大般若波羅蜜多經

VII. CHAPTER ON EQUALITY

At that time, Most Victorious rose from his seat, adjusted his robe to bare his left shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms respectfully, and addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! As the World-Honored One has taught, the Dharma-nature is equal. What, then, is equality? Which dharmas are called equal?”

The Buddha said to Most Victorious:

“Heavenly King, you should know! When all dharmas are contemplated as equal, their intrinsic nature is quiescent, neither arising nor ceasing; therefore, this is called equality. All afflictions and false discriminations are intrinsically quiescent, neither arising nor ceasing; therefore, this is called equality.

Discriminations of names and characteristics are intrinsically quiescent, neither arising nor ceasing; therefore, this is called equality. The cessation of all inverted views and the non-arising of conditioned grasping are called equality. When the mind that apprehends objects extinguishes ignorance and craving for existence, delusion and craving cease, and there is complete quiescence, without further attachment to self or what belongs to self; therefore, this is called equality.

Because grasping at self and what belongs to self has ceased forever, name-and-form is quiescent; this is called equality. Because name-and-form has ceased, extreme views do not arise; this is called equality. Because the extremes of eternalism and annihilationism have ceased, the view of a self is quiescent; this is called equality.

“Heavenly King, you should know! All afflictive obstructions involving the apprehending subject and the apprehended object, as well as those wholesome dharmas, arise in dependence upon the view of a self. Only when bodhisattvas practice profound prajnaparamita and employ skillful means can they extinguish the view of a self.

All latent tendencies and afflictions then become forever quiescent and extinguished, and volitional aspirations also cease. It is like a great tree whose roots have been severed: its branches, twigs, leaves, and so forth cannot fail to wither and die. It is also like a person whose head has been severed: the life faculty and so forth come to an end.

The secondary afflictions are likewise: if the view of a self is severed, all other afflictive dharmas cease forever. If one is able to contemplate all dharmas as being without self, both the apprehending subject and the apprehended object cease forever.”

Most Victorious again addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! When the view of a self arises, how does it obstruct ultimate truth?”

The Buddha told Most Victorious:

“Heavenly King, you should know! Falsely grasping the five clinging skandhas as possessing a self is precisely the arising of the view of a self. The true Dharma is intrinsically equal and contains neither an apprehending subject nor an apprehended object. Since the view of a self is contrary to it, it is called an obstruction.

“Heavenly King, you should know! Such a view of a self is neither within nor without nor between the two. Since it has no abiding place whatsoever, it is called quiescent—that is, the equality that is far removed from the view of a self. Penetrating equality is called true emptiness. When this emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness are contemplated, their intrinsic nature is quiescent, neither arising nor ceasing, neither grasping nor attached, and far removed from the view of a self; therefore, this is called equality.

“Heavenly King, you should know! What is called ‘self’ neither comes nor goes and has no true reality. It is a dharma of false discrimination, arising from delusion and itself also delusive. If bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita employ skillful means to contemplate dharmas in this way, they become far removed from delusion; therefore, this is called quiescent equality.

“Heavenly King, you should know! The apprehending subject and the apprehended object are called a consuming fire; separation from them is called quiescence. The afflictive obstructions are called a consuming fire; separation from them is called quiescence.

If bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita employ skillful means and know in accordance with reality that the apprehending subject, the apprehended object, and all afflictions have ceased, wholesome dharmas will increase. They eliminate the apprehending subject, the apprehended object, and all afflictions, yet see neither arising nor cessation; therefore, this is called equality. They cultivate every kind of paramita and remain far removed from the obstructions of Mara, yet see neither cultivation nor separation; therefore, this is called equality.

Bodhisattvas constantly focus upon the factors of enlightenment and do not intentionally give rise to the paths of the sravakas or pratyekabuddhas; yet they perceive no differing characteristics among the factors of enlightenment of sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas; therefore, this is called equality. Their minds focus unceasingly upon omniscient wisdom, and they constantly cultivate the practice of emptiness, yet through the power of great compassion they do not abandon sentient beings; therefore, this is called equality.

“Heavenly King, you should know! If bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita employ skillful means, their minds freely engage all dharmas. Their minds focus upon signlessness as they cultivate bodhi, yet they perceive no difference between signlessness and bodhi; therefore, this is called equality.

Their minds focus upon wishlessness without abandoning the three realms, yet they perceive no difference between wishlessness and the three realms; therefore, this is called equality. They contemplate the body as impure while their minds abide in purity. They contemplate conditioned phenomena as impermanent while their minds engage samsara without becoming weary of or abandoning it.

They contemplate the suffering of sentient beings while abiding in the bliss of nirvana. They contemplate dharmas as being without self while giving rise to great compassion for all kinds of sentient beings. For the sake of sentient beings, they constantly teach the medicine of contemplating impurity, yet they do not perceive the disease of greed.

They constantly teach great loving-kindness, yet they do not perceive the disease of anger. They constantly teach dependent origination, yet they do not perceive the disease of delusion. For those afflicted by such diseases, they teach the medicine of impermanence, yet they perceive no difference between those diseases and impermanence.

In this way, bodhisattvas practicing profound prajnaparamita employ skillful means, and their minds freely engage all dharmas. They engage the Dharma of freedom from greed to instruct sravakas; the Dharma of freedom from anger to instruct pratyekabuddhas; and the Dharma of freedom from delusion to instruct bodhisattvas. They engage all forms because they aspire to attain the Tathagata’s wondrous, pure form, which is without attainment.

They engage all sounds because they aspire to attain the Buddhas’ subtle and wondrous voice, which is without attainment. They engage all fragrances because they aspire to attain the Buddhas’ pure fragrance of morality, which is without attainment. They engage all flavors because they aspire to attain the foremost characteristic of a great being among the Tathagata’s flavors, which is without attainment.

They engage all tangible objects because they aspire to attain the Tathagata’s soft hands, which are without attainment. They engage all dharmas because they aspire to attain the Tathagata’s quiescent mind, which is without attainment. They engage the dharmas of generosity because they wish to perfect the Buddha’s excellent bodily marks.

They engage pure morality because they wish to attain the complete adornment and purity of a Buddha-land. They engage patience because they aspire to attain the Buddhas’ voice of Great Brahma and their bodies of pure radiance. They engage diligence because they aspire to liberate sentient beings continually, without interruption.

They engage meditative concentrations because they wish to accomplish vast supernormal powers. They engage the prajnaparamitas because they wish to eliminate all afflictions and deluded views. They engage unobstructed, impartial great loving-kindness because they wish all sentient beings to attain peace and happiness.

They engage great compassion because they wish to preserve and uphold the true Dharma and rescue sentient beings from the great suffering of birth and death. They engage great sympathetic joy because they wish to attain unhindered mastery in teaching the Dharma and bring joy to all sentient beings. They engage great equanimity because they no longer hold views involving sentient beings, afflictions, fetters, or latent tendencies.”

Heavenly King, you should know! If bodhisattvas practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita and do not perceive two separate things, this is called the practice of equality. They take the four means of attraction as their object in order to guide sentient beings.

They take the faults of stinginess and jealousy as their object in order to relinquish possessions and practice generosity. They take the fault of breaking precepts as their object in order to abide in pure morality. They take the fault of anger as their object in order to attain patient acceptance.

They take the fault of indolence as their object in order to perfect the Tathagata’s great power of diligence. They take the fault of distraction as their object in order to attain the Tathagata’s excellent, tranquil concentration. They take the fault of corrupt wisdom as their object in order to perfect the Tathagata’s unobstructed wisdom.

They take the teachings of the two vehicles as their object in order to perfect the unsurpassed Great Vehicle. They take the lower realms as their object in order to deliver all sentient beings. They take the fortunate realms as their object in order that sentient beings may understand that the fruits enjoyed by devas and humans will all disintegrate.

They take sentient beings as their object in order that sentient beings may fully comprehend that everything is merely false and insubstantial. They take mindfulness of the Buddha as their object in order to perfect the excellent concentration that aids the path. They take mindfulness of the Dharma as their object in order to penetrate the secret treasury of all dharmas.

They take mindfulness of the Sangha as their object in order to harmonize the assembly and make their minds irreversible. They take mindfulness of relinquishment as their object in order to remain free from attachment. They take mindfulness of morality as their object in order to attain pure morality.

They take mindfulness of the devas as their object in order to attain bodhi and be praised by the devas. They take the characteristics of their own bodies as their object in order to attain the body of a Buddha. They take the characteristics of their own speech as their object in order to attain the speech of a Buddha.

They take the characteristics of their own minds as their object in order to attain the impartial mind of the Buddhas. They take conditioned dharmas as their object in order to perfect a Buddha’s wisdom. They take the unconditioned as their object in order to attain tranquility.

Heavenly King, you should know! When bodhisattvas practice the skillful means of prajnaparamita, not a single thought or practice is vain or faulty, for they dedicate them all to the wisdom of omniscience. Although bodhisattvas who thus practice the skillful means of prajnaparamita take all dharmas universally as their objects, they do not become attached to them; therefore, this is called skillful means.

They contemplate all dharmas and dedicate them all to great bodhi. Just as the various things produced within the trichiliocosm are all used and enjoyed by sentient beings without exception, so too, among all the objects engaged by bodhisattvas practicing the skillful means of prajnaparamita, there is none whose dedication to bodhi does not bring benefit. Just as there is no form that does not have the four great elements as its causes, so too, among all the objects engaged by bodhisattvas, there is not a single dharma that is not directed toward bodhi.

Why is this? Because the practices cultivated by bodhisattvas are all established through external conditions. That is, through stingy people, bodhisattvas perfect the paramita of generosity; through ungrateful people, they perfect the paramita of pure morality; through people of wicked disposition, they perfect the paramita of patient acceptance; through indolent people, they perfect the paramita of diligence; through distracted people, they perfect the paramita of meditative concentration; and through ignorant people, they perfect prajnaparamita.

When sentient beings harm and torment bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas use this to subdue their anger. When they see people practicing wholesome dharmas and proceeding toward bodhi, bodhisattvas give rise to the thought that they are like their own children. Thus, bodhisattvas praise them, take no delight in disparagement, and do not become angry.

On seeing those who are unhappy, bodhisattvas give rise to great loving-kindness. On seeing those who suffer, bodhisattvas give rise to great compassion. On seeing those who are happy, bodhisattvas give rise to great sympathetic joy.

On seeing those who are free from suffering, bodhisattvas give rise to great equanimity. For those difficult to guide, bodhisattvas develop shamatha (calm abiding). For those easy to guide, bodhisattvas develop vipashyana (insight).

For those who practice through faith, bodhisattvas develop the wisdom that recognizes kindness. If they see that the adverse external conditions affecting sentient beings are stronger than their beneficial external conditions, bodhisattvas exhort them to guard themselves. If they see people who are healthy and fully capable, bodhisattvas employ various skillful means to teach them to receive the Dharma.

If they see sentient beings whose wisdom has awakened, bodhisattvas expound the profound essentials of the Dharma to them. If they see sentient beings who awaken only through extensive exposition, bodhisattvas teach them the dharmas in sequence. If sentient beings are attached to words and letters, bodhisattvas explain the meanings of phrases so that they may understand.

If people have already trained in calm-abiding meditation, bodhisattvas teach them the subtle practice of insight meditation. If people have already trained in insight meditation, bodhisattvas teach them tranquil calm-abiding meditation. If people rigidly cling to the observance of precepts, bodhisattvas speak to them about the hells; if they observe the precepts without attachment, bodhisattvas do not speak of this.

If people cling to wisdom born of learning, bodhisattvas teach them wisdom born of reflection. If people cling to concentration, bodhisattvas teach them prajna. If people delight in aranya dwelling, bodhisattvas teach them the Dharma of mental detachment.

If people delight in hearing of the Buddha’s qualities, bodhisattvas teach them about unsurpassed noble wisdom.

For those overcome by sensual desire, bodhisattvas teach contemplation of impurity. For those overcome by anger, bodhisattvas teach loving-kindness and compassion. For those overcome by ignorance, bodhisattvas teach dependent origination.

For those in whom these dispositions are evenly balanced, bodhisattvas teach various dharmas: contemplation of impurity, loving-kindness and compassion, or dependent origination. To those already tamed, bodhisattvas teach pure morality, excellent concentration, and subtle wisdom. To those who can be guided only by entering the Buddha Vehicle, bodhisattvas teach the paramitas in sequence.

To those who can be guided only after being subdued, bodhisattvas first refute their arguments and then teach them the Dharma. To those who can be guided only by hearing extensive explanations, bodhisattvas present causes, conditions, and analogies so that they may understand. To those who can be guided only by hearing profound Dharma, bodhisattvas teach prajnaparamita, skillful means, the absence of self, and the absence of inherent existence in dharmas.

To those who grasp at views, bodhisattvas should teach emptiness. To those beset by discursive thought and examination, bodhisattvas teach signlessness. To those who grasp at conditioned dharmas, bodhisattvas teach wishlessness.

To those who grasp at the skandhas, bodhisattvas teach that they are like illusions. To those who grasp at the dhatus, bodhisattvas teach the absence of intrinsic nature. To those who grasp at the ayatanas, bodhisattvas teach that they are like dreams.

To those who grasp at the Desire Realm, bodhisattvas teach that it is fiercely ablaze. To those who grasp at the Form Realm, bodhisattvas teach the suffering inherent in conditioned activities. To those who grasp at the Formless Realm, bodhisattvas teach that all conditioned activities are impermanent.

To sentient beings who are difficult to guide, bodhisattvas praise the noble lineages. To sentient beings who are easy to guide, bodhisattvas teach meditative concentration and the immeasurable states of mind. To those who can be guided only by hearing of birth in the heavenly realms, bodhisattvas teach the Dharma of bliss.

To those who can be guided only by hearing the Dharma of the shravakas, bodhisattvas teach the Noble Truths. To those who can be guided only by hearing the Dharma of the pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas teach dependent origination. To those who can be guided only by hearing the Dharma of the bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas teach purity of mind.

To those who practice the bodhisattva conduct of great loving-kindness and compassion, bodhisattvas teach merit and wisdom. To irreversible bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas teach the Dharma of pure lands. To bodhisattvas bound to only one more birth, bodhisattvas teach the purification and adornment of the seat of bodhi.

To those who can be guided only by hearing a Buddha speak, bodhisattvas teach them repeatedly in the proper sequence.

Heavenly King, you should know! Bodhisattvas who thus cultivate pure and profound prajnaparamita attain all forms of mastery through skillful means, and their beneficial teaching of the Dharma is never vain or faulty.

When the Blessed One taught this Dharma of the bodhisattvas’ mastery, thirty thousand devas and humans aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, and five thousand bodhisattvas attained patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

At that time, the Blessed One smiled. It is the customary Dharma of all Buddhas that, when they smile in this manner, immeasurable rays of light in many colors—blue, yellow, red, white, and crystal—issue from their mouths, illuminating boundless worlds throughout the ten directions and revealing rare wonders. The rays then return to the Buddha, circle him three times, and enter the crown of his head.

Upon seeing this auspicious sign, Sariputra became perplexed. He rose from his seat, adjusted his robe to bare his left shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms respectfully, and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, for what cause and condition have you manifested this auspicious sign?”

The Buddha said to Sariputra:

“Sariputra, throughout immeasurable, innumerable, boundless great kalpas in the past, the deva Most Excellent cultivated all the paramitas in the presence of the Buddhas and safeguarded the prajnaparamita for the sake of the bodhisattvas. Because of these causes and conditions, he has now encountered the Tathagata and received the prajnaparamita. Throughout immeasurable and innumerable great kalpas in future lives, he will cultivate the provisions for unsurpassed bodhi. Thereafter, he will attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, possess the ten epithets, and become a Buddha named Adornment of Merit. His land will be named Supremely Adorned and Pure, and the kalpa will be named Purity.

“That land will be peaceful, joyful, and abundant, and its people will flourish. Its Sangha will consist entirely of bodhisattvas, with no assembly of sravakas. The great earth of that land will be composed of the seven precious substances, adorned with many treasures, and level like the palm of a hand.

It will be embellished with many kinds of plants and trees and beautiful, fragrant flowers. There will be no rugged hills or mountains, and it will be adorned with various banners, streamers, parasols, and flowers. In that land there will be a great city named Difficult to Subdue.

Above it will spread a net of the seven precious substances, encircled with golden cords, with golden bells suspended at its corners. Throughout the six periods of day and night, music will sound in the sky, and various exquisite celestial fragrances and flowers will rain down.

“The people of that land will delight in and enjoy pleasures more excellent and sublime than those in the celestial palace of Paranirmita-vasavartin. Devas and humans will come and go without hindrance. There will be neither the three evil destinies nor even the names of the Two Vehicles.

The sentient beings in that land will seek only the wisdom of the Buddha. That Buddha will constantly proclaim various pure and essential teachings of the Dharma for the great bodhisattvas. His immeasurable, innumerable, boundless retinue of bodhisattvas will hold no wrong views or attachments, commit no breaches of precepts, and pursue no wrong livelihood.

Nor will there be blindness, deafness, muteness, speech impediments, hunched backs, defective faculties, or any other affliction among them. Their bodies will be adorned with the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty minor characteristics.

“In that land, the Tathagata’s lifespan will be eight minor kalpas, and none among the devas and humans will die prematurely. That Buddha will possess immeasurable merits such as these. Whenever he wishes to teach the Dharma, he will first emit light. Upon seeing that light, the assemblies of bodhisattvas will know that the Blessed One is about to teach the Dharma, and they will gather together to listen.

“At that time, the devas will prepare a lion throne for the Buddha. The throne will be one hundred yojanas high and wide, adorned in manifold ways and presented with immeasurable offerings. The Blessed One will ascend the throne and teach the Dharma to the assembly. Those bodhisattvas will possess sharp faculties and keen intelligence; upon hearing the teaching once, they will comprehend it. They will be far removed from self and possessions of self, and whenever they bring them to mind, all necessities, food, and drink will immediately appear.”

When the Buddha taught the Dharma and bestowed the prediction upon Most Excellent, fifty thousand devas and humans rejoiced in body and mind. Together they aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete awakening, and all vowed to be born in that Buddha-land in future lives.

Upon hearing the Buddha speak thus, Most Excellent was filled with immeasurable joy and indescribable elation. He rose into the air to a height of seven tala trees. The trichiliocosm quaked in six ways; celestial music sounded without being played; and various celestial flowers rained down as offerings to the Buddha, the great bodhisattvas, and the deva king Most Excellent.

Afterward, the deva king Most Excellent descended from the sky, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side.

VIII. CHAPTER ON MANIFESTING SIGNS

At that time, Sariputra asked Most Excellent:

“A bodhisattva who practices the profound prajnaparamita comprehends the nature of dharmas by skillful means. At that very time, he should immediately sit upon the seat of bodhi, attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma, and liberate sentient beings. For what causes and conditions, then, must he first manifest the sign of practicing austerities for six years and subduing the celestial Mara before attaining perfect awakening?”

Most Excellent replied:

“Venerable sir, you should know that a bodhisattva who practices the profound prajnaparamita and comprehends the Dharma-nature by skillful means does not truly undergo austerities; he merely manifests them in order to tame followers of other paths. Moreover, that celestial Mara is the king of the Desire Realm and is gentle by nature; he is not truly to be feared. The bodhisattva manifests the subjugation of Mara solely to teach sentient beings.

“Because followers of other paths claim that they practice the foremost austerities, the bodhisattva manifests austerities surpassing those of all such ascetics. Thus, some sentient beings see the bodhisattva standing on one leg; some see him standing with both arms raised; some see him standing and gazing at the sun; some see him exposing his body beneath the sun while fires burn on all four sides, subjecting his body to the fivefold heat; some see him hanging upside down; some see him lying upon thorns, lying upon cow dung, sitting upon stone, lying upon the ground, lying upon a thin plank, lying upon a pestle, or lying upon earth and ashes.

“Some see the bodhisattva wearing only wooden boards as clothing, wearing garments of hemp, garments of straw, garments of tree bark, or garments of thatch; going naked; or facing the sun and turning as the sun moves. Some see the bodhisattva eating only plants and grasses, barley, roots, leaves, flowers and fruits, Chinese yam, taro, lotus roots, beans, grains, sesame, or rice; eating one meal every six days; subsisting on water each day; consuming in an entire day only a little butter, one drop of honey, or one drop of milk; eating nothing at all; or constantly remaining in deep sleep.

“The bodhisattva manifests all these various austerities continuously for more than six years, without omitting or abandoning even the slightest of them. In truth, however, the bodhisattva does not perform such austerities. Sentient beings who are ready to be liberated perceive for themselves a bodhisattva practicing austerities in this manner. By witnessing this, six hundred million devas and humans came to abide in the Three Vehicles.

“There were also devas and humans who had planted roots of virtue in previous lives, whose power of faith was profound, and who delighted in the Mahayana. Thus, they saw the bodhisattva seated upon a platform of the seven precious substances, his body and mind unmoving, his countenance joyful and smiling, as he entered the most excellent samadhi.

“Only after six years did the bodhisattva emerge from samadhi. Devas and humans who delighted in the Mahayana and wished to hear that Dharma saw the bodhisattva sitting upright and teaching the Dharma continuously for more than six years.

“Venerable sir, you should know that by skillful means such as these, the bodhisattva who practices the profound prajnaparamita subdues celestial Maras and followers of other paths and, with great compassion, teaches and liberates all sentient beings. After six years had passed, the bodhisattva emerged from samadhi. In conformity with worldly custom, he went to the Stainless River to wash himself. After bathing, he came ashore and stood upon the bank. There, a cowherd girl took the milk of one hundred cows, blended it together, and gave it to a single cow to drink. She then took that cow’s milk, cooked it into milk-rice porridge, and offered it to the bodhisattva.

“Furthermore, six hundred million devas, nagas, yaksas, gandharvas, and others brought various fragrances and delicious foods and drinks to offer to the bodhisattva, saying, ‘Great Being! True Being! We humbly beseech you to accept the food and drink we offer.’ Out of compassion for them, the bodhisattva accepted all their offerings.”

At that time, the cowherd maiden and all the devas, nagas, Gandharvas, and others each saw the bodhisattva accept only their own offering.

At that time, immeasurable devas, humans, and others attained awakening upon seeing the bodhisattva accept the offerings. Therefore, the bodhisattva manifested these deeds for their sake. In truth, at that time the bodhisattva neither bathed nor accepted the offerings made by devas, humans, and others.

Venerable One, you should know! Practicing the profound prajnaparamita in this way, the bodhisattva, through skillful means, manifested the act of proceeding to the seat of awakening. At that time, an earth-dwelling deva named Wondrous Earth, together with the other deities, swept and adorned the entire area, sprinkled it with scented water, and scattered exquisite fragrant flowers throughout.

Throughout that trichiliocosm, the Four Great Heavenly Kings led their celestial hosts in showering exquisite flowers as offerings to the bodhisattva. Sakra, Lord of the Devas, assigned the heavenly kings to lead their celestial hosts, remain suspended in midair, play celestial music, and praise the bodhisattva. King Samtusita led his celestial hosts in spreading a net of the seven precious substances throughout the entire world; from its four corners hung golden and purple bells, and it rained down precious substances as offerings to the bodhisattva.

King Sunirmita led his celestial hosts in spreading nets of gold and purple throughout the world, playing every kind of celestial music, and showering down various flowers as offerings to the bodhisattva. King Vasavartin led his celestial hosts, together with nagas, yakshas, Gandharvas, and others, in offering every kind of supremely exquisite article to the bodhisattva. The Great Brahma King, lord of the Saha World, saw the bodhisattva proceeding to the seat of awakening and immediately addressed the entire assembly of Brahma devas:

“You should know! This bodhisattva has now firmly donned the armor of resolve and adorned himself. He has not forsaken his former vows, his mind is free from indolence, and all his bodhisattva practices have been brought to complete perfection.

He has mastered immeasurable Dharma methods for liberating sentient beings and has attained sovereignty throughout the bodhisattva bhumis. His mind is pure; he skillfully knows all the differing faculties and dispositions of sentient beings; he has penetrated the profound secret treasury of the Tathagatas; he has awakened to that which utterly transcends all the works of Mara; he has accumulated roots of virtue without depending upon external conditions; and he is protected and kept in mind by all the Tathagatas.

For the sake of all conscious beings, he opens wide the gateway to liberation. He is the great general and guiding teacher who crushes the armies of Mara, the uniquely valiant one within the great trichiliocosm, and the great King of Physicians who skillfully administers the medicine of Dharma. He has relinquished the consecration through which one assumes the throne of a Dharma king.

He emits the light of wisdom that universally illuminates all realms. The eight worldly dharmas do not defile him, just as water does not stain a lotus. He has completely mastered all the gateways of dharani; his profundity is difficult to fathom, like the great ocean; and he is steady and unmoving, like Mount Sumeru.

His wisdom is pure and utterly undefiled; inwardly and outwardly he is immaculate, like a mani jewel. He has attained sovereignty over all the characteristics of dharmas, and his pure and stainless conduct has reached absolute perfection. Practicing the profound prajnaparamita in this way, the bodhisattva, through skillful means and for the liberation of sentient beings, proceeds to the seat of awakening, prepares his seat, sits in the full lotus posture, subdues the hostile forces of Mara, and perfects the immeasurable and boundless qualities of all Buddhas, such as the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed analytical knowledges, and the eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha.

He turns the great Dharma wheel and utters the lion’s roar. Through the gift of Dharma, he enables all sentient beings to be fulfilled according to their aspirations, causes them all to attain the pure Dharma eye, and subdues adherents of non-Buddhist paths with the unsurpassed Dharma. To demonstrate the fulfillment of the original vows of all Buddhas, he attains sovereignty over all dharmas.

You should go and make offerings to the bodhisattva.”

Venerable One, you should know! Practicing the profound prajnaparamita in this way, the bodhisattva, through skillful means, manifested the act of proceeding to the seat of awakening. At that time, the wheel-spoke marks beneath the soles of his two feet each emitted immeasurable exquisite rays of light that universally illuminated the realms of hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts. When the sentient beings in those realms saw that light, they were freed from suffering and experienced ease in body and mind. At that same time, in a naga palace, a great naga king named Kalika saw that radiance and was filled with immeasurable joy and delight. He immediately addressed the nagas:

“This exquisite light has reached our dwelling and brought ease to our bodies and minds. In the past, whenever I saw this light, a Tathagata appeared in the world. Now that I see this exquisite light once again, I know with certainty that a Buddha has appeared in the world. You should prepare various kinds of incense, flowers, genuine precious substances, banners, streamers, exquisite floral canopies, and every kind of music, and go make offerings to him.” The naga king immediately led his retinue, carrying every kind of offering and riding upon great clouds. They showered down fragrant rain and then proceeded to where the bodhisattva was. They played various kinds of music, presented their offerings, circumambulated the bodhisattva clockwise, and praised him, saying:

“This exquisite light brings peace and happiness to all; without doubt, the supreme Buddha is certainly appearing. Many kinds of precious substances adorn the great earth, and all grasses and trees have transformed into jeweled trees. All the rivers have become utterly still, without even a single ripple.

From this we know with certainty that a Buddha is appearing in the world. The light of the sun and moon, of Brahma and Sakra, cannot reach the lower realms, but the Buddha’s light penetrates them without doubt. It is like a person who became separated from his parents and, as the years passed, gradually grew to maturity, then suddenly encountered his parents again and was filled with such boundless joy and delight that he could not contain himself.

The joy of the entire world upon seeing the appearance of a Buddha is likewise. Because we made offerings to the Buddhas in the past, we are now able to encounter the Dharma King, the teacher of devas and humans. Truly, our birth has not been in vain.”

Venerable One, you should know! Practicing the profound prajnaparamita in this way, the bodhisattva, through skillful means, accepted a seat made of grass beneath the Bodhi tree, circumambulated it clockwise seven times, and sat upright in correct mindfulness. Sentient beings of inferior capacity saw only this appearance.

The bodhisattvas, however, saw eighty-four thousand devaputras, each of whom prepared a great lion throne. These lion thrones were fashioned from precious substances and covered with nets made of the seven precious substances. From the four corners of each throne hung exquisite golden bells, while banners, streamers, golden cords, and jeweled canopies filled the entire area.

The bodhisattva manifested transformed bodies seated upon all eighty-four thousand lion thrones. Yet none of the devaputras saw this multiplicity, and each believed that the bodhisattva had sat solely upon his own throne and there attained unsurpassed, complete awakening. For this reason, they rejoiced greatly and all attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed awakening.

Venerable One, you should know! Practicing the profound prajnaparamita in this way, the bodhisattva, through skillful means, emitted a great light from between his eyebrows that universally illuminated the trichiliocosm, causing all the palaces of Mara to lose their radiance. At that time, the Mara kings all thought, “For what reason has this light appeared, eclipsing the majestic radiance of all our palaces?

It can only be that the bodhisattva has taken his seat at the place of awakening and is about to attain unsurpassed, complete awakening.” Having thought this, they looked together and saw the bodhisattva seated upon the Vajra Seat beneath the Bodhi tree. Upon seeing this, Mara became terrified and summoned his armies: immeasurable hundreds of thousands of beings in every kind of form. He brought many female entertainers and carried banners and streamers, while producing various sounds so dreadful that blood flowed from every pore of those who heard them.

At that time, the bodhisattva, through the power of great compassion, rendered the hosts of Māra unable to utter any sound. This is therefore called the bodhisattva’s practice of the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita.

Venerable sir, you should know! The bodhisattva who thus practices the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita recollects that throughout innumerable hundreds of millions of past kalpas he diligently cultivated giving, pure morality, patient acceptance, vigor, meditative concentration, prajna, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, the foundations of mindfulness, the right efforts, the bases of spiritual power, the faculties, the powers, the factors of awakening, the factors of the path, calm abiding, sublime insight, the three knowledges, and the eight liberations, bringing them all to perfection.

Having completed this recollection, he extends his golden-hued arm and strokes the crown of his head and then his entire body, saying: “Wishing to rescue sentient beings from their sufferings, I have aroused the mind of great compassion.”

When the kings of Māra and Māra’s retinues heard the bodhisattva speak these words, they were terrified and fell prostrate upon the ground.

At that time, through the power of great compassion, the bodhisattva caused all the hosts of Māra to hear a voice issuing from empty space: “You should take refuge in the Great Sage of pure morality, who bestows fearlessness and protects and rescues all beings.”

All Māra’s retinues bowed down with their bodies pressed against the ground and said: “We beseech the Great Sage to protect and save our lives.”

Relying upon the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita, the bodhisattva emitted a great light. All who encountered that light were freed from fear. When Māra and his retinues witnessed this miraculous transformation, they were both frightened and delighted.

Venerable sir, you should know! The bodhisattva who thus practices the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita causes sentient beings to perceive different things: some sentient beings see the subjugation of Māra in this manner, while others do not see it; some see the bodhisattva merely sitting upon a seat of grass; some see the bodhisattva sitting upon a lion throne; some see the bodhisattva seated upon the ground; and some see the bodhisattva seated upon a lion throne in midair.

Sentient beings likewise perceive the form of the bodhi tree differently: some see it as a pippala tree; some see it as a Celestial Variegated Canopy tree; some see the tree as formed from an assemblage of precious substances; some see it as tall as seven tāla trees; and some see it as approximately eighty-four thousand yojanas high, with a lion throne forty-two thousand yojanas high beneath it, upon which the bodhisattva sits at the foot of the tree.

Some see the bodhisattva walking through empty space, while others see the bodhisattva sitting beneath the bodhi tree. The bodhisattva who thus practices the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita manifests all manner of miraculous transformations to liberate sentient beings.

Venerable sir, you should know! As the bodhisattva who thus practices the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita sits upon the seat of awakening, innumerable, countless, boundless bodhisattvas from throughout the worlds of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all gather there. Abiding in midair, they utter many kinds of encouraging words to the bodhisattva, bringing ease to his body and joy to his mind, saying: “Excellent, Great Being! Be courageous and vigorous, and swiftly accomplish vast auspiciousness. Let your mind be like a vajra and do not give rise to fear. Sport freely in spiritual powers for the benefit and happiness of sentient beings, and in a single instant realize the knowledge of all things.”

Seated upon the seat of awakening, the bodhisattva remains unafraid when Māra comes to cause disruption. In a single mind-moment, through skillful means perfectly corresponding to the profound principle of prajnaparamita, he completely comprehends everything that may be known, seen, and awakened to.

Venerable sir, you should know! As the bodhisattva who thus practices the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita sits upon the seat of awakening, the Buddhas throughout the worlds of the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, praise him with one voice: “Excellent! Excellent! Only this Great Being can comprehend innate wisdom, unobstructed wisdom, impartial wisdom, wisdom acquired without a teacher, and the adornment of great compassion.”

Venerable sir, you should know! The bodhisattva who thus practices the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita skillfully manifests all manner of events, causing different kinds of sentient beings either to see that the bodhisattva has now attained awakening or to see that he became a Buddha long ago. Some see only the Four Great Heavenly Kings of a single world presenting alms bowls, while others see the Four Great Heavenly Kings throughout worlds of the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges all presenting alms bowls.

At that time, for the sake of sentient beings, the bodhisattva accepts all the bowls, stacks them in the palm of his hand, and presses them together with his hand, transforming them into a single bowl. None of the Four Great Heavenly Kings perceive this, and each believes that the Blessed One accepted only his own bowl. Then sixty thousand devas, relying upon the power of vows made in former lives, come to be the first to make offerings to the bodhisattva.

In past lives they had made this vow: “When this bodhisattva becomes a Buddha, may he accept our offerings first.”

When the Buddha taught this Dharma, thirty thousand bodhisattvas attained patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, and another thirty-six thousand bodhisattvas attained non-retrogression from unsurpassed complete awakening. Eighty thousand devas and humans became free from dust and defilement and gave rise to the pure Dharma eye. Innumerable, boundless kinds of sentient beings all aroused the mind directed toward unsurpassed complete awakening.

Venerable sir, you should know! At that time, as the bodhisattva, relying upon the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita, was about to manifest the turning of the great Dharma wheel, Brahmā Trì Kết, lord of the Saha world, came before the Buddha together with six hundred and eighty thousand Brahmā devas. They bowed their heads at his feet, reverently joined their palms, circumambulated him seven times to the right, and entreated the Buddha three times: “May the Great Compassionate One take pity upon us and turn the great Dharma wheel.

May the Great Compassionate One take pity upon us and turn the great Dharma wheel. May the Great Compassionate One take pity upon us and turn the great Dharma wheel.” After making this request three times, Brahmā then conjured a great lion throne, forty-two thousand yojanas in height and breadth, firm, secure, and adorned with all kinds of precious substances. At that time, innumerable heavenly lords Śakra from throughout the worlds of the ten directions all came to arrange lion thrones for the Tathagata, and equally innumerable devas came to adorn those lion thrones.

At that time, the bodhisattva manifested spiritual power, causing all the devas to see him seated upon that throne and turning the Dharma wheel. Having seated himself upon the lion throne, the bodhisattva entered the samadhi of the boundless realm and emitted a great light that illuminated worlds throughout the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and caused those worlds to quake in six ways. In those worlds, the sufferings of sentient beings temporarily ceased, and their bodies and minds became peaceful and joyful.

They also temporarily departed from evil and unwholesome states, greed, hatred, delusion, and the like. With loving minds, they regarded one another as a mother regards her child. At that time, the great trichiliocosm was completely filled with beings, without even a space the size of a pore remaining.

Devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others filled it entirely. Sentient beings who needed to hear the teaching of suffering in order to be transformed heard the Buddha teach suffering. Those who needed to hear the teachings of non-self, quiescence, detachment, or impermanence in order to be transformed likewise heard the corresponding teaching.

Those who needed to hear the teaching that phenomena are like illusions in order to be transformed heard the teaching that phenomena are like illusions. Those who needed to hear the teachings that phenomena are like dreams, echoes, reflections, light, mirages, magical transformations, or cities of gandharvas in order to be transformed likewise heard the corresponding teaching. Those who needed to hear the liberating gateways of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness in order to be transformed heard the Buddha teach emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

At that time, some sentient beings heard the Tathagata teach that all dharmas arise from causes and conditions; some heard teachings on the skandhas; some heard teachings on the dhatus; some heard teachings on the ayatanas; some heard teachings on suffering; some heard teachings on its arising; some heard teachings on its cessation; some heard teachings on the path; some heard teachings on the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the six bases of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path; some heard teachings on the Dharma of tranquil cessation and sublime contemplation; some heard teachings on the dharmas of the sravakas; some heard teachings on the dharmas of the pratyekabuddhas;

and some heard teachings on the dharmas of the bodhisattvas.

Bodhisattvas who practice such skillful means of profound prajnaparamita manifest many kinds of forms in turning the Dharma wheel. In accordance with the differing faculties and dispositions of sentient beings, they bring them benefit and well-being, causing their bodies and minds to rejoice.

At that time, Sariputra said to Most Excellent:

– O Heavenly King! The sphere in which bodhisattvas practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita is exceedingly profound, difficult to conceive, difficult to discuss, difficult to know, and difficult to enter.

Most Excellent replied:

– Venerable Sir! The bodhisattvas’ practice of the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita is supremely excellent, and its merit is immeasurable and boundless. Even if I were now to describe a hundredth part, a thousandth part, or even a part divided to the utmost possible number, it would not equal a single part of it. Only the Tathagata can expound it completely. Even the small portion I now describe is spoken entirely through reliance upon the awesome spiritual power of the Tathagata. Why is this? Because the sphere of the Buddhas is inconceivable. Even bodhisattvas who have only one birth remaining could not exhaustively describe these merits, much less other bodhisattvas.

Venerable Sir, you should know that the sphere of the Buddhas is quiescent and beyond words. It can be comprehended only by nonconceptual wisdom and subsequently attained wisdom.

Venerable Sir, you should know that if great bodhisattvas wish to realize and enter the sphere of the Buddhas, they must train in the skillful means of prajnaparamita. Only then can they completely penetrate the Samadhi of Vigorous Practice, the Illusion-like Samadhi, the Adamantine Analogy Samadhi, the Adamantine Wheel Samadhi, the Samadhi of Unmoving Wisdom, the Samadhi of Universal Penetration, the Samadhi of the Sphere Free from Objects of Cognition, the Samadhi of the Lion’s Sovereignty, the King of Samadhis Samadhi, the Samadhi Adorned with Merit, the Samadhi of Quiescent Wisdom, the Samadhi of Universal Transcendence, the Samadhi Free from Defiling Attachment, the King of Wisdom Adornments Samadhi, the Samadhi of the Unequaled Equal, the Samadhi of Perfect Enlightenment,

the Samadhi of Right Enlightenment, the Samadhi of Joyful Aspiration, the Samadhi of Rejoicing, the Samadhi of Purity, the Samadhi of Blazing Flame, the Samadhi of Radiance, the Invincible Samadhi, the Samadhi of Constant Presence, the Samadhi Free from Conjunction, the Samadhi of Nonarising, the Samadhi of Penetration, the Most Excellent Samadhi, the Samadhi Transcending the Sphere of Mara, the Samadhi of Omniscient Wisdom, the Samadhi of the Banner Mark, the Samadhi of Great Compassion, the Samadhi of Peace and Bliss, the Samadhi of Loving Recollection, and the Samadhi of Not Seeing Dharmas…

Venerable Sir, you should know that if great bodhisattvas train in the skillful means of prajnaparamita, they can completely penetrate these immeasurable, boundless Samadhi gateways, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Only then are they able to realize and enter the sphere of the Buddhas, with bodies and minds at peace and without fear, like the lion king, who fears no beast. Why is this? Because if great bodhisattvas cultivate such Samadhis of equality, they are fearless in all they do and see no adversary before them. Why is this?

O Sariputra! Because these great bodhisattvas practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita, their minds have nothing to cognize and nowhere to abide. It is as though someone were born in the Formless Realm and, throughout eighty thousand great kalpas, had only a single consciousness, with nowhere to abide and nothing to cognize.

So it is with bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita: their minds have nothing to cognize and nowhere to abide. Why is this? Because the minds of these bodhisattvas neither act nor have any sphere of action; neither conceive nor have anything conceived; neither cognize nor have anything cognized; neither cling nor have anything to which they cling; neither become confused nor have any basis for confusion.

Their minds are neither high nor low, neither compliant nor contrary, neither sorrowful nor joyful. They do not discriminate and are free from discrimination; they are free from shamatha and vipashyana. Their minds do not follow wisdom, abide neither in themselves nor in others, do not abide in reliance upon the eye, and do not abide in reliance upon the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind.

They do not abide in reliance upon form, and do not abide in reliance upon sound, odor, taste, touch, or dharmas. Their minds are neither within nor without, nor are they between the two. Their minds neither cognize dharmas nor cognize wisdom; they neither abide in the three times nor are apart from the three times.

Venerable Sir, you should know that these great bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita do not grasp any dharma, yet their wisdom sees and knows all dharmas without obstruction. Their mental activity is pure, and they see that all dharmas are undefiled. They do not grasp the characteristics of seeing; their seeing is free from discrimination and apart from all conceptual proliferation.

Venerable Sir, you should know that these bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita are neither associated nor unassociated with the physical eye, the divine eye, the wisdom eye, the Dharma eye, or the Buddha eye. Nor are they associated or unassociated with the divine ear, knowledge of others’ minds, recollection of past lives, miraculous powers, or the knowledges of the exhaustion of the outflows.

Venerable Sir, you should know that the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita is neither associated nor unassociated with any dharma. Great bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita attain the wisdom of equality regarding all dharmas. They skillfully contemplate the mental activities of all sentient beings and know, in accordance with reality, every state of defilement and purity.

They also never lose mindfulness of the Buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed understandings, eighteen distinctive qualities of a Buddha… and the immeasurable, boundless merits of the Buddhas. These bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita comprehend all dharmas without mental exertion. They are without mind, thought, or consciousness and constantly abide in quiescent meditative concentration, yet without emerging from that quiescent concentration, they teach and transform sentient beings and ceaselessly perform the deeds of a Buddha.

They attain unobstructed wisdom regarding the dharmas of the Buddhas, and their minds remain undefiled and unattached. They are like a magically created Buddha, a magically created Tathagata. Although a Tathagata is magically created, he has no mind, thought, or consciousness; no body and no bodily karma; no speech and no verbal karma; no mind and no mental karma.

Nevertheless, he performs all the deeds of a Buddha and benefits sentient beings. Why is this? Because this is the Buddha’s spiritual power.

The magical manifestations produced by bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita have no body and no bodily karma; no speech and no verbal karma; no mind and no mental karma. Without deliberate mental effort, they constantly perform the deeds of a Buddha and benefit sentient beings. Why is this?

O Sariputra! Because great bodhisattvas who practice the skillful means of profound prajnaparamita fully penetrate all dharmas as being like illusions and so forth. Their minds make no discriminations, yet sentient beings continually hear them expound the Dharma.

Venerable sir, you should know! The wisdom of these bodhisattvas does not abide in the conditioned or the unconditioned; it does not abide in the skandhas, dhatus, or ayatanas; it does not abide in the internal, the external, or both; it does not abide in good or evil, nor in the mundane or supramundane; it does not abide in the defiled or the pure, the contaminated or uncontaminated, the conditioned or unconditioned; it does not abide in the three times or apart from the three times; it does not abide in space, cessation through discernment, or cessation independent of discernment.

Practicing the profound prajnaparamita with skillful means, although their minds thus never abide anywhere, these bodhisattvas fully comprehend the nature and characteristics of all dharmas. With unobstructed wisdom and without deliberate mental effort, they expound all dharmas as ever abiding in quiescence, while carrying out the work of teaching and transforming without respite. The power of these bodhisattvas’ former vows is steadfast and strong; without deliberate mental effort, they teach the Dharma for others.

Through the skillful means of prajnaparamita, these bodhisattvas are never afraid. Why? Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, a Vajra-Wielding Spirit always follows and protects the bodhisattva.

Venerable sir, you should know! If a great bodhisattva hears such profound prajnaparamita taught and is neither afraid nor bewildered nor doubtful, you should know that this bodhisattva has already received the prediction of enlightenment. Why? Because one who faithfully accepts the skillful means of prajnaparamita is close to the realm of the Buddha. Through this single-mindedness, one can fully comprehend all Buddha-Dharmas. By comprehending the Buddha-Dharmas, one benefits sentient beings, yet does not perceive sentient beings and the Buddha-Dharmas as different. Why? Because the essential principle of sentient beings and that of the Buddha-Dharmas are nondual.

Fascicle 570

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