended neither form, feeling, perception, formations, nor consciousness. I apprehended neither the eye ayatana through the mind ayatana; neither the form ayatana through the dharma ayatana; neither the eye dhatu through the mind dhatu; neither the form dhatu through the dharma dhatu; neither the eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu; neither eye-contact through mind-contact; nor feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact through feelings arising in dependence upon mind-contact.

“I apprehended neither the earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu; neither the causal condition through the dominant condition; nor any dharma arising in dependence upon conditions. I apprehended neither ignorance through old age and death; neither the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, nor the Formless Realm; neither wholesome nor unwholesome dharmas; neither contaminated nor uncontaminated dharmas; neither mundane nor supramundane dharmas; neither conditioned nor unconditioned dharmas. To elaborate, I apprehended neither the fruit of stream-entry through the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, nor the practices of great bodhisattvas, nor unsurpassed complete enlightenment.

“Thus, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, from the first arising of the aspiration until unsurpassed complete enlightenment, they should always train well in the intrinsic nature of dharmas. If they train well in the intrinsic nature of dharmas, they can thoroughly purify the path to great enlightenment; they can also perfect the bodhisattva practices, bring sentient beings to maturity, and adorn and purify Buddha-fields. Abiding in this Dharma, they swiftly realize unsurpassed complete enlightenment and, employing the Dharma of the Three Vehicles as skillful means, tame all classes of sentient beings, enabling them to cease transmigrating through the three realms and enter the ultimate peace and bliss of nirvana.

“Thus, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas should employ signlessness as skillful means and cultivate prajnaparamita so that it may quickly be perfected. If their cultivation of prajnaparamita is quickly perfected, they can embrace all Buddha-dharmas. Thereby, they realize the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and bring benefit and happiness to sentient beings until the end of future time.”

At that time, Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, if all dharmas are entirely like dreams, and so forth, up to their being like a city of the gandharvas, all unreal, with the absence of intrinsic nature as their nature and their own characteristics all empty, then how can it be established, ‘This is wholesome; this is unwholesome; this is mundane; this is supramundane; this is contaminated; this is uncontaminated; this is conditioned; this is unconditioned’? To elaborate, how can it be established, ‘This is the fruit of stream-entry; this is the Dharma capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry,’ and so forth, up to, ‘This is the Buddha’s unsurpassed complete enlightenment; this is the Dharma capable of realizing a Buddha’s enlightenment’?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, ignorant, unlearned ordinary beings in the world become attached within a dream to the dream and to the one who sees the dream, and so forth, up to their becoming attached within a city of the gandharvas to that city and also to the one who sees it. Having experienced dreams and the like in this way, ignorant, unlearned ordinary beings perversely cling to them and create unwholesome karma through bodily, verbal, and mental actions; or create wholesome karma through bodily, verbal, and mental actions; or create indeterminate karma through bodily, verbal, and mental actions; or create demeritorious karma through bodily, verbal, and mental actions; or again create meritorious karma through bodily, verbal, and mental actions;

or create imperturbable karma through bodily, verbal, and mental actions.

Because of these formations, they repeatedly undergo birth and death and endure suffering without end.

“Great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita abide in two kinds of emptiness and contemplate all dharmas: ultimate emptiness and beginningless-and-endless emptiness. Abiding in these two kinds of emptiness, these great bodhisattvas proclaim the true Dharma for sentient beings in such words as these: ‘Form through consciousness are empty and have no existence. The eye ayatana through the mind ayatana are empty and have no existence.

The form ayatana through the dharma ayatana are empty and have no existence. The eye dhatu through the mind dhatu are empty and have no existence. The form dhatu through the dharma dhatu are empty and have no existence.

The eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu are empty and have no existence. Eye-contact through mind-contact are empty and have no existence. Feelings arising in dependence upon eye-contact through feelings arising in dependence upon mind-contact are empty and have no existence.

The earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu are empty and have no existence. The causal condition through the dominant condition are empty and have no existence. Dharmas arising in dependence upon conditions are empty and have no existence.

Dharmas such as ignorance through old age and death are empty and have no existence.’”

He further spoke thus: “Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. The eye ayatana through the mind ayatana are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. The form ayatana through the dharma ayatana are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature.

The eye dhatu through the mind dhatu are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. The form dhatu through the dharma dhatu are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. The eye-consciousness dhatu through the mind-consciousness dhatu are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature.

Eye-contact through mind-contact are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. The feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. The earth dhatu through the consciousness dhatu are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature.

The causal condition through the dominant condition are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. All dharmas arising from conditions are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature. Dharmas such as ignorance through aging and death… are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; all are devoid of intrinsic nature.”

He further spoke thus: “Herein there is no form, feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. There is no eye ayatana through mind ayatana. There is no form ayatana through dharma ayatana. There is no eye dhatu through mind dhatu. There is no form dhatu through dharma dhatu, and no eye-consciousness dhatu through mind-consciousness dhatu. There is no eye-contact through mind-contact. There are no feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through feelings arising with mind-contact as condition. There is no earth dhatu through consciousness dhatu. There is no causal condition through dominant condition. There are no dharmas arising from conditions. There are no dharmas such as ignorance through aging and death…”

He further spoke thus: “Herein there is no dream and no one who sees a dream. Thus, in full detail, there is no city of gandharvas and no one who sees a city of gandharvas.”

He further spoke thus: “Dharmas such as these do not truly exist; their nature is the absence of nature. Because of the power of your false discrimination, although the form skandha through consciousness skandha do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the form skandha through consciousness skandha as existing. Although the eye ayatana through mind ayatana do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the eye ayatana through mind ayatana as existing.

Although the form ayatana through dharma ayatana do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the form ayatana through dharma ayatana as existing. Although the eye dhatu through mind dhatu do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the eye dhatu through mind dhatu as existing. Although the form dhatu through dharma dhatu do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the form dhatu through dharma dhatu as existing.

Although the eye-consciousness dhatu through mind-consciousness dhatu do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the eye-consciousness dhatu through mind-consciousness dhatu as existing. Although eye-contact through mind-contact do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive eye-contact through mind-contact as existing. Although the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, through the feelings arising with mind-contact as condition, as existing.

Although the earth dhatu through consciousness dhatu do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the earth dhatu through consciousness dhatu as existing. Although the causal condition through dominant condition do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive the causal condition through dominant condition as existing. Although dharmas arising from conditions do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive dharmas arising from conditions as existing.

Although dharmas such as ignorance through aging and death… do not truly exist, you nevertheless perceive dharmas such as ignorance through aging and death… as existing.”

He further spoke thus: “The nature of all dharmas—the skandhas, ayatanas, dhatus, and so forth—is constructed through the conjunction of various conditions. Those who are confused and inverted give rise to delusion and appropriate karmic ripenings. Since these false dharmas are not real, for what reason do you form the perception that they truly exist?”

At that time, a bodhisattva practicing profound prajnaparamita possesses skillful means. If any sentient beings are miserly and covetous, the bodhisattva uses skillful means to rescue them and cause them to abandon miserliness and covetousness. After these sentient beings have abandoned miserliness and covetousness, the bodhisattva exhorts them to cultivate the perfection of generosity.

Through generosity, these sentient beings acquire abundant wealth and enjoy prosperity and freedom. From that state, the bodhisattva again uses skillful means to rescue them and exhorts them to cultivate the perfection of pure morality. Through observing pure morality, these sentient beings are reborn in favorable realms and enjoy prosperity and freedom.

From that state, the bodhisattva again uses skillful means to rescue them and exhorts them to cultivate the perfection of meditative concentration. Through cultivating meditative concentration, these sentient beings are reborn in the Brahma world, where they abide freely in the first meditative concentration. From the first meditative concentration, the bodhisattva uses skillful means to rescue them and further causes them to abide in the second meditative concentration.

Employing skillful means to rescue them progressively in this way, the bodhisattva ultimately causes them to abide in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Through generosity, moral discipline, and meditative concentration, these sentient beings obtain excellent karmic rewards and consequently become deeply attached to them.

At that time, the bodhisattva, through skillful means, rescues them from those inferior states and establishes them in nirvana without remainder. That is, by employing skillful means appropriate to them, the bodhisattva causes them to rely upon the Three Vehicles and diligently cultivate the noble path; or causes them to abide in the four establishments of mindfulness through the Noble Eightfold Path; or causes them to abide in the Dharma gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; or causes them to abide in the eight liberations through the ten totalities; or causes them to abide in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

or causes them to abide in the contemplation of the twelve links of dependent origination in forward and reverse order; or causes them to abide in the six paramitas; or causes them to abide in inner emptiness through the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of non-nature; or causes them to abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm; or causes them to abide in the bodhisattva stages; or causes them to abide in the dharani gateways and samadhi gateways; or causes them to abide in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or causes them to abide in the ten powers of the Tathagata through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or causes them to abide in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity;

or causes them to abide in the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity; or causes them to abide in the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, and the knowledge of all aspects.

This great bodhisattva, practicing profound prajnaparamita and possessing skillful means, accomplishes and abides in the genuine uncontaminated Dharma that is immaterial, invisible, and nonresistant. If a sentient being is suited to attaining the fruit of stream-entry, the bodhisattva instructs and guides that being, joyfully encourages and praises them, and uses skillful means to rescue them so that they attain the fruit of stream-entry. Thus, in full detail, if a sentient being is suited to attaining unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, the bodhisattva instructs and guides that being, joyfully encourages and praises them, and uses skillful means to rescue them so that they attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Thus, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita and contemplate the two kinds of emptiness, although they know that all dharmas are like dreams, and even like a city of gandharvas; that none truly exist; that their nature is the absence of nature; and that their own characteristics are all empty, they nevertheless establish what is wholesome and unwholesome, contaminated and uncontaminated, worldly and supramundane, conditioned and unconditioned.

Thus, in full detail, they establish the fruit of stream-entry and the dharmas capable of bringing about the realization of the fruit of stream-entry. In the same way, through the Buddha’s unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment and the dharmas capable of bringing about the realization of a Buddha’s enlightenment, none are confused or intermingled.

At that time, Subhuti then addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! It is truly rare for the great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita to contemplate ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness and abide in these two kinds of emptiness. Although they know that all phenomena are like dreams, up to and including a city of gandharvas, that none truly exist, that their nature is the absence of intrinsic nature, and that their own characteristics are originally empty, they nevertheless establish innumerable Dharma gateways, such as the wholesome and the unwholesome, without confusing them with one another.

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! So it is, so it is. It is exactly as you have said. It is truly rare for the great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita. Although they know that the nature of all phenomena is ultimate emptiness and boundless emptiness, that none truly exist, that they are like dreams, up to and including a city of gandharvas, that their own characteristics are originally empty, and that their nature is the absence of intrinsic nature, they nevertheless establish Dharma gateways such as the wholesome and the unwholesome without confusing them with one another.

As you know, the great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita possess exceedingly wondrous and rare qualities that neither sravakas nor pratyekabuddhas can accomplish or fathom. Even you pratyekabuddhas and sravakas are unable to repay what the great bodhisattvas have done, much less could other sentient beings recompense them!

The Venerable Subhuti said:

– Blessed One! What are the exceedingly wondrous and rare qualities possessed by the great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita, which neither sravakas nor pratyekabuddhas can accomplish or fathom?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! Listen, listen, and consider this well. For your delight, I shall distinguish and explain the exceedingly wondrous and rare qualities possessed by the great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita.

Subhuti, you should know! When the great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they abide in the fruit of maturation and produce immeasurable and innumerable truly pure merits: the six paramitas, the five subtle superknowledges, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, dharanis, unobstructed understanding, and so forth. Through the power of these superknowledges, the great bodhisattvas travel throughout the ten directions.

If any sentient beings need to be gathered in and benefited through generosity, up to and including prajnaparamita, the great bodhisattvas gather them in and benefit them through generosity, up to and including prajnaparamita. Those who need to be gathered in and benefited through the first dhyana, up to and including the fourth dhyana, the great bodhisattvas gather in and benefit through the first dhyana, up to and including the fourth dhyana.

Those who need to be gathered in and benefited through immeasurable loving-kindness, up to and including immeasurable equanimity, the great bodhisattvas gather in and benefit through immeasurable loving-kindness, up to and including immeasurable equanimity. Those who need to be gathered in and benefited through the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, up to and including the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, the great bodhisattvas gather in and benefit through the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, up to and including the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.

Those who need to be gathered in and benefited through the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the Noble Eightfold Path, the great bodhisattvas gather in and benefit through the four foundations of mindfulness, up to and including the Noble Eightfold Path. Those who need to be gathered in and benefited through the gateway of liberation of emptiness, up to and including the gateway of liberation of wishlessness, the great bodhisattvas gather in and benefit through the gateway of liberation of emptiness, up to and including the gateway of liberation of wishlessness.

Those who need to be gathered in and benefited through other excellent wholesome phenomena, the great bodhisattvas gather in and benefit through those other excellent wholesome phenomena.

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, abide in the fruit of maturation, and produce truly pure merits—the six paramitas, the five superknowledges, and so forth—how do they use generosity and the other practices to gather in and benefit sentient beings?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When the great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, they give sentient beings whatever necessities they require. That is, if they need food and drink, they give them food and drink. If they need vehicles, they give them vehicles. If they need clothing, they give them clothing. If they need incense and flowers, they give them incense and flowers. If they need other kinds of wealth, they give it all to them and leave them lacking nothing. They may also make offerings of every kind of article to sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and all Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. When giving in this way, their minds remain impartial; they practice generosity without conceiving distinctions. They give equally to those who observe the precepts and those who violate them. They give equally to humans and nonhumans. They give equally to followers of the inner path and followers of external paths. They give equally to noble ones and ordinary beings. They give equally to the exalted and the lowly. From the Buddhas above to animals below, they treat all with complete equality and without discrimination, making no distinction between superior and inferior fields of merit. Why? Because the great bodhisattvas have fully understood that the own characteristics of all phenomena and all sentient beings are empty and without distinction; therefore, they practice generosity without conceiving distinctions.

Because these great bodhisattvas practice generosity without conceiving distinctions, they obtain a fruit that is likewise undifferentiated and without distinction. That is, they perfect the wisdom of all-knowing wisdom and immeasurable, boundless other Buddha qualities.

Subhuti, you should know! If a great bodhisattva sees a beggar approach and thinks: If this beggar is a Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Awakened One, then because he is a field of merit, I shall give to him; but if he is not a Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Awakened One, and is instead an animal or the like, then because he is not a field of merit, I should not give to him.

If a great bodhisattva thinks in this way, it is contrary to the bodhisattva Dharma. Why is this? Because great bodhisattvas must purify their own minds, and only then is the field of merit pure.

Therefore, when they see beggars, they should not think: I should give to a sentient being such as this who comes seeking alms, but I should not give to a sentient being such as that who comes seeking alms. If they give rise to such thoughts, they contradict their original resolve to attain great enlightenment. That is, bodhisattvas originally aroused the resolve for unsurpassed, perfect awakening, thinking: For the sake of sentient beings, I shall become a refuge, an island, a dwelling, and a protector.

On seeing a beggar approach, they should think: This sentient being is now poor, destitute, and helpless; I must gather him in and benefit him through generosity. Through this condition, that person may also come to practice generosity, desire little, know contentment, abandon the taking of life, and, to speak more fully, abandon defiled and frivolous speech; he may also tame greed, hatred, and wrong views. Through these causes and conditions, after the end of his life, he may be born into a great kshatriya clan, up to and including a great householder clan, or be born in some wealthy and honored place, abundant in treasure, where he cultivates wholesome karma.

Or, through the causes and conditions of being gathered in and benefited by this generosity, he may gradually rely upon the Three Vehicles and attain liberation.

Furthermore, Subhuti! If enemies of the great bodhisattvas or other sentient beings come to where a bodhisattva is in order to harm him, or come seeking alms because they are in want, that great bodhisattva should not give rise to a discriminating mind that thinks: I should give to this one, but I should not give to that one. He should give rise only to a mind of equality and grant whatever they seek, whether they ask for parts of his body, wealth, a kingdom and its cities, his wife, or his children.

Why is this? Because this great bodhisattva seeks unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment for the vast benefit and happiness of sentient beings. If he were to give rise to a discriminating mind that thinks: I should give to this one, but I should not give to that one, then all the assemblies of Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, sravakas, bodhisattvas, devas, humans, asuras, and other noble sages would reproach him in unison:

“Who invited you to arouse the aspiration for bodhi and vow to benefit all sentient beings universally; to be a refuge for those without refuge, a home for those without a home, a protector for those without a protector, a shore for those without a shore, and to bring peace and happiness to those without peace and happiness—yet now you deliberate whether to give or not to give!”

Furthermore, Subhuti! If humans or nonhumans come to a great bodhisattva and ask for his hands, feet, or other parts of his body, this great bodhisattva should not give rise to the dualistic thought of whether to give or not to give, but should think only: “Whatever they ask for, I must give them.”

Why is this? Because this great bodhisattva constantly thinks: “I have assumed this body for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. Whatever those who come to ask may seek, I must give it to them.” Upon seeing a petitioner, the great bodhisattva immediately thinks: “I originally assumed this body for that person’s sake. Even if that person did not come to take it, I would still have to bring it and offer it; how much more should I give it when that person has come to ask!” Having thought thus, the great bodhisattva becomes exceedingly joyful and elated, cuts off his own bodily parts, and gives them away. He further rejoices: “Today I have gained a great benefit: I have relinquished an impure, defiled body and attained a body of perfect purity.”

Subhuti, you should know! Great bodhisattvas who practice profound prajnaparamita and seek great bodhi should train in this way.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When a great bodhisattva sees petitioners, he should reflect: “Here, who is the giver? Who is the recipient? What object is given? From where does it arise, for what purpose, and why is it given? The intrinsic nature of all dharmas is entirely unobtainable.” Why is this? Because all such dharmas are ultimately empty. Within emptiness, there is neither giving nor taking, neither gift nor recipient.

Subhuti, you should know! When great bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita, they should train in the emptiness of all dharmas in this way. That is, they are empty by virtue of inner emptiness, and so forth, up to being empty by virtue of the emptiness of the absence of intrinsic nature. Abiding in this emptiness, this great bodhisattva practices giving without interruption and perfects the paramita of giving. Because the paramita of giving is perfected, when others mutilate him or seize all his internal and external possessions, his mind gives rise to no discriminating anger or resentment. He thinks only: “Sentient beings and all dharmas are empty. Who mutilates me? Who robs me? Who receives? Who here practices this contemplation of emptiness?”

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit sentient beings, vows to enter the great hells and beholds the sentient beings there undergoing many kinds of suffering. Seeing this, that great bodhisattva brings forth three modes of guidance. What are the three? The first is guidance through miraculous transformations, the second is guidance through discerning and revealing thoughts, and the third is guidance through instruction.

This great bodhisattva first employs the awesome power of guidance through miraculous transformations to eliminate the various sufferings in the hells—boiling water, raging fire, swords, and so forth. Next, he employs the awesome power of guidance through discerning and revealing thoughts, perceiving what those sentient beings are thinking and teaching them the Dharma accordingly. Finally, he employs the awesome power of guidance through instruction, bringing forth great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity, and expounds the Dharma for them, causing the sentient beings in those hells to develop pure faith in the bodhisattva.

Through these causes and conditions, they leave the hells and are reborn in the heavens or among humans, and gradually attain liberation by relying on the Three Vehicles.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see a great bodhisattva drawing near to and making offerings to the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. When this great bodhisattva draws near to and makes offerings to the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, his body and mind are joyful, delighted, and reverent, not joyless, reluctant, or irreverent.

This great bodhisattva respectfully listens to, receives, retains, reads, and recites the true Dharma taught by the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and never forgets it until he attains unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. In accordance with the Dharma he has heard, this great bodhisattva is able to explain it to sentient beings without distortion, enabling them to obtain supreme benefit, peace, and happiness. Until he attains unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, he never grows weary.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see a great bodhisattva relinquishing his own body and life because he wishes to benefit sentient beings in the animal realm. Seeing animals tormented by the fire of hunger and about to harm and devour one another, this great bodhisattva arouses compassion, cuts flesh from his own body, severs his joints and limbs, and scatters them throughout the ten directions, allowing the animals to consume them.

All the animals that eat the flesh of the bodhisattva’s body become deeply loving and respectful toward the bodhisattva and feel ashamed before him. Through these causes and conditions, they escape the animal realm and are reborn in the heavens or among humans, encounter a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, hear the true Dharma expounded, practice in accordance with principle, and gradually attain liberation by relying on the Three Vehicles.

Thus, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas are able to perform difficult deeds for the sake of the world, bringing many benefits. That is, for the benefit, peace, and happiness of sentient beings, great bodhisattvas themselves arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed great bodhi and also cause others to arouse it; they themselves undertake various proper practices in accordance with principle and also cause others to practice them, thereby escaping the suffering of birth and death and attaining the bliss of nirvana.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see a great bodhisattva who, wishing to benefit sentient beings in the realm of hungry ghosts, vows to go to that realm and, through skillful means, puts an end to the sufferings of hunger and thirst. Because the sufferings of those hungry ghosts have ended, they become deeply loving and respectful toward the bodhisattva and feel ashamed before him.

For the sake of those ghosts, this great bodhisattva further proclaims the essential Dharma teaching of abandoning stinginess and greed, causing them, after hearing it, to bring forth a mind of generosity and relinquishment. Through these roots of goodness, they escape the realm of hungry ghosts and are reborn in the heavens or among humans, encounter a Tathagata, draw near to and make offerings to him, hear the true Dharma expounded, and gradually cultivate the proper practices of the Three Vehicles, until they enter nirvana without remainder.

Thus, Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas abide in great compassion toward all sentient beings, bring forth boundless skillful means, and rescue them, causing them to enter the nirvana of the Three Vehicles.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and I see a great bodhisattva who, through skillful means, expounds the true Dharma either for the devas of the Heaven of the Four Great Kings, or even for the devas of the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Transformations. After hearing the true Dharma from the bodhisattva, those assemblies of devas gradually rely on the Three Vehicles, diligently cultivate proper practices, and, according to their aspirations, realize and enter ultimate nirvana.

Among those assemblies of devas are devaputras intoxicated by the five exquisite heavenly sensual pleasures and attached to their precious palaces. This great bodhisattva manifests a fire that burns those palaces, causing them to become frightened and disenchanted. He then speaks these words of Dharma:

“O devaputras! You should carefully contemplate all conditioned phenomena as impermanent, suffering, empty, without self, and untrustworthy. What wise person would develop delight and attachment toward such dharmas?”

After the devaputras hear this Dharma teaching, they become deeply disenchanted with the five sensual pleasures. They contemplate their own bodies and lives as false and impermanent, like the trunk of a plantain tree, a flash of lightning, or a shimmering heat haze; and they contemplate their palaces as prisons. Having contemplated in this way, they gradually rely on the Three Vehicles, diligently cultivate proper practices, and proceed toward perfect quiescence.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas who, observing Brahma gods clinging to various views, employ skillful means to guide and transform them, causing them to become disenchanted and relinquish those views, addressing them thus:

“O celestial seers! Why do you give rise to such pernicious views amid formations that are empty, signless, false, and unreal? You should quickly relinquish them and faithfully accept the true Dharma; then you shall attain the unsurpassed ambrosia.”

Thus, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas abide in great compassion and proclaim the true Dharma for sentient beings.

Subhuti! This is an exceedingly rare and wondrous quality possessed by great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Subhuti! With the pure and unobstructed Buddha-eye, I contemplate Buddha-worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and see great bodhisattvas who gather sentient beings by means of the four methods of embracing. What are the four? First, giving; second, loving speech; third, beneficial conduct; and fourth, cooperation.

Subhuti! How do great bodhisattvas gather sentient beings through giving?

Great bodhisattvas gather sentient beings through two kinds of giving: first, the giving of material goods; and second, the giving of Dharma.

When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, how do they gather sentient beings through the giving of material goods?

Great bodhisattvas practicing the profound prajnaparamita are able to give sentient beings various kinds of food and drink, clothing, dwellings, bedding, vehicles, lamps, music, incense, flowers, gold, silver, precious jewels, ornaments, and other such things. They may give sentient beings their wives and children, sons and daughters, whether older or younger, servants and attendants, elephants, horses, cattle, sheep, medicines, and other such things. They may give sentient beings storehouses, cities, towns, villages, and even royal sovereignty. They may give sentient beings their own hands, feet, heads, eyes, marrow, brains, and other parts of their bodies.

These great bodhisattvas place such things at a crossroads, ascend a high platform, and proclaim: “Let any sentient being who needs any of these things come and take it freely, without hesitation. Take these things as though taking your own possessions; do not regard them as belonging to another! Even the hands, feet, joints, limbs, head, eyes, marrow, and brains of my body—you may take whatever you wish. I feel not the slightest regret toward any of you!”

After giving sentient beings whatever they require, these great bodhisattvas further exhort them to take refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; or exhort them to undertake and uphold the five precepts of a lay follower; or exhort them to undertake and uphold the eight precepts observed for a day and night; or exhort them to undertake and uphold the ten wholesome courses of karma; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the four dhyanas; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the four immeasurables; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the four formless concentrations; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the six recollections; or exhort them to cultivate and train in contemplation of impurity and mindfulness of breathing;

or exhort them to cultivate and train in the ten wholesome perceptions; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the three gates of liberation; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the eight liberations, up to and including the ten totalities; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the six paramitas; or exhort them to abide in inner emptiness, up to and including the emptiness of the nonexistence of self-nature; or exhort them to abide in suchness, up to and including the inconceivable realm; or exhort them to abide in the Four Noble Truths; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the Stage of Pure Contemplation, up to and including the Stage of the Tathagata;

or exhort them to cultivate and train in the Stage of Utmost Joy, up to and including the Stage of the Dharma Cloud; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the gateways of dharani and the gateways of samadhi; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the ten powers of the Tathagata, up to and including the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; or exhort them to cultivate and train in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Great Being;

or exhort them to cultivate and train in the quality of never forgetting and the nature of perpetual equanimity; or exhort them to cultivate and train in the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the path, and knowledge of all aspects; or exhort them to cultivate and train for the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; or exhort them to cultivate and train in all the practices of great bodhisattvas; or exhort them to cultivate and train for the unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas.

Thus, Subhuti, great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita, through skillful means toward sentient beings, first practice the giving of material goods and then skillfully establish all kinds of sentient beings in the unsurpassed Dharma of peace and security, even causing them to attain the knowledge of all-knowing knowledge.

Subhuti! This is an exceedingly rare and wondrous quality possessed by great bodhisattvas who practice the profound prajnaparamita.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice the profound prajnaparamita, how do they gather sentient beings through the giving of Dharma?

The great bodhisattvas’ giving of Dharma is of two kinds: first, the mundane giving of Dharma; and second, the supramundane giving of Dharma.

What is the great bodhisattvas’ mundane giving of Dharma? It is when great bodhisattvas, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, proclaim, reveal, distinguish, and clearly explain the wondrous mundane teachings for sentient beings. These include contemplation of impurity, mindfulness of breathing, the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, the four formless concentrations, the five superknowledges, and other mundane practices and practices of ordinary beings. This is called the mundane giving of Dharma.

After practicing this wondrous mundane giving of Dharma, these great bodhisattvas employ various skillful means to guide and transform sentient beings, causing them to abide in the noble Dharma and the fruits of the noble Dharma.

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

Subhuti, you should know that the noble Dharma consists of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment and the concentrations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. The fruits of the noble Dharma are the fruit of stream-entry and, in the fuller exposition, up to and including the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha.

Furthermore, Subhuti! The noble Dharma of great bodhisattvas consists of the knowledge of the fruit of stream-entry, up to and including the knowledge of the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha; the knowledge of the unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment of the Buddhas; the knowledge of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, up to and including the knowledge of the ten powers of the Tathagata; the knowledge of great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity; the immeasurable other Dharma-knowledges of the Buddhas; the mundane and supramundane Dharma-knowledges; and the conditioned and unconditioned Dharma-knowledges. All such aspects of knowledge are called the noble Dharma.

The fruits of the noble Dharma mean the complete and permanent cessation of every continuity of the habitual tendencies of the afflictions; these are called the fruits of the noble Dharma.

Furthermore, Subhuti! The noble Dharma of great bodhisattvas consists of the six paramitas and, in the fuller exposition, up to and including the uncontaminated dharmas: the knowledge of all things, knowledge of the aspects of the path, knowledge of all aspects, and so forth. The fruit of the noble Dharma is the Dharma-realm of suchness and the ultimate nirvana that has been realized. This is called the true fruit of the noble Dharma.

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