菩薩善戒經

CHAPTER FIVE

THE TRUE MEANING

What is the true meaning?

– The true meaning is twofold:

First, the nature of all dharmas. Second, the equality of all dharmas.

It is also fourfold:

First, what is universally established in the world. Second, what is established through expedient means. Third, purification of the afflictive obstructions. Fourth, purification of the cognitive obstructions.

– What is called that which is universally established in the world?

The names of worldly dharmas are conventionally designated in common in this way. Take earth, for example: when beings see earth, they call it earth and do not call it fire. Fire is called fire and is not called earth.

The same applies to water, wind, forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, clothing, food and drink, ornaments, bowls and vessels, music, light and darkness, men and women, houses, fields, suffering, happiness, and so forth. Suffering is clearly and truly suffering and is not called happiness. Happiness is clearly and truly happiness and is not called suffering.

From the time when the names and characteristics of these various things first became current, all people in the world have known them naturally, not only after cultivating or learning them. This is called the true meaning of what is universally established in the world.

What is called that which is established through expedient means?

– People endowed with discerning wisdom first deliberate and calculate, and afterward compose treatises on reasoning. This is called that which is established through expedient means.

What is purification of the afflictive obstructions?

– All sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, through undefiled wisdom and the undefiled path, destroy the afflictions and thereby attain unobstructed wisdom. This is called purification of the afflictive obstructions.

What is purification of the cognitive obstructions?

– Because the afflictive obstructions are destroyed, wisdom becomes luminous and pure. Because wisdom is luminous and pure, body and mind are unobstructed. This is called the true meaning of purification of the cognitive obstructions.

Why is it called the true meaning?

– The true is designated as the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. By contemplating these Four Noble Truths, one attains true wisdom; those at this stage are called sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas contemplate each of the five skandhas individually; apart from the skandhas, they therefore see no self or possessions of a self. They contemplate each causal condition individually; apart from the skandhas, they therefore see neither a being nor a person. This is called the true meaning of purification of the cognitive obstructions. If wisdom cannot correctly know its objects, this is called a cognitive obstruction. If one can destroy the obstruction and correctly know its objects, this is called the true meaning of purification of the cognitive obstructions.

Furthermore, the true meaning is this: the Buddhas and bodhisattvas profoundly contemplate the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas, contemplating that the self is not a self, a being is not a being, and a person is not a person. This is called purification of the cognitive obstructions. They contemplate that the dhatu of all dharmas cannot be expressed. Because they clearly understand conventional truth, they distinguish the dhatu of dharmas; because they know the true nature of all dharmas, this is called unsurpassed wisdom. Unsurpassed wisdom destroys all obstructions; therefore, it is called the true meaning of purification of the cognitive obstructions.

The true meaning is also twofold: first, existence; second, nonexistence. Existence refers to what is universally established in the world. What is universally established in the world comprises form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness; eye, ear, nose, tongue, body; earth, water, fire, wind; forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects; wholesome, unwholesome, and morally indeterminate; arising dharmas and ceasing dharmas; dharmas arising through conditions; past, future, and present; conditioned and unconditioned; this life and another life; night and day; seeing, hearing, understanding, attainment, initial and sustained thought, cultivation, upholding, and even nirvana. This is called the “existence” universally established in the world.

That which transcends worldly existence is called the nature of dharmas. The nature of dharmas is the emptiness of the existence universally established in the world. From forms, sounds, and odors through nirvana, the nature of them all is empty; therefore, it is called nonexistence. Because beings perceive existence, it is called existence. Because the nature of all dharmas is empty, it is called nonexistence. When the Tathagatas speak of existence and nonexistence, this is called truth and the Middle Way. Neither existence nor nonexistence is called the Middle Way. The Middle Way is also called the unsurpassed path. Because the Tathagatas eliminate obstructions through the principle of the Middle Way in this manner, they are called the Omniscient Ones.

Although great bodhisattvas also study the Middle Way described above, they still possess obstructions and therefore cannot be called Omniscient Ones. A bodhisattva’s wisdom is expedient wisdom and is called the cause of unsurpassed bodhi.

Why is this so?

– Although great bodhisattvas do not yet possess complete wisdom of the Middle Way, they teach that the characteristics of samsara both exist and do not exist, and they also cause the unsurpassed Buddha-Dharma to spread widely. Although dwelling in samsara, they can clearly understand its perils, yet their minds do not become weary or regretful. Those who do not understand the perils of samsara cannot destroy the fetters and afflictions. If their minds become weary, they cannot teach and transform beings or preserve the Buddha-Dharma, but will seek swiftly to attain nirvana. If they attain nirvana, they also cannot swiftly realize unsurpassed bodhi. If they do not teach and transform beings, how can they realize unsurpassed bodhi? Therefore, while bodhisattvas cultivate the path of bodhi within the course of samsara, they do not fear nirvana and do not seek nirvana. If bodhisattvas fear nirvana, they do not completely adorn the path of bodhi, nor can they praise nirvana for immeasurable beings. Toward the nirvana to be realized, they do not give rise to joyful faith or single-minded recollection. Therefore, bodhisattvas do not give rise to fear regarding the nirvana to be realized. If such bodhisattvas sought to realize nirvana, they could indeed realize it; but if they realized it, they would not attain unsurpassed bodhi and teach and transform beings through the Buddha-Dharma.

If these bodhisattvas cannot profoundly contemplate the perils of samsara, or if they become disenchanted with it, fear nirvana, or seek nirvana, they are called bodhisattvas lacking skillful means.

If these bodhisattvas profoundly contemplate the perils of samsara, delight in dwelling within it, do not fear nirvana, and do not seek nirvana, they are called bodhisattvas possessing skillful means. Skillful means is the understanding of the emptiness of ultimate truth. Great bodhisattvas who cultivate the emptiness of ultimate truth in this way are said to possess the great expedient means of the bodhisattva realm, for through it they attain the unsurpassed wisdom of the Tathagata.

If those who cultivate the bodhisattva precepts attain true wisdom, see and know that all dharmas are without self and without possessions of a self, and know the nature of all dharmas, their minds do not abase any dharma. They can also expound conventional truth and ultimate truth. Although they clearly perceive all dharmas, their minds remain impartial.

They always practice great giving, and through the causes and conditions of great giving, they become well versed in worldly affairs. Although they study worldly affairs, their minds do not become weary or change. They clearly understand all matters and attain the power of mindfulness.

Although they understand worldly affairs, their minds are not arrogant. They constantly instruct beings and are never grudging in anything. Through skillful means, they instruct beings in worldly affairs with the aim of enabling them to attain unsurpassed bodhi.

Bodhisattvas also diligently study worldly affairs without weariness or change of heart.

When bodhisattvas see beings undergoing suffering, their aspiration for bodhi is nurtured and increased. Although bodhisattvas thus nurture and increase wholesome dharmas, their minds are not arrogant, and they give rise to loving-kindness toward beings. Such bodhisattvas increase in wisdom, do not become arrogant, and demolish the erroneous views of beings.

If bodhisattvas attain worldly meditative concentration or supramundane right concentration, they do not proclaim their own virtues so that others will make offerings to them, nor are they defiled by worldly dharmas. At that time, bodhisattvas accomplish immeasurable merit and virtue; this is called the bodhisattva precepts.

Whatever merit and virtue great bodhisattvas possess, they dedicate it all to the path of bodhi; this is called the bodhisattva precepts. All bodhisattvas of the past who attained unsurpassed bodhi did so by perfecting the bodhisattva precepts; those of the future and present do likewise.

A great bodhisattva receives and upholds all the teachings of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the three times, is able to teach and transform sentient beings through the Buddhadharma, and devotes himself wholeheartedly to cultivating the path to bodhi. For the sake of the path to bodhi, he does not cherish even his own body and life. Not cherishing body and life is the bodhisattva precepts. One who cherishes body and life can never obtain the bodhisattva precepts. Even if one begrudges an object worth a single coin, one cannot obtain the bodhisattva precepts.

A great bodhisattva may accept or retain money and possessions for the sake of sentient beings. If he gives rise to a miserly attachment to his body, life, or possessions, he is a bodhisattva in name only, not a bodhisattva in the true sense. If a bodhisattva never begrudges possessions, body, or life, one should know that he is able to benefit sentient beings, practice patience, relinquish anger and jealousy, clearly understand worldly affairs, skillfully know expedient means, dispel the doubts of sentient beings, personally increase the causes and fruits of bodhi, restrain the sense faculties, remain unmoved by the four inversions, understand the profound meaning of all dharmas, attain the four immeasurable minds, accomplish the five superknowledges and the four unobstructed knowledges,

and ultimately contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination until reaching the final stage of Perfect Enlightenment.

He attains the body of permanence, bliss, self, and purity; attains the great sovereignty of unsurpassed nirvana; and skillfully reveals the expedient means leading to nirvana, and so forth. A great bodhisattva’s accomplishment of such immeasurable merits and virtues is entirely attained through the causes and conditions of the precepts.

A great bodhisattva who has fully accomplished the bodhisattva precepts is able to serve all sentient beings. If sentient beings become angry with him, strike him, revile him, or harm him, the bodhisattva gives rise to loving-kindness and compassion. If he encounters sentient beings burdened by dense and grave afflictions, the bodhisattva gives rise to pity for them.

Wishing to destroy the afflictions of sentient beings, the bodhisattva collects his mind and reflects upon skillful expedient means. Toward sentient beings, the bodhisattva’s mind is neither angry nor devious. He freely employs his abilities to bring happiness to all sentient beings, seeking no repayment and harboring no resentment.

In order to dispel the sorrow and anger of sentient beings, the bodhisattva considers expedient means and remains mindful of kindness received and grateful for it. Even toward those who ask for nothing, the bodhisattva forms the intention to give first. If he possesses something but does not provide it to one who comes asking, he cannot obtain the bodhisattva precepts. If someone asks three times and he still does not provide it, this is called a grave transgression.

What does not constitute a transgression? — If, through skillful means and comforting words, he prevents the petitioner from giving rise to resentment. Petitioners are of two kinds: first, those who are destitute; second, those who hold wrong views. Failing to give to the destitute incurs an offense; not giving to those who hold wrong views is not called a transgression. Acting without transgression is called skillful conduct.

A bodhisattva who acts skillfully clearly knows that the dharma-dhatu cannot be expressed in words, knows the nature of the dharma-dhatu, and also knows the proliferation of worldly conventions. The proliferation of worldly conventions comprises form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to and including nirvana. Form through nirvana are not called ultimately real. Why is this? Because form is neither existent nor nonexistent, and likewise nirvana is neither existent nor nonexistent. If something is neither existent nor nonexistent, how could it be ultimately real?

What does it mean to be nonexistent? — Deluded sentient beings regard form as the self, and even falsely regard nirvana as the self. This is what is nonexistent.

What does it mean not to be nonexistent? — Because worldly conventions proliferate and because they can be expressed in words. This is called not being nonexistent. On account of these two meanings, they are called neither existent nor nonexistent.

Regarding any dharma that is spoken of, can it be said to exist? — If it existed, then within a single dharma there would have to be immeasurable names; and because there were immeasurable names, there would have to be immeasurable natures. Why is this? Because every dharma has immeasurable names.

What are immeasurable names? — For example, a single dharma belonging to form may also be described as blue, yellow, red, white, long, short, square, round, large, small, visible, invisible, coarse, smooth, rough, light, heavy, and so forth. This is what is called expressible. According to these expressions, a single dharma would have to possess immeasurable characteristics.

Whatever can be expressed truly has no fixed nature; it proliferates in the world through words. In reality, there is neither a speaker nor an act of speaking, just as there is no ultimately real nature. As it is with one dharma, so it is with all dharmas.

If form through nirvana possessed real natures, they should not be spoken of as blue, yellow, red, white, and so forth, up to light and heavy. If they possess no real nature, then before such proliferation arose, how could they be transmitted? Yet because the nature of proliferation exists, and because this proliferating nature has no first beginning, proliferation can occur.

If proliferation already existed before form existed, then through what causes and conditions did it not proliferate when form was absent? If such proliferation can constitute the nature of form, why does proliferation not constitute the immeasurable natures of form?

Therefore, the nature of dharmas cannot be expressed in words. As it is with form, so it is with feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, up to and including nirvana.

There are two kinds of people who are far removed from the Buddhadharma, are not disciples of the Buddha, and have entirely lost the Buddhadharma.

The first kind speaks of form through nirvana as possessing ultimately real natures. The second kind does not believe in the existence of the proliferation of worldly conventions. These two kinds of people are incapable of receiving and upholding the bodhisattva precepts. If someone transmits the precepts to them, the recipients still do not obtain the precepts, and the teacher who transmits them incurs an offense.

Why do they not obtain the precepts? — Because they slander the true Dharma and tenaciously cling to what is contrary to the Dharma. Therefore, although they may undergo the ceremony of receiving the precepts, they ultimately do not obtain them. If they do not obtain the precepts, how can they be called disciples of the Buddha? For this reason, they are said to be far removed from the Buddhadharma.

These bodhisattva precepts are not obtained merely through the mouth. Only when mind and speech accord with each other are they obtained. Since the two kinds of people described above lack sincerity of mind, how could they obtain the precepts?

If one gives rise to deluded thoughts, discriminations, and attachments concerning form, one will remain deprived of the Buddhadharma for a long time. If, concerning form, one does not believe that form is a proliferation of worldly convention, this too is to slander all dharmas, and such a person likewise remains forever deprived of the Buddhadharma. Therefore, one cannot declare them either existent or nonexistent.

Why is this?

— Just as the five skandhas serve as the basis for the conventional designations of self, person, sentient being, and life span: if there were no five skandhas, from where could such terms proliferate? Form is likewise: because form exists, various terms proliferate. The true Dharma has no proliferation, yet apart from the true Dharma there is no proliferation either.

Foolish people who declare all dharmas to be sheer nonexistence incur a very grave offense. Whoever claims that the Mahayana sutras teach that “all dharmas are utterly nonexistent” also incurs a grave offense. Unable to understand correctly the meaning and principle of the Mahayana sutras, such a person conceitedly declares, “I understand the true meaning.” Following the deluded conceptualizations of his own mind, he then expounds them to others; in doing so, he likewise incurs a grave offense.

If he further says, “The nature of all dharmas is empty; how, then, could there be the proliferation of worldly conventions?” he also incurs a very grave offense. Why is this? — Because he slanders all dharmas. Those who slander all dharmas are adherents of non-Buddhist paths, like Purana and his disciples.

Purana maintained that the nature of all dharmas is absolutely nothing, whereas in the Buddhadharma they are both existent and nonexistent. If anyone says that all dharmas are sheer nonexistence, one should know that this person does not speak in accordance with the true meaning. One should neither dwell with such a person nor converse with him, nor perform the posadha or recite the precepts together with him, for doing so would incur a grave offense. Why is this? Because such a person does not understand the meaning of EMPTINESS and is unable to benefit either himself or others.

Therefore, a Mahayana sutra says, “If one cannot understand the meaning of EMPTINESS, one is even worse than a deluded person.” Why is this so?

-A deluded person says that form is the self, and so on up to saying that consciousness is the self. A person who clings to a self does not ruin the Buddhadharma, whereas one who does not understand the meaning of emptiness continually corrupts, destroys, and causes the Buddhadharma to be lost.

A person who clings to a self does not necessarily fall into the three evil destinies. But one who does not understand the meaning of EMPTINESS and then expounds it extensively to others—know that such a person will certainly arrive in the Avici hell.

A person who clings to a self does not slander the Three Jewels, whereas one who falsely asserts mere vacuity will certainly malign the Three Jewels. One who says that a self exists does not deceive sentient beings, disparage true nature, impair the Dharma-nature, harm sentient beings’ attainment of the fruit of liberation, or teach others to violate the precepts.

One who does not understand the meaning of emptiness repudiates all dharmas, understands neither true nature nor the names of dharmas, impedes liberation, and becomes an evil spiritual friend to countless sentient beings. Such a person does not observe the precepts and also teaches others to break them, constantly delighting in saying, “There is no doer and no recipient.” Thus that person causes the hellish offenses of many sentient beings to increase. For this reason, this is called becoming estranged from the unsurpassed Buddhadharma.

What does it mean not to understand the meaning of “emptiness”?

-If bhikshus, bhikshunis, male lay devotees, or female lay devotees do not believe, grasp at an uncomprehending emptiness, and understand neither true emptiness nor the Dharma, this is called not understanding the meaning of emptiness. Why is this? -Because such people say, “The intrinsic nature of all dharmas is itself empty—an emptiness without causes and conditions”; or they say, “All dharmas have no locus. If there is no locus, how can they be called empty?” This is called not understanding the meaning of emptiness.

What does it mean to understand truly the meaning of emptiness?

-If bhikshus, bhikshunis, male lay devotees, or female lay devotees say, “Because there is no intrinsic nature within any dharma, this is called emptiness; yet dharmas themselves are not nonexistent,” a statement such as this is called understanding the meaning of emptiness. Understanding it in this way does not impair its meaning and does not disparage the Three Jewels. It is called right understanding, free from error.

What is right understanding?

-Take form, for example. From form all the way to nirvana, when analyzed, there is no defining characteristic or intrinsic nature; this is called the emptiness of form. Because the true reality of form is conventionally propagated throughout the world, it is called not empty. For this reason, one dharma belonging to form is both existent and empty. By understanding these two meanings, one understands that a dharma is both a dharma and empty, and with regard to this meaning one does not mistakenly give rise to conceptual calculation or attachment. This is called truly understanding the meaning of emptiness. Therefore, a Mahayana sutra contains this verse:

One dharma has many names;

Within the true Dharma, they do not exist.

Because the Dharma-nature is not lost,

They are propagated throughout the world.

From form all the way to nirvana, there are very many names. Form itself has no intrinsic nature; since it has no intrinsic nature, it cannot have many names. Having many names is called conventional propagation.

For this reason, the Miscellaneous Treasury says: “The Blessed Ones are not attached to conventional propagation, whether through seeing, hearing, thinking, or discerning!” The names of form through nirvana are called conventional propagation. The Buddhas do not say that conventional propagation possesses an intrinsic nature that gives rise to defilement and attachment. Why? -Because they destroy delusion.

Defiled attachment is called delusion. The Tathagata has eliminated all evil views and therefore no longer has defiled attachment. Because he does not conceptualize, speak discursively, or become defiled and attached, this is called right view.

Therefore, the Tathagata said the following to the bhikshu Katyayana:

-Katyayana! A disciple of the Tathagata neither grasps nor becomes attached to the samadhis pertaining to earth, water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness. He does not grasp the samadhi of the sphere of nothingness or the samadhi of neither perception nor non-perception. It is neither this life nor the next life; neither daytime nor nighttime; neither seeing nor hearing; neither thinking nor measuring; neither taking nor obtaining; neither initial application of thought nor sustained examination… This is designated meditative concentration.”

How does a bhikshu not grasp the concentration on earth? -With regard to earth, the bhikshu does not give rise to the perception of earth. It is likewise so up to initial application of thought and sustained examination: he does not give rise to the perception of initial application of thought and sustained examination. This is called not grasping the concentration on earth, all the way through the concentration on initial application of thought and sustained examination.

If a bhikshu is able to cultivate concentration in this way, he is praised by the devas of the Brahma heavens and by Shakra, and is praised by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions. All the devas say: “Namo, Great Being! Namo, Great Being! We do not know in which concentration you abide or which concentration you cultivate.”

If one is defiled by and attached to the form, characteristic, or name of earth, know that this person is not said to cultivate the contemplation of emptiness. If, with regard to form, one is not attached to its name or characteristic, this is called the Dharma practice of contemplating emptiness.

For the sake of conventional propagation, the characteristic of earth and the name “earth” are proclaimed. If one clings to the characteristic and name of form, this is called the characteristic of increase. If one extinguishes the characteristic and name of form, this is called the characteristic of relinquishment. Neither increasing nor relinquishing is called the Middle Way. Cultivating the two kinds of characteristics described above—that is, the characteristics of increase and relinquishment—is called a bhikshu’s cultivation regarding earth, all the way through initial application of thought and sustained examination.

If a bhikshu cultivates this concentration of the Middle Way, it is called the true characteristic. Because of the true characteristic, the bhikshu has no verbal expression concerning the Dharma, for the nature of all dharmas cannot be expressed; therefore, the bhikshu has nothing to proclaim in words.

-If all dharmas are inexpressible, why then is “inexpressible” itself spoken?

-If it were not spoken, how could it be heard? If it were neither spoken nor heard, how could it be known that all dharmas cannot be proclaimed? Because this can be known, it is spoken so that it may be propagated everywhere. Deluded people neither understand nor recognize conventional propagation. With regard to dharmas, they give rise to eight kinds of error. What are these eight errors?

First is error concerning intrinsic nature.

Second is error concerning discrimination.

Third is error concerning aggregation.

Fourth is error concerning self.

Fifth is error concerning what belongs to the self.

Sixth is error concerning attachment.

Seventh is error concerning aversion.

Eighth is error concerning neither attachment nor aversion.

Among these eight errors, the first three—intrinsic nature, discrimination, and aggregation—are the fundamental errors underlying all the others. Clinging to intrinsic nature and clinging to names, one does not understand conventional propagation, and from these there successively arise immeasurable errors.

The errors concerning self and what belongs to the self are collectively called the view of self, and the view of self is in turn the root of all attachments. These two arise from conceit; therefore, conceit is the root of all attachments. The final three errors—attachment, aversion, and neither attachment nor aversion—arise from the three poisons. These eight encompass all fetters and afflictions and cause sentient beings to revolve continuously in samsara throughout the three realms.

What is error concerning intrinsic nature?

-If, with regard to form, one conceives it to be form, and so on up to conceiving heaviness to be heavy, this is called error concerning intrinsic nature.

What is error concerning discrimination?

-If one discriminates whether form is form or not form, whether it is visible or invisible, and whether it offers resistance or does not offer resistance, this is called error concerning discrimination.

What is error concerning aggregation?

-It is, for example, to see within form a self, a person, a sentient being, a lifespan, a dwelling, the four assemblies, soldiers, a clan, clothing, food and drink, lotus flowers, boats, trees, accumulated stores, and so forth. In each such case, each is regarded as a single characteristic. This is called error concerning aggregation.

What are the errors concerning self and what belongs to the self?

-Within conditioned dharmas subject to outflows, one tenaciously holds to a self and to possessions belonging to oneself. Throughout immeasurable lives, one continually gives rise to a mind of grasping and clinging, conceptually calculating a self and the things belonging to that self. These are called the errors concerning self and what belongs to the self.

What is error concerning attachment?

-To give rise to a mind of craving attachment toward a pure object: this is the error concerning attachment.

What is the error concerning what is not agreeable?

—Regarding an impure object, one gives rise to anger. This is the error concerning what is not agreeable.

What is the error concerning what is neither agreeable nor disagreeable?

—Regarding all objects, whether pure or impure, one gives rise to craving and anger. This is called the error concerning what is neither agreeable nor disagreeable.

The foregoing are called the eight errors.

How can a great bodhisattva understand these eight kinds of error? He should examine four matters:

First, examining names.

Second, examining objects.

Third, examining natures.

Fourth, examining distinctions.

What is examining names?

—A great bodhisattva regards a name merely as a name, without conceiving it to be the name of an object. This is called examining names.

What is examining objects?

—He merely knows an object as an object and makes no other distinctions concerning it. This is called examining objects.

What is examining natures?

—He knows that names are conventional proliferation. This is called examining natures.

What is examining distinctions?

—With regard to a name, he does not conceive of an object; with regard to an object, he does not conceive of a name. This is called examining distinctions.

Why does a great bodhisattva examine names?

—In order to understand “what is called a true name,” the bodhisattva examines names. The bodhisattva carefully contemplates: If form had no name, on what basis could form be spoken of? If form were not spoken of, how could form be contemplated? If form were not contemplated, how could unsurpassed bodhi be attained? Therefore, the bodhisattva investigates and understands names.

Why does the bodhisattva investigate objects?

—If there were no object, what could be named? Yet this designation by which it is named is not inexpressible; if it were inexpressible, how could the natures of all dharmas be known? Therefore, the bodhisattva investigates objects.

Why does the bodhisattva investigate natures?

—A great bodhisattva understands the nature of form, up to and including the nature of nirvana. He understands the conventional proliferation of form, up to and including the conventional proliferation of nirvana. What does it mean to understand the nature of form? He knows that the nature of form is like an image in a mirror, an unreal magical illusion, a dream, a shadow, an echo, a flash of lightning, or the moon’s reflection in water. This is called examining natures.

Why does the bodhisattva investigate distinctions?

—A great bodhisattva may distinguish names, distinguish objects, distinguish natures, distinguish Dharma, distinguish what is not Dharma, distinguish existence and nonexistence, form and what is not form, what can be conceived and what cannot be conceived, and so forth. This is called distinction. Because unsurpassed bodhi is attained through such distinctions, the bodhisattva investigates distinctions.

A great bodhisattva examines the four matters described above in order to destroy the eight kinds of error.

Why does the bodhisattva destroy these eight kinds of error?

—Because the conditions of these eight kinds of error cause wrong views to increase. When wrong views increase, the afflictions grow. When the afflictions grow, samsara grows, and the twelve links of dependent origination grow.

If a bodhisattva cultivates these four dharmas, he eliminates wrong views. When wrong views cease, the afflictions are extinguished. Because the afflictions are extinguished, samsara is extinguished; because samsara is extinguished, the twelve links of dependent origination are extinguished.

Clearly understanding the cessation of the twelve links of dependent origination, he cultivates the unsurpassed path; by cultivating the unsurpassed path, he realizes unsurpassed bodhi. Having realized unsurpassed bodhi, he continually destroys in sentient beings the eight kinds of delusion described above, continually teaches sentient beings to understand the world’s conventional meanings and elucidates the ultimate meaning, and eradicates such delusions in sentient beings.

This is called great nirvana. Because in the present life he attains the power of great mastery, great supernormal powers, great skillful means, great meditative concentration, and vast omniscience, and because he seeks the state of neither regressing nor falling away, it is called great nirvana.

A great bodhisattva who attains the power of mastery accomplishes five things: First, his mind becomes tranquil. Second, he clearly understands worldly and supramundane matters. Third, for the sake of sentient beings, he remains upon the path of samsara without sorrow in his mind. Fourth, he clearly understands the profound treasury of the Tathagata’s essential and secret Dharma. Fifth, his bodhi-mind can never be impaired.

Why is the bodhisattva’s mind tranquil?

—Because he continually destroys the afflictions of sentient beings, his mind becomes tranquil.

—Because he tames sentient beings and enables them to attain the Buddha-Dharma, he clearly understands worldly and supramundane matters.

—Because he enables sentient beings to acquire keen faculties, he delights in remaining within samsara without sorrow in his mind.

—He receives, preserves, explains, and expounds the Tathagata’s extremely profound and secret meaning in order to dispel the doubts of evil persons who wish to destroy or disgrace the Buddha-Dharma, who declare transgressions to be non-transgressions, declare what is not Dharma to be Dharma, accept and store the eight impure objects, and so forth.

Although he understands the subtle principles contained in the philosophical treatises of non-Buddhist teachings, his bodhi-mind is not impaired.

The five matters above encompass the bodhisattva’s work of bodhi and are also called the five merits.

What is called the work of bodhi?

—Possessing mastery; taming sentient beings; receiving and preserving the Buddha-Dharma; not violating the bodhisattva precepts; cultivating and training in unwavering bodhi-mind; diligently practicing vigor; destroying wrong views, and so forth; and elucidating the Three Vehicles.

Bodhisattvas who accomplish the five matters described above are of three grades: superior, intermediate, and inferior.

Those who fully possess two kinds(1) are called the inferior grade. Those who fully possess three kinds(2) are called the intermediate grade. Those who fully possess four kinds(3) are called the superior grade.

Notes:

(1) Fully possessing two kinds: examining names and examining objects.

(2) Fully possessing three kinds: examining names, examining objects, and examining natures.

(3) Fully possessing four kinds: the three kinds above, together with examining distinctions.

CHAPTER SIX

THE INCONCEIVABLE

What is the inconceivable quality of a great bodhisattva?

—A great bodhisattva realizes mastery in right concentration. After giving rise to the bodhi-mind, he acquires immeasurable merit; without creating karma, he receives its result; without cultivating the noble path, he attains the noble mind. This is the inconceivable quality of a great bodhisattva.

By creating little wholesome karma, he receives a great result. For the sake of the path to bodhi, he cultivates arduous practices throughout immeasurable kalpas. The bodhisattva clearly knows that in truth there are no sentient beings, yet he continually and diligently practices austerities for their sake. He clearly knows that there is no agent and no recipient, yet he continues to act and to undergo the results. This is the inconceivable quality of a great bodhisattva.

There are five kinds of the inconceivable:

First: The inconceivability of the six supernormal powers.

Second: The inconceivability of the Dharma.

Third: The inconceivability of dwelling together.

Fourth: The inconceivability of not dwelling together.

Fifth: The inconceivability of what is both shared and unshared.

What are the six supernormal powers?

First is supernormal mastery. Second is the divine eye.

Third is the divine ear. Fourth is knowledge of others’ minds.

Fifth is recollection of past lives. Sixth is the extinction of the outflows.

What is the inconceivability of the Dharma?

—It is the six paramitas: generosity, moral discipline, patience, vigor, meditative concentration, and wisdom.

1. What are supernormal powers? Supernormal powers are of two kinds: First, transformation. Second, manifestation.

—What is called transformation? It means causing the earth to quake, emitting fire, pouring forth light, transforming one’s own body, traveling through space, displaying various forms, becoming hidden or visible amid a great assembly, obstructing the supernormal powers of others, speaking without obstruction, causing others to recollect, bringing joy to many people, radiating great light, and so forth. These are called transformative displays of supernormal power.

What does it mean to cause the earth to quake?

-A great bodhisattva who has attained mastery of samadhi can cause houses, villages, cities, fortresses, and lands to tremble. From a single world beneath heaven, extending to a small chiliocosm, a medium chiliocosm, a great chiliocosm, one hundred great chiliocosms, one thousand great chiliocosms, tens of millions of great chiliocosms, and even immeasurable worlds, he can cause them all to tremble. This is called causing trembling.

What is meant by emitting fire?

-From the upper part of his body he emits water, while from the lower part he emits fire; from the upper part he emits fire, while from the lower part he emits water. Or, by moving his body, he emits fiery light of every color: blue, yellow, red, purple, black, and so forth. This is called emitting fire.

What is meant by pouring forth light?

-From his body he emits light that completely fills one house, one village, one city, one country, and even immeasurable and boundless great chiliocosms.

What is meant by manifestation?

-In order to liberate sentient beings, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas manifest as beings of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, devas, humans, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. Or they manifest Buddha-bodies and bodhisattva-bodies throughout immeasurable and boundless lands in the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, together with retinues of bodhisattvas, and proclaim the names of the Buddhas so that sentient beings may come to know them. This is called manifestation.

What is meant by transforming bodies and objects?

-The Buddhas and bodhisattvas who have attained mastery of samadhi can transform earth into fire and fire into water, and likewise transform wind. They can transform color into fragrance and fragrance into color. They can transform fragrances, flavors, and tangible objects into grasses, trees, clothing, food, ornaments, bowls, cups, stones, bricks, currency, vaidurya, pearls, gold, silver, and so forth. They can transform beautiful forms into ugly forms and ugly forms into beautiful forms, and so forth. This is called transformation.

What is meant by coming and going?

-He may go to the abode of Brahma and return from the abode of Brahma, or ascend to the Akanistha Heaven and return. Likewise, he may travel east, south, west, north, above, or below, even throughout immeasurable and boundless worlds. He can make what is distant become near and what is near become distant. He can make Mount Sumeru as small as a mote of dust and a mote of dust as large as Mount Sumeru, and so forth. This is called coming and going.

What is meant by displaying various forms?

-He can transform his own body into a man or woman, an adult or child, a servant, a forest tree, a plant, and so forth. This is called displaying various forms.

What is meant by freely appearing and disappearing among assemblies?

-He can cause the bodies of an entire assembly to enter his own body without fear in his mind or obstruction to his body, while none among the assembly knows where they have gone or whence they have come. At times, he may go among a great gathering of brahmins and manifest a form like theirs, identical to them in complexion, bodily appearance, clothing, and speech. Whatever they say, he can also say. Through skillful means he can guide them well; after instructing them, he immediately disappears. That gathering does not know whence he came, where he vanished, or whether he was a human or a deva.

As with gatherings of brahmins, so it is with gatherings of ksatriyas, gatherings of household elders, the Four Heavenly Kings, the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the Yama Heaven, the Tusita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Conjuring, the Heaven of Freely Enjoying the Conjurations of Others, the Great Brahma Heaven, the Heaven of Lesser Purity, the Heaven of Lesser Light, the Heaven of Immeasurable Light, the Heaven of Light-Sound, the Heaven of Immeasurable Purity, the Heaven of Universal Purity, the Heaven of Merit-Born Devas, the Heaven of Merit-Loving Devas, the Heaven of Abundant Fruit, the Heaven of Adorned Devas, the Heaven of Immeasurable Adornments, the Heaven of the True Fruit of Adornment, the Heaven of Non-Perception, the Heaven Without Meditation,

the Heaven Without Heat, the Heaven of Excellent Vision, the Heaven of Excellent Manifestation, and the Akanistha Heaven.

His bodily appearances and disappearances are likewise. Amid such vast gatherings of devas, within a brief span of time he can appear one hundred times and disappear one hundred times, appear one thousand times and disappear one thousand times, appear ten thousand times and disappear ten thousand times, or appear ten million times and disappear ten million times. This is called freely appearing and disappearing among assemblies.

What is meant by obstructing the spiritual powers of others?

-A great bodhisattva who has attained spiritual powers surpasses all other sentient beings of later stages in whatever spiritual powers they may possess, except for the Buddha and those bodhisattvas who share the same nature, the same practice, and the same samadhi. This is called obstructing the spiritual powers of others.

What is meant by unobstructed speech?

-When a great bodhisattva teaches the Dharma, his words are inexhaustible, their import and meaning are inexhaustible, and his joyful eloquence is inexhaustible. This is called unobstructed speech.

What is meant by helping others recollect?

-When a great bodhisattva teaches the Dharma, he can cause immeasurable sentient beings to recollect whatever occurred throughout their immeasurable past lives and which they had completely forgotten. This is called helping others recollect.

What is meant by bringing joy to many people?

-When a great bodhisattva teaches the Dharma, he can cause sentient beings’ peace and happiness to increase and their afflictions to be destroyed. Those who hear him rejoice as though abiding in the third dhyana. All illnesses of the body arising from the four great elements disappear at once, and malevolent ghosts find no opportunity to harm them. This is called bringing joy to many people.

What is meant by emitting great light?

-A great bodhisattva emits a great radiance that illuminates immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions. When the light reaches the hells, it destroys the suffering of beings in the hells. When it shines upon the Heaven of Heedlessness, it instructs the sentient beings there to cultivate the Dharma of the Human Vehicle, so that they may obtain human bodies and come into the presence of the Buddha. At the same time, it summons immeasurable bodhisattvas to assemble where the Buddha is and instruct sentient beings. This is called emitting great light.

Such deeds as those described above are called miraculous manifestations through spiritual powers. Because they accord with the nature of the Dharma, they are called miraculous manifestations through spiritual powers.

What are miraculous conjurations through spiritual powers?

-A thing is not truly a thing; therefore, it is called a conjuration, as in a conjured body or a conjured voice. A conjured body may be conjured to resemble one’s own body or another person’s body, possessing all sense faculties or lacking some of them, and so forth. The remaining cases are as described above in the section on transforming bodies and objects.

Furthermore, they conjure immeasurable bodies. For the sake of all sentient beings, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas conjure immeasurable bodies throughout immeasurable lands. Among the transformed bodies manifested by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, some bodies are illusory and some are real. Likewise, they may manifest clothing, food, gold, silver, vaidurya, pearls, crystal, and so forth, in order to dispel the poverty and distress of sentient beings. This is called the conjuration of bodies.

-The conjuration of voices: the Buddhas and bodhisattvas conjure pleasant voices, swift voices, refined voices, voices that themselves express the meaning, voices of others that express the meaning, voices from insentient things, voices that teach the Dharma, voices that instruct and transform, and so forth. By means of these voices, they can destroy the heedless minds of sentient beings. This is called the conjuration of voices.

The voices of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are far-reaching like the reverberation of thunder, clear and pure like the song of the kalavinka bird, delightful to those who hear them, pervading the entire cosmos, distinct, easy to understand, unobstructed, joyful, beyond reproach, and inexhaustible. If, within a three-thousandfold great-thousand world system, there are devas and humans, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, whether far or near, they all hear such voices of a great bodhisattva. From these voices issue various Dharma-gates that benefit sentient beings.

What is a self-conjured voice?

-It is when one personally teaches the Dharma in order to instruct and transform heedless sentient beings.

What is an other-conjured voice?

-It is when the Buddha conjures the voice of another person teaching the Dharma in order to liberate heedless sentient beings.

What is a voice from insentient things?

-It is when a speaking voice issues from empty space.

What is a voice that teaches the Dharma?

-It is teaching the Dharma for deluded sentient beings.

What is a voice that instructs and transforms?

-For those who are heedless, they cause the quality of heedfulness to increase.

The Buddhas and bodhisattvas likewise manifest countless such skillful supernatural powers in succession; their supernatural transformations are immeasurable and incalculable. Such transformations are all performed for two purposes: First, to cause sentient beings to give rise to faith in and turn toward the Three Jewels. Second, to reveal the unsurpassed field of merit to sentient beings who are poor, lowly, distressed, and suffering.

(The preceding passage has clarified the meaning of supernatural transformations. What follows concerns the six supernatural powers.)

What is the Knowledge of Past Lives?

-A great bodhisattva knows his own former lives and his connections with sentient beings—how they ate together, dwelt together, and worked together. He knows his own lineage and the lineages of innumerable others. He knows his own food and drink, suffering and happiness, and those of innumerable others.

The great bodhisattva thus knows his own former lives and can teach others, enabling them to know their former lives. He knows the events that occurred throughout immeasurable lifetimes. This is called the Knowledge of Past Lives. By means of this Knowledge of Past Lives, he can recount the causes, conditions, and ancient origins of the bodhisattva, causing sentient beings to give rise to faith in the Buddha-Dharma. He relates the Jataka and Avadana scriptures of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas and explains the causes and conditions of unwholesome and wholesome karma, thereby destroying the views of eternalism and annihilation held by sentient beings with wrong views. This is called the great bodhisattva’s Knowledge of Past Lives.

What is the supernatural power of the divine eye?

-With his purified divine eye, surpassing the eyes of ordinary people, the great bodhisattva sees sentient beings die in one place and be born in another. He sees their beautiful or ugly forms, wholesome or unwholesome karma, favorable or unfavorable results, whether they are old or young, whether they create karma themselves or cause others to create it, and whether their forms are coarse or subtle. He sees the forms of humans and devas, the forms of beings in the three lower realms, and even the forms of immeasurable sentient beings throughout immeasurable worlds and immeasurable Buddha-lands in the ten directions.

All such things the bodhisattva sees clearly. When the Buddhas of the ten directions expound the Dharma, he also perceives it lucidly and thoroughly. This is called the supernatural power of the divine eye.

What is the supernatural power of the divine ear?

-The great bodhisattva clearly and thoroughly hears all sounds and speech: the sounds of the heavenly realms, human sounds, the sounds of noble ones and those who are not noble, loud sounds and soft sounds, manifested sounds and actual sounds, distant sounds and nearby sounds, and so forth.

What are the sounds of the heavenly realms? -From the heavens of the Desire Realm up to the Heaven of Ultimate Form in the Form Realm (which has eighteen heavens), extending to the immeasurable worlds above, the bodhisattva hears all the sounds of the devas.

What are human sounds? -The sounds of human beings throughout the immeasurable worlds in the ten directions.

What are the sounds of noble ones? -They are the voices of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, shravakas, and pratyekabuddhas proclaiming the Buddha-Dharma in order to teach and transform sentient beings. They may praise wholesome deeds such as generosity, observance of precepts, and so forth in order to destroy unwholesome karma. They may also be the sounds of reading, reciting, explaining, or transcribing Buddhist scriptures. These are called the sounds of noble ones.

What are sounds that are not those of noble ones? -They are false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, frivolous speech, and meaningless speech. From the three lower realms below up to the highest heaven of the Desire Realm above, all evil and unwholesome speech uttered by devas and by sentient beings throughout the ten directions is called sound that is not that of noble ones.

What are loud sounds? -The voices of many people, cries resounding through the hells, peals of thunder, the sounds of conches and drums, and so forth. These are loud sounds.

What are soft sounds? -Whispered speech and indistinct speech, such as the languages of the borderlands of Dravida, Latta, Yuezhi, and Parthia, whose speech is unclear and difficult to understand. These are called soft sounds.

Having perfected the divine ear, when the bodhisattva hears sentient beings utter words of praise and reverence, he teaches them to give rise to faith in the Buddha-Dharma and analyzes and explains for them the twelve divisions of the teachings and the secret treasury of the bodhisattvas. If he hears evil and unwholesome speech, he reveals the Dharma gateways that counteract it. This is called the great bodhisattva’s supernatural power of the divine ear.

What is the great bodhisattva’s supernatural power of knowing others’ minds?

-The great bodhisattva universally knows the general and particular delusions in the minds of all sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions. He knows which afflictions bind them and which do not; he knows their wholesome and unwholesome aspirations; he knows minds that doubt and minds that do not doubt, and minds of greed, anger, and delusion. He knows the minds of sentient beings in the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm, and even whether the minds of beings in the animal realm experience suffering, happiness, or neither suffering nor happiness. With a single thought, he observes the mind of one sentient being; with a single thought, he observes the minds of immeasurable sentient beings. This is called the supernatural power of knowing others’ minds.

Through their supernatural power of knowing others’ minds, Buddhas and bodhisattvas clearly discern whether faculties are keen or dull. Because they know sentient beings’ faculties and the wholesome roots they possess, they accordingly expound the twelve divisions of the teachings and the Bodhisattva Treasury. Conversely, when they know a mind to be unwholesome, they admonish it and clearly explain the faults of unwholesome karma. This is called the bodhisattva’s supernatural power of knowing others’ minds.

What is the supernatural power of the knowledge of the exhaustion of outflows?

-The great bodhisattva cultivates the Path in order to eliminate afflictions. He expounds the Dharma in order to destroy the afflictions of sentient beings. He expounds the Dharma in order to destroy sentient beings’ outflow-tainted pride and to eliminate their delusion of mistaking what is not the Path for the Path.

Although the great bodhisattva teaches sentient beings the Dharma that eliminates the outflows, he himself has not yet completely exhausted all outflows (because he has not yet attained Buddhahood). Although he has not completely exhausted all outflows, he is no longer further defiled by them.

The bodhisattva’s supernatural power of the knowledge of the exhaustion of outflows is inconceivable. He cultivates the knowledge of the exhaustion of outflows in order to teach and transform sentient beings, causing them to relinquish pride. This is called the Supernatural Power of the Knowledge of the Exhaustion of Outflows.

2. What is the inconceivable Dharma?

-It is the fruition of the perfection of generosity through the perfection of prajna. This is called Dharma. The fruition of these six perfections is, for each perfection, broadly of four kinds: First, cultivating the Path. Second, adorning unsurpassed bodhi. Third, benefiting oneself and others. Fourth, obtaining exceedingly great wholesome results in future lives.

The bodhisattva practices generosity in order to destroy the disposition of stinginess and greed, and he practices generosity to adorn the path of bodhi. He rejoices when wishing to give, while giving, and after giving. This is called benefiting oneself. Relieving sentient beings’ hunger, thirst, heat, cold, suffering, sorrow, and fear is called benefiting others. After relinquishing this body, he obtains sovereign power, abundant wealth, and noble status; this is the great result. These are the four aspects of the bodhisattva’s perfection of generosity.

The great bodhisattva receives and upholds the precepts, eliminates immoral conduct, adorns the path of bodhi, and gathers in sentient beings. For the sake of the path of bodhi, he steadfastly upholds the precepts. Free from fear of the karma of breaking the precepts, he sleeps peacefully, awakens peacefully, and, with no remorse in his mind, abides in happiness, joy, and well-being. This is benefiting oneself. Harboring no intention to harm sentient beings and granting them freedom from fear is called benefiting others. Because he upholds the precepts, he experiences the happiness of the heavenly and human realms and attains the path of nirvana. This is the great result. These are the four aspects of the bodhisattva’s perfection of moral discipline.

The great bodhisattva cultivates patience in order to overcome impatience, adorn the path to bodhi, and gather in sentient beings. For the sake of the path to bodhi, he cultivates patience. He himself remains free from fear and also enables others to remain free from fear. This is benefiting oneself and benefiting others. Through the causes and conditions of patience, his mind is free from anger, his retinue does not fall apart, he is not afflicted by suffering, and his mind is free from regret. After relinquishing this body, he experiences the happiness of the heavenly and human realms and attains the path of nirvana; this is called the great fruit. These are the four qualities belonging to the bodhisattva’s Perfection of Patience.

The great bodhisattva diligently cultivates vigor, casts off indolence, adorns the path to bodhi, and gathers in sentient beings. For the sake of the path to bodhi, he cultivates vigor, sleeps peacefully, awakens peacefully, remains free from afflictions, increases wholesome dharmas, and experiences physical ease and happiness. This is benefiting oneself. The diligent bodhisattva does not become distressed by those who strike him, hurl things at him, rebuke him, or revile him. This is benefiting others. After relinquishing this body, he experiences the happiness of the heavenly and human realms, acquires a body of exceedingly great strength, and attains the path to bodhi. This is called the great fruit. These are the four qualities belonging to the bodhisattva’s Perfection of Vigor.

The great bodhisattva cultivates meditative concentration in order to overcome the distracted mind, adorn the path to bodhi, and gather in sentient beings. For the sake of the path to bodhi, he diligently cultivates meditative concentration, experiences happiness in the present, and becomes tranquil in body and mind. This is benefiting oneself. Because his body and mind are tranquil, he does not trouble sentient beings. This is benefiting others. After relinquishing this body, he assumes a pure body, abides in peace and happiness, and attains the path of nirvana; this is called the great fruit. These are the four qualities belonging to the bodhisattva’s Perfection of Meditative Concentration.

The great bodhisattva perfects wisdom, destroys ignorance, adorns the path to bodhi, and gathers in sentient beings by means of the four methods of gathering. For the sake of the path to bodhi, he cultivates wisdom; because he clearly understands the Dharma realm, he experiences peace and happiness. This is benefiting oneself. He is able to teach sentient beings about worldly affairs. This is benefiting others. He constantly destroys the two obstructions—the afflictive obstruction and the cognitive obstruction. This is called the great fruit. These four qualities belong to the bodhisattva’s Perfection of Wisdom.

3. What is shared inconceivability?

-The great bodhisattva does not use the knowledge of former lives merely to recollect and know past events; rather, he examines the wholesome and unwholesome karma of sentient beings. He shares in their suffering because he wishes sentient beings to receive benefit.

While dwelling in the Tusita Heaven, the great bodhisattva perfects a long lifespan. He possesses three superior qualities. First, his lifespan is superior. Second, his physical form is superior. Third, his renown is superior.

When the bodhisattva first descends from the Tusita Heaven and is born in the human world, he emits brilliant light that illuminates the ten directions. He clearly knows when he has just entered his mother’s womb, the period during which he remains in the womb, and the moment when he emerges from it. At birth, he walks seven steps, turns to gaze throughout the ten directions without anyone’s support, and proclaims: “This present body of mine is my final body.” Devas and the various hosts of ghosts and spirits make offerings of precious incense and flowers, wondrous music, banners, streamers, and jeweled canopies.

The bodhisattva’s body is adorned with the complete thirty-two excellent marks and is unequaled. Through the power of loving-kindness and goodness, he vanquishes Mara’s armies. Every part of his body possesses strength like that of the deva Narayana.

In childhood, though he does not study worldly affairs, he knows them all. Without a teacher to instruct him, he personally realizes unsurpassed bodhi. Brahma entreats him to turn the Dharma wheel for sentient beings.

His power of meditative concentration is steadfast; even roaring thunder and crashing thunderbolts cannot disturb him. All kinds of animals draw near and cherish him as they would their parents. Animals know to bring and offer him food; cloud spirits pour down rain to bathe his body, and tree spirits extend branches to shade his seat.

After he has attained the path, Mara constantly watches for an opportunity during the first six years but finds no vulnerability. The bodhisattva perpetually abides in meditative concentration, perfects mindfulness, and clearly understands the arising and cessation of initial and sustained thought. This is called the great bodhisattva’s shared inconceivability.

4. Unshared Inconceivability:

-What is unshared inconceivability?

For the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, a madman regains his sanity upon seeing the Tathagata; the blind regain their sight; those undergoing difficult childbirth give birth safely; the deaf hear sounds; and those with abundant greed, anger, and delusion have their greed, anger, and delusion eliminated, and so forth. This is called unshared inconceivability.

Furthermore, shared inconceivability means this: The Tathagata also walks, stands, sits, lies down, eats, drinks, sleeps, and wakes like everyone else, yet all the Tathagata’s actions are inconceivable. He always lies on his right side in the posture of the lion king. Though his head rests upon grass or leaves, the grass and leaves do not stir. Even a violent storm like the obstructing Vairambha wind cannot disturb his robes. When walking, he strides like the lion king or the king of white geese. Whenever he intends to go somewhere, he steps first with his right foot. Wherever the Buddha passes, even uneven or elevated ground becomes level. Although he eats, not a single grain of rice falls from his mouth. This is called shared inconceivability.

5. What is shared yet not shared?

-It is not shared with sravakas or pratyekabuddhas. There are three qualities not shared with sravakas and pratyekabuddhas: first, subtle discernment; second, practice; and third, the realm.

The Tathagata clearly knows the immeasurable afflictions of immeasurable sentient beings and the immeasurable Dharma gates that serve as their antidotes. This is called subtle discernment.

The six superknowledges and the six paramitas are inconceivable and arise from the Dharma-nature. This is called practice.

The realm means that nothing in the entire world can obstruct the Buddha’s wisdom. This is called the realm. Such is unshared inconceivability.

The superknowledges of sravakas extend throughout one intermediate-thousandfold world-system (one million minor worlds). The superknowledges of pratyekabuddhas extend throughout one great-thousandfold world-system (one billion minor worlds). Buddhas and bodhisattvas comprehend immeasurable and boundless worlds. This is called the unshared.

Apart from these three qualities, the remaining qualities may be held in common. Nevertheless, sravakas and pratyekabuddhas still cannot share in what belongs to Buddhas and bodhisattvas; how much less could ordinary beings, devas, humans, or those holding wrong views do so?

The great bodhisattva’s six paramitas also arise together from the Dharma-nature, yet they are not shared in common.

Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas share the Dharma, yet their Dharma is not identical.

This is called inconceivable.

END OF FASCICLE TWO