大般若波羅蜜多經

05

At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Is the initial generation of the aspiration more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration?”

The Buddha said:

“Excellent, excellent! You have skillfully asked the Tathagata about such a profound meaning. Listen carefully.

I shall explain to you the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration. Although arhats, with their uncontaminated minds, have freed themselves from all their own afflictions, they are unable to guide immeasurable sentient beings so that they all generate the resolve to abandon their afflictions. Although bodhisattvas who have newly generated the great aspiration for bodhi have not yet brought their own afflictions to an end, they are able to teach and transform immeasurable sentient beings so that they all generate the resolve to abandon their afflictions, thereby successively benefiting immeasurable sentient beings.

This is called the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration. Moreover, although pratyekabuddhas, with their uncontaminated minds, have freed themselves from all their own afflictions, they do not teach and transform immeasurable sentient beings so that they all generate the resolve to abandon their afflictions. Although bodhisattvas who have newly generated the great aspiration for bodhi have not yet brought their own afflictions to an end, they are able to teach and transform immeasurable sentient beings so that they all generate the resolve to abandon their afflictions, thereby successively benefiting immeasurable sentient beings.

This is called the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration.

“Furthermore, Śāriputra! Whether bodhisattvas cultivate, practice, or repeatedly develop their great aspiration for bodhi, it always leads to generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, and immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-Dharmas, enabling them swiftly to attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom. Through this, they guide immeasurable sentient beings to attain the fruit of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha vehicle, to realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, or to cultivate excellent wholesome karma in the heavenly and human realms, thereby gaining happiness among gods and humans and escaping the suffering of the evil destinies.

“The minds of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have already become uncontaminated. Although they themselves have realized the peace and happiness of nirvana, their minds cannot lead to generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, and immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-Dharmas. Nor can they attain the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom or guide immeasurable sentient beings to attain the fruit of the śrāvaka or the pratyekabuddha vehicle, to realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, or to cultivate excellent wholesome karma in the heavenly and human realms, thereby gaining happiness among gods and humans and escaping the suffering of the evil destinies.

This is called the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration.

“Furthermore, Śāriputra! The majestic power of a bodhisattva’s great aspiration for bodhi is truly excellent. If it is skillfully cultivated, the bodhisattva will swiftly realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment and bestow unerring predictions upon sentient beings.

That is, the bodhisattva predicts that a certain sentient being, after passing through so many kalpas in future lives, wandering in the cycle of birth and death and cultivating bodhisattva practices, will realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment and bring great benefit to sentient beings. Or the bodhisattva predicts that a certain sentient being, after passing through so many kalpas in future lives, wandering in the cycle of birth and death and cultivating pratyekabuddha practices, will encounter the proper conditions in the heavenly or human realm, attain pratyekabuddha enlightenment, possess the six superknowledges, and dwell in freedom and peace.

Or the bodhisattva predicts that a certain sentient being, after passing through so many kalpas in future lives, wandering in the cycle of birth and death and cultivating śrāvaka practices, will attain the fruit of a śrāvaka in the heavenly or human realm. Or the bodhisattva predicts that a certain sentient being, after passing through so many kalpas in future lives, will perform various wholesome and unwholesome deeds, be born in the heavenly or human realm, or fall into an evil destiny, drifting along in the current of birth and death.

In contrast, pratyekabuddhas cannot bestow unerring predictions upon sentient beings. That is, they cannot make predictions as bodhisattvas do, saying, ‘In future lives, after so many kalpas, you will become a Buddha with the epithet… and the name….’ Nor can they predict that a certain sentient being, after passing through so many kalpas in future lives, will definitely attain pratyekabuddha enlightenment, the fruit of a śrāvaka, or undergo various sufferings and pleasures in the wholesome or evil destinies.

Likewise, śrāvakas cannot bestow predictions upon others; if they do make any such predictions, they have heard them all from the Buddha. This is called the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration.

“Furthermore, Śāriputra! When a bodhisattva generates the great aspiration for bodhi, wishing to benefit all sentient beings throughout future lives, the great earth, the mountains, and the oceans quake in six ways. Māra, the king of demons, is startled and terrified. The gods, nāgas, and spirits all rejoice greatly and say:

“‘This bodhisattva will realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, rescue us from the great suffering of birth and death, and enable us to attain peace and happiness. When śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas abide in their final uncontaminated minds, no such events occur.’

“This is called the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration.

“Furthermore, Śāriputra! Even if all sentient beings were taught and transformed so that they all abided in the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood or arhatship, they would still be unable to preserve and protect the paramitas and all-knowing wisdom. If someone teaches and instructs a bodhisattva, causing that bodhisattva to generate the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, that person thereby preserves and protects generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, and all-knowing wisdom.

Why is this? Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot accomplish unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment because their aspirations are extremely weak. Only bodhisattvas can accomplish unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. This is called the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration being more excellent than a later generation of the aspiration.

Therefore, all who wish to realize unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment should generate the aspiration to seek all-knowing wisdom.”

Śāriputra again addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! By what characteristics may it be known which practices bodhisattvas cultivate and why they are called bodhisattvas?”

The Buddha said to Śāriputra:

“If anyone generates the great aspiration for bodhi and diligently practices generosity, pure morality, patient endurance, diligence, meditative concentration, and prajnaparamita without weariness, and although encountering many bad companions who create conditions for regression, remains unyielding, these are the characteristics of a bodhisattva. One who possesses these characteristics is called a bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, Śāriputra! If sentient beings extensively cultivate wholesome dharmas without weariness of mind, uphold pure morality without ever violating it, always delight in benefiting and bringing happiness to all sentient beings, and although encountering painful circumstances, do not become timid or weak, but aspire that, through whatever they cultivate and learn, they and all sentient beings together may realize bodhi and attain ultimate peace and happiness, these are called the characteristics of a great bodhisattva. One who possesses these characteristics is called a bodhisattva.”

Śāriputra again addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! How should we understand the profound meaning taught by the Buddha, namely, that the mind of a bodhisattva is more excellent than the uncontaminated minds of pratyekabuddhas and arhats? I beseech the World-Honored One to explain this meaning for me, so that we may clearly understand it and uphold it without error.”

The Buddha asked Śāriputra:

“Do you hold that the mind of a bodhisattva still possesses greed, anger, delusion, pride, and the other secondary afflictions?”

Śāriputra replied:

“World-Honored One! It is so. Well-Gone One! It is so. I hold that the mind of a bodhisattva still possesses greed, anger, delusion, pride, and the other secondary afflictions.”

The Buddha again asked Śāriputra:

“Do you hold that the minds of pratyekabuddhas and arhats have been freed from greed, anger, delusion, pride, and the other secondary afflictions?”

Śāriputra replied:

“World-Honored One! It is so. Well-Gone One! It is so. I hold that the minds of pratyekabuddhas and arhats have been freed from greed, anger, delusion, pride, and the other secondary afflictions.”

The Buddha again asked Śāriputra:

– Do you maintain that pratyekabuddhas and arhats who have completely exhausted all outflows, when wishing to enter immeasurable loving-kindness and compassion and guide immeasurable, boundless sentient beings, enabling them to attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering, can truly enable those sentient beings to attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering?

Shariputra said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! They cannot. Sugata! They cannot. The minds of those pratyekabuddhas and arhats are entirely devoid of skillful means; how could they enter immeasurable loving-kindness and compassion, guide immeasurable, boundless sentient beings, and truly enable them to attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering? Consider the matter provisionally in this way: The assembly of bodhisattvas arouses the aspiration for bodhi and resolutely seeks the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom, wishing to bring benefit and happiness to all sentient beings continuously and without interruption until the end of future time. Therefore, when bodhisattvas enter the meditative concentration of loving-kindness and compassion, they enable immeasurable, boundless sentient beings to attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering. Those whose karmic obstructions are not heavy truly attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering in that very instant. How much more, upon attaining unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, would they not truly enable sentient beings to attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering? For this reason, it is reasonable to say that bodhisattvas truly benefit and bring happiness to all sentient beings continuously and without interruption. But if it were said that pratyekabuddhas and arhats filling Jambudvipa, endowed with the eight liberations, simultaneously entered the immeasurable meditative concentration of loving-kindness and compassion, wishing to benefit and bring happiness to immeasurable, boundless sentient beings, and that even one among them truly received benefit and happiness, this would be unreasonable.

The Buddha said to Shariputra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you have said. For this reason, the minds of bodhisattvas, in relation to the outflow-free minds of pratyekabuddhas and arhats, are foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, superior, and unsurpassed.

Furthermore, Shariputra! Suppose that all sentient beings throughout the ten directions had exhausted all outflows and become arhats, fully endowed with such qualities as the six superknowledges and eight liberations. Suppose each sentient being then magically created ten billion armies of Mara. Would those armies of Mara be numerous?

Shariputra said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! They would be exceedingly numerous. Sugata! They would be exceedingly numerous. The number of those arhats would already be exceedingly great, how much more so if every one of them magically created ten billion armies of Mara. The number of those armies of Mara would be beyond reckoning.

The Buddha again asked Shariputra:

– Could those boundless arhats, having magically created immeasurable, innumerable armies of Mara, have the power to cause the mind of even one non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change, even temporarily?

Shariputra said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! They could not. Sugata! They could not. Such immeasurable, innumerable armies of Mara could not cause the mind of even one non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change.

The Buddha again asked Shariputra:

– What do you think? Between the minds of all those arhats, which have completely exhausted all outflows, and the mind of one non-retrogressing bodhisattva, whose majestic spiritual power is superior?

Shariputra said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! As I understand the meaning of the Buddha's teaching, the power of the mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva is superior, not that of the minds of innumerable, immeasurable arhats.

The Buddha said:

– So it is! It is exactly as you have said. You should contemplate the matter in this way: The immeasurable, outflow-free minds of the arhats have forever abandoned sensual desire, anger, delusion, arrogance, and so forth. Yet even if they all were to create ten billion mighty armies of Mara, those armies of Mara, exhausting all their spiritual power, still could not cause the mind of a bodhisattva who retains the afflictions of greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, and so forth to change. From this, you should know that the mental power of bodhisattvas is superior to the outflow-exhausted minds of arhats.

Furthermore, Shariputra! What do you think? What mind, in relation to the minds of arhats that are free from such afflictions as greed, anger, delusion, and arrogance, is foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, superior, and unsurpassed?

Shariputra said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! Although the minds of non-retrogressing bodhisattvas still retain such afflictions as sensual desire, anger, delusion, and arrogance, in relation to the outflow-free minds of arhats they are foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, superior, and unsurpassed. Why is this? Because even if such immeasurable, boundless outflow-free arhats and the beings they magically created were to exhaust all their spiritual power, they still could not cause the mind of even one non-retrogressing bodhisattva, though still possessed of such afflictions as greed, anger, delusion, and arrogance, to change.

The Buddha again asked Shariputra:

– I shall now ask you a question; answer as you see fit. What do you think? If a single vaidurya jewel were placed within a heap of kaca-mani jewels, could the luminous value of the kaca-mani jewels overwhelm or absorb the luminous value of that vaidurya jewel?

Shariputra said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! It could not. Sugata! It could not. The luminous value of a single vaidurya jewel could eclipse the light of an entire heap of kaca-mani jewels. Why is this? A vaidurya jewel is clear and bright from within to without, whereas kaca-mani is not. The light of a vaidurya jewel is brilliant, whereas that of kaca-mani is not. A vaidurya jewel is naturally azure, whereas kaca-mani is not. The class of vaidurya jewels is superior, whereas kaca-mani is not. A vaidurya jewel possesses vast majestic virtue, whereas kaca-mani does not. A vaidurya jewel is of immeasurable value, whereas kaca-mani is not. A vaidurya jewel is an ornament of honored persons and, through the power of superior karma, is produced on the shores of the great ocean. Kaca-mani jewels may be used by the noble and the lowly alike, for they are products of craftsmanship. Therefore, the luminous value of a vaidurya jewel surpasses and eclipses the luminous value of all kaca-mani jewels.

At that time, the Buddha said to Shariputra:

– The mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva is likewise. It universally eclipses the minds of all pratyekabuddhas and shravakas, just as a vaidurya jewel eclipses the light of kaca jewels. Having contemplated this meaning, I declare: The mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva, in relation to the outflow-free minds of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas who have ended and become free from the afflictions, is foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, superior, and unsurpassed. The mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva is fully endowed with loving-kindness and compassion and can enable sentient beings to attain peace and happiness and become free from all suffering. The loving-kindness and compassion possessed by the minds of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas are merely conceptual and have no practical efficacy.

Furthermore, Shariputra! An arhat who has completely exhausted all outflows and is fully endowed with such qualities as the six superknowledges and eight liberations may use spiritual power to push this world into other directions, yet cannot cause the mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change.

Furthermore, Shariputra! An arhat who has completely exhausted all outflows and is fully endowed with such qualities as the six superknowledges and eight liberations may use spiritual power to dry up the waters of the great ocean, yet cannot cause the mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change.

Furthermore, Shariputra! An arhat who has completely exhausted all outflows and is fully endowed with such qualities as the six superknowledges and eight liberations may use spiritual power to blast to pieces worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, reducing all the Mount Sumerus within them to dust and ashes, yet cannot cause the mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change.

Furthermore, Shariputra! An arhat who has completely exhausted all outflows and is fully endowed with such qualities as the six superknowledges and eight liberations may use the power of superknowledge to blow out all the fiercely blazing conflagrations at the end of a great eon in worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, yet cannot cause the mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change.

For this reason, I say thus: The mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva, in relation to the undefiled minds of the pratyekabuddhas and shravakas who have forever transcended the afflictions, is foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, unsurpassed, and unexcelled.

Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! How extraordinary! Sugata! How rare! The mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva is endowed with such great majestic spiritual power that shravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot cause it to change.

The Buddha told Shariputra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say. Why is this? Shariputra! The words of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, are never twofold. The meaning taught by the Buddha is entirely true and without falsehood. You should receive and retain it, and expound it widely to others.

Furthermore, Shariputra! Suppose there were immeasurable and boundless kinds of sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions; suppose that within those immeasurable and boundless worlds of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges…, each grain of Ganges sand in turn became that many kinds of sentient beings; and suppose that the earth, water, fire, and wind throughout those immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds of the ten directions were pulverized into extremely minute particles, and all of them became that many sentient beings. Would these sentient beings be numerous?

Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! They would be exceedingly numerous. Sugata! They would be exceedingly numerous.

The Buddha said:

– Suppose all such sentient beings together became arhats, had forever exhausted all outflows, and were endowed with such qualities as the six superknowledges, the eight liberations, and so forth, attaining vast mastery of spiritual powers like Mahā-Maudgalyāyana. Suppose all those great arhats each conjured that many hosts of Māra. Each evil Māra in turn conjured that many valiant divisions of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry. Could the number of such armies be known?

Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! It could not be known. Sugata! It could not be known.

The Buddha said:

– Suppose there were as many good men or good women as there are worlds in the three-thousandfold great-thousand world-system who knew that number, and with their spiritual powers they routed all those hosts of Māra. What do you think? Would the majestic spiritual power of these good men or good women be vast?

Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! It would be vast. Sugata! It would be vast. The majestic spiritual power of these good men or good women would be unrivaled and inconceivable.

The Buddha said:

– Suppose that the good men and good women just mentioned, as well as the sentient beings in the number previously described, throughout immeasurable, innumerable, and boundless worlds of the ten directions, in each successive thought-moment during great eons as numerous as the sands of the Ganges…, each conjured immeasurable evil Māras as previously described, and each evil Māra in turn conjured immeasurable divisions of cavalry and all the valiant armies previously described. Even they could not cause the mind of a non-retrogressing bodhisattva to change.

Furthermore, Shariputra! What do you think? Suppose that many sentient beings became arhats and all in turn conjured that many evil Māras, each evil Māra being endowed with great spiritual power. Compared with the spiritual power of the mind of a single non-retrogressing bodhisattva, which would be superior?

Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! The spiritual power of the mind of a single non-retrogressing great bodhisattva would be superior to theirs. Why is this? Because the spiritual power of the mind of a single non-retrogressing great bodhisattva is immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, and ineffable.

The Buddha again told Shariputra:

– What do you think? Regarding the spiritual power of the mind of a single non-retrogressing great bodhisattva and the spiritual powers of the immeasurable and boundless arhats endowed with great superknowledges as previously described, who could declare that the former is foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, unsurpassed, and unexcelled?

Shariputra addressed the Buddha:

– Blessed One! As I understand the meaning of the Buddha's teaching, only the Buddha, the Blessed One, can declare that the spiritual power of the mind of that non-retrogressing great bodhisattva, in relation to the spiritual powers of the immeasurable and boundless arhats endowed with great superknowledges as previously described, is foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, unsurpassed, and unexcelled. Why is this? Because, apart from the spiritual power of a mind corresponding to the knowledge of all modes, nothing can equal the spiritual power of the mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva. For this reason, only a Buddha can know and only a Buddha can describe the spiritual power of the mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva as foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, unsurpassed, and unexcelled in relation to all other spiritual powers.

The Buddha told Shariputra:

– So it is! So it is! It is exactly as you say. Why is this? Shariputra! No other sentient being can cause the mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva to change, nor can anyone know or describe it in accordance with reality. Only the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One knows the mind of that non-retrogressing bodhisattva and expounds it truthfully for sentient beings.

At that time, Purna Maitrayaniputra asked Shariputra:

– For what reason can the mind of a non-retrogressing great bodhisattva not be made to change?

Shariputra replied:

– Because when bodhisattvas practice giving, they direct it entirely toward the knowledge of all modes; therefore, their minds are firm and cannot be shaken. When they attain non-retrogression in this way, their minds do not change in response to conditions.

Furthermore, Purna Maitrayaniputra! It is like a person skilled in resolving and adjudicating every kind of affair, who has adjudicated many matters among innumerable householders, laypeople, and merchants. An impoverished person approaches a householder, layperson, or another such person to borrow money and material goods.

Fearing that the creditor will come to demand repayment and being unable to repay the debt, that person seeks the king's protection to avoid being seized. Because the creditors fear the king's command, they dare not drag that person away or humiliate him. Why is this?

Because that person relies upon a power so great—the king is difficult to oppose. Bodhisattvas are likewise: whether they have newly aroused the aspiration or have attained non-retrogression, they all rely upon the great spiritual power of the knowledge of all modes. Therefore, no pratyekabuddha or arhat can cause their minds to waver.

Furthermore, Purna Maitrayaniputra! Just as a person who relies upon the king, though extremely poor and destitute, is not humiliated, so too does a bodhisattva rely upon the knowledge of all modes. Evil Māras and followers of the two vehicles cannot shake the bodhisattva, who instead vanquishes all evil Māras. In relation to those of the two vehicles, the bodhisattva is foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, wondrous, unsurpassed, and unexcelled. Therefore, bodhisattvas who wish not to retrogress should always rely upon the knowledge of all modes and cultivate the bodhisattva practices, without delighting in any other vehicle.

Purna Maitrayaniputra asked:

– In what respects are bodhisattvas inferior to pratyekabuddhas and shravakas?

Shariputra replied:

– If bodhisattvas hear of the superior qualities of pratyekabuddhas and shravakas and become fond of and attached to them, thinking, “How might I attain such dharmas?” and also take great delight in praising the teachings of the two vehicles, then, because they give rise to such improper attention, these bodhisattvas are immediately surpassed by all pratyekabuddhas and shravakas.

Purna Maitrayaniputra again asked the Venerable Shariputra:

– For what reason is this attention of the bodhisattva said to be improper?

Shariputra replied:

– Because this obstructs the knowledge of all-knowing wisdom and can cause the aspiration toward all-knowing wisdom gradually to weaken and grow distant, it is called a bodhisattva’s improper attention. It is like a Yoga practitioner who wishes to realize true reality and joyfully enter the certainty of the noble ones: if greed, hatred, or delusion arises, it obstructs the aspiration toward arhatship, causing it gradually to weaken and grow distant. Therefore, it is called improper attention. Likewise, if a bodhisattva seeking great bodhi gives rise to attention associated with the two vehicles, it obstructs all-knowing wisdom and impairs the bodhi-mind. Therefore, it is called improper attention. If bodhisattvas possess such attention, they are thereby overcome by the two vehicles.

Purnamaitrayaniputra then said to the Venerable Sariputra:

– If bodhisattvas give rise to attention associated with the two vehicles, they are thereby overcome by the two vehicles; you should know that they are not counted among the bodhisattvas. Why is this? Sariputra! Because bodhisattvas seek only the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. If they give rise to attention associated with the two vehicles, they turn against their original vow and cannot attain all-knowing wisdom. It is like stream-enterers in whom afflictions become active: they thereby turn against their quest for either knowledge or abandonment. Because they diligently seek knowledge and abandonment, they are called stream-enterers. The active manifestation of afflictions does not accord with the meaning of such a quest. Why is this? Sariputra! Because stream-enterers seek two kinds of comprehensive knowledge:

1. The first is comprehensive knowledge through wisdom.

2. The second is comprehensive knowledge through abandonment.

If afflictions become active, both of these quests are impaired. Therefore, stream-enterers should always diligently eliminate the afflictions and seek comprehensive knowledge through wisdom. Likewise, if bodhisattvas give rise to attention associated with the two vehicles, they turn against their original vow to seek all-knowing wisdom. If bodhisattvas abandon the mind and mental factors while seeking all-knowing wisdom, they are not called true bodhisattvas.

Why is this? Sariputra! Because what is essential for bodhisattvas is constantly and uninterruptedly to maintain the mind that seeks all-knowing wisdom.

If bodhisattvas abide in the bodhisattva-mind, the evil maras of the two vehicles cannot overcome them; instead, they overcome the evil maras of the two vehicles. It is like a skilled archer who stands in the proper stance: no enemy can overcome him; instead, he overcomes his enemies and is free from every fear. Likewise, when bodhisattvas abide in the bodhisattva-mind, no adverse condition can destroy them; instead, they destroy all the works of the maras.

If they hear the teachings of the two vehicles being proclaimed, they immediately think: “I shall attain the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, and I too should proclaim such teachings to sentient beings. Just as today the Blessed One, the Tathagata Shakyamuni, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, proclaims teachings associated with the two vehicles for those of the lineage of pratyekabuddhas and shravakas, so in the future, when I become a Buddha, I too shall proclaim such teachings to sentient beings of this kind so that they may obtain benefit and happiness.” Such bodhisattvas abide in the bodhisattva-mind and employ skillful means; although they hear teachings associated with the two vehicles, they suffer no diminution.

That is, although they hear those corresponding teachings, they have no attachment to the two vehicles. Bodhisattvas who thus abide in the bodhisattva-mind are not overcome by the evil maras of the two vehicles; instead, they overcome the evil maras of the two vehicles. It is like Yoga practitioners who are not drawn away by objects because they have become thoroughly skilled in concentration.

Why is this? Because through concentration they have skillfully trained their minds with respect to objects and have thereby attained mastery. Likewise, when bodhisattvas abide in the bodhisattva-mind, the evil maras of the two vehicles cannot overcome them.

Why is this? Because these bodhisattvas never depart from the bodhisattva-mind.

Sariputra asked Purnamaitrayaniputra:

– Are all bodhisattvas—whether they have newly generated the aspiration, have attained non-retrogression, or are seated upon the seat of enlightenment—incapable of being overcome?

Purnamaitrayaniputra replied:

– You should know that all bodhisattvas—whether they have newly generated the aspiration, have attained non-retrogression, or are seated upon the seat of enlightenment—are incapable of being overcome. Why is this? Sariputra! Because no adverse condition can cause these bodhisattvas to abandon their original vow. That is, bodhisattvas generate the mind of enlightenment solely because they wish to benefit sentient beings. If they firmly uphold these two vows, no adverse condition can shake them. If bodhisattvas abide in this mind, the evil maras of the two vehicles cannot overcome them.

Furthermore, Sariputra! Just as the Tathagatas, whether they have newly attained buddhahood or have been Buddhas for hundreds of thousands of years, never abandon the mind of all-knowing wisdom and at all times perfect all-knowing wisdom, so too do bodhisattvas, whether they have newly generated the aspiration, have attained non-retrogression, or are seated upon the seat of enlightenment, at all times take all-knowing wisdom as their object, contemplate it, and seek to realize it, never relinquishing it even temporarily.

Sariputra asked:

– If that is so, what distinctions are there among the stages of bodhisattvas?

Purnamaitrayaniputra replied:

– There is no difference in the minds of bodhisattvas at the various stages; only the speed with which they attain buddhahood differs. That is, whether at the beginning, the end, or the middle, the bodhisattva-mind seeks the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Abiding in this mind, it never retrogresses.

Furthermore, Sariputra! Just as an arhat certainly never retrogresses from the mind of an arhat—that is, the undefiled mind certainly never retrogresses—so too bodhisattvas certainly never lose the mind of great bodhi.

Furthermore, Sariputra! What do you think? If the mind of an arhat could retrogress, would that person be a true arhat?

Sariputra replied:

– Venerable sir, no. If the mind of an arhat could retrogress, you should know that person to be one of overweening pride who has certainly not attained the fruit of arhatship.

Purnamaitrayaniputra said:

– Bodhisattvas are likewise. If a bodhisattva retrogresses from the bodhi-mind, you should know that although that person previously called himself a bodhisattva, he was not a true bodhisattva. He was one of overweening pride who defiled the assembly of bodhisattvas, just as a snail fouls clear water and makes it unfit to drink.

– Sariputra! So it is! So it is! You should know that such people have their minds obscured by ignorance. They call themselves bodhisattvas, but in truth have not yet entered the ranks of genuine bodhisattvas and are bodhisattvas in name only. It is like a man, whose male faculties should be complete. A person deficient in those faculties may also call himself a man, but this is merely an empty statement without true meaning. A bodhisattva who retrogresses from the bodhi-mind is likewise a bodhisattva in name only and not a true bodhisattva. Just as a person deficient in those faculties is called malformed, so a bodhisattva who retrogresses from this mind is called a false bodhisattva. Therefore, bodhisattvas at the beginning, middle, and end certainly never retrogress from the mind of great bodhi. If they retrogress from this mind, they are not bodhisattvas.

Purnamaitrayaniputra asked Sariputra:

– With what should bodhisattvas who wish to realize the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment give rise to corresponding attention?

Sariputra replied:

– Bodhisattvas who wish to realize the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment should give rise to attention associated with all-knowing wisdom. They should abide in such attention when practicing all bodhisattva dharmas. If bodhisattvas abide in this attention while practicing generosity, they thereby dedicate it to all-knowing wisdom. If bodhisattvas dedicate it to all-knowing wisdom in this way, they thereby preserve the perfection of generosity. If bodhisattvas do not dedicate it to all-knowing wisdom, their practice of generosity is not called the perfection of generosity.

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! If, when practicing giving, bodhisattvas again think: “Shall I relinquish a little, or shall I not relinquish a little? Shall I relinquish this object, or shall I not relinquish this object?

Shall I give to those beings, or shall I not give to those beings?” Such hesitant thoughts obstruct these bodhisattvas’ knowledge of all aspects, so that only after a long time can they attain the knowledge of all aspects. Only after spending a long time practicing giving can they perfect the paramita of giving. Therefore, bodhisattvas who wish their knowledge of all aspects to be unobstructed, who wish swiftly to attain the knowledge of all aspects, and who wish swiftly to perfect the paramita of giving should abandon such discriminative thinking.

They should relinquish all discrimination, give away all things, and practice giving equally toward all kinds of beings.

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! Bodhisattvas who wish to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment should abide in the paramita of giving; they should abide in the paramita of giving in the following manner. Suppose that in the morning they give various kinds of excellent food to sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and, after giving the food, also give them excellent clothing and pure gold.

At midday they likewise give various kinds of excellent food to sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and, after giving the food, also give them excellent clothing and pure gold. In the evening they likewise give various kinds of excellent food to sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and, after giving the food, also give them excellent clothing and pure gold. During the three periods of the night, they again do likewise.

They continue such giving without interruption throughout great kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. After practicing such giving, if these bodhisattvas do not dedicate it to seeking the knowledge of all aspects, then although it is called giving, it is not the paramita of giving. Only if they dedicate it to seeking the knowledge of all aspects is it called the paramita of giving.

That is, after giving, they do not give rise to discrimination; regardless of whether the gift is great or small, they arouse a vast mind and, for the sake of sentient beings, give away everything. When these bodhisattvas practice giving, although they may not relinquish a great amount to give to all beings, they nevertheless accomplish the paramita of giving. Why?

Because they practice the paramita of giving in order to attain the immeasurable qualities of a Buddha. If, when giving, their minds are limited, they certainly cannot attain the immeasurable qualities of a Buddha. If bodhisattvas practice giving with limited minds, they certainly cannot attain the knowledge of all aspects and assuredly cannot perfect the paramita of giving.

Therefore, bodhisattvas who wish to attain the immeasurable knowledge of all aspects should arouse an unlimited mind and practice giving. If bodhisattvas practice giving with limited minds, they remain covetous and unwilling to relinquish things, and they cannot safeguard the knowledge of all aspects. By acting contrary to this characteristic, how could they attain the knowledge of all aspects and perfect the paramita of giving?

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! Bodhisattvas who wish to practice giving should arouse this thought: “Until I attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, I should cultivate unlimited giving and bestow material gifts upon sentient beings. After attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, I must bestow the gift of Dharma upon sentient beings.” That is, before attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they should give wealth to sentient beings, enabling them to escape the suffering of poverty and attain worldly happiness.

After attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they must give the true Dharma to sentient beings, enabling them to escape the afflictions and attain supramundane happiness. It is like a person who serves a king: at first he receives clothing with which to support his wife and children; later, after winning the king’s favor, he acquires abundant wealth and precious treasures. He, his wife, and his children all enjoy wealth, security, and happiness.

Bodhisattvas seeking to attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment are likewise. They cultivate hundreds of thousands of difficult and painful practices. At first, they give wealth to sentient beings, enabling them to escape the worldly suffering of poverty.

Later, when they attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they instruct and guide sentient beings with undefiled Dharma, helping them escape all the sufferings of birth and death.

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! Suppose hundreds of thousands of sentient beings diligently serve a prince throughout the day and night. At that time, the prince provides them with clothing, food and drink, bedding, and other necessities.

After ascending the royal throne, he grants them high offices, titles, and emoluments according to their former service and abilities. He may appoint one to oversee affairs, another to govern mountains and rivers, another to govern a great city, another to command a frontier pass, another to govern villages, and another to command the army. Bodhisattvas seeking the knowledge of all aspects are likewise.

Before attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they must first give wealth to sentient beings. After attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they instruct and guide sentient beings with the unsurpassed teaching according to their differing understanding, causing them to abide in the fruit of arhatship, the fruit of non-returning, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of stream-entry, the ten wholesome courses of action, or the supreme stage of a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! These bodhisattvas seek great enlightenment and practice the bodhisattva conduct. Before attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they bring great benefit to sentient beings. When they attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they also bring great benefit to sentient beings. After entering nirvana, they likewise bring great benefit to immeasurable and boundless sentient beings. This is like a prince who, before succeeding to the royal throne, brings great benefit to sentient beings; after succeeding to the throne, he also brings great benefit to sentient beings; and after his death, he likewise brings great benefit to sentient beings.

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! It is like a person who serves a king with properly measured diligence over a long period, so that his emoluments gradually increase. Bodhisattvas seeking the knowledge of all aspects are likewise: practicing with properly measured diligence over a long period, their merit gradually increases.

Furthermore, Purnamaitrayaniputra! Before attaining unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, these bodhisattvas give wealth to sentient beings. That is, using various kinds of clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and other material goods, they skillfully protect and benefit sentient beings.

When they attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, they protect sentient beings with the true Dharma. That is, they protect and benefit them through such teachings as giving, pure ethical discipline, patient acceptance, diligence, meditative concentration, prajnaparamita, and immeasurable and boundless other qualities of a Buddha. Or they protect and benefit them through such teachings as the foundations of mindfulness, right exertions, bases of spiritual power, faculties, powers, factors of enlightenment, factors of the path, and immeasurable and boundless other qualities of a Buddha.

Or they protect and benefit them through the meritorious deeds associated with giving, the meritorious deeds associated with ethical discipline, the meritorious deeds associated with cultivation, and immeasurable and boundless other worldly wholesome qualities. After entering nirvana, they also bring great benefit to immeasurable and boundless sentient beings. That is, those who make offerings to the Buddha’s relics, or who receive and uphold, read and recite the Tathagata’s unsurpassed true Dharma and practice in accordance with what was taught, all gain vast and boundless benefit.

Namely, they attain happiness among gods and humans, enter nirvana, or attain the ultimate happiness of great enlightenment.

Purnamaitrayaniputra said to Sariputra:

– So it is! So it is! It is indeed exactly as the Venerable One has said. Everything the Venerable One has taught accords with the truth. Therefore, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, declared the Venerable One foremost in wisdom and eloquence among the sravakas.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! Just as pure gold always brings great benefit to sentient beings—whether it has not yet been extracted from the ore, has already been extracted, has been fashioned into various ornaments, or has been sold or exchanged to purchase other things—it benefits immeasurable and boundless sentient beings, bringing great benefit according to how they employ it. In the same way, bodhisattvas who cultivate the bodhisattva practices bring great benefit to sentient beings before they attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

That is, through gifts of material wealth and Dharma, they employ skillful means appropriate to sentient beings to protect and benefit them. When they attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, they turn the wondrous Dharma wheel and bring great benefit. That is, they proclaim that the form skandha as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the skandhas of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the eye ayatana as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind ayatanas as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable;

they proclaim that the form ayatana as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma ayatanas as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the eye dhatu as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind dhatus as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the form dhatu as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the sound, odor, taste, tangible-object, and dharma dhatus as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the eye-consciousness dhatu as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable;

they proclaim that the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness dhatus as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that eye-contact as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the feelings arising with eye-contact as condition, as permanent, impermanent, and so forth, are unobtainable; they proclaim that the feelings arising with ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact as condition, as permanent, impermanent, and so forth, are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the earth dhatu as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable;

they proclaim that the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness dhatus as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the causal condition as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the immediately antecedent condition, objective condition, and predominant condition as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that ignorance as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence, birth, and aging-and-death as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that a self as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable;

they proclaim that a sentient being, living being, one who is born, one who is nurtured, person, pudgala, mind-born being, youth, knower, and seer as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable; they proclaim that the Desire Realm as permanent, impermanent, and so forth is unobtainable; they proclaim that the Form Realm and Formless Realm as permanent, impermanent, and so forth are likewise unobtainable.

By proclaiming such Dharma gateways, they bring great benefit to sentient beings. After they enter nirvana, the True Dharma, the Semblance Dharma, and their relics also bring great benefit to sentient beings. Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas do not accomplish such things. Therefore, great bodhisattvas who cultivate the bodhisattva practices always bring great benefit to sentient beings. For this reason, it is said that, in comparison with those of the two vehicles, bodhisattvas are foremost, supreme, honored, exalted, sublime, exceedingly sublime, unsurpassed, and unequaled.

At that time, the Buddha told Ānanda:

“You should receive and retain what Śāriputra has taught. Great bodhisattvas don the armor of great vows and proceed toward great enlightenment. Fully endowed with supreme skillfulness and heightened aspiration, they cultivate the prajnaparamita of generosity, relinquishing Dharma and relinquishing wealth, without defilement or attachment.”

When the Blessed One taught this sutra, the Venerable Śāriputra, the Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, the Venerable Ānanda, the śrāvakas, the assembly of bodhisattvas, and the beings of the world—devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and so forth—the entire great assembly, having heard the Buddha’s teaching, were elated and joyful, faithfully received it, and practiced it accordingly.

Fascicle 583

THE END