大乘寶要義論

At that time, King Ajātaśatru had a hundred thousand fine robes brought and offered them to the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī; but the Bodhisattva would not accept them. The king then took these precious robes and draped them upon the body of Mañjuśrī. Before the robe touched his body, the Bodhisattva at that very moment caused his body to vanish. The king at that time could no longer see the body of the Bodhisattva. He then heard a voice from the sky saying:

Great King! If you can see the bodily form of Mañjuśrī, then you can see the place where he does evil deeds. If you can see the evil deeds, then you see all those dharmas. As you see all dharmas, you can further see the place where the fine robes are offered. If you cannot see it, this too is just like seeing.

Great King! If you can see that there is a mark of the body, then in this way you may offer that robe. The king at that time then took those robes and presented each one of them as offerings to all the Bodhisattvas, the Śrāvakas, and the great assembly, and even to those within the palace, the maidservants, and the retinue, yet he could not see the bodily forms of any of those persons. At that time the king entered into concentration in order to contemplate. There was not the slightest color seen by the eye, nor any objective field of marks that could appear. In that place there remained only his own body, with thoughts shifting and turning. Again he heard from the sky speaking thus: If you can see your own bodily form, then in this way you may offer the robes.

The king at that time contemplated himself again and did not see that there was any mark of his own body. At that point he had departed from all forms and marks and from thought. Again he heard from the sky saying:

Great King! In this way you have no form or mark. Whether coarse or subtle, that which can be seen — this too is just so — and thus you can see the evil deeds. Then again in this way you see all dharmas. If you do not see that, you have already departed from seeing. When you have departed from seeing, if you can yet see, then this is precisely not-seeing.

Great King! If there is neither seeing nor not-not-seeing, then this is right view. The seeing of all dharmas in this way is precisely not-seeing.

Great King! This not-seeing is right view. At that time King Ajātaśatru, with regard to all dharmas, was freed from all doubt. Rising up from concentration, he again examined all that great assembly, yet completely did not see them.

The Sūtra of the Illusory Worthy Man (Māyopama-samādhi) says: The Bodhisattva has four kinds of dharmas of contemplation that pass through these meanings. What are the four?

First, relying upon dharmas to arise, there is never anything without a cause for its arising.

Second, there is no dharma that can be born, and there is also no nature of a Pudgala (a sentient being).

Third, if there is a dharma relied upon for birth, then that birth is without nature.

Fourth, in dharmas profound and deep there is no gate of differentiation. And yet awakening is not destroyed.

The Sūtra of the Ten Abodes of the Bodhisattva (Bodhisattva-daśabhūmika) says: The Buddha said — Mañjuśrī! The Bodhisattvas have five dharmas that bring about peace and security and can purify them upon the First Ground. What are the five?

First, in that which is without objective support, the wisdom of liberation, one abides in oneself, and then causes others also to abide in that which is without objective support, the wisdom of liberation. This is the Bodhisattva's dharma of peace and security.

Second, this place that is without objective support, the wisdom of liberation, is without duality; without duality is pure, taking the unborn dharma as its support. Having abided oneself in this liberation, one further causes others all to attain abiding in support of the unborn dharma, the dharma of liberation. This is the Bodhisattva's dharma of peace and security.

Third, taking support in that unborn dharma is precisely the self-nature of all supporting conditions as unborn; therefore all dharmas have no location. Having settled oneself in this liberation, one further causes others all to be settled. All dharmas have no location, in the dharma of liberation. This is the Bodhisattva's dharma of peace and security.

Fourth, all those dharmas have no location — that is, they are set apart and discriminated, all without self-nature; one should know to contemplate them as like empty space. Having settled oneself in this liberation, one further causes others all to be settled as in the wisdom that is like empty space, within the dharma of liberation. This is the Bodhisattva's dharma of peace and security.

Fifth, this wisdom that is like empty space is precisely without confusion and without reliance, the wisdom that departs from mind, manas, and consciousness. Having settled oneself in this liberation, one further causes others all to be settled, departing far from mind, manas, and consciousness, the wisdom, the dharma of liberation. This is the Bodhisattva's dharma of peace and security.

One should know that herein there is the wisdom that departs from mind, manas, and consciousness. This is precisely non-arising awakening. To have the wisdom of attainment — these are the five dharmas.

In the Sūtra of the Questions of Viśeṣacintā Brahmā (Brahma-paripṛcchā) it says: Brahmā asked the Bodhisattva Jālinīprabha (Light-Net): Are all dharmas profound and hard to understand? Are all dharmas not profound and not hard to understand?

The Bodhisattva replied: Such as you, Brahmā, why then do you say that all dharmas are profound and hard to understand, and not profound and not hard to understand?

Brahmā said: If one does not engage in thought, then all dharmas are profound and hard to understand. If the mind and thinking have a place of conjoining, then they are not profound and not hard to understand. Furthermore, all dharmas are apart from marks. This is precisely profound and hard to understand. If, being apart, there is yet a place of conjoining, then this is to have a differentiated place of action. If herein there is a differentiated place of action, then those actions are all not profound and not hard to understand.

The Bodhisattva said: If, as that one says, the dharmas can be born?

Brahmā replied: Good Son! If one's own realm departs from the actual purity, then those dharmas have birth.

The Sūtra of the Seven Hundred Verses on the Perfection of Wisdom (Saptaśatikā Prajñāpāramitā) says: The Buddha said — Mañjuśrī! When you cultivate the Perfection of Wisdom, in what place do you abide while cultivating the Perfection of Wisdom?

Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying: Reverently, O World-Honored One! In cultivating the Perfection of Wisdom I have neither a place of abiding nor a cultivating of the Perfection of Wisdom.

The Buddha said: Mañjuśrī! Being without abode, how can the Perfection of Wisdom be cultivated?

Mañjuśrī replied: Reverently, O World-Honored One! When I cultivate the Perfection of Wisdom, there is truly no dharma in which to abide.

The Buddha said: Mañjuśrī! When you cultivate the Perfection of Wisdom, what wholesome roots do you attain that have increase or have decrease?

World-Honored One! One who cultivates the Perfection of Wisdom assuredly has no dharma of increase or decrease.

In the chapter on the Spiritual Powers of the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī it says: There was a certain Devaputra who addressed the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, saying: As you have said: Few people can clearly comprehend this meaning.

Mañjuśrī said: Devaputra! As I have said, the Buddha's wisdom is profound and deep; whether by few or by many it cannot be clearly comprehended. Why is this so? Because the Buddha's wisdom is unattached, undiscriminating, cannot be recorded, cannot be spoken, has no function, is not by way of the path of language, and departs from mind, manas, and consciousness. If there is one of shallow wisdom, of narrow and limited wisdom, then it is not easy at all to comprehend clearly.

The Devaputra said: If the Buddha's wisdom cannot be known, then how can the Śrāvakas be able to comprehend it? How do Bodhisattvas dwell in the place of non-retrogression?

Mañjuśrī said: Devaputra! The Tathāgata, using skillful means, provisionally fabricates wisdom by means of written words, and in accordance with this unfolds and reveals awakening. This is wisdom that is without written words. It is like seeking fire within fire — what is gained? Devaputra! The Tathāgata is likewise so. At first he speaks of skillful means concerning the Buddha's wisdom, yet there is no sentient being who can understand the Buddha's wisdom. Therefore in this way he proclaims every kind of speech to reveal and open up that wisdom. This is wisdom that is without written words.

The Devaputra said: Mañjuśrī! What are the many kinds of speech?

Mañjuśrī replied: Devaputra! If one speaks of the keeping of precepts, even up to the dharma of cessation and rest; or speaks of the corresponding dharma of the Perfection of Wisdom; or speaks of the eightfold dharma of Bodhi — these are the many kinds of speech. Devaputra!

Or one speaks of departing from birth, departing from the dharma of birth and cessation, departing from the mingled, the unmingled; speech that departs from defilement and departs from purity; speech that does not depart far from saṃsāra; speech that does not crave the joy of Nirvāṇa; without wisdom, without cutting off, without cultivation, without realization, without attainment. There is also no present samādhi that can be turned.

These are the things that have been spoken. These are words of true and pure inconceivable sound.

The Sūtra in which All Dharmas are Definitely Without Attainment says: The Buddha asked Mañjuśrī: The Tathāgatas have spoken of the inconceivable, the inconceivable realm. Why is it so?

Mañjuśrī said: This is the inconceivable, the inconceivable realm. This is what the Tathāgata speaks of. O World-Honored One! That realm departs from thought, is not the sphere of activity of the mind, is not what the mind compares, is not what the mind selects. O World-Honored One! This mind, being thus, is precisely the inconceivable realm. Why is this so? There is no mind that can think. This mind departs from thought. That is, the mind's self-nature is also nonexistent, yet this mind is a mind that does not think; this mind is true and real. O World-Honored One! This, even up to the inconceivable realm, is as is further spoken of in this sūtra.

The Buddha said: Mañjuśrī! You should not cause those sentient beings to be liberated and transformed.

Mañjuśrī said: O World-Honored One. If one knows that the realm of sentient beings neither increases nor decreases, then in that place what sentient being is there who can be liberated and transformed so as to be made to enter Nirvāṇa? O World-Honored One! If empty space had one who could deliver it, then the realm of sentient beings could likewise be liberated and transformed. Furthermore, wishing that the Bodhi-mind have a place to liberate and transform, those sentient beings could in turn arouse it, and for that reason be liberated and transformed. O World-Honored One! All dharmas are Bodhi. And it is not that a Bodhi of defilement or purity can be attained. Therefore the World-Honored One has made it thus. You should not, on account of that, liberate and transform sentient beings.

The Buddha: Sentient beings are undefiled, and I again do not dwell so as to deliver the minds of sentient beings. Why is this so? Because, World-Honored One, where there are sentient beings there is defilement and purity, and for that reason they are displayed. And where there are no sentient beings, how could there be defilement and purity that can be displayed?

The World-Honored One: The dharma of conditioned arising is truly without defilement and without purity that can be attained, for all dharmas are by self-nature unreal, of the nature of conditioned arising. If, with respect to conditioned arising, again the meaning of unconditioned defilement and purity could be attained —

World-Honored One! This is the meaning of non-possession within the meaning of conditioned arising. People of wisdom all understand it clearly. Again it is the meaning of conditioned arising being thus. The wise have therein no discrimination. If the meaning is without discrimination, then it is without defilement and purity. It is like an illusionist, or the disciple of an illusionist, who provisionally fabricates towers and pavilions, or houses and dwellings. All of them have a vast and broad radiance blazing everywhere. Or there may be a person who says: I can valiantly, in that pavilion where the radiance gathers, hold my breath. This person, even unto the harm and ruin of his own body, gives rise thereby to weariness and then perishes, and cannot accomplish it.

The Buddha said: Mañjuśrī! Just so, just so.

Mañjuśrī said: O World-Honored One. If one strives to liberate and transform sentient beings, it is likewise so. From wearying oneself one then perishes and yet does not attain it. This sūtra also says:

The Buddha said: Mañjuśrī! You should know, in accordance with reality and clearly, whether this is to say that this dharma increases?

Mañjuśrī said: This means knowing in accordance with reality and clearly. And yet in this knowing in accordance with reality and clearly there is no single nature. There is also no manifold nature that can be fabricated.

O World-Honored One! If, being without category and without discrimination, one makes a knowing in accordance with reality and clearly, that is precisely not knowing in accordance with reality and clearly. World-Honored One.

That is to say, this is not knowing in accordance with reality and clearly. This is an exaggerating expression. Therefore, if knowing in accordance with reality and clearly has been accomplished, then herein there does not arise the view that "I am an ordinary person" or "I am a sage." Why is this so?

Because dharmas have no place to be observed. If, with regard to a dharma, one does not establish the ordinary person or the sage so as to see, then one attains the accomplishment of knowing in accordance with reality and clearly. World-Honored One.

Good sons and good daughters! One should dwell in this way, and then one attains correspondence with the dharma-realm. Therein there is no slight dharma of equality or difference that can be attained.

If one speaks of the dharma of ordinary persons as differentiated, there is no arising of discrimination at all. And as for the dharma of sages as equal, there is likewise no arising of discrimination. Why is this so?

Because that which is relied upon as support cannot be attained. If therein there is a place of support, or a grasping at difference or equality, then this is precisely discrimination. The nature of discrimination, both alike, is nonexistent.

If there is therein a place of support, with difference and equality that can be grasped, that is to say, my dharma and that dharma have a difference. In general, being thus, one should know with certainty that there is no dharma that can be held.

The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: What is the root of sickness? It means that there is a clinging support, and that is the root of sickness. If there is a clinging support, then there is this sickness. Where is the place of the clinging support? It is the three realms. If there is no clinging support, then where would it have a place to manifest? If the clinging support cannot be attained, then there is no place of attainment. Why is there no place of attainment? It means that the two views cannot be attained. What are the two views? They are the inner view and the outer view. Those cannot be attained.

This sūtra also says: The Bodhisattva Priyadarśana (Beloved-Seeing) said: Form and emptiness are not two. Form is precisely emptiness. Non-form is also emptiness. The nature of form is of itself empty; and so on, even up to consciousness being precisely emptiness. Non-consciousness is also emptiness. The nature of consciousness is of itself empty. These — the five aggregates — are all clearly comprehended. This is to enter the Dharma-gate of non-duality.

The Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra says: Śāriputra asked the Venerable Subhūti: If there is a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who cultivates the Perfection of Wisdom, how can he know the skillful means?

Subhūti replied: Venerable Śāriputra! If a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva cultivates the Perfection of Wisdom, he does not practice form, does not practice feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness. He does not practice form as having marks.

Even up to not practicing feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as having marks. He does not practice form as permanent or impermanent. Neither as suffering nor as bliss.

Neither as self nor as non-self. Neither as quiescent nor as moving. Neither as empty nor as non-empty.

Neither as having marks nor as markless. Neither as having aspiration nor as aspirationless. Neither as departing nor as not departing.

And so on, even up to not practicing consciousness as permanent or impermanent. Even up to neither departing nor not departing. The five aggregates being thus, as well as the possessed realms and bases, the dharmas of conditioned arising belonging to the factors of Bodhi.

The spiritual powers, the Perfections, the powers, the fearlessnesses, the unobstructed understandings, the dharmas unique to the Buddha, and so forth — even up to neither departing nor not departing — all of these he does not do. Why is this so?

Venerable Śāriputra! Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is precisely emptiness, emptiness is precisely form.

Even up to consciousness, too, being not different from emptiness, and emptiness being not different from consciousness. Consciousness is precisely emptiness, emptiness is precisely consciousness. So too the realms and bases of conditioned arising, even up to the dharmas unique to the Buddha.

The dharmas unique to the Buddha are precisely emptiness. Emptiness is precisely the dharmas unique to the Buddha. If a Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva cultivates the Perfection of Wisdom in this way, then he can know the skillful means, and that Bodhisattva, with regard to the Perfection of Wisdom, does not bear in mind that "I act," does not bear in mind that "I do not act." He does not bear in mind that "I both act and do not act." He does not bear in mind that "I neither act nor not-act." Why is this so?

The natureless self-nature is precisely the Perfection of Wisdom.

This sūtra also says: The Buddha said: Kauśika! If any good son or good daughter expounds the Perfection of Wisdom, there may be a slandering of the Perfection of Wisdom — and how is the Perfection of Wisdom slandered? It is by saying that form is impermanent, is suffering, is non-self, is impure.

So too feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, even up to the realms and bases, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurables, the formless concentrations, the foundations of mindfulness, the right efforts, the bases of spiritual power, the faculties and powers, the factors of enlightenment and the path, the noble truths, the fearlessnesses, the unobstructed understandings, the dharmas unique to the Buddha.

Even up to all, one should know them to be impermanent, suffering, non-self, impure. If one practices in this way, this is to practice the Perfection of Wisdom. Doing this and calling it so is to slander the Perfection of Wisdom.

How then is the Perfection of Wisdom not reviled? It means that if one says — Good Son! In cultivating the Perfection of Wisdom, do not contemplate form as impermanent; do not contemplate form as suffering, non-self, impure.

Even up to all, one should know it is likewise so. Why is this so?

Because the self-nature of form is fundamentally empty. If the self-nature of form is empty, then that is precisely the Perfection of Wisdom. If within the Perfection of Wisdom a formlessness as permanent could be attained, then that form is thus a non-possession. How much less could permanence or impermanence be attained? Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, even up to all, one should know are likewise so. One who does this and says it is not to revile the Perfection of Wisdom. Furthermore, if one says: Good Son! In cultivating the Perfection of Wisdom, do not hold the meaning that there is a dharma that can be surpassed. Do not understand that there is a dharma that can be abided in. Why is this so?

The Perfection of Wisdom, within all dharmas, has no place of reliance whatsoever. If a dharma is not surpassed and has no place of abiding, then the self-nature of all dharmas is empty. If the self-nature of dharmas is empty, then it is the dharma without nature. If the dharma is without nature, then it is the Perfection of Wisdom. This Perfection of Wisdom has no dharma of coming and going, nor of birth and cessation. To speak thus is: this is not to revile the Perfection of Wisdom.

Subhūti again addressed the Buddha, saying: Reverently, O World-Honored One. How can the Perfection of Wisdom be attained? How is there no place of attainment?

The Buddha taught: Subhūti! If it is a dharma, then there is duality, and thus there is a place of attainment. If the dharma is non-dual, then there is no place of attainment.

Subhūti said: O World-Honored One! What is duality?

The Buddha said: Subhūti! The faculty and form are two. The mind (manas) and dharmas are two. Even up to the dharma of Bodhi and the dharma of the Buddha being two.

Subhūti said: O World-Honored One! What is having a place of attainment and having no place of attainment? Is having no place of attainment precisely having no place of attainment?

The Buddha said: Subhūti! That which does not have a place of attainment is having no place of attainment. Again, it is not that having no place of attainment is having no place of attainment. Subhūti! If having a place of attainment and having no place of attainment are both alike equal, then this is precisely having no place of attainment.

Furthermore, Subhūti said: O World-Honored One! Is it not by abiding in the truth of supreme meaning that one realizes the fruit of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi?

The Buddha said: It is not.

Subhūti again addressed him: Is it in the dharma of inversion?

The Buddha said: It is not.

Subhūti again addressed him: If one neither abides in the truth of supreme meaning nor abides in the dharma of inversion so as to accomplish right awakening, then is it not that the Tathāgata has not realized the fruit of Bodhi?

The Buddha said: Subhūti! I have realized the fruit of Bodhi. Yet therein there is the realm, and the unconditioned realm, all without a place of abiding. Furthermore the Buddha said: Subhūti! I cannot, by means of naturelessness, in that naturelessness, accomplish right awakening.

Subhūti said: O World-Honored One! Is it not that by means of nature, by naturelessness, right awakening can be accomplished?

The Buddha said: It is not so.

Subhūti said: If then within naturelessness, by naturelessness, right awakening can be accomplished?

The Buddha said: It cannot.

Furthermore, Subhūti! In the Vajra Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra I have already said to you: Subhūti. What do you think? Has the Tathāgata attained Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi? Has the Tathāgata expounded any dharma?

Subhūti said: According to my understanding of the Buddha's meaning, there is no dharma that the Tathāgata has attained as Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. There is also no dharma that the Tathāgata can speak of. Why is this so? If there were a dharma that the Tathāgata had expounded, then that dharma could not be held, could not be spoken, is neither dharma nor non-dharma. Why is this so? Because all the worthy ones and sages arise from the unconditioned dharma, with differences among them. Therefore the Tathāgata, for that reason, liberates and transforms the various sentient beings. Using skillful means, he opens up many different gateways in order to proclaim that this is the profound and deep True Dharma.

The Treatise on the Essential Meaning of the Mahāyāna Jewel (Mahāyāna-ratnameghasāra). End of fascicle 8.