大乘寶要義論

As the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: the Bodhisattva Mahāmati asked about the Tathāgatagarbha.

The Buddha said: O Mahāmati! Why is it that you now ask concerning the nature of the Tathāgata, which is luminous and pure, originally pure—spoken of in this way? The Tathāgata is fully endowed with the thirty-two marks. Within the bodies of all sentient beings, like a priceless treasure that is bound up within filthy garments, it is concealed by the aggregates, the bases, and the elements—just so is it. That craving, hatred, and delusion are unreal calculative grasping. This is defilement; it is an impermanent dharma; it is not firm; it is not ultimate.

Mahāmati addressed the Buddha, saying: O World-Honored One! The non-Buddhists speak of a divine self (ātman). Why can this not be compared with the Tathāgata's teaching of the "garbha" (the Treasury)? For the non-Buddhists say that the divine self is permanent. That self is able to act. Free from bondage and sovereign, it is forever indestructible. Their doctrine speaks of the divine self in this manner.

The Buddha said: Mahāmati! The non-Buddhists' words and my words cannot be compared with the Tathāgatagarbha teaching. Mahāmati!

For what I speak of—the true reality of Nirvāṇa, the unborn, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and so forth—these are phrases and meanings. The Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, for the sake of those who are foolish and benighted, in order to make them transcend the fear of selflessness, therefore as a skillful means speaks of non-discrimination and of the unobstructed gate of the Tathāgatagarbha.

This, moreover, is not of the future or the present. The Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas cling to what I have done. O Mahāmati!

It is like a potter who, using water to knead earth into clay, fashions implements and many kinds of different shapes and forms. The Tathāgata too is just so. Abiding in the dharma of selflessness, free from the marks of discrimination, therefore by many kinds of supreme wisdom and skillful means he responds accordingly.

Sometimes he speaks of the Tathāgatagarbha; sometimes he speaks of the dharma of selflessness, with greater or lesser skill in phrasing, in words, and in similes, he speaks. This is the reason why the non-Buddhists' words and my words cannot be compared with the words of the Tathāgatagarbha.

O Mahāmati! Again, when I speak of the Tathāgatagarbha teaching, it is only in order to subdue the non-Buddhists who hastily cling to my words. Therefore as a skillful means I speak of the Tathāgatagarbha.

Thus, those who hastily cling in this way to a delight of mind fall into a place lacking a true subject and master, and form views of calculative grasping. If, regarding the three gates of liberation, the delight of mind is fully complete, then one is able to realize from afar the fruit of Anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. By reason of this meaning, the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, has spoken the Tathāgatagarbha dharma, which together with that of the non-Buddhists cannot be compared with my words.

Therefore, Mahāmati! In order to make the non-Buddhists transcend the various views of grasping, in order that this may bring them into accord with the Tathāgata's dharma of the selfless Treasury—this is called the unsurpassed accomplishment, the ultimate dharma. That is to say, the Bodhisattvas' dharma of emptiness, the unborn, non-duality, and the absence of self-nature.

That is to say, the profound dharma. If there is proclamation and upholding of it, then one is able to embrace universally all the Mahāyāna sūtras within their deep meaning. This sūtra also says: Mahāmati!

This emptiness, the unborn, non-duality, and the mark of the absence of self-nature—this universally embraces all the Buddhas and all the scriptures.

In the Candrapradīpa-samādhi Sūtra (Moon-Lamp Samādhi Sūtra), the Tathāgata spoke a verse, saying:

Within the three-thousand great world-systems

I have proclaimed all the scriptures

The many kinds of phrasing are all of one meaning

Therefore they cannot be spoken of everywhere in full

Even to all the Tathāgatas, who again broadly speak of many kinds of dharma

When at one phrase one has cultivated and studied

All cultivation is brought to accomplishment

All dharmas are of the nature of emptiness

If a person clearly understands this meaning

Then the meaning of this phrase, once studied, will be accomplished

And from the Buddha-Dharma one does not depart, but attains it

In what is profound one is able to believe and understand

Broadly one obtains the arising of all supreme merit

In the worldly and the supramundane realms

Performing this work, one arrives at Buddhahood.

The Ratnakara Sūtra (Jewel-Heap Sūtra) says: Furthermore, O Mañjuśrī! If there is a Bodhisattva who, over a hundred thousand kalpas, well cultivates the Six Pāramitās and is fully endowed with skillful means—if there is a person who, regarding this true Dharma, diligently seeks to hear and receive it, then compared with the former merit, this is multiplied many times over. How much more so one who, with a mind that seeks nothing, hears, receives, and transcribes it, and for the sake of others broadly expounds it.

The Vajra-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Diamond Sūtra) says: The Buddha said—O Subhūti! What do you think? Within that Ganges River, if there were a smaller number, and again each grain of sand of the Ganges were itself a Ganges River, would the sands of these Ganges Rivers be many?

Subhūti said: Those Ganges Rivers would be innumerable, how much more the sands within them.

The Buddha said: Subhūti! I now speak truly to you: If there were a good son or good daughter who, with the seven kinds of treasures filling as many world-systems as there are sands in those Ganges Rivers, were to give in charity to the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, then would that good son, that good daughter, relying on that merit, obtain much?

Subhūti said: Truly much, O World-Honored One. Truly much, O Well-Gone One.

The Buddha said: Subhūti! If there is a person who, regarding the true Dharma, even upholds a verse of one to four phrases, and for the sake of others expounds it, then this merit surpasses that.

In the Brahma-paripṛcchā Sūtra (Sūtra of Brahmā's Inquiry) it says: O Worthy One! If there is a good son or good daughter who, regarding the Tathāgata, joyfully cultivates the work of merit, then one should know that regarding this true Dharma, hearing, believing, understanding, and upholding it, and so forth, one can broadly obtain form and marks—lofty, beautiful, broad, and abundant, with a great retinue, sovereign within the Dharma. Within the realms of gods and humans one always receives various joys.

According to the Śāradvatīputra Sūtra (Sūtra of Śāriputra), speaking of the Prajñāpāramitā: Śāriputra addressed the Buddha, saying: Reverently, O World-Honored One. If again there is a person who comes to hear this Prajñāpāramitā spoken; having heard it, believes and understands it, then this person, regarding Bodhi, attains non-retrogressive Bodhi.

The Bodhisattva Maitreya said: O World-Honored One! If one hears this Prajñāpāramitā spoken and then immediately believes and understands it, then the Bodhisattva attains nearness to the fruit-stage of Buddhahood.

The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said: O World-Honored One. If one hears the Prajñāpāramitā spoken, and having heard, believes and understands, seeing that the Bodhisattva will become as a Buddha, then all the defilements of sin and evil deeds will surely be released and removed. All the obstructions of karma will all be purified. Regarding that profound dharma one is able to give rise to supreme understanding.

The Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra says: The Buddha said—O Kāśyapa! The utmost extreme of the ten unwholesome actions are called:

The first: suppose there is a person who is a Pratyekabuddha, and for the sake of one's father one kills him together. This is the extremely evil sin of killing.

The second: to seize and plunder the property of the Three Jewels. This is the extremely evil sin of stealing.

The third: suppose there is a person who is an Arhat, and toward one's mother one gives rise to a mind of defiled attachment—this is the extremely evil sin of wrongful defilement.

The fourth: or one says "I am a Tathāgata," and so forth. This is the extremely evil sin of false speech.

The fifth: among the Noble Assembly to cause estrangement. This is the utmost extreme sin of divisive speech.

The sixth: to slander the Noble Assembly. This is the extremely evil sin of the mouth.

The seventh: regarding the true Dharma to wish to adulterate it as an obstruction. This is the extremely evil sin of frivolous speech.

The eighth: regarding the right path and the straight path, when gain and offerings arise, to have a mind of seizing and plundering. This is the utmost extreme sin of greed.

The ninth: to praise and extol the karma of the five heinous offenses (the deeds without interval). This is the utmost extreme sin of hatred and delusion.

The tenth: to give rise to a narrow and mean mind and evil views. This is the utmost extreme sin of wrong views.

O Kāśyapa! These are unwholesome karmas. They are all sins of the greatest magnitude.

Kāśyapa! If there is any sentient being who has such sins, having fully committed the ten unwholesome deeds, then the Tathāgata, for that being's sake, proclaims the dharma of the harmonious conjunction of causes and conditions, causing that being to gain liberating insight. At that time, however, there is held to be a self, a person, a sentient being, a life-receiver, a percipient.

If one is able to understand this dharma, then it is uncreated, unconditioned, like an illusory dharma. Free from defilement, with pure self-nature luminous and bright, one understands that all dharmas are originally pure. Regarding all dharmas one has pure faith and supreme understanding.

I do not say that those sentient beings fall into the evil destinies. Why is this? There is no aggregated nature of afflictions that can be obtained.

Once arisen, they are immediately scattered and destroyed. Therefore one should know that the afflictions arise from a single harmonious conjunction of causes and conditions. Having arisen, they immediately cease.

If one gives rise to a mind to expel and remove them, then the afflictions follow accordingly—that is, there is arising. If one believes and understands, then where again would there be any portioning-out of sin? There is no place that would accommodate the saying that there is a sin-obstruction able to abide.

There is no such place at all.

As the Vinaya-upholding Venerable Upāli asked, within the chapter on Māra: How is it that those evil Māras and the bhikṣus who truly uphold the Vinaya practice?

Māra answered: O Venerable One! If a bhikṣu clearly understands that all the rules of the Dharma-Vinaya ultimately subdue, that the roots of the sins have no before or after, free from those minute and trifling matters—if one commits an offense entailing falling and does evil deeds, then it can be released and removed; let one not give rise to rigidity and clinging attachment. Such dharmas, for that one's sake, are revealed.

That sin, even though it deserves the sin of the five heinous offenses, can also be released and removed—how much more so for those who only break the precepts a little or are slightly defiled. According to the Dharma-Vinaya it is said: it is not that, defiled and polluted by adventitious-dust afflictions, arising forth and departing from reflection—one should know that those afflictions are neither within nor without, nor yet in between.

Not departing from defilement, one knows that the afflictions can be removed. The nature that departs from defilement, again, cannot be scattered apart. One who knows how to contemplate the afflictions as they truly are, like wind and clouds drifting and floating, dispersing and scattering, gathering again according to the suitable direction.

Furthermore, those afflictions are also like the moonlight within water. Those reflected images appear, and so are present before one. Again, those afflictions are a realm of black darkness, which the lamp of wisdom, luminous and bright, is able to illuminate and dispel.

Furthermore, those afflictions are a kind of bandit that harms form and marks, like the yakṣas and rākṣasas. If one applies the mind deeply and contemplates as it truly is, then immediately there is no place for them to subsist. Furthermore, those afflictions are ever base, mean, and trifling.

If one does not have a deep resolve, then those afflictions will increase and grow; but regarding emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the dharma of wisdom, these dharmas are not damaged. Furthermore, thus, regarding the afflictions, the wise one knows that defiled attachment; those afflictions are the abode toward which sentient beings dwell. In the face of this matter one should give rise to a mind of compassion and, for their sake, speak of the dharma of selflessness and of no sentient being, causing them to depart from defilement.

This indeed is to truly uphold the Vinaya.

In the Ajātaśatru Sūtra it says: The Buddha taught—O Ānanda! I now speak true words and declare to you: if one who has committed the sins of the five heinous offenses comes to hear such true Dharma as this, then one is able to give rise to supreme understanding. I do not say that that person has karma and karmic obstruction.

O Ānanda! These are important words. This—that regarding the proclamation of the profound true Dharma one is able to give rise to supreme understanding—should be praised and extolled broadly.

Among very many sūtras, diligently hearing and receiving, not departing from skillful means—the Bodhisattva should thus act without acting, and speak the profound dharma. Therefore wisdom and skillful means are two dharmas that do not depart from each other. This is how the Bodhisattva accords with the true Dharma.

The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: Without skillful means, wisdom is bound. With skillful means, wisdom is released and clear.

What is "without skillful means, wisdom is bound"?

If a Bodhisattva, regarding emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, subdues this mind, yet does not adorn the Buddha-realm with excellent marks and bring sentient beings to maturity—then this indeed is having no skillful means, so wisdom is bound and fettered.

What is "with skillful means, wisdom is revealed"?

If a Bodhisattva, in order to adorn the Buddha-realm with excellent marks, brings sentient beings to maturity, and regarding emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness subdues this mind, diligently and assiduously acting without acting, yet without becoming weary or slack—this indeed is having skillful means that causes wisdom to be revealed.

What is "without wisdom, skillful means binds fast"?

If a Bodhisattva, regarding the seeing of the arising of the various afflictions, accordingly has places of attachment, and then again gives rise to all roots of goodness, dedicating them to unsurpassed Bodhi—this indeed is, being without wisdom, having skillful means that fetters.

What is called "with wisdom and skillful means revealed"?

If a Bodhisattva, regarding the seeing of the arising of afflictions, according to conditions cuts off the various attachments, and gives rise to all roots of goodness, dedicating them to unsurpassed Bodhi, with surely no place of grasping and holding—this indeed is having wisdom and skillful means revealed. This wisdom and that skillful means are two dharmas harmoniously joined. One should know that all of this is the practice of the Bodhisattva.

What is the practice of the Bodhisattva?

That is to say, it is not the doing of the ordinary worldling. It is not the doing of the worthy sages. This is the Bodhisattva's practice.

Within birth-and-death he is not defiled and polluted. Within Nirvāṇa he does not eternally enter quiescent cessation. This is called the Bodhisattva's practice.

Although he seeks the wisdom of the Four Truths, yet he does not grasp and realize Nirvāṇa. This is the Bodhisattva's practice. Although he contemplates inner emptiness, yet he ever keeps in mind the three realms, manifesting therein to receive birth.

This is the Bodhisattva's practice. Although he contemplates the unborn, yet he does not enter the right position. This is the Bodhisattva's practice.

Although he embraces all sentient beings, yet he is not defiled or attached. This is the Bodhisattva's practice. Although he acts within emptiness, yet he ever diligently seeks the marks of merit.

This is the Bodhisattva's practice. Although he does what is non-doing, yet he diligently cultivates all good practices, broadly attaining lightness and ease. This is the Bodhisattva's practice.

Although he cultivates calming and contemplation (śamatha and vipaśyanā), yet he does not fall into ultimate quiescent cessation. This is the Bodhisattva's practice. Although he turns the Dharma-wheel and manifests Mahāparinirvāṇa, yet he does not abandon the work the Bodhisattva is to practice.

This is the Bodhisattva's practice. All such as these are the doings of the Bodhisattvas.

The Māradamana Sūtra (Sūtra of Subduing Māra) says: Furthermore, regarding the Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas, the supreme right practice is the supreme wisdom-knowledge of superior increase that responds accordingly. And the skillful-means knowledge universally embraces all those good dharmas. The supreme wisdom-knowledge means: no self, no person, no sentient being, no life-receiver, no youth, and so forth.

The skillful-means knowledge is the bringing to maturity of all the practices of sentient beings. The supreme wisdom-knowledge is the universal embracing of all the practices of dharmas. The skillful-means knowledge is the practice of embracing the true Dharma.

The supreme wisdom-knowledge is the entire Buddha-Dharma realm, whose practice is undiscriminating. The skillful-means knowledge is honoring and making offerings to all the Buddha-Dharma, performing that service. The supreme wisdom-knowledge is all the Buddha-fields, whose practice is like empty space.

The skillful-means knowledge is the full endowment of the merit and adornment of all the Buddha-fields, performing the work of pure adornment. The supreme wisdom-knowledge is all the worthy sages cultivating the unconditioned practice. The skillful-means knowledge is, regarding all the Masters and Patriarchs, giving rise to a mind of reverence, and giving in charity all kinds in full.

The supreme wisdom-knowledge is contemplating the Buddha-body free of outflows. The skillful-means knowledge is the practice of cultivating the excellent marks of a Buddha. The supreme wisdom-knowledge is contemplating that all practices are unborn and non-arising.

The skillful-means knowledge is ever reflecting upon the three realms and manifesting the work of receiving birth.

The Akṣayamati Sūtra (Sūtra of Inexhaustible Intent) says: What is the Bodhisattva's skillful means? And again, what is the Bodhisattva's supreme wisdom?

That is to say: when entering concentration, one gives rise to great compassion, taking as condition that which is profound and firm, using that mind to contemplate sentient beings. This indeed is skillful means. Regarding the concentration, abiding in quiescence and pervasive quiescence—this is called supreme wisdom.

If, at the time of entering concentration, one gives rise to a mind of great compassion accordant with the Buddha-path, then this indeed is skillful means. If there is no place upon which to rely in contemplation, this is supreme wisdom. If, entering concentration, one contemplates and universally embraces all those dharmas, then this is skillful means.

If one contemplates the dharma-realm as having no place of discrimination, then this is supreme wisdom. If, at the time of entering concentration, the Buddha-body's adornment is present before one—this indeed is skillful means. If one contemplates the Dharma-body as having portioned stages, then this is supreme wisdom.

The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: The Buddha said—O Maitreya! The Bodhisattva has two marks. The first: joyfully believing phrasing of jumbled, confused construction.

The second: not fearing the profound dharma. To enter and understand it as it truly is—this is on account of the two marks. If a Bodhisattva joyfully believes and honors jumbled, confused phrasing, then one should know this is a beginner Bodhisattva.

If, on the other hand, regarding this pure and profound scripture one universally embraces the many kinds of differentiated meanings of the words, and hearing, receiving, and proclaiming gives rise to supreme understanding—one should know this is a Bodhisattva who has long cultivated the holy life. Again there are two kinds of dharma. This indeed is the beginner Bodhisattva harming himself, not subduing this mind with regard to that profound dharma.

The first: regarding scriptures of profound meaning not formerly heard, having heard them, one becomes frightened and gives rise to doubt, and again does not accord with them. On the contrary, one gives rise to disparagement and slander, saying: "I, in former days, never heard this dharma—from where does it come?"

The second: regarding a great vessel of the Dharma proclaiming the profound dharma, that good man does not joyfully draw near, and again does not honor it. Or at that time, regarding the secret teaching, he passes it by. These are the two dharmas.

There are again two dharmas. Although the Bodhisattva believes and understands the profound dharma, yet he inflicts injury upon himself, unable swiftly to realize the unborn dharma's defilement.

The first: to slight and disparage beginner Bodhisattvas, not embracing them, not making things clear for them, and again not teaching them to repent.

The second: although one believes and understands the profound dharma, yet one does not study and practice it, and again does not honor it. One does not perform the gift of wealth or the gift of Dharma, so as to embrace sentient beings. These are the two dharmas. Here one should know. If any sentient beings come to understand and enter into the great majestic-virtue power of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas, this is truly hard to attain. What is the Bodhisattva's great majestic-virtue power?

The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: Vimalakīrti said: O Mahākāśyapa! Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, those who now appear as Māra-kings are all Bodhisattvas dwelling in inconceivable liberation. For the sake of bringing sentient beings to maturity through good skillful means, they manifest the marks of Māra.

Furthermore, within the worlds of the ten directions, there may be Bodhisattvas from whom one seeks food and drink, hands and feet, ears and nose, blood and flesh, skin and bone, head and eyes, parts of the body, wives and children, servants and maids, the people of one's land and town, carriages, elephants and horses, and so forth. In all such cases, if there be those who come to beg, they give all of it entirely. This Bodhisattva, with such marks, is practicing forceful pressing.

All these things abide in the inconceivable liberation of the Bodhisattva.

O Kāśyapa! Just as a fine elephant's stride is not like a donkey's. The ordinary worldling too is just so, unable to press forcefully like the Bodhisattva. But this Bodhisattva is able to be thus, and therefore is called the forcefully-pressing Bodhisattva.

The Treatise on the Essential Meaning of the Mahāyāna Jewel-Heap (Mahāyāna-ratnakūṭa-artha Treatise). End of Fascicle Nine.