大寶積經

THE EIGHTH ASSEMBLY:

THE UNDIFFERENTIATED ESSENTIAL NATURE OF THE DHARMA REALM

(Chinese edition, fascicles 26 and 27)

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the kingdom of Sravasti, in the Jeta Grove of Anathapindika, together with a gathering of eight thousand great bhiksus.

There were also twelve thousand great bodhisattvas who had come from innumerable Buddha lands.

There were also thirty-two thousand devas, all of whom were directed toward the Mahayana.

In that great assembly were the great bodhisattva Manjusri Kumara and a deva named Ratnakara.

At that time, the deva Ratnakara thought: “If today the Blessed One were to command Bodhisattva Manjusri to expound the Dharma, the palaces of Mara would all become dark and lose their majesty; Mara Papiyan would be filled with sorrow; the hosts of maras would be skillfully subdued; those of overweening pride would have their pride destroyed; those who claim personal attainments and cultivate well would attain the fruits of the ascetic life; those who have already attained those fruits would advance still further; the lineage of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha would continue without interruption; many beings would arouse the aspiration for bodhi; and the Tathagata’s bodhi, accumulated throughout innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, would long endure.

Whether while the Tathagata remains in the world or after his nirvana, beings would always hear this Dharma and, according to the vehicle toward which they incline, swiftly attain cessation.”

Knowing the thought in the mind of the deva Ratnakara, the Blessed One said to Bodhisattva Manjusri, “Manjusri, you should expound a little Dharma to this great assembly. Those in this assembly now wish to hear the Dharma from you.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Blessed One, what Dharma should I expound?”

The Buddha said, “You should speak about the causes and conditions of the essential nature of the Dharma realm.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Blessed One, all dharmas are the essential nature of the Dharma realm. Outside the Dharma realm, nothing can be heard. Why does the Blessed One tell me to expound the Dharma on the basis of the Dharma realm?”

The Buddha said, “Manjusri, if arrogant beings hear this Dharma, they will certainly become frightened and astonished.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Blessed One, the essential nature of the Dharma realm knows no fear or astonishment. That very fear and astonishment is itself the essential nature of the Dharma realm.”

Sariputra asked Bodhisattva Manjusri, “Manjusri, if all dharmas are the essential nature of the Dharma realm, where can beings have defilement or purity?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, these beings, through the inverted view of a self, grasp at self and what belongs to self. Such ordinary beings produce the perception of self, cling to the perception of self, and cling to the perception of others, thereby giving rise to mind and mental factors. Those minds and mental factors create wholesome or unwholesome karma. With such karmic activities as causes, those beings receive their corresponding results. Where there is birth, there is defilement. That very defilement is the essential nature of the Dharma realm.

“Venerable Sariputra, knowing that defilement is the essential nature of the Dharma realm is called purity. Yet in ultimate truth, there is neither defilement nor any dharma that is defiled or purified.”

When Bodhisattva Manjusri expounded this Dharma, five hundred bhiksus exhausted their afflictions and attained undefiled minds.

Sariputra said to Bodhisattva Manjusri, “This Dharma realm that you have explained is free from error. After you expounded this Dharma, more than five hundred bhiksus exhausted their afflictions and attained undefiled minds.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, was this Dharma realm formerly bound and has it now been liberated?”

Sariputra replied, “Manjusri, this Dharma realm was not formerly bound and has not now been liberated.”

Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, in what place, then, have the minds of these bhiksus now been liberated?”

Sariputra said, “Manjusri, those thus disciplined among the sravakas are very numerous; they have all exhausted their afflictions and attained liberation of mind.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, are you a sravaka disciple of the Buddha?”

Sariputra replied, “Yes, indeed. I am a sravaka disciple of the Buddha.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, did you exhaust the afflictions and attain an undefiled, liberated mind?”

Sariputra replied, “I attained an undefiled, liberated mind.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, with which mind did you attain liberation? Was it the past mind, the future mind, or the present mind?

“Venerable One, the past mind has ceased, the future mind has not yet arrived, and the present mind does not abide. With which mind did you attain liberation?”

Sariputra replied, “Manjusri, it was not the past mind that attained liberation, nor was it the future or present mind that attained liberation.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable One, why then do you say that the mind attained liberation?”

Sariputra replied, “Manjusri, according to conventional truth, it is said that the mind attains liberation. In ultimate truth, there is no bound mind and no liberated mind.”

Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, do you intend to make the essential nature of the Dharma realm possess both conventional truth and ultimate truth?”

Sariputra replied, “Manjusri, the essential nature of the Dharma realm has neither conventional truth nor ultimate truth.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable One, why then do you say that according to conventional truth the mind attains liberation?”

Sariputra replied, “Manjusri, is there no mind that attains liberation?”

Manjusri said, “Venerable Sariputra, if the mind existed internally, externally, or between the two, it could attain liberation. But because the mind exists neither internally, externally, nor between the two, there is neither bondage nor liberation.”

At that time, two hundred bhiksus in the great assembly heard the words of Bodhisattva Manjusri, rose from their seats, and said, “If there is no liberation and no liberated mind, why did we leave the household life to practice? If there is nothing transcending the world, why should we practice?”

Having spoken these harsh words, the two hundred bhiksus abandoned the assembly and departed.

Wishing to discipline that group of bhiksus, Bodhisattva Manjusri conjured a bhiksu who met them on the road. When the group reached the conjured bhiksu, they asked, “Venerable One, from where have you come?”

The conjured bhiksu replied, “Venerable Ones, at the place where Manjusri was teaching, I did not understand, did not know, did not believe, and did not incline toward his teaching. Therefore, I abandoned the assembly and came here.”

The group of bhiksus said, “So did we. Because we did not understand, did not know, did not believe, and did not incline toward his teaching, we abandoned the assembly and came here.”

The conjured bhiksu asked, “Venerable Ones, what was it in Bodhisattva Manjusri’s teaching that displeased you and caused you to leave?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “Venerable One, Bodhisattva Manjusri said that there is no progress toward the fruit, no realization of the fruit, and no liberation. We thought to ourselves: If there is no progress toward the fruit, no realization of the fruit, and no liberation, what meaning is there in our cultivation of the holy life? If there is nothing transcending the world, why should we practice? Thinking in this way, we departed.”

The conjured bhiksu asked, “Did you leave because you did not understand, because you slandered him, or because you reviled him?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “Venerable One, we did not slander or revile him. We departed only because we could not see liberation.”

The conjured bhiksu then praised them, saying, “Excellent, excellent, Venerable Ones! We should now reason together. Since there was no reviling, there was no contention. Freedom from contention is the foremost Dharma of an ascetic.

“What is the form and appearance of your minds? Are they blue, yellow, red, white, purple, or crystal-colored? Are they real or unreal? Permanent or impermanent? Form or non-form?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “Venerable One, the mind is not form. It cannot be seen, has no shape or image, offers no resistance to touch, has no location, and cannot be indicated.”

The conjured bhiksu said, “Venerable Ones, since the mind is not form, cannot be seen, has no shape or image, offers no resistance to touch, has no location, and cannot be indicated, does that mind exist internally, externally, or between the internal and external?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “It does not.”

The conjured bhiksu said, “Venerable Ones, since your minds have no form, offer no resistance to touch, have no location, cannot be indicated, and exist neither internally, externally, nor between the two, are they truly established?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “They are not.”

The conjured bhiksu said, “Venerable Ones, if the mind is unreal and not established, how could it be liberated?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “It could not.”

The conjured bhiksu said, “Venerable Ones, for this reason Bodhisattva Manjusri said that the essential nature of the Dharma realm has neither defilement nor purity. Venerable Ones, because, as inverted ordinary beings, you grasp at self and what belongs to self, you produce minds that move among various objects and give rise to discriminating conditions. All such dependently discriminated dharmas arise and cease, do not abide, change, and pass away; they are capable of being extinguished by the truth of cessation.

“If the mind takes as its objects leaving the household life, receiving full ordination, cultivating the path, and attaining its fruits, the essential nature of that mind is empty and unreal, arising only from deluded conception. If it is a deluded conception and unreal, then it is neither born, abiding, nor ceasing. Since it has neither birth, abiding, nor cessation, it has neither bondage nor liberation, neither progress toward the fruit nor realization of the fruit.

“For this reason, Bodhisattva Manjusri said that the essential nature of the Dharma realm is neither defiled nor pure, and that there is neither progress nor realization and no liberation.”

Upon hearing the conjured bhiksu’s explanation, the group of bhiksus attained undefiled liberation.

Having attained liberation, they immediately returned to Bodhisattva Manjusri. Each removed his upper robe and offered it to Bodhisattva Manjusri, saying, “Manjusri, you have skillfully protected us. Because we lacked faith and inclination toward this Dharma that disciplines the profound mind, we left and departed.”

Subhuti asked, “Venerable Ones, what did you attain and what did you awaken to, that you each removed your upper robe and offered it to Bodhisattva Manjusri?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “Venerable Subhuti, because we have now attained nothing and awakened to nothing, we make offerings to Bodhisattva Manjusri.

“Venerable Subhuti, previously, because we entertained the notion that there was something to attain, we abandoned the assembly and departed. Now that we have abandoned the notion of something to attain, we have returned.”

Subhuti said, “Why do you speak in this way?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “Venerable Subhuti, clinging to names is agitation and attachment. If a person has agitation and attachment, there is neither progress nor attainment.

“Venerable Subhuti, where there is neither progress nor attainment, all agitation and attachment can be ended.”

Subhuti asked, “Who disciplined you?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “Venerable Subhuti, one who has nothing to attain and nothing to awaken to disciplined us.

“That person is neither born nor enters cessation, is neither in meditative concentration nor distracted in mind.”

Subhuti asked, “Who disciplined you?”

The group of bhiksus replied, “You should ask Bodhisattva Manjusri.”

Then Ananda asked Bodhisattva Manjusri, “Who disciplined these bhiksus?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Venerable Ananda, one who has no skandhas, dhatus, or ayatanas; who is neither an ordinary being, a sravaka, a pratyekabuddha, a bodhisattva, nor a Tathagata; and who corresponds neither to body, speech, nor mind.”

Ananda asked, “Manjusri, of whom are you speaking?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Venerable Ananda, if the Tathagata conjures an illusory person, does that illusory person possess correspondence?”

Ananda replied, “Manjusri, an illusory person has no dharma by which it could either correspond or fail to correspond.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said, “Venerable Ananda, the essential nature of all dharmas is illusory. It was that illusion which disciplined this group of bhiksus.

“Venerable Ananda, just as an illusion disciplines, so too are all sravakas. Such discipline is true discipline. If a person does not understand discipline in this way, you should know that person to be of overweening pride.”

Ananda asked, “Manjusri, can a bhiksu of overweening pride be recognized?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Venerable Ananda, regarding the purified aggregate of morality as agitation—know this to be overweening pride.

“Regarding the purified aggregates of concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation as agitation—know this to be overweening pride.

“Thinking, ‘I have attained; I have realized,’ is agitated deluded conception—know this to be overweening pride.

“To fear the view of a self, yet not be like empty space; to enter the single path, yet hold even emptiness—such statements, though regarded as correct teaching, should be known as overweening pride.

“If a bhiksu says, ‘The view of a self is empty, up to and including entrance into the single path being empty; not being so is impartial emptiness,’ know this to be overweening pride.

“Why is this?

“Venerable Ananda, the view of a self is said to be distinct from emptiness. Because of this distinction, the view of a self is itself empty. Emptiness is spoken of together with what is distinct; it is not said that the distinct itself is emptiness.

“Venerable Ananda, if one fears ignorance, existence, and craving, yet rejoices in attaining illumination and liberation, know this to be overweening pride.

“Why is this? Because wherever there are two characteristics, there is no liberation.

“Venerable Ananda, if a bhiksu fears greed, hatred, and delusion but rejoices in the three liberations; fears the four inversions but rejoices in the four marks; fears the five hindrances but rejoices in the five faculties; fears the six ayatanas but rejoices in the six superknowledges; fears the seven stations of consciousness but rejoices in the seven factors of awakening; fears the eight wrong paths but rejoices in the Noble Eightfold Path; fears the nine abodes of beings but rejoices in the nine successive concentrations; fears the ten unwholesome deeds but rejoices in the ten undefiled wholesome deeds; or fears the conditioned realm but rejoices in the unconditioned Dharma—know such a person to be of overweening pride.

“Why is this? Because all these are agitation and conceptual proliferation.

“Venerable Ananda, wherever there is agitation and conceptual proliferation, the mind becomes elevated and self-important, appropriates and relies upon deluded conceptions, and delights in what has been accomplished. Such things are called self-importance. From self-importance, pride is born.

“Such a bhiksu is called one of overweening pride. Why is this? Venerable Ananda, how could the conditioned realm be empty? That would be to introduce emptiness into emptiness. Know such a bhiksu to possess overweening pride.”

Ananda asked, “Manjusri, what is a bhiksu without overweening pride?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Venerable Ananda, if a bhiksu is tranquil within, then he is also tranquil without. Regarding all objects—equal or unequal, existent or nonexistent, conditioned or unconditioned—he has neither deluded agitation nor deluded conception; neither conception nor non-conception; neither duality nor unity; neither adornment nor non-adornment; no conceptual proliferation; and no attachment to initial views and understandings.

He is impartial toward all dharmas, yet has neither impartiality nor non-impartiality. There is not a single dharma that can be made impartial or non-impartial. Thus he neither moves nor wavers, has neither conception nor non-conception, does not cling, and does not even perceive deluded conception, much less progress toward liberation, attainment of a fruit, or realization through wisdom.

He is never agitated.

“Venerable Ananda, such a bhiksu has neither overweening pride nor conceptual proliferation. He is far removed from the characteristics of self and other and has abandoned all attachments, because all attachments are not attachment. He has left behind discriminative conditioning, initial and sustained thought, deliberation, deliberation upon liberation, and inclination toward liberation. There is no recipient; all is the tranquility of causes and the tranquility of conditions. He has crossed to the other shore of the body regarded as self and the body regarded as belonging to self, and he sees nothing that constitutes liberation, progress along the path, or realization.

“If a bhiksu practices in this way, he has no overweening pride because of impartial emptiness. He clearly knows that all dharmas are equal, without higher or lower—whether wholesome or unwholesome, to be done or not to be done, defiled or undefiled, worldly or world-transcending, conditioned or unconditioned. All such higher and lower dharmas and agitations are nothing but deluded conceptions, yet he neither sees nor knows them as such. He sees all these dharmas impartially, like empty space.

“Venerable Ananda, if a bhiksu understands in this way, he is called well liberated. Such a bhiksu has no overweening pride.

“For this reason, the Tathagata has said: If a bhiksu understands all dharmas to be impartial, like empty space—

“Just as touching empty space touches and moves nothing, so too is the Dharma of an ascetic.”

When Bodhisattva Manjusri spoke these words, two hundred bhiksus in the great assembly completely exhausted their afflictions and attained undefiled liberation.

The deva Ratnakara asked Bodhisattva Manjusri, “What is a bodhisattva without overweening pride? Please explain it in accordance with reality.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Deva, suppose a bodhisattva possesses the mind of omniscience, the mind unequaled and equal to the unequaled, and the mind supreme in the three realms, surpassing all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. He establishes the mind by means of external objects, yet also cultivates all roots of goodness for advancement, for teaching beings, and for embracing the true Dharma. He teaches other beings and other persons about the mind of omniscience.

That mind understands in accordance with reality that its original essence is impartial. In accordance with what he has heard concerning the essential nature of his own mind, he understands the essential nature of the minds of all beings. By understanding the essential nature of all dharmas, he understands the essential nature of all roots of goodness.

By understanding the essential nature of all roots of goodness, he understands and expounds the essential nature of a bodhisattva.

“This is called a bodhisattva’s prophecy spoken in accordance with reality.

“Furthermore, Deva, if a bodhisattva practices giving, then whatever is given, whatever aspiration accompanies the gift, and all other aspects of giving are entirely unobstructed. His giving has no basis, and he neither clings, conceives, nor cognizes. Because it is not cognized, it is empty. If he can attain this, he understands the essential nature of giving. By understanding the essential nature of giving, he understands the essential nature of reality. By understanding the essential nature of reality, he understands the essential nature of all dharmas. By understanding the essential nature of all dharmas, he understands the essential nature of all beings. By understanding the essential nature of all beings, he expounds the essential nature of a bodhisattva.

“Deva Ratnakara, this is called a prophecy spoken because of the purity of a bodhisattva’s giving.

“Furthermore, Deva, if a bodhisattva understands the body, he understands morality; if he understands speech, he understands morality; and if he understands mind, he understands morality. By understanding body and speech, he understands the tranquility of conception. By understanding the tranquility of conception, he understands the tranquility of beings. By understanding the tranquility of beings, he understands the tranquility of all dharmas. By understanding the tranquility of all dharmas, he understands the tranquility of the ultimate limit of reality. By understanding the tranquility of the ultimate limit of reality, he attains the tranquility of dharmas, the tranquility of causes, and the tranquility of conditions. Whatever Dharma he hears, he is able to proclaim its tranquility.

“Deva, this is called a prophecy spoken in accordance with reality because of the purity of a bodhisattva’s morality.

“Furthermore, Deva, suppose a bodhisattva knows the ultimate emptiness of the Dharma-nature and knows the ultimate freedom of the Dharma-nature. He can patiently endure the malicious acts of beings, yet his mind gives rise to no notion of patient endurance. He does not think of external matters, does not oppose beings, and can extinguish every evil.

As is the nature of beings, so too is the essential nature of patience. As is the essential nature of patience, so too is the nature of bodhi. As is the nature of bodhi, so too is the essential nature of all dharmas.

Just as he knows in accordance with reality the essential nature of all dharmas, so too is the suchness of dharmas. What is heard is equal to the exhaustion of the Dharma-nature, and the realm of the Dharma-nature is ultimately empty. The ultimate emptiness of the Dharma-nature is called the practice of conforming patience.

“This is called a prophecy spoken concerning a bodhisattva’s genuinely purified patience.

“Furthermore, Deva, a bodhisattva carefully knows all practices of dharmas, leaves behind all deliberation, and, without adornments, perfects the practice of equanimous diligence. Whatever he does is also without doing, and his steadfast knowledge can relinquish everything. Inwardly his nature is tranquil; outwardly he transforms beings. Because he knows the tranquility of diligence, bodhi is tranquil. Because he knows the tranquility of bodhi, he knows the tranquility of all dharmas. Because he knows the tranquility of all dharmas, he knows the tranquility of the ultimate limit of reality. Because the nature of diligence in the Dharma he has heard is tranquil, he can proclaim all of it.

“This is called a prophecy spoken in accordance with reality concerning a bodhisattva’s purified diligence.

“Furthermore, Deva, if a bodhisattva enters the dhyana in which all dharmas are equal, neither increasing nor diminishing, his mind abides through the power of dhyana. Because it rests and abides, consciousness has no abiding place, and therefore the mind of the seven factors of awakening is impartial. Because the mind of the seven factors of awakening is impartial, he attains impartial meditative concentration.

Because he attains impartial meditative concentration, he knows bodhi to be impartial. Because he knows bodhi to be impartial, he knows all beings to be impartial. Because he knows all beings to be impartial, he knows all dharmas to be impartial.

If he knows the impartiality of dharmas in this way, then in accordance with whatever Dharma he hears, he can proclaim the impartial essential nature of all dharmas.

“This is called a prophecy spoken in accordance with reality concerning a bodhisattva’s purified meditative concentration.

“Furthermore, Deva, suppose a bodhisattva has the purified eye of wisdom and sees and knows in accordance with reality. Whatever dharma he sees among all dharmas, there is nothing seen and no agitation. He attains unmoving wisdom, without activity, cause, or condition.

He practices, yet does not practice the dharmas of proper conduct; nor does he fail to practice. By not practicing causes and conditions, he knows all dharmas to be impartial, without seeking and without practice. Why is this?

Non-practice is non-discrimination, the cessation of deluded conceptions, expectations, craving, and attachment. This is a bodhisattva’s abandonment of all possessions. Yet the bodhisattva also practices all the practices of beings in order to teach them, accumulate all dharmas conducive to bodhi, embrace the true Dharma, and prevent the lineage of the Three Jewels from being severed.

In the Tathagata’s sphere of practice, the purified essential nature of all dharmas is free from discrimination. Through the prajna of this purified essential nature, he knows the purified essential nature of bodhi. By knowing the purified essential nature of bodhi, he knows the purified essential nature of beings.

By knowing the purified essential nature of beings, he knows the purified essential nature of all dharmas. By knowing the purified essential nature of all dharmas, he attains knowledge in accordance with reality concerning the essential nature of dharmas. Because he attains knowledge in accordance with reality, he proclaims without discrimination whatever he has heard to be the nature of the Dharma realm.

“This is called a prophecy spoken in accordance with reality concerning a bodhisattva’s purified eye of wisdom.

“Furthermore, Deva Ratnakara, a bodhisattva contemplates the body and practices the foundation of mindfulness of the body. He knows that the past body has no boundary, that the future body has nowhere to go, and that the present body is like grass, trees, tiles, stones, walls, and partitions. If he can contemplate the body in this way, bodily practice is the practice of the essential nature of the body, accompanied by tranquil contemplation.

It neither arises nor deliberates and has no self-mastery. This is called leaving behind self-consciousness and, with nowhere to abide, cultivating the practice of the foundation of mindfulness of the body. There is no dharma of practice that can be attained, yet neither is there non-practice.

He knows that all dharmas have no essential nature, yet are not without nature. Contemplating the body in this way, he cultivates bodily practice.

“He contemplates feeling and mind as illusions and knows the mind to be like an echo. Knowing the mind in accordance with reality, he does not cling to pleasant feeling, does not suffer because of painful feeling, and does not lose right mindfulness amid feeling that is neither pleasant nor painful. He does not grasp ignorance, leaves feeling behind, and is not led about by feeling. This is called seeing and knowing the foundation of mindfulness of feeling in accordance with reality.

“If he can contemplate feeling in this way, the practitioner’s mind performs no activity regarding feeling and does not abide. Yet he does not abandon any of these states of mind, nor does he forget or depart from the mind of bodhi. This is called contemplating the mind and practicing the foundation of mindfulness of mind.

“He skillfully knows dharmas, sees dharmas, and practices dharmas, without mindfulness or deliberation. He enters the Dharma-nature, wherein there is no body, feeling, or mind. He does not contemplate the characteristics of dharmas, give rise to the practice of views, and thereby enter the Dharma-nature. This is called contemplating dharmas and practicing the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas. The essential nature of all dharmas is a composite aggregation without any entity, like empty space. In accordance with what he has heard, without conception or deliberation, he naturally expounds the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas.

“This is called clearly knowing the purified foundation of mindfulness of dharmas and speaking a prophecy.

“Furthermore, Deva Ratnakara, that bodhisattva attains mastery over the mind of omniscience. In accordance with the teachings, he abides correctly, neither giving himself away, becoming disturbed, nor losing mindfulness. From the initial arising of all roots of goodness, his stainless mind proceeds in practice, and wherever he practices, he can relinquish everything.

He reproaches the mind that violates morality but does not rely upon morality. His patience is without contention, and his body, speech, and mind harbor no anger toward beings. He does not arouse diligence toward the sravaka or pratyekabuddha vehicles.

He neither conceives nor deliberates upon any wholesome dharma. He does not rely upon dhyanas or successive concentrations. His mind performs no activity.

He does not see himself practicing views, nor does he practice any dharma. He enters all dharmas as the noble ones do and performs no activity regarding any object. Although he dwells near those who are not noble, his bodily, verbal, and mental karma is never reproachable.

He does not seek wholesome dharmas merely through faith. He travels alone without companions. Wishing personally to transcend worldly conduct, he practices diligence.

He has permanently ended greed, hatred, and delusion, and his mind is free of affliction. Because he does not violate morality, he also does not associate closely with those who practice evil conduct. He is free of flattery because his inward conduct is pure.

He speaks no scattered words because his verbal karma is pure. He has no seeking because he is content with what he has. He is no one’s servant because he does not live by wrong livelihood.

He does not accumulate because he is content with whatever he obtains. He has no expectations because he has left behind desire for the three realms. He is content because he has left behind erroneous seeking.

He is tranquil because he understands that all dharmas are tranquil. He appears angry and foolish because he has abandoned worldly conduct. He is free of conceptual proliferation because he has ended all conceptual proliferation.

He will not be born again because he has ended craving, hatred, and delusion. He thirsts for the true Dharma because he has subdued pride. He is easy to understand because his mind is well disciplined.

He is well protected because he protects the aggregate of morality. He is well liberated because his aggregate of wisdom is pure. He does not abandon the path because he practices the lineage of the noble ones.

He is irreversible because his aspiration for bodhi is complete and ultimate. He has nothing to use because all worldly practices are thus. He is free of contention because he regards all beings impartially.

He protects himself well because he protects others. He disciplines his own mind because he does not seek the faults of others. He has left all expectations because his observance of morality is pure.

He expounds the Dharma extensively because he is free from stinginess. He delights in protecting because he protects the minds of all beings. He is one who has first aroused the aspiration because he gathers all wholesome dharmas.

He has no divergent practice because he has attained the single flavor of all dharmas. He is unmoving because he has ended all agitation. He does not consider lineage because he teaches beings.

He regards beings impartially because he embraces all beings. He is one who first contemplates emptiness because of all dharmas. He disciplines all views because he teaches skillfully.

He is without perception and formation because he disciplines the perceptions and formations of beings. He knows wishlessness because his aspirations have been fulfilled and skillfully disciplined. He knows all because he contemplates signlessness.

He practices goodness because he is never satisfied. He contemplates things while possessing nothing because he demonstrates that what is not a thing is a thing. He does not deliberate or examine because self is tranquil.

He has no self because, in teaching beings, he contemplates and attains non-self. Nothing is not the practice of the path for him, because he teaches beings to leave the fetters behind. His mind of skillful means has reached perfection because he cultivates prajna.

His determined nature does not change because he will never realize the sravaka or pratyekabuddha vehicles. He has left behind the path and non-path because of ultimate truth. He has left behind practice and non-practice because all ordinary beings realize right practice.

He is neither adorned nor unadorned because he neither possesses nor expects any dharma. He does not praise himself because he does not conceptually proliferate about others. He possesses the wisdom unequaled and equal to the unequaled because he is complete in the Buddha-Dharma.

He possesses patience concerning the non-arising of dharmas because he patiently accepts the non-arising and non-ceasing of all dharmas.

“This is called a bodhisattva’s attainment of mastery.

“Deva Ratnakara, wherever a bodhisattva is born, he is not born without knowledge but is born through knowledge. That bodhisattva freely embraces birth and death and also fully perfects the Buddha-Dharma. Yet that bodhisattva does not wander helplessly through birth and death. Through the power of his original vows, wherever he is born, he attains sovereign wisdom. This is called a bodhisattva’s attainment of sovereign wisdom.

“A bodhisattva is not said to possess sovereign wisdom because he has attained a limit. If he does not sever all roots of goodness, this is called a bodhisattva’s attainment of sovereign wisdom.

“A bodhisattva is not said to possess sovereign wisdom because he has attained roots of goodness. Being insatiable regarding roots of goodness is called sovereign wisdom.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he is not born in the three realms. Being born in the three realms in order to teach beings is called sovereignty.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he has left behind his own fetters. Diligently cultivating vigor so that beings may end their fetters is called a bodhisattva’s attainment of sovereign wisdom.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign for his own sake. He is called sovereign because he pacifies the suffering and distress of all beings.

“A bodhisattva is not sovereign because he abandons beings. He is called sovereign because he embraces and teaches beings.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he himself has ended greed, hatred, and delusion. He is called sovereign because he ends the greed, hatred, delusion, and fetters of all beings.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he himself realizes the truth of cessation. He is called sovereign because he realizes the truth of cessation for the sake of beings.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he himself has ended the afflictions. A bodhisattva is called sovereign because, in order to increase roots of goodness, he does not end the afflictions.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he has realized the three gates of liberation. A bodhisattva is called sovereign because he clearly understands the three gates of liberation.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he personally quiesces and extinguishes the five skandhas. He is called sovereign because he removes the heavy burdens of all beings.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he extinguishes the six faculties. He is called sovereign because he knows the superior and inferior capacities of beings.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because the constituent of birth has been utterly extinguished. A bodhisattva is called sovereign because he does not sever the constituent of birth.

“A bodhisattva is not called sovereign because he attains the liberating fruit of a sravaka or pratyekabuddha.

“A bodhisattva is called sovereign because, at the seat of awakening, he attains the fruit of liberation for the benefit of all beings.”

When Bodhisattva Manjusri thus expounded the Chapter on Mastery, thirty-two thousand devas in the great assembly all aroused the aspiration for supreme, true, and perfect awakening.

The Blessed One praised him, saying, “Excellent, excellent! You have skillfully explained the prophecy of all bodhisattvas. Manjusri, if a bodhisattva hears such an explanation of a bodhisattva’s prophecy, believes and understands it wholeheartedly, and is not frightened, all Buddha-Tathagatas will bestow upon that person the prophecy of supreme, true awakening.”

The deva Ratnakara said to Bodhisattva Manjusri, “You have now expounded prophecy in this manner.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Deva, when I speak a prophecy, do I possess such a dharma? If there is anyone who understands it clearly, then I speak a prophecy.

“Deva, I now attain not even a single dharma and understand none. How, then, could I speak a prophecy?”

The deva Ratnakara asked, “Manjusri, do the Buddha-Blessed Ones as numerous as the sands of the Ganges not attain the fruit through understanding and progress?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Deva, the Buddha-Blessed Ones do not expound the Dharma for the sake of understanding progress and attaining a fruit.”

The deva asked, “Manjusri, how do the Buddha-Blessed Ones expound the Dharma?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri replied, “Deva, the Buddha-Blessed Ones expound the Dharma without discriminating essential nature. Neither arising nor ceasing, without cause or condition, neither going nor coming, neither possessing beings nor lacking beings, neither defiled nor purified, neither samsara nor nirvana—the Buddha-Blessed Ones expound the Dharma in this way.”

The deva asked Bodhisattva Manjusri, “If the Buddha-Blessed Ones do not expound the Dharma for the sake of nirvana, why is it said that a Buddha appears in the world?”