大般若波羅蜜多經

04

– Subhuti! The four foundations of mindfulness are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the four foundations of mindfulness; the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the four right efforts through the eightfold noble path. The four foundations of mindfulness are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the four foundations of mindfulness; the four right efforts through the eightfold noble path are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the four right efforts through the eightfold noble path.

Subhuti! The gateway to liberation through emptiness is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the gateway to liberation through emptiness; the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness. The gateway to liberation through emptiness is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the gateway to liberation through emptiness; the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the gateways to liberation through signlessness and wishlessness.

Subhuti! Internal emptiness is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from internal emptiness; external emptiness, internal-and-external emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of the conditioned, the emptiness of the unconditioned, absolute emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are not the dharma-realm,

nor is there a dharma-realm apart from external emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

Internal emptiness is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely internal emptiness; external emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely external emptiness through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence.

Subhuti! The noble truth of suffering is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the noble truth of suffering; the noble truths of the origin, cessation, and path are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the noble truths of the origin, cessation, and path. The noble truth of suffering is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the noble truth of suffering; the noble truths of the origin, cessation, and path are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the noble truths of the origin, cessation, and path.

Subhuti! The eight liberations are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the eight liberations; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality. The eight liberations are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the eight liberations; the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten spheres of totality.

Subhuti! All dharani gateways are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from all dharani gateways; all samadhi gateways are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from all samadhi gateways. All dharani gateways are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely all dharani gateways; all samadhi gateways are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely all samadhi gateways.

Subhuti! The Ground of Great Joy is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the Ground of Great Joy; the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminous Radiance, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Dharma-Cloud Ground are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the Ground of Stainlessness through the Dharma-Cloud Ground.

The Ground of Great Joy is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the Ground of Great Joy; the Ground of Stainlessness through the Dharma-Cloud Ground are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the Ground of Stainlessness through the Dharma-Cloud Ground.

Subhuti! The five kinds of eyes are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the five kinds of eyes; the six superknowledges are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the six superknowledges. The five kinds of eyes are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the five kinds of eyes; the six superknowledges are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the six superknowledges.

Subhuti! The Buddha’s ten powers are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the Buddha’s ten powers; the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. The Buddha’s ten powers are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the Buddha’s ten powers; the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the four fearlessnesses, the four unhindered understandings, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha.

Subhuti! Great loving-kindness is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from great loving-kindness; great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity. Great loving-kindness is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely great loving-kindness; great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity.

Subhuti! The quality of never losing mindfulness is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the quality of never losing mindfulness; the nature of constant equanimity is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the nature of constant equanimity. The quality of never losing mindfulness is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the quality of never losing mindfulness; the nature of constant equanimity is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the nature of constant equanimity.

Subhuti! The knowledge of all things is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the knowledge of all things; the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects. The knowledge of all things is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the knowledge of all things; the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects.

Subhuti! The thirty-two marks of a Great Being are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; the eighty subsidiary characteristics are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the eighty subsidiary characteristics. The thirty-two marks of a Great Being are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; the eighty subsidiary characteristics are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the eighty subsidiary characteristics.

Subhuti! The fruit of stream-entry is not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the fruit of stream-entry; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the state of a pratyekabuddha are not the dharma-realm, nor is there a dharma-realm apart from the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the state of a pratyekabuddha. The fruit of stream-entry is precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the fruit of stream-entry; the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the state of a pratyekabuddha are precisely the dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is precisely the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and the state of a pratyekabuddha.

Subhuti, all the practices of great bodhisattvas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from all the practices of great bodhisattvas; the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas is not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas. All the practices of great bodhisattvas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely all the practices of great bodhisattvas; the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas is precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas.

Subhuti, worldly dharmas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from worldly dharmas; supramundane dharmas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from supramundane dharmas. Worldly dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely worldly dharmas; supramundane dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely supramundane dharmas.

Subhuti, contaminated dharmas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from contaminated dharmas; uncontaminated dharmas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from uncontaminated dharmas. Contaminated dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely contaminated dharmas; uncontaminated dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely uncontaminated dharmas.

Subhuti, conditioned dharmas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from conditioned dharmas; unconditioned dharmas are not the Dharma realm, nor is there a Dharma realm apart from unconditioned dharmas. Conditioned dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely conditioned dharmas; unconditioned dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm, and the Dharma realm is precisely unconditioned dharmas.

Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, if they perceive any dharma as separate from the Dharma realm, they are not proceeding directly toward the supreme enlightenment they seek.

Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they know that all dharmas are not separate from the Dharma realm.

Subhuti, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, they know that all dharmas are precisely the Dharma realm. Employing skillful means concerning dharmas devoid of names and characteristics, they provisionally use names and characteristics for the sake of sentient beings, saying: This is form; these are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. This is the eye ayatana; these are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas.

This is the form ayatana; these are the sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental-object ayatanas. This is the eye dhatu; these are the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus. This is the form dhatu; these are the sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental-object dhatus.

This is the eye-consciousness dhatu; these are the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus. This is eye-contact; these are ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact. These are the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition; these are the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition.

This is the earth dhatu; these are the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus. This is the causal condition; these are the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, and the dominant condition. These are dharmas arising from conditions.

This is ignorance; these are formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and distress. These are worldly dharmas; these are supramundane dharmas. These are material dharmas; these are nonmaterial dharmas.

These are visible dharmas; these are invisible dharmas. These are contaminated dharmas; these are uncontaminated dharmas. These are conditioned dharmas; these are unconditioned dharmas.

This is the perfection of generosity; these are the perfections of pure moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita. These are the four dhyanas; these are the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions. These are the four foundations of mindfulness; these are the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path.

This is the liberation gateway of emptiness; these are the liberation gateways of signlessness and wishlessness. This is inner emptiness; these are outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, 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 changeless, 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.

This is suchness; these are the Dharma realm, Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature transcending arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the reality-limit, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm. This is the Noble Truth of suffering; these are the Noble Truths of the origin of suffering, cessation, and the path. These are the eight liberations; these are the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, and the ten totalities.

These are all dharani gateways; these are all samadhi gateways. This is the Stage of Great Joy; these are the Stages of Stainlessness, Luminousness, Radiant Wisdom, Difficult to Conquer, Manifest Presence, Far-Reaching, Immovability, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud. These are the five kinds of eyes; these are the six superknowledges.

These are the ten powers of a Buddha; these are the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, and the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. This is great loving-kindness; these are great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity. This is the quality of never forgetting; this is the nature of perpetual equanimity.

This is the knowledge of all things; these are the knowledge of the aspects of the paths and the knowledge of all aspects. These are the thirty-two marks of a Great Being; these are the eighty subsidiary characteristics. This is the fruit of stream-entry; these are the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, and solitary enlightenment.

These are all the practices of great bodhisattvas; this is the supreme enlightenment of all Buddhas.

Subhuti! It is like an illusionist or his disciple who, holding a small object before a crowd, transforms it into various forms and appearances. He may transform it into men or women, old or young; elephants, horses, oxen, goats, camels, donkeys, chickens, and all manner of birds and beasts.

Or he may conjure cities, towns, villages, parks, forests, ponds, and lakes, with every kind of delightful and lovely scene. Or he may conjure clothing, food and drink, dwellings, bedding, incense, flowers, necklaces, and all manner of precious treasures. Or he may conjure immeasurable varieties of music and theatrical performances, causing countless people to rejoice and delight.

Or he may conjure all manner of forms, causing beings to practice generosity, observe the precepts, cultivate patience, apply diligence, cultivate meditative concentration, or cultivate wisdom. Or he may manifest birth into a great kshatriya family, a great brahmin family, a great householder family, or a great lay family. Or he may conjure mountains, great oceans, Mount Sumeru, the Cakravada Mountains, and so forth.

Or he may manifest birth among the gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the Yama gods, the Tushita gods, the Gods Who Delight in Creation, or the Gods Who Exercise Mastery over Others’ Creations. Or he may manifest birth among the Brahma Host gods, the Brahma Ministers gods, the Brahma Assembly gods, or the Great Brahma gods. Or he may manifest birth among the Radiant gods, the Gods of Limited Radiance, the Gods of Measureless Radiance, or the Gods of Utmost Purity of Radiance.

Or he may manifest birth among the Pure gods, the Gods of Limited Purity, the Gods of Measureless Purity, or the Gods of Pervasive Purity. Or he may manifest birth among the Vast gods, the Gods of Limited Vastness, the Gods of Measureless Vastness, or the Gods of Abundant Fruit. Or he may manifest birth among the Unconscious gods, the Gods Free from Affliction, the Gods Free from Heat, the Fair-Appearing gods, the Fair-Seeing gods, or the Akanishtha gods.

Or he may manifest birth among the gods of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the gods of the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the gods of the Sphere of Nothingness, or the gods of the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception. Or he may manifest as a stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat, or pratyekabuddha. Or he may manifest as a great bodhisattva who, from the first arousal of the aspiration for awakening, practices the paramitas of generosity, pure ethical conduct, patience, diligence, meditation, and prajnaparamita; cultivates the four dhyanas, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations;

cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path; cultivates the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

trains in abiding 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, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of immutability, the emptiness of essential nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

trains in abiding in suchness, the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the immutable nature, the nature of equality, the nature detached from arising, the certainty of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the limit of reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm; trains in abiding in the Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; enters the bodhisattva’s certainty of freedom from arising; cultivates the Ground of Utmost Joy, the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Radiance, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Most Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, and the Ground of the Dharma Cloud;

sports in the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities; sports in all dharani gateways and all samadhi gateways; brings forth all manner of supreme supernormal powers; emits great radiance illuminating the worlds; adorns and purifies Buddha-fields; brings sentient beings to maturity; and cultivates all the meritorious qualities of the Buddhas.

Or he may manifest as a Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, fully adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great man and the eighty excellent secondary characteristics, accomplished in the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, the Dharma of never losing mindfulness, the nature of constant equanimity, the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the paths, the knowledge of all aspects, and immeasurable, boundless, rare, and inconceivable meritorious qualities such as these.

Subhuti! In this way, the illusionist or his disciple, seeking to deceive others, conjures these magical displays before a crowd. When the foolish men and women there, old and young, see them, they are all astonished and exclaim in praise: “How marvelous!

This man is highly skilled in many arts and can perform all manner of exceedingly rare feats. He can even create the body of a Tathagata, adorned with the marks and excellent characteristics and endowed with every meritorious quality, thereby delighting the assembly and displaying his own skill!” But when the wise among them see these things, they think: “How extraordinary! How can this man manifest such things?

There is nothing real within them that can be apprehended, yet he causes the crowd to become deluded and delighted, conceiving unreal things to be real.”

Subhuti! The great bodhisattva is likewise. While practicing prajnaparamita, although the bodhisattva does not perceive any dharma apart from the true dharmadhatu, nor perceive the dharmadhatu as separate from all dharmas, nor perceive any sentient being or the establishment thereof as truly apprehensible, nevertheless, through various kinds of skillful means, the bodhisattva personally practices the perfection of generosity, encourages others to practice the perfection of generosity, does not praise teachings contrary to the perfection of generosity, and joyfully praises those who practice the perfection of generosity;

personally practices the perfection of moral discipline, encourages others to practice the perfection of moral discipline, does not praise teachings contrary to the perfection of moral discipline, and joyfully praises those who practice the perfection of moral discipline; personally practices the perfection of patient acceptance, encourages others to practice the perfection of patient acceptance, does not praise teachings contrary to the perfection of patient acceptance, and joyfully praises those who practice the perfection of patient acceptance; personally practices the perfection of diligence, encourages others to practice the perfection of diligence, does not praise teachings contrary to the perfection of diligence, and joyfully praises those who practice the perfection of diligence;

personally practices the perfection of meditative concentration, encourages others to practice the perfection of meditative concentration, does not praise teachings contrary to the perfection of meditative concentration, and joyfully praises those who practice the perfection of meditative concentration; personally practices prajnaparamita, encourages others to practice prajnaparamita, does not praise teachings contrary to prajnaparamita, and joyfully praises those who practice prajnaparamita;

personally undertakes and upholds the ten wholesome courses of karma, encourages others to undertake and uphold the ten wholesome courses of karma, does not praise teachings contrary to undertaking and upholding the ten wholesome courses of karma, and joyfully praises those who undertake and uphold the ten wholesome courses of karma; personally undertakes and upholds the five precepts, encourages others to undertake and uphold the five precepts, does not praise teachings contrary to observing the five precepts, and joyfully praises those who undertake and uphold the five precepts;

personally undertakes and upholds the eight precepts, encourages others to undertake and uphold the eight precepts, does not praise teachings contrary to undertaking and upholding the eight precepts, and joyfully praises those who undertake and uphold the eight precepts; personally undertakes and upholds the precepts of renunciation, encourages others to undertake and uphold the precepts of renunciation, does not praise teachings contrary to undertaking and upholding the precepts of renunciation, and joyfully praises those who undertake and uphold the precepts of renunciation;

personally cultivates the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, encourages others to cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, does not praise practices contrary to the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, and the four formless concentrations;

personally cultivates the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, encourages others to cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness through the eightfold noble path, does not praise practices contrary to the four establishments of mindfulness through the eightfold noble path, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness through the eightfold noble path;

personally cultivates the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, encourages others to cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, does not praise practices contrary to the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

personally abides 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, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of self-nature, and the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, encourages others to abide in the emptiness of the internal through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence,

does not praise teachings contrary to abiding in the emptiness of the internal through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence, and joyfully praises those who abide in the emptiness of the internal through the emptiness of the self-nature of nonexistence;

personally abides in suchness, the dharmadhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature of nonfalsity, the nature of nonchange, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixed order of Dharma, the abiding of Dharma, the ultimate reality, the realm of space, and the inconceivable realm, encourages others to abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm, does not praise teachings contrary to abiding in suchness through the inconceivable realm, and joyfully praises those who abide in suchness through the inconceivable realm;

personally abides in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, encourages others to abide in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, does not praise teachings contrary to abiding in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, and joyfully praises those who abide in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path;

personally cultivates the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive concentrations, and the ten totalities, encourages others to cultivate the eight liberations through the ten totalities, does not praise practices contrary to the eight liberations through the ten totalities, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the eight liberations through the ten totalities; personally cultivates all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, encourages others to cultivate all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, does not praise practices contrary to all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways, and joyfully praises those who cultivate all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways;

personally cultivates the ten bodhisattva grounds, encourages others to cultivate the ten bodhisattva grounds, does not praise practices contrary to the ten bodhisattva grounds, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the ten bodhisattva grounds; personally cultivates the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, encourages others to cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, does not praise practices contrary to the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges;

personally cultivates 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, encourages others to cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, does not praise practices contrary to the Buddha’s ten powers through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the Buddha’s ten powers through the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha;

personally perfects the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, encourages others to perfect the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, does not praise practices contrary to perfecting the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, and joyfully praises those who perfect the thirty-two marks of a Great Being and the eighty subsidiary characteristics;

personally cultivates the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, encourages others to cultivate the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, does not praise practices contrary to the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the Dharma of never losing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity;

personally cultivates the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects, encourages others to cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects, does not praise practices contrary to the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects, and joyfully praises those who cultivate the knowledge of all things, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and the knowledge of all aspects.

Subhuti! If the true dharma realm differed in the beginning, middle, and end, then when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he could not, through skillful means, expound the true dharma realm, bring sentient beings to maturity, purify Buddha-lands, cultivate the practices of a great bodhisattva, and attain the fruit of unsurpassed awakening. Because the true dharma realm never differs in the beginning, middle, or end, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, he can, through skillful means, expound the true dharma realm, bring sentient beings to maturity, purify Buddha-lands, cultivate the practices of a great bodhisattva, and attain the fruit of unsurpassed awakening.

LXX. CHAPTER ON IMMOVABILITY

01

At that time, the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If sentient beings and the designation of sentient beings are ultimately ungraspable, for whose sake do great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita with the realm of nirvana as their measure.

“Subhuti! If the realm of sentient beings were different from the realm of nirvana, great bodhisattvas should not cultivate prajnaparamita. Because the realm of sentient beings is not different from the realm of nirvana, great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita for the sake of sentient beings.

“Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, by means of the indestructible Dharma of nirvana they establish sentient beings within the realm of nirvana.”

Then the Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If the realm of sentient beings is itself the realm of nirvana, then when great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, how can they, by means of the indestructible Dharma of nirvana, establish sentient beings within the realm of nirvana?

“World-Honored One! If, when great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, they establish sentient beings within the realm of nirvana, would this not be establishing the realm of nirvana within the realm of nirvana?

“World-Honored One! If, when great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, they establish the realm of nirvana within the realm of nirvana, would this not be establishing intrinsic nature within intrinsic nature? Yet intrinsic nature should not be established within intrinsic nature.

“World-Honored One! How, then, can it be said that when great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, they use the indestructible Dharma of nirvana to establish sentient beings within the realm of nirvana?”

The Buddha said:

“Subhuti! Nirvana cannot be established within nirvana, nor can intrinsic nature be established within intrinsic nature. Nevertheless, when great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, through skillful means they can establish sentient beings within the realm of nirvana, although the realm of sentient beings is not different from the realm of nirvana.

“Subhuti! Thus, the realm of sentient beings and the realm of nirvana are nondual and undivided.”

The Venerable Subhuti addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! What are the skillful means of great bodhisattvas when they cultivate prajnaparamita? By the power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings within the realm of nirvana without impairing the characteristic of nirvana?”

The Buddha said:

– Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, from the time they first arouse the aspiration, they accomplish such skillful means. By the power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings in giving. Having established them therein, they explain that the beginning, end, and middle of giving bear no differentiated characteristics, saying: Good sons! Such giving, in its beginning, end, and middle, is entirely empty. The giver, the recipient, and the result of giving are also all empty. Thus, within the realm of nirvana, absolutely nothing exists; nothing whatsoever can be apprehended. You should not cling to distinctions in giving, nor to distinctions among the giver, the recipient, the result of giving, and nirvana. If you do not cling to distinctions among giving, the giver, the recipient, the result of giving, and nirvana, then the merit cultivated through giving will lead to nirvana; you will attain the fruit of nirvana and will certainly use nirvana to bring about a future life. They further say: Good sons! Through this giving that you cultivate, do not apprehend form; do not apprehend feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. Do not apprehend the eye ayatana; do not apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind ayatana. Do not apprehend the form ayatana; do not apprehend the sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma ayatana. Do not apprehend the eye dhatu; do not apprehend the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind dhatu. Do not apprehend the form dhatu; do not apprehend the sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharma dhatu. Do not apprehend the eye-consciousness dhatu; do not apprehend the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-consciousness dhatu. Do not apprehend eye-contact; do not apprehend ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact. Do not apprehend feelings arising with eye-contact as their condition; do not apprehend feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, or mind-contact as their condition. Do not apprehend the earth dhatu; do not apprehend the water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness dhatu. Do not apprehend the causal condition; do not apprehend the immediately antecedent condition, the objective condition, or the dominant condition. Do not apprehend dharmas arising from conditions. Do not apprehend ignorance; do not apprehend formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief, or distress. Do not apprehend the perfection of giving; do not apprehend the perfections of pure morality, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, or prajnaparamita. Do not apprehend the four meditative concentrations; do not apprehend the four immeasurables or the four formless absorptions. Do not apprehend the four foundations of mindfulness; do not apprehend the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, or the eightfold noble path. Do not apprehend the liberation gateway of emptiness; do not apprehend the liberation gateways of signlessness or wishlessness. Do not apprehend the emptiness of internal phenomena; do not apprehend the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of internal and external phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate meaning, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of the unapprehensible, the emptiness of nonbeing, the emptiness of self-nature, or the emptiness of the self-nature of nonbeing. Do not apprehend suchness; do not apprehend the dharma-dhatu, the nature of dharmas, the nature free from falsity, the unchanging nature, the nature of equality, the nature beyond arising, the certainty of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the realm of reality, the realm of space, or the inconceivable realm. Do not apprehend the Noble Truth of suffering; do not apprehend the Noble Truths of its origin, cessation, or the path. Do not apprehend the eight liberations; do not apprehend the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive absorptions, or the ten totalities. Do not apprehend any dharani gateway; do not apprehend any samadhi gateway. Do not apprehend the Ground of Great Joy; do not apprehend the Ground of Stainlessness, the Ground of Luminous Radiance, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Manifest Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or the Dharma Cloud Ground. Do not apprehend the five kinds of eyes; do not apprehend the six superknowledges. Do not apprehend the Buddha’s ten powers; do not apprehend the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed understandings, great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, great equanimity, or the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha. Do not apprehend the thirty-two marks of a great being; do not apprehend the eighty subsidiary characteristics. Do not apprehend the Dharma of nonforgetfulness; do not apprehend the nature of perpetual equanimity. Do not apprehend the knowledge of all things; do not apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the paths or the knowledge of all aspects. Do not apprehend the fruit of stream-entry; do not apprehend the fruits of once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, or the attainment of a pratyekabuddha. Do not apprehend any practice of a great bodhisattva. Do not apprehend the supreme awakening of the Buddhas. Do not apprehend worldly dharmas; do not apprehend supramundane dharmas. Do not apprehend contaminated dharmas; do not apprehend uncontaminated dharmas. Do not apprehend conditioned dharmas; do not apprehend unconditioned dharmas. Why? Because all giving and the nature of giving are empty; all givers and the nature of a giver are empty; all recipients and the nature of a recipient are empty; all results of giving and the nature of the result of giving are empty. Within emptiness, giving cannot be apprehended, the giver cannot be apprehended, the recipient cannot be apprehended, and the result of giving cannot be apprehended. Why? Because the intrinsic nature of such dharmas and of all other dharmas is ultimately empty. Within ultimate emptiness, such dharmas cannot be apprehended.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas cultivate prajnaparamita, from the time they first arouse the aspiration, they accomplish such skillful means. By the power of these skillful means, they establish sentient beings in pure morality.

Having established them therein, they say: Good sons! You should now feel profound compassion for sentient beings. Refrain from killing, refrain from taking what has not been given, refrain from sexual misconduct and improper conduct, refrain from false speech, refrain from divisive speech, refrain from harsh speech, refrain from frivolous speech, refrain from covetousness, refrain from ill will, and refrain from wrong views.

Why? Good sons! Because such dharmas are utterly devoid of intrinsic nature.

You should neither discriminate nor cling to them. You should further carefully examine: What dharma is called a living being, whose life you wish to end? And for what reason would you end its life?

What dharma is called an object not given, which you wish to take? And for what reason would you take it? What dharma is called an object of sexual misconduct, with which you wish to engage in misconduct?

And for what reason would you engage in misconduct? What dharma is called an object about which falsehood should be spoken, concerning which you wish to speak falsely? And for what reason would you speak falsely?

What dharma is called an object of estrangement, which you wish to cause to be estranged? And for what reason would you speak divisive words? What dharma is called an object of abuse, which you wish to abuse?

And for what reason would you speak harsh words? What dharma is called a frivolous matter, about which you wish to speak frivolous words? And for what reason would you speak frivolous words?

What dharma is called an object of covetousness, toward which you wish to arouse covetousness? And for what reason would you arouse covetousness? What dharma is called an object of anger, toward which you wish to arouse anger?

And for what reason would you arouse anger and resentment? What dharma is called an object of wrong view, toward which you wish to arouse wrong views? And for what reason would you arouse wrong views?

The intrinsic nature of all such things is empty.

Subhuti! When that great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, having accomplished such skillful means, he is able skillfully to bring all sentient beings to maturity. For their sake, he teaches that the fruits of giving and pure ethical discipline are utterly ungraspable, enabling them to know that the fruits of giving and pure ethical discipline are empty of intrinsic nature.

Once they have clearly understood that the fruits of cultivating giving and pure ethical discipline are empty of intrinsic nature, they can refrain from becoming attached to those dharmas. Because they are unattached, their minds are undistracted; because they are undistracted, they can give rise to sublime wisdom; and through this sublime wisdom, after permanently eliminating the latent tendencies and all entanglements, they enter the realm of absolute nirvana.

Subhuti! This is spoken in reliance upon conventional truth, not from the standpoint of ultimate truth. Why? Because within emptiness, not even the slightest dharma can be apprehended—whether one who has attained nirvana, one who will attain nirvana, one who is presently attaining nirvana, the person who attains nirvana, or that through which nirvana is attained. All such things are utterly nonexistent and ultimately empty. Ultimate emptiness itself is nirvana; apart from this nirvana, there is no distinct dharma whatsoever.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, when they see sentient beings whose minds are filled with anger, they feel profound compassion for them and skillfully instruct them, saying: Good sons!

You should cultivate patience, delight in the Dharma of patience, master your own minds, and undertake the practice of patience. Since the deed that causes another to become angry is empty of intrinsic nature, why should you give rise to anger over it? You should also carefully examine: For what reason do I become angry?

Who is angry? With whom am I angry? All these dharmas are empty in their original nature; dharmas that are empty in their original nature have never been otherwise than empty.

Such emptiness was not created by a Tathagata, not created by a pratyekabuddha, not created by a sravaka, not created by a bodhisattva, nor was it created by devas, nagas, spirits, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans, or nonhumans. Nor was it created by the devas of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three, Yama, Tushita, Delight in Emanations, or Mastery over Others’ Emanations; nor was it created by the devas of the Brahma Host, Brahma’s Ministers, Brahma’s Assembly, or Great Brahma; nor was it created by the devas of Light, Lesser Light, Immeasurable Light, or Utmost Radiance and Purity; nor was it created by the devas of Purity, Lesser Purity, Immeasurable Purity, or Pervasive Purity;

nor was it created by the devas of Vastness, Lesser Vastness, Immeasurable Vastness, or Abundant Fruit; nor was it created by the devas of No Perception; nor was it created by the devas of No Affliction, No Heat, Excellent Manifestation, Excellent Vision, or the Ultimate Form Realm; nor was it created by the devas of the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, or the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception.

You should further examine in accordance with reality: From what does that anger arise, and to whom does it belong? Toward whom does it arise? What fruit will it yield?

What benefit does it presently bring? All such dharmas are empty in their original nature. Within emptiness there can be no anger; therefore, you should practice patience for your own benefit.

Subhuti! Thus, when a great bodhisattva practices prajnaparamita, through skillful means he establishes sentient beings in the principle of emptiness of intrinsic nature and the emptiness of cause and effect, and gradually reveals, exhorts, guides, praises, and gladdens them regarding the fruit of unsurpassed enlightenment, enabling them to abide well therein and swiftly attain realization.

Subhuti! This is spoken in reliance upon conventional truth, not from the standpoint of ultimate truth. Why? Because within emptiness of original nature, there is no attainment, nothing attained, place of attainment, or time of attainment; none of these exists.

Subhuti! This is called the principle of the true limit and emptiness of original nature. Because great bodhisattvas wish to benefit sentient beings, they rely upon this principle of the true limit and emptiness of original nature when practicing prajnaparamita, yet they do not apprehend sentient beings, nor do they apprehend the establishing of sentient beings. Why? Subhuti! Because all dharmas are free from sentient beings.

Furthermore, Subhuti! When great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, from the moment they first arouse the aspiration for enlightenment, they accomplish such skillful means. Through the power of these skillful means, when they see sentient beings whose bodies and minds are indolent and who have lost their diligence, they skillfully exhort and guide them, causing them to arouse physical and mental diligence and cultivate wholesome dharmas, saying: Good sons!

Within emptiness of original nature there is no dharma of indolence, no indolent person, no place of indolence, no time of indolence, and nothing through which indolence arises. All these dharmas are empty in their original nature and do not transcend the principle of emptiness. You should arouse physical and mental diligence, abandon every form of indolence, and diligently cultivate wholesome dharmas: cultivate the perfection of giving, the perfection of pure ethical discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom; cultivate the four meditative absorptions, the four immeasurables, or the four formless concentrations;

cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, or the eightfold noble path; cultivate the gateways to liberation of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness;

abide in the emptiness of internal dharmas, the emptiness of external dharmas, the emptiness of internal and external dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, the emptiness of ultimate truth, the emptiness of conditioned dharmas, the emptiness of unconditioned dharmas, ultimate emptiness, boundless emptiness, the emptiness of dispersion, the emptiness of nonchange, the emptiness of original nature, the emptiness of individual characteristics, the emptiness of common characteristics, the emptiness of all dharmas, the emptiness of the ungraspable, the emptiness of nonexistence, the emptiness of intrinsic nature, or the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of nonexistence;

abide in suchness, the dharmadhatu, the Dharma-nature, the nature free from falsity, the nature free from change, the nature of equality, the nature of freedom from arising, the fixed order of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the true limit, the realm of empty space, or the inconceivable realm; abide in the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path; cultivate the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the nine successive meditative attainments, or the ten spheres of totality; cultivate all dharani gateways and samadhi gateways;

cultivate the Ground of Utmost Joy, the Ground Free from Defilement, the Luminous Ground, the Ground of Blazing Wisdom, the Ground Most Difficult to Conquer, the Ground of Direct Presence, the Far-Going Ground, the Immovable Ground, the Ground of Excellent Wisdom, or the Dharma Cloud Ground; cultivate the five kinds of eyes and the six superknowledges; cultivate the ten powers of a Buddha, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed analytical knowledges, or the eighteen unique qualities of a Buddha; cultivate great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, or great equanimity; cultivate the thirty-two marks of a great being and the eighty subsidiary characteristics; cultivate the Dharma of unfailing mindfulness and the nature of constant equanimity;

cultivate the wisdom of all things, the wisdom of the aspects of the path, or the wisdom of all aspects; or cultivate all other Buddha-dharmas.

Do not give rise to indolence; if you give rise to indolence, you will undergo immeasurable suffering. Good sons! All these dharmas are empty in their original nature and are without obstruction.

You should contemplate the principle of emptiness of original nature. Within that which is unobstructed, there is no indolence and no indolent person. The place, time, and conditions of this also cannot be apprehended.

Subhuti! Thus, when great bodhisattvas practice prajnaparamita, through skillful means they establish sentient beings and cause them to abide in the principle of the emptiness of the intrinsic nature of all dharmas. Although they cause them to abide therein, they entertain no notion of duality. Why? Because the principle of the emptiness of intrinsic nature is nondual and has no division into two parts; with regard to a nondual dharma, no notion of duality can arise.

Fascicle 386

THE END