菩提心觀釋

With reverence I bow down and take refuge

In the Root Teacher, the Greatly Awakened World-Honored One.

Now I shall, in brief, explain

The way to contemplate the bodhicitta.

As the Buddha taught: "From the mind there arise all dharmas." I shall now analyze and discourse upon the meaning of the bodhicitta.

Question: What is the [true] nature?

Answer: It is the departing from all [untrue] natures.

Question again: What are all the [untrue] natures?

Answer: This refers to such natures as the [five] aggregates, the [six] sense-bases, the [eighteen] elements, and so forth; for the bodhicitta is free from the affairs of grasping or relinquishing, [whereas those natures all involve grasping and relinquishing]. Therefore all dharmas are originally without self; their self-nature is equal; because from of old there has been no arising, their self-nature is all emptiness.

Furthermore, when "all natures" is spoken of, this refers to the natures [arising from clinging to] a self, such as the nature of self, the nature of person, the nature of sentient being, the nature of life-soul, the nature of pudgala, the nature of manuṣyaka, and so forth; yet none of these natures is the bodhicitta.

What do you all think of this? Although these natures are spoken of as self, it is precisely within that very place where the self-nature is originally far removed from all marks that there arises a view clinging to a self. From the view clinging to a self there arise all the afflictions, and therefore this cannot give rise to the bodhicitta.

But if it were said that natures such as the [five] aggregates, the [six] sense-bases, the [eighteen] elements, and so forth are likewise free from grasping or relinquishing, and one therefore held that the natures of the aggregates, the sense-bases, the elements, and the rest are true, this would be entirely unreasonable.

Why is it [said] that the marks of form are all untrue? Because the form-aggregate is composed of the four great elements. These four great elements are the spheres of earth, water, fire, and wind; and from them there further arise the five factors belonging to the form-body: form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. These four great elements, together with the five factors belonging to the form-body, each one of them cannot be found to have a self-nature. All other dharmas are likewise the same as this. Therefore one knows that form is false and unreal. From this one knows that [the true nature of] the form-aggregate is empty. Just as it is by reason of the trunk of a tree that there is the shadow of the tree, when the tree disappears the shadow of the tree too no longer remains.

The form-aggregate being thus, the feeling-aggregate is likewise the same. What is called feeling? Feeling is of three kinds: painful feeling, pleasant feeling, and feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. These three kinds of feeling all serve as mutual cause and condition for one another.

Feeling may also be divided into two kinds: bodily feeling and mental feeling. The body depends entirely upon the form-aggregate, and so of itself it cannot come into existence. But if there were no body, of course there would be no [bodily] feeling; it cannot be spoken, cannot be explained, is neither short nor long, without form, without mark, untrue, without attachment, because it cannot be known.

Bodily feeling being thus, mental feeling is likewise the same. The feeling-aggregate being thus, one therefore sees that [the true nature of] the feeling-aggregate is empty.

The perception-aggregate too is false and unreal, because it depends entirely upon the conditioning thoughts, and those conditioning thoughts can none of them be found to have a self-nature, that is, they are not truly existent. Since the conditioning thoughts are not truly existent, one therefore sees that [the true nature of] the perception-aggregate is empty.

The perception-aggregate being thus, the formations-aggregate is likewise the same, for the formations produced by the mind, such as wholesome intentions, recollection, and the rest, are all without [any owner who] possesses them. Whatever is produced by those mental dharmas, such as form, sound, and so forth, on up to the aggregates, each one of them is without a place of arising. Therefore one knows that the karmic mark of the formations-aggregate is originally unreal, and that there is also no [self that is its] master; and one straightaway sees that [the true nature of] the formations-aggregate is empty.

The formations-aggregate being thus, the consciousness-aggregate is likewise the same. And so, [with regard to] the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, the [corresponding] consciousnesses, such as eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, and so forth, each one of them can in no way be found to have a self-nature. As the eye, by reason of the condition, has form, and it is from that condition that [eye-]consciousness arises. So then, if there were no condition, of course consciousness could not arise; yet such factors as the eye together with form and the form-aggregate cannot be distinguished and divided apart. If one were to divide the eye apart from form, then there would no longer be [the character of] the eye and form, and [eye-]consciousness would have nowhere to arise.

Eye-consciousness being thus, on up to ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness, all are likewise so. Hence one knows that these consciousnesses all rely upon and depend upon [the seventh consciousness, namely] the manas-consciousness. Because they rely upon and depend upon the manas-consciousness, there straightaway arise the dharmas of past, future, and present.

Why is it [said] that the dharmas of past, future, and present [are all unreal]? It is because the past dharma has perished, the future dharma has not yet arisen, and the present dharma [continually shifts and changes] without abiding. Because [the consciousness-aggregate depends upon these unreal dharmas], one therefore knows that [the true nature of] the consciousness-aggregate is empty.

In this way, taking up one after another the [five] aggregates, the [six] sense-bases, the [eighteen] elements, each single factor like this is discerned and seen to have a self-nature that is all empty. Therefore it is said that that [bodhicitta] is not without nature—this is a true statement. Just as, were there no seed, no sprout could arise, [so how could that bodhicitta be without a true nature?] Therefore it is said that such factors as the aggregates, the sense-bases, the elements, and so forth are likewise free from grasping and relinquishing.

Why is it [said] that the bodhicitta has no grasping and no relinquishing? As the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Lord of Secrets [Vajradhara]: "That bodhicitta, the Tathāgata, the Worthy [of offerings], the Perfectly Awakened One, has clearly understood. That mind is neither blue nor yellow, neither red nor white, neither crimson nor [transparent as] crystal, neither short nor long, neither round nor square, neither bright nor dark, neither female nor male, nor yet neither male nor female.

Furthermore, O Bodhisattva Lord of Secrets, the bodhicitta is not the nature of the desire-realm, not the nature of the form-realm, not the nature of the gods of the heavens, nor the nature of yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, humans, or non-humans; even if one were to seek it out with the whole of one's discerning wisdom, it still could not be obtained."

Such being the case, there can be no grasping of that mind; how then can there be said to be any relinquishing of it? Furthermore, as the Buddha taught the Bodhisattva Lord of Secrets [Vajradhara]: "The bodhicitta is neither within, nor without, nor in the space between; therefore it cannot be sought out and obtained. What do you think of this matter? It is because the self-nature is originally and ever serene. Furthermore, O Bodhisattva Lord of Secrets, if that bodhicitta cannot be obtained even by seeking it out with the whole of one's discerning wisdom, how can it be grasped or relinquished?"

[Comprehending] thus, one is then able, with regard to all dharmas, to be free from grasping or relinquishing, seeing all to be equal and without self. To say that all dharmas are without self is precisely this. As the Buddha taught, the bodhicitta too is thus. All dharmas are empty, without mark, without self. The dharmas are originally serene, without any mark of serenity. The mind is originally equal; from of old it has been without arising, yet neither is it without arising.

Question again: What is the [true] nature?

Answer: It is the nature of emptiness.

Question: Emptiness—how is it a nature?

Answer: This means a nature like unto empty space. As the Buddha taught: "The nature of empty space cannot be likened to anything by way of comparison or simile. The bodhicitta too is just like this." That which is named bodhi is neither nature nor mark, neither arising nor ceasing, neither awakened nor unawakened. If one is able to apprehend and truly know it just as it is in this way, this is called the bodhicitta.

Furthermore, as the Buddha taught: "O Bodhisattva Lord of Secrets, with regard to one's own original mind one is able to apprehend and truly know it just as it is, and with regard to the dharmas of emptiness or the dharmas of existence there is nothing whatsoever to be obtained—this is called anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. Furthermore, O Bodhisattva Lord of Secrets, one should first, just as it truly is, contemplate one's own original mind completely, and only afterward give rise to the means for contemplating sentient beings. [Having contemplated sentient beings, one straightaway] knows that sentient beings, with regard to their own self-nature of awakening, do not themselves truly know it as it is, and so they give rise to a mind of mistaken doubt, of inverted clinging and attachment,

and on account of this must undergo every manner of vast suffering within saṃsāra.

I, by reason of [having contemplated and seen] this, give rise to a mind of great compassion, causing sentient beings to be able, with regard to the dharma within their own minds, to realize, know, and awaken just as it truly is. [Giving rise to a mind of great compassion that pities sentient beings] in this way is called the bodhicitta; it is called the mind that benefits [sentient beings], the mind that brings peace and joy [to sentient beings], the supreme mind, the mind of wholesome awakening within the dharma-realm.

To employ such apprehension [that is clear and truly real] so as to subdue and convert sentient beings—this is called the bodhicitta.

The person who gives rise to that bodhicitta attains merit vast as empty space, without limit. The merit and virtue of that person is like the great ocean, also boundless and immeasurable. Time, the number of the kalpas, may also have its end, but the merit and virtue of that person can never be exhausted.

Such is what is called giving rise to the supreme bodhicitta, the very root of the Wisdom that knows all things.