大般若波羅蜜多經

02

– Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, through the spiritual power of vows, fills the entire trichiliocosm with the finest seven precious substances and offers them to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Having made these offerings, he joyfully makes this great vow: “I share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness that I have planted in this way, and dedicate them to the purification and adornment of a Buddha-land. I shall cause my Buddha-land to be adorned with the seven precious substances, so that all sentient beings may freely enjoy every kind of precious treasure without attachment.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, through spiritual power, causes immeasurable kinds of wondrous celestial and human music to be played as offerings to the Three Jewels and the stupas of the Buddhas. Having made these offerings, he joyfully makes this great vow: “I share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness that I have planted in this way, and dedicate them to the purification and adornment of a Buddha-land. I shall cause such supremely wondrous music always to be played throughout my land, so that sentient beings who hear it may be refreshed in body and mind, yet remain unattached.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, through the spiritual power of vows, fills the entire trichiliocosm, throughout the human and heavenly realms, with various wondrous fragrances and flowers, and offers them to the Three Jewels and the stupas of the Buddhas. Having made these offerings, he joyfully makes this great vow: “I now share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness that I have planted in this way, and dedicate them to the purification and adornment of a Buddha-land. I shall cause such wondrous fragrances and flowers always to be present throughout my land, so that sentient beings who enjoy them may become serene in body and mind, without attachment.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, through the spiritual power of vows, sets forth food and drink of a hundred exquisite flavors and offers them to all Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, shravakas, and assemblies of great bodhisattvas. Having made these offerings, he joyfully makes this great vow: “I share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness that I have planted in this way, and dedicate them to the purification and adornment of a Buddha-land. When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land to obtain such food and drink of a hundred flavors, refreshing their bodies and minds without giving rise to attachment.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, through spiritual power, sets forth various supremely wondrous celestial and human anointing fragrances and soft garments, and respectfully offers them to all Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, shravakas, and assemblies of great bodhisattvas, or offers them to the Dharma and the stupas of the Buddhas. Having made these offerings, he joyfully makes this great vow: “I share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness that I have planted in this way, and dedicate them to the purification and adornment of a Buddha-land. When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause the sentient beings in my land always to obtain such garments and anointing fragrances, freely enjoying them without attachment.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, through the spiritual power of vows, sets forth various supremely wondrous objects of sight, sounds, fragrances, flavors, tangible objects, and mental objects arising according to one’s wishes in the heavenly and human realms. He offers them to all Buddhas and the stupas of the Buddhas, to pratyekabuddhas, shravakas, and bodhisattvas, and to other kinds of sentient beings.

Then, leaping for joy, he makes this great vow: “I share equally with all sentient beings the roots of goodness that I have planted in this way, and dedicate them to the purification and adornment of a Buddha-land. When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause whatever supremely wondrous objects of sight, sounds, fragrances, flavors, and tangible objects the various kinds of sentient beings in my land desire to appear in accordance with their thoughts, so that they may joyfully enjoy them without attachment.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, makes great vows and strives diligently and courageously. He himself abides in inner emptiness and also encourages others to abide in inner emptiness.

He himself abides in outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of the ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, emptiness of dispersion, emptiness of nonchange, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of individual characteristics, emptiness of common characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of the unobtainable, emptiness of nonexistence, emptiness of self-nature, and emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence; and he also encourages others to abide in outer emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

Having done this, he further makes this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land never to be separated from inner emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, makes great vows and strives diligently and courageously. He himself cultivates the four applications of mindfulness and also encourages others to cultivate the four applications of mindfulness. He himself cultivates the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold noble path, and also encourages others to cultivate the four right efforts through the eightfold noble path. Having done this, he further makes this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land never to be separated from the four applications of mindfulness through the eightfold noble path.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, makes great vows and strives diligently and courageously. He himself abides in the Noble Truth of suffering and also encourages others to abide in the Noble Truth of suffering. He himself abides in the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path, and also encourages others to abide in the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path. Having done this, he further makes this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land never to be separated from the Noble Truth of suffering and the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, its cessation, and the path.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, makes great vows and strives diligently and courageously. He himself cultivates the four dhyanas and also encourages others to cultivate the four dhyanas. He himself cultivates the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions, and also encourages others to cultivate the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions. Having done this, he further makes this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land never to be separated from the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless absorptions.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, makes great vows and strives diligently and courageously. He himself cultivates the eight liberations and also encourages others to cultivate the eight liberations. He himself cultivates the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities, and also encourages others to cultivate the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities. Having done this, he further makes this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land never to be separated from the eight liberations through the ten totalities.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There is a great bodhisattva who, while practicing prajnaparamita, makes great vows and strives diligently and courageously. He himself cultivates the dharani gateways and also encourages others to cultivate the dharani gateways. He himself cultivates the samadhi gateways and also encourages others to cultivate the samadhi gateways. Having done this, he further makes this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, I shall cause all kinds of sentient beings in my land never to be separated from the dharani gateways and the samadhi gateways.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness and also encourage others to cultivate the liberation gateway of emptiness; they themselves cultivate the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness and also encourage others to cultivate the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from the liberation gateway of emptiness or the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate the stage of Great Joy and also encourage others to cultivate the stage of Great Joy; they themselves cultivate the stages of Stainlessness, Luminousness, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud, and also encourage others to cultivate the stage of Stainlessness through the stage of Dharma Cloud. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from the stage of Great Joy through the stage of Dharma Cloud.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate the five kinds of eyes and also encourage others to cultivate the five kinds of eyes; they themselves cultivate the six superknowledges and also encourage others to cultivate the six superknowledges. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from the five kinds of eyes or the six superknowledges.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha and also encourage others to cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha; they themselves cultivate the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, and also encourage others to cultivate the four fearlessnesses through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.

Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from the ten powers of a Buddha through the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and also encourage others to cultivate the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; they themselves cultivate the eighty secondary characteristics and also encourage others to cultivate the eighty secondary characteristics. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from the thirty-two marks of a Great Being or the eighty secondary characteristics.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate the quality of never losing mindfulness and also encourage others to cultivate the quality of never losing mindfulness; they themselves cultivate the nature of perpetual equanimity and also encourage others to cultivate the nature of perpetual equanimity. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from the quality of never losing mindfulness or the nature of perpetual equanimity.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate all-knowledge and also encourage others to cultivate all-knowledge; they themselves cultivate knowledge of the aspects of the paths and knowledge of all aspects and also encourage others to cultivate knowledge of the aspects of the paths and knowledge of all aspects. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from all-knowledge, knowledge of the aspects of the paths, or knowledge of all aspects.”

Furthermore, Subhuti! There are great bodhisattvas who, while practicing prajnaparamita, make vast vows and strive diligently and courageously. They themselves cultivate all the practices of great bodhisattvas and also encourage others to cultivate all the practices of great bodhisattvas; they themselves cultivate the supreme awakening of the Buddhas and also encourage others to cultivate the supreme awakening of the Buddhas. Having done this, they further make this vow: “When I attain supreme awakening, may all sentient beings in my land never be separated from all the practices of great bodhisattvas or the supreme awakening of the Buddhas.”

Subhuti! Through practicing prajnaparamita and by virtue of these practices and vows, those great bodhisattvas are able to adorn and purify the Buddha-land they seek.

Subhuti! According to the period of time in which the path to bodhi undertaken through the practices and vows they have made is to be perfected, those great bodhisattvas diligently train and practice for precisely that length of time. Through these causes and conditions, they themselves are able to accomplish all wholesome qualities and are also able gradually to lead others to accomplish all wholesome qualities.

They themselves are able to cultivate and attain bodies adorned with excellent marks and characteristics and are also able gradually to lead others to cultivate and attain bodies adorned with excellent marks and characteristics. Because they have been sustained by immense merit, Subhuti, when such great bodhisattvas attain supreme awakening in each Buddha-land they seek to adorn and purify, the sentient beings whom they have taught and transformed are also born in that land, where together they enjoy the Dharma bliss of the pure land of the Mahayana.

Subhuti! Such great bodhisattvas should adorn and purify their Buddha-lands in this way: In those lands, the three kinds of evil destinies are never even heard of; various wrong views are never heard of; the poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion are never heard of; male or female forms are never heard of; sravakas or pratyekabuddhas are never heard of; suffering, impermanence, and so forth are never heard of; the appropriation of material things is never heard of; attachment to self or what belongs to self is never heard of; latent tendencies, entanglements, and fetters are never heard of; inverted views and attachments are never heard of; and the establishment of distinctions among the various stages of fruition is never heard of.

Only emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, non-arising, non-cessation, absence of intrinsic nature, and so forth are proclaimed. That is to say, in accordance with the differing inclinations of sentient beings, gentle breezes constantly stir the various things within and without, as well as the forest trees, causing them to produce many kinds of subtle and wondrous sounds. Within those sounds it is proclaimed that all dharmas lack intrinsic nature.

Because they lack intrinsic nature, they are empty; because they are empty, they are signless; because they are signless, they are wishless; because they are wishless, they do not arise; and because they do not arise, they do not cease. Therefore, all dharmas have been originally quiescent, their intrinsic nature being nirvana. Whether a Buddha appears in the world or does not appear in the world, the characteristics of dharmas are always thus.

In those Buddha-lands, sentient beings—whether by day or by night, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—constantly hear such sounds proclaiming the Dharma.

Subhuti! When those great bodhisattvas, each in their own abode, have adorned and purified their Buddha-lands and attain supreme awakening, the Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Awakened Ones throughout the ten directions all praise the names of those Buddhas. If sentient beings hear the names of Buddhas praised in this way, they will assuredly attain non-retrogression from supreme awakening.

Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas, each dwelling in their own abode, purify and adorn their Buddha-fields. When they attain unsurpassed perfect awakening, they expound the True Dharma for sentient beings. Having heard it, those sentient beings certainly do not give rise to doubt as to whether it is Dharma or non-Dharma. Why? Because those sentient beings fully comprehend that all dharmas are suchness, the Dharma realm, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, and the unchanging nature; all are Dharma, and none are non-Dharma.

Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas are all able to purify and adorn their Buddha-fields in this way.

Furthermore, Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas teach and transform sentient beings who lack sufficient roots of virtue, who have not planted roots of virtue in the presence of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and sravakas, and who, being taken in by evil companions, have become separated from good spiritual friends. They do not hear the True Dharma and are constantly dominated by various views concerning a self, a sentient being, and other views, falling into the two extremes of eternalism and annihilationism.

Those sentient beings themselves give rise to wrong attachments and also constantly teach others to give rise to wrong attachments. With regard to the Buddha, they conceive what is the Buddha to be not the Buddha and what is not the Buddha to be the Buddha; with regard to the Dharma, they conceive what is the Dharma to be not the Dharma and what is not the Dharma to be the Dharma; with regard to the Sangha, they conceive what is the Sangha to be not the Sangha and what is not the Sangha to be the Sangha.

Because of these causes and conditions, they slander the True Dharma. Because they slander the True Dharma, when their bodies disintegrate and their lives end, they fall into evil destinies, are born in the hells, and undergo intense suffering. After those great bodhisattvas attain unsurpassed perfect awakening in their own lands, they see those sentient beings sinking in samsara and undergoing immeasurable suffering.

Through the power of supernatural abilities and skillful means, they teach and transform them, causing them to abandon wrong views and abide in right view. Having emerged from the hells, they are born in the human realm. Once born in the human realm, the bodhisattvas again employ various supernatural abilities and skillful means to teach and transform them, causing them to abide among those fixed in right determination.

Consequently, they ultimately never fall into evil destinies. The bodhisattvas also cause them to cultivate supreme practices and vows so that, when their lives end, they are born in purified and adorned Buddha-fields and enjoy the Dharma-bliss of the Mahayana Pure Land.

Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas are all able to purify and adorn their Buddha-fields in this way. Because the lands in which they dwell are exceedingly pure, the sentient beings born there do not give rise to false hesitation or discrimination regarding all dharmas, thinking, “This is a worldly dharma; this is a supramundane dharma. This is a contaminated dharma; this is an uncontaminated dharma. This is a conditioned dharma; this is an unconditioned dharma.” Ultimately, they never give rise to such forms of hesitation and discrimination. Because of these causes and conditions, those sentient beings will certainly attain unsurpassed perfect awakening.

Subhuti! This is how great bodhisattvas purify and adorn their Buddha-fields.

LXXIII. CHAPTER ON SKILLFUL MEANS FOR THE PURE LAND

01

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

“Blessed One! Do those great bodhisattvas abide among those fixed in right determination, or among those whose determination is uncertain?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas all abide among those fixed in right determination, not among those whose determination is uncertain.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! In which group fixed in right determination do those great bodhisattvas abide? Is it that of the Sravaka Vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the Buddha Vehicle?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas all abide among those fixed in right determination in the Buddha Vehicle; they do not abide among those fixed in right determination in the two lesser vehicles.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! When do those great bodhisattvas abide among those fixed in right determination? Is it from the time they first generate the aspiration for awakening, at the stage of non-retrogression, or in their final body?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Those great bodhisattvas all abide among those fixed in right determination, whether from the time they first generate the aspiration for awakening, at the stage of non-retrogression, or in their final body.”

The Venerable Subhuti again said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Can great bodhisattvas who abide among those fixed in right determination fall into evil destinies?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas who abide among those fixed in right determination certainly do not fall into evil destinies. Subhuti! What do you think? Do those at the eighth stage, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, or pratyekabuddhas ever fall into evil destinies?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, Blessed One! No, Sugata!”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! The same is true of great bodhisattvas who abide among those fixed in right determination: they certainly do not fall into evil destinies. Why?

Subhuti! From the time they first generate the aspiration for awakening, those great bodhisattvas cultivate the perfection of generosity and cultivate the perfections of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita. They abide in the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of that which is without boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of the unchanging, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics,

the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unobtainable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

They cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. They abide in the Noble Truth of suffering and abide in the Noble Truths of the origin, cessation, and path. They cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless attainments.

They cultivate the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive attainments, and the ten totalities. They cultivate the Dharma-gates of dharani and the Dharma-gates of samadhi. They cultivate the Dharma-gate of the liberation of emptiness and the Dharma-gates of the liberations of signlessness and wishlessness.

They cultivate the stage of Utmost Joy and the stages of Stainlessness, Luminousness, Blazing Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud. They cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six supernatural powers. They cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

They cultivate the Dharma of never forgetting and the nature of constant equanimity. They cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects. They cultivate all the practices of great bodhisattvas.

They cultivate the unsurpassed perfect awakening of the Buddhas, subduing and eliminating all evil and unwholesome dharmas.

“Subhuti! Because of these causes and conditions, it is impossible for those great bodhisattvas to fall into evil destinies. It is also impossible for those great bodhisattvas to be born among the long-lived gods, for in such places supreme wholesome dharmas do not become manifest.

It is impossible for those great bodhisattvas to be born in lowly border regions or among impoverished and lowly people who know nothing of the Buddha-Dharma, for in such places they would be unable to cultivate supreme wholesome dharmas. The people there mostly give rise to wrong views, do not believe in cause and effect, constantly delight in committing evil deeds, never hear the name of the Buddha, the name of the Dharma, or the name of the Sangha, and lack the four assemblies: bhiksus, bhiksunis, male lay devotees, and female lay devotees.

It is impossible for those great bodhisattvas to be born into families holding wrong views—that is, families attached to erroneous views that deny the existence of excellent conduct, evil conduct, and their results, that do not cultivate wholesome dharmas, and that delight in committing evil deeds.”

Subhuti, it is impossible that a bodhisattva-mahasattva who has newly aroused the aspiration to seek unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, who strives toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and who embraces and practices with a supreme aspiration should commit the ten unwholesome courses of action.

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, if bodhisattva-mahasattvas, from the time they first arouse the aspiration, perfect such meritorious roots of virtue and are never again reborn in any evil realm, why is it that whenever the World-Honored One tells the assembly of his former lives—whether hundreds or thousands of lives—there were also times when he was born in the evil realms? Where were his roots of virtue at those times?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, bodhisattva-mahasattvas do not take birth in the evil realms because of impure karma. They assume such bodies solely through the power of their vows, in order to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings.

“Subhuti, arhats and pratyekabuddhas do not possess the skillful means of bodhisattva-mahasattvas. A bodhisattva-mahasattva who has perfected such skillful means may assume the body of an animal. When a hunter comes intending to harm him, he immediately gives rise to supreme patience, loving-kindness, and compassion. Wishing to bring benefit and happiness to that person, he willingly relinquishes his own life without harming the hunter.

“Subhuti, for this reason, you should know that bodhisattva-mahasattvas, wishing to benefit sentient beings and swiftly perfect great loving-kindness and great compassion, may manifestly assume various animal bodies, yet they are not tainted by the faults of animal existence.”

The Venerable Subhuti again addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, in what wholesome dharmas do bodhisattva-mahasattvas abide when they assume such bodies in order to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what wholesome dharma is there that bodhisattva-mahasattvas do not perfect?

“Subhuti, in order to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, bodhisattva-mahasattvas should perfect all wholesome dharmas.

“Subhuti, from the time bodhisattva-mahasattvas first arouse the aspiration until they sit upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment, there is no wholesome dharma that they should not perfect during the interval. Only after fully perfecting all wholesome dharmas can they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. It is impossible for them to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment while even one wholesome dharma remains unperfected.

Therefore, Subhuti, from the time they first arouse the aspiration until they sit upon the wondrous seat of enlightenment, bodhisattva-mahasattvas constantly train to perfect all wholesome dharmas. Having trained in them, they will attain the knowledge of all aspects, forever sever the continuous stream of all habitual tendencies, and realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”

The Venerable Subhuti then addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, since bodhisattva-mahasattvas have perfected all such sublime, pure, undefiled dharmas, how can they be born in the evil realms and assume animal bodies?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Has the Tathagata perfected all pure, undefiled dharmas?”

Subhuti replied:

“Yes, World-Honored One! Yes, Sugata! The Tathagata has perfected all pure, undefiled dharmas.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? Does the Tathagata manifest animal bodies to benefit sentient beings and perform the works of a Buddha?”

Subhuti replied:

“Yes, World-Honored One! Yes, Sugata! The Tathagata manifests animal bodies to benefit sentient beings and perform the works of a Buddha.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what do you think? When the Tathagata manifests an animal body, is he truly an animal undergoing suffering?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, World-Honored One! No, Sugata! When the Tathagata manifests an animal body, he is not truly an animal and does not undergo its sufferings.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is with bodhisattva-mahasattvas. Although they have perfected all pure, undefiled dharmas, in order to mature sentient beings they skillfully assume animal bodies. By assuming those bodies, they mature various sentient beings according to their capacities.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, what do you think? Can an arhat whose outflows have been completely exhausted manifest a body that performs various deeds and thereby cause others to rejoice?”

Subhuti replied:

“Yes, World-Honored One! Yes, Sugata! An arhat whose outflows have been completely exhausted can manifest a body that performs various deeds and thereby cause others to rejoice.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is with bodhisattva-mahasattvas. Although they have perfected all pure, undefiled dharmas, in order to benefit and bring happiness to sentient beings, they skillfully assume bodies in the evil realms and mature sentient beings according to their capacities. Although they assume such bodies, they do not undergo the sufferings and afflictions of those beings, nor are they tainted by the faults of those forms of existence.

“Furthermore, Subhuti, what do you think? A magician or his disciple may conjure elephants, horses, and other creatures, causing the spectators to leap for joy. Are there real elephants, horses, and so forth in those illusions?”

Subhuti replied:

“No, World-Honored One! No, Sugata! There are no real elephants, horses, or the like in them.”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, so it is with bodhisattva-mahasattvas. Although they have perfected all pure, undefiled dharmas, in order to benefit sentient beings they manifestly assume the bodies of various animals. Although they assume those bodies, they are not truly those beings, nor are they defiled by their faults.”

The Venerable Subhuti then addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, the skillful means of bodhisattva-mahasattvas are so vast that, although they have perfected pure, undefiled noble wisdom, they assume various kinds of bodies for the sake of sentient beings and manifest deeds that benefit them according to their capacities.

“World-Honored One, in what supreme, pure dharmas do bodhisattva-mahasattvas abide that enable them to exercise such expedient skillful means, so that although they assume the bodies of various animals, they are not defiled by the faults of those beings?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, bodhisattva-mahasattvas abide in prajnaparamita and are thereby able to exercise such skillful means. Although they may travel to worlds as numerous as the sands of countless Ganges Rivers throughout the ten directions and manifest various bodies to benefit and bring happiness to the sentient beings there, they do not give rise to attachment amid them. Why? Subhuti, it is because those bodhisattva-mahasattvas apprehend absolutely nothing in any dharma. That is, they apprehend neither that which defiles, nor that which is defiled, nor the causes and conditions of defilement. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty.

“Subhuti, emptiness cannot be attached to emptiness; emptiness also cannot be attached to any other dharma; nor is there any other dharma that can be attached to emptiness. Why? Because within emptiness, even the nature of emptiness cannot be apprehended, much less any other apprehensible dharma.

“Subhuti, this is called the unapprehensibility of dharmas in emptiness. Bodhisattva-mahasattvas who abide in this dharma can realize unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.”

The Venerable Subhuti then addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, is it only by abiding in prajnaparamita in this way that bodhisattva-mahasattvas can exercise such skillful means, or do they also abide in other dharmas?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti, what other dharma is there that is not included within prajnaparamita? Why, then, do you wonder whether they abide in other dharmas?”

“World-Honored One, if the intrinsic nature of prajnaparamita is empty, how can prajnaparamita encompass all dharmas?

“World-Honored One, within emptiness, one cannot say that there is a dharma that encompasses or does not encompass another.”

“Subhuti, are not the intrinsic natures of all dharmas empty?”

– World-Honored One! It is exactly so! Sugata! It is exactly so!

– Subhuti! If the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, then within emptiness there is nothing that does not encompass all dharmas.

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

– World-Honored One! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, how do they abide in the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas and bring forth the perfection of supernormal powers? Abiding in this perfection of supernormal powers, how are great bodhisattvas able to travel throughout the ten directions to worlds as numerous as the sands of countless Ganges Rivers, make offerings to the Buddhas, hear and receive the true Dharma, and plant roots of virtue in the presence of the Buddhas?

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they contemplate universally the worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of countless Ganges Rivers, together with the Buddhas and the Dharma they teach, and see that their intrinsic nature is entirely empty. They exist only as names provisionally designated according to worldly convention; and the intrinsic nature of such names provisionally designated according to worldly convention is also empty.

Subhuti! If the worlds of the ten directions, the Buddhas, the Dharma they teach, and the names by which these are explained were not empty in intrinsic nature, then the emptiness spoken of would not be all-pervasive. Since the emptiness spoken of is indeed all-pervasive, the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is therefore empty.

Subhuti! When these great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, it is through universally contemplating emptiness and employing skillful means that they are able to bring forth the supreme perfection of supernormal powers. Abiding in this perfection of supernormal powers, they are further able to bring forth the supreme superknowledges of the divine eye, the divine ear, miraculous manifestations, knowledge of others’ minds, recollection of past lives, and knowledge of the exhaustion of the defilements.

Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas cannot freely mature sentient beings, adorn and purify Buddha-lands, and attain the fruit of unsurpassed perfect awakening apart from the perfection of supernormal powers.

Subhuti! Therefore, the perfection of supernormal powers is the path to bodhi, and all great bodhisattvas rely upon this path in seeking the fruit of unsurpassed perfect awakening. While seeking it, they are able to perfect all wholesome dharmas themselves and also cause others to cultivate wholesome dharmas. Although they accomplish these deeds, they do not become attached to wholesome dharmas. Why? Because these great bodhisattvas know that the intrinsic nature of all wholesome dharmas is empty, and within emptiness of intrinsic nature there can be no attachment. If there were attachment, there would be infatuation; because there is no attachment, there is also no infatuation, for within emptiness of intrinsic nature there is no infatuation.

Subhuti! When these great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they abide in the supreme perfection of supernormal powers and bring forth a pure divine eye surpassing that of humans. With this divine eye, they contemplate all dharmas and see that their intrinsic nature is empty.

Subhuti! Because these great bodhisattvas see that the intrinsic nature of all dharmas is empty, they do not rely upon the characteristics of dharmas when performing various karmic actions. Although they teach the Dharma to sentient beings in this manner, they do not apprehend the characteristics of those sentient beings or their conventional establishment. Subhuti! Taking non-apprehension as skillful means, these great bodhisattvas bring forth the perfection of supernormal powers. Through that perfection of supernormal powers, they constantly manifest supernormal abilities and perform deeds in accordance with their compassionate vows.

Subhuti! With their exceedingly pure divine eye, surpassing that of humans, these great bodhisattvas are able to see throughout the ten directions worlds as numerous as the sands of countless Ganges Rivers. Having seen them, they bring forth the superknowledge of miraculous manifestations, travel to those places, and benefit all classes of sentient beings.

They benefit them either through the perfection of generosity; through the perfections of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita; through the four foundations of mindfulness; through the four right efforts, four bases of supernormal power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and Noble Eightfold Path; through the four meditative absorptions; through the four immeasurables and four formless attainments; through the eight liberations; through the eight spheres of mastery, nine successive attainments, and ten totalities; through the teachings of the sravakas; through the teachings of the pratyekabuddhas; through the teachings of the bodhisattvas; or through the teachings of the Buddhas.

Subhuti! If these great bodhisattvas see that sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions are exceedingly miserly and covetous, they feel immense compassion for them and teach the Dharma in this manner: “You sentient beings should practice generosity. Those who are miserly and covetous suffer poverty and hardship. Because they are poor, they possess no dignity or power; they cannot even benefit themselves, much less benefit others. Therefore, you should diligently practice generosity. Having brought peace and happiness to yourselves, you will also be able to bring peace and happiness to others. Do not contend with and harm one another because of poverty, for then none of you will be able to escape the suffering of the lower realms.”

Subhuti! If these great bodhisattvas see that sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions violate pure morality, they feel immense compassion for them and teach the Dharma in this manner: “You sentient beings should observe pure morality. Those who break the precepts suffer in the lower realms.

Those who break the precepts possess no dignity or power; they cannot even benefit themselves, much less benefit others. Because of the causes and conditions created by breaking the precepts, they may be born in the hells and undergo painful consequences, be born as animals and undergo painful consequences, or be born in the realm of hungry ghosts and undergo painful consequences. If you fall into the lower realms and undergo painful consequences, you will be unable even to rescue yourselves, much less rescue others.

Therefore, you should observe pure morality and should not allow a thought of violating the precepts to remain for even a single moment, much less for a long time. Do not let your minds become heedless, lest you later give rise to grief and remorse.”

Subhuti! If these great bodhisattvas see that sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions become angry with one another, harbor lingering resentment, and afflict and injure one another, they feel immense compassion for them and teach the Dharma in this manner: “You sentient beings should cultivate patient acceptance. Do not become angry with one another, harbor resentment, or harm one another.

Angry thoughts do not accord with wholesome dharmas; they increase unwholesome dharmas and bring immediate ruin and loss in this very life. Because of such thoughts of anger and hatred, when your bodies perish and your lives end, you will fall into the hells or be born in the animal or hungry ghost realms, where you will undergo intense suffering. Therefore, you should not allow a thought of anger and hatred to remain for even a single moment, much less permit it to continue for a long time.

You should now give rise to loving-kindness, direct it toward one another in turn, and perform deeds that bring benefit.”

Subhuti! If these great bodhisattvas see that sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions are indolent and negligent, they feel immense compassion for them and teach the Dharma in this manner: “You sentient beings should diligently cultivate vigor and should not be indolent or negligent with respect to wholesome dharmas. Those who are negligent cannot accomplish wholesome dharmas or any supreme undertaking. Because of this, you will fall into the hells or the animal or hungry ghost realms and undergo immeasurable suffering. Therefore, you should not allow such a negligent mind to remain for even a single moment, much less permit it to continue for a long time.”

Subhuti! If these great bodhisattvas see that sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions have lost mindfulness, are distracted, and possess minds that are not tranquil, they feel immense compassion for them and teach the Dharma in this manner: “You sentient beings should cultivate meditative concentration and should not give rise to minds that have lost mindfulness and become distracted. Such minds do not accord with wholesome dharmas; they increase unwholesome dharmas and bring immediate ruin and loss.

Because of this, when your bodies perish and your lives end, you will fall into the hells or the animal or hungry ghost realms and undergo immeasurable suffering. Therefore, you should not allow a mind associated with lost mindfulness and distraction to remain for even a single moment, much less permit it to continue for a long time.”

Subhuti! If that great bodhisattva sees sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions who are ignorant and possessed of evil wisdom, he feels boundless compassion for them and teaches them the Dharma in this way: “You sentient beings should cultivate supreme wisdom and must not give rise to evil wisdom. Those who give rise to evil wisdom cannot even reach the wholesome destinies, much less attain liberation. Because of this condition of evil wisdom, you will fall into the hells, the animal realm, and the realm of hungry ghosts, where you will undergo immeasurable suffering. Therefore, you must not harbor a state of mind associated with ignorance and evil wisdom even for a single instant, much less allow it to continue for a long time.”

Subhuti! If that great bodhisattva sees sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions who are deeply afflicted by sensual desire, he feels boundless compassion for them and skillfully teaches and guides them to cultivate contemplation of impurity. If he sees sentient beings deeply afflicted by anger, he feels boundless compassion for them and skillfully teaches and guides them to cultivate contemplation of loving-kindness and compassion.

If he sees sentient beings deeply afflicted by ignorance, he feels boundless compassion for them and skillfully teaches and guides them to cultivate contemplation of dependent origination. If he sees sentient beings deeply afflicted by self-conceit, he feels boundless compassion for them and skillfully teaches and guides them to cultivate analytical contemplation of the dhatus. If he sees sentient beings beset by much discursive thought and examination, he feels boundless compassion for them and skillfully teaches and guides them to cultivate mindfulness of breathing.

If he sees sentient beings practicing a wrong path, he feels boundless compassion for them and skillfully teaches and guides them to enter the right path, namely, the path of the sravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, or the path of the Tathagatas. As a skillful means, he teaches them the Dharma in this way: “Everything you grasp as real is empty of intrinsic nature. In an empty dharma there can be nothing that is grasped, because the absence of anything grasped is the characteristic of emptiness.”

Subhuti! Thus, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they must abide in the perfection of supernormal powers; only then can they freely proclaim the true Dharma and bring benefit and happiness to all kinds of sentient beings.

Subhuti! If great bodhisattvas remain apart from the perfection of supernormal powers, they cannot freely proclaim the true Dharma or perform deeds that benefit sentient beings.

Subhuti! Just as a bird without wings cannot fly freely through the sky to reach distant places, so too, if great bodhisattvas lack the perfection of supernormal powers, they cannot freely proclaim the true Dharma or perform deeds that benefit sentient beings. Therefore, Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should develop the perfection of supernormal powers. If they develop the perfection of supernormal powers, they can proclaim the true Dharma as they wish and bring benefit and happiness to all kinds of sentient beings.

Subhuti! With the supremely pure divine eye surpassing that of humans, that great bodhisattva universally observes immeasurable worlds in the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and observes the various kinds of sentient beings born there. Having seen them, he develops the superknowledge of miraculous transformation and, in an instant, travels to those realms.

Through the knowledge of others’ minds, he knows, in accordance with reality, the minds and mental factors of those sentient beings. According to their capacities, he teaches them the essentials of the Dharma: he teaches generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajna; or he teaches the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of supernormal power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, or the Noble Eightfold Path; or he teaches the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations; or he teaches the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, or the ten totalities;

or he teaches the Dharma gateway of dharani or the Dharma gateway of samadhi; or he teaches the gateway of liberation through emptiness or the gateways of liberation through signlessness and wishlessness;

or he teaches the emptiness of the internal, the emptiness of the external, the emptiness of the internal and external, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of that which has no boundaries, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of that which is unchanging, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

or he teaches the Noble Truth of suffering, the Noble Truth of its origin, its cessation, or the path; or he teaches the causal condition, the immediately preceding condition, the objective condition, or the predominant condition; or he teaches that all dharmas arise from conditions; or he teaches ignorance, formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress; or he teaches the path of the sravakas, the path of the pratyekabuddhas, the path of the bodhisattvas, bodhi, or nirvana, thereby enabling those sentient beings, after hearing that Dharma, to attain excellent benefit and happiness.

Subhuti! With his supremely pure divine ear surpassing that of humans, that great bodhisattva can hear every sound made by humans and nonhumans. Through this divine ear, he can hear the Buddhas in immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, teaching the Dharma. Having heard it, he does not confuse the teachings but is able to receive and retain them all, and he proclaims them to sentient beings in accordance with reality. He teaches generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajna, and so forth, up to and including nirvana, thereby enabling those sentient beings, after hearing that Dharma, to attain excellent benefit and happiness.

Subhuti! Through the supremely pure superknowledge of others’ minds, that great bodhisattva knows, in accordance with reality, the minds and mental factors of all kinds of sentient beings. According to their capacities, he teaches them the essentials of the Dharma: he teaches generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajna, and so forth, up to and including nirvana, thereby enabling those sentient beings, after hearing that Dharma, to attain excellent benefit and happiness.

Subhuti! Through the superknowledge of recollecting past lives, that great bodhisattva can remember events from his own and others’ former lives. By means of this superknowledge of recollecting past lives, he remembers and knows, in accordance with reality, the different names of the Buddhas of the past and their assemblies of disciples. If sentient beings delight in hearing of events from past lives and thereby gain benefit, he expounds those former events to them. Using this as a skillful means, he teaches them the true Dharma: he teaches generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajna, and so forth, up to and including nirvana, thereby enabling those sentient beings, after hearing that Dharma, to attain excellent benefit and happiness.

Subhuti! Through the superknowledge of miraculous transformation, that great bodhisattva travels with extreme speed to immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, where he draws near to and makes offerings to the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. Having planted roots of goodness in the presence of those Buddhas, he returns to his own land and proclaims to sentient beings the extraordinary things found in other regions. Using this as a skillful means, he teaches them the true Dharma: he teaches generosity, pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajna, and so forth, up to and including nirvana, thereby enabling those sentient beings, after hearing that Dharma, to attain excellent benefit and happiness.

Subhuti! That great bodhisattva, by means of the superknowledge of the extinction of the outflows attained in accordance with his realization, knows in accordance with reality whether the outflows of all kinds of sentient beings have been extinguished or not. He also knows in accordance with reality the skillful means for extinguishing the outflows, and for those whose outflows have not yet been extinguished, he expounds the essential Dharma: he teaches giving, or pure moral discipline, or patient acceptance, or vigor, or meditative concentration, or prajnaparamita, and so forth, up to and including nirvana, causing those sentient beings, after hearing that Dharma, all to attain supreme benefit, peace, and happiness.

Subhuti! Thus, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should bring forth the perfection of superknowledge. Because that great bodhisattva cultivates the perfection of superknowledge to complete fulfillment, he may assume various kinds of bodies according to his wishes, yet is not defiled by faults, suffering, or pleasure. Just as the Buddha's transformation bodies can perform various deeds yet are not tainted by faults, suffering, or pleasure, so it is. Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they should freely exercise the perfection of superknowledge. If they freely exercise the perfection of superknowledge, they can mature sentient beings, adorn and purify Buddha lands, and swiftly realize the fruit of unsurpassed awakening.

Subhuti! If great bodhisattvas do not mature sentient beings and adorn and purify Buddha lands, they will never attain the fruit of unsurpassed awakening that they seek. Why is this? Subhuti! If the provisions for awakening of great bodhisattvas are not yet complete, they certainly cannot attain the fruit of unsurpassed awakening that they seek.

Fascicle 394

END