大寶積經

Again, Shariputra! When practicing the perfection of morality, because a great bodhisattva has thus perfected pure morality, he constantly regards conditioned formations as things in which one should take no delight; regards beings as his parents; regards sentient beings as difficult to safeguard; regards the exquisite five sensual pleasures as not exquisite; and regards sensory awareness as non-awareness. Having formed such views, he gives rise neither to a mind of equality nor inequality.

Why is this? When a bodhisattva contemplates in this way, if a mind of inequality should arise, he should transform the defiled mind of inequality, reflecting: Dependent upon the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The arising and cessation of the defiled mind are both due to seeds from which that mental substance develops; regarding the object taken as its condition, the deluded mind considers it pure.

If, upon reflection, one knows this to be irrational and intrinsically impure, one is liberated. If one is liberated from it, it is exhausted. Where is it exhausted?

Greed is exhausted, hatred is exhausted, and delusion is exhausted. Yet such exhaustion is not the exhaustion of greed, hatred, and delusion. Why?

If greed were extinguished in a single instant, there would have to be one greed and another exhaustion. It would then follow that greed was real and exhaustion was real. If greed were real, it could not be utterly extinguished.

Yet, Shariputra, all sentient beings give rise to sensual desire because they do not reflect correctly and do not attend in accordance with reason. Upon examination, sensual desire arises from discrimination. If there is no discrimination, emotional attachment ceases; if emotional attachment ceases, there is no substantial reality. Because there is no substantial reality, there is no greed therein; because there is no greed, that is true reality. If it is true reality, there is no suffering therein. Because there is no suffering, there is no burning affliction. Because there is no burning affliction, that is true reality. If it is true reality, there is no fever therein. Because there is no fever, there is coolness; and coolness is nirvana. In nirvana there is no craving.

Why is this? Shariputra, nirvana is without deliberation such as: “I must eliminate that craving.” It is said that nirvana is attained because craving has been exhausted. If that were so, the one who craves would be one thing, the object craved another, and nirvana yet another. If these were different, what is there would be there. If what is there were there, the wise should investigate its actual locus. Having investigated, they find no solid reality. If there is no solid reality, it is false. If it is false, it is quiescent. If it is quiescent, it is empty. Empty of what dharma? There is no self or possession of self, whether permanent, eternal, abiding, or unchanging; thus there is no sentient being and no experiencer. Therefore, there is no arising of greed, hatred, or delusion.

– Shariputra! Why are there notions of self and possessions of self, with the attachments, “This is myself; this belongs to me”? Because of the inverted attachment to self, one becomes attached to possessions of self. Because of attachment to possessions of self, there is action. Within action, four kinds of activity arise: bodily action, verbal action, mental action, and, from mental deliberation, harsh speech; from these one then employs the body to inflict harm.

– Shariputra! All foolish ordinary beings, because they give rise to the perception that self and others are different, are seized and bound by that perception.

Because a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of morality, he clearly knows this to be an inversion and consequently does not become intimate with conditioned formations. Why? Familiarity gives rise to fear. A great bodhisattva thinks: “Now, because I seek fearlessness in order to liberate beings, I should not give rise to fear regarding them; I must be affectionate toward them.”

– Shariputra! How does a great bodhisattva regard beings as his parents?

– Shariputra! When practicing the perfection of morality, a great bodhisattva thinks: “From the distant past until now, there has not been a single being who has not been my father or mother. Every being has certainly once been my father or mother. Because I gave rise to greed toward them, I abandoned the perception of them as my mother; because I gave rise to hatred, I abandoned the perception of them as my father, and thus have continually wandered through birth and death without end.” Having reflected in this way, the great bodhisattva regards all beings as his own kin.

– Shariputra! In the past, innumerable, immeasurable, inconceivable kalpas ago, a Buddha named Supreme Among Multitudes appeared in the world, complete with the ten epithets: Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, the Blessed One. That Buddha lived for nine kotis of years and assembled with nine koti nayutas of great shravakas. At that time there was a bodhisattva named Mindfulness Attained, born in the royal palace. His body was handsome and lovely, endowed with perfectly pure and foremost physical marks. When the bodhisattva was newly born, his royal father bestowed upon him eighty-four thousand young palace women; his relatives also presented him with eighty-four thousand beautiful young palace women; and his royal father’s friends likewise presented him with eighty-four thousand beautiful young palace women, wishing that there would be attendants to serve the bodhisattva when he grew up.

The royal father also built three seasonal palaces for the bodhisattva: a palace for the hot season, a palace for the rainy season, and a palace for the cold season, so that the bodhisattva might dwell as he pleased according to the season. He further bestowed a hundred thousand musicians to entertain him.

Whenever the sounds of music arose, that bodhisattva formed the perception of impermanent arising and cessation. When the music temporarily ceased, he investigated upon what its sounds depended in order to arise, where they were born, from where they ceased, and where they vanished. While contemplating in this way, he no longer perceived any distinction between day and night, but constantly maintained the perception of impermanence and the perception that there was nothing delightful or desirable in the world.

– Shariputra! For forty thousand years, the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained was never intoxicated by music; and for another forty thousand years, he was never defiled by attachment to the five sensual pleasures.

At that time, within the inner palace, the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained entered the four meditative absorptions and developed the five superknowledges. Through the power of supernatural ability, he flew into the sky and went directly to the place of the Tathagata Supreme Among Multitudes. Having requested and received a little of the true Dharma, he returned to his own palace.

On the day the Tathagata Supreme Among Multitudes entered nirvana, the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained again went to the Buddha’s dwelling and asked the bhikshus, “Where is the Tathagata now? I wish to attend upon him and make offerings.” The bhikshus told him that the Buddha Supreme Among Multitudes had entered nirvana. Upon hearing that the Buddha had entered nirvana, the bodhisattva fell unconscious to the ground. After a long while he revived and spoke these verses:

The wisdom-sun who illumined the world,

Who reached the farther shore of all dharmas—

While I dwelt in heedlessness,

Why did I deceive myself?

Only once in hundreds of thousands of koti kalpas

Does a Buddha appear in the world,

Yet I did not attend and serve him;

In whom can I now take refuge for deliverance?

As I reflect upon myself,

My mother did not know how to love me.

Why did she not tell me,

So that I might have seen the Buddha sooner?

My father also did not know how to love me,

But buried me in the five sensual pleasures.

Imprisoned by them,

I did not draw near to serve the Tathagata.

I did not hear the Buddha’s words,

His sixty wondrous tones.

My life has lost its wholesome benefit

Because I did not attend upon the Buddha.

The greatly compassionate one who saved the world,

Who reached the farther shore of all dharmas—

I was seized by pride and heedlessness

And did not draw near to serve the Blessed One.

Throughout a thousand koti nayuta kalpas,

The Buddhas are difficult to behold.

I did not endeavor to make offerings,

But came only after he had entered cessation.

Now I further reflect

That neither my father nor mother treated me well.

When I had just reached maturity,

Why did they not remind me of the Buddha,

So that I might have beheld him,

Constantly remained near the Tathagata,

Continually made offerings,

And heard the true Dharma?

The Tathagata proclaimed the teaching

In sixty wondrous tones,

Yet I never heard them;

I came only after he entered cessation.

Now I have lost this wholesome benefit;

I came only after his nirvana.

No one can speak the wondrous Dharma

As the Buddha formerly spoke it.

– Shariputra! The Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained went beside the couch upon which the Tathagata Supreme Among Multitudes had entered nirvana and wept bitterly. After circumambulating the Tathagata’s couch to the right hundreds of thousands of times, he stood to one side and spoke these verses:

The Buddha is the honored one among all beings,

Who reveals and proclaims the unsurpassed wondrous Dharma.

I now give rise to a sincere resolve

To attain that supreme bodhi.

I now reverently bow at the Tathagata’s feet,

Before the greatly wise one whose words are true.

May I attain that same wisdom,

Identical to the wisdom attained by the Buddha.

Formerly I was base and without wisdom,

Fallen among the hosts of Mara and outsiders.

Household and palace life imposed many constraints,

And I could not draw near the Buddha to serve him.

I once cultivated sublime and excellent merit,

And through it was briefly able to see the Tathagata;

But I did not receive the Buddha’s extensive instruction,

And therefore now endure immense grief.

Before the assemblies of devas and nagas,

I now make this sincere and truthful vow:

If my aspiration is true,

May all be fulfilled exactly as I have spoken.

May I, in future lives,

Whenever the Buddha-Tathagatas appear in the world,

Perceive the extremely profound meaning and its vast application,

And proclaim the true, unsurpassed Dharma.

May I not be born amid any obstructing difficulty;

May I take no pleasure in approaching the five sensual pleasures;

May I remain sovereign over forms and not be swayed by them;

May I demolish the prison-house of Mara’s army.

In life after life, may I always behold the Buddhas,

Hear the unsurpassed Dharma directly in their presence,

Give rise to pure faith upon seeing the Buddha as my teacher,

And, having given rise to faith, cultivate all practices.

If the sincere vow I have made

Will certainly be fulfilled and not prove vain,

May the Tathagata rise and sit again,

Like one suddenly awakening from deep sleep.

– Shariputra! When the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained had finished speaking these sincere words, the Tathagata Supreme Among Multitudes, who lay there having entered nirvana, suddenly sat up. Then hundreds of thousands of kotis of devas scattered supremely exquisite robes as offerings. The Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained rejoiced, sprang into the sky, and spoke these verses:

The greatly compassionate one who illumines the world,

The great Guide possessed of great supernatural powers,

The greatly awakened one upon whom the world relies,

The one who proclaims the wondrous, unsurpassed true Dharma.

– Shariputra! After the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained had praised the Buddha in verse, wishing to increase the assembly’s joy, he spoke these verses before the Buddha:

In a future life I shall become a Buddha,

Appearing in the world to liberate beings like the Blessed One.

The great assembly should emulate and learn this,

Preparing every kind of offering for the Buddha.

The inconceivable refuge of the world—

Who could see the Buddha and not revere him?

The Buddha, loving us and all beings,

Having entered nirvana, has risen and sat again.

– Shariputra! In the true Dharma of the Tathagata Supreme Among Multitudes, the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained arranged great offerings and planted roots of goodness. Through the power of those wholesome roots, after his life ended he was born in the heavenly realms. For twenty koti great kalpas he did not fall into an evil destiny, and for another twenty koti great kalpas he did not experience sensual pleasure. During that period, the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained drew near and made offerings to seven thousand Buddhas. Seeking unsurpassed bodhi, he constantly cultivated the holy life. In his final kalpa, during the latter age, through the power generated by his wholesome roots he obtained a supreme body and attained perfect enlightenment. He was named the Tathagata Sala King, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, the Blessed One. He lived for twenty kotis of years and held two Dharma assemblies with his disciples. The first assembly contained twenty kotis of great shravaka disciples. The second contained forty thousand great shravaka disciples. All were great arhats who had exhausted their afflictions, possessed great power, attained mastery of mind, and reached the farther shore. After the Buddha Sala King entered nirvana, his relics were widely distributed and stupas were built as offerings. The true Dharma remained in the world for a full ten thousand years.”

The Blessed One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

“Shariputra, you should know

That the Bodhisattva Mindfulness Attained

For twenty koti kalpas

Did not fall into an evil destiny.

And for an equal length of time,

He did not approach sensual desire.

During that period,

He encountered seven thousand Buddhas,

Delighted in the Buddha-Dharma,

And constantly cultivated pure conduct.

Finally he realized bodhi

As the Buddha named Sala King.

Having realized unsurpassed awakening,

He benefited all beings.

For twenty kotis of years,

He extensively proclaimed the subtle Dharma.

The first assembly numbered twenty kotis;

The second assembly, forty thousand.

All were great arhats,

Noble disciples of the Buddha.

After the Buddha entered cessation,

His relics were widely distributed.

Sixty thousand koti

Sacred stupas were built as offerings.

The true Dharma remained in the world

For a full ten thousand years.

Those who hear the Buddha’s true teaching

And give rise to pure faith—

The Buddha proclaims the true Dharma,

And the wise have no doubt—

Will never fall into evil destinies

And will swiftly realize great nirvana.

Again, Shariputra! Because a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of morality, his aggregate of morality is pure, and he regards beings as his parents. The great bodhisattva thinks: “In the past, because of a greedy mind, I abandoned the perception of others as my mother; because of a hateful mind, I abandoned the perception of others as my father. Now I practice the perfection of morality and abide in pure morality, always regarding the five sensual pleasures with revulsion and detachment.” Because he reflects correctly in this way, the great bodhisattva can clearly know the characteristics of the five sensual pleasures and can also clearly know that they are to be rejected and abandoned.

What are the characteristics of the five sensual pleasures, and what is revulsion toward them?

What is called desire is craving. Forms cognized through greedy eye-consciousness are called sensual pleasures. Sounds cognized through greedy ear-consciousness are called sensual pleasures. Odors cognized through greedy nose-consciousness are called sensual pleasures. Flavors cognized through greedy tongue-consciousness are called sensual pleasures. Tangible objects cognized through greedy body-consciousness are called sensual pleasures. Where there is craving, there is attachment. Attachment is called a fetter. A fetter is called activation. Activation is called bondage. It is also called unreal conceptual proliferation.

– Shariputra! All beings are bound, wrapped, universally bound, and increasingly bound everywhere by that unreal conceptual proliferation and cannot attain liberation.

– Shariputra! By what are all beings fettered, such that they are called bound? They are bound by forms and bound by sounds, odors, flavors, and tangible objects; therefore they are called bound.

Furthermore, what is bondage by form? Regarding the forms possessed by their own bodies, they deludedly form the perceptions of a self, a living principle, a sentient being, something permanent and eternal, something unchanging, real, whole, and unified. These perceptions are called bondage by form.

– Shariputra! What is called the fetter of form? Having given rise to the characteristic of self regarding their own being, they greatly cherish and value it and develop intense self-love; they cling without cease to wives, concubines, and relatives. This is called being bound by form.

– Shariputra! After enjoying sensual pleasures, these beings create unwholesome karma and do not truly understand the faults of the five sensual pleasures.

– Shariputra! None of the five sensual pleasures is free of fault. Therefore, the wise should not crave anything blameworthy. Falling into evil destinies, however, is the grave fault of sensual desire. The Buddha will reveal its characteristics to you.

– Shariputra! Why is the tendency to fall into evil destinies called the grave fault of the five sensual pleasures?

– Shariputra! Those who habitually approach sensual desire commit every kind of evil, without exception. When that karma ripens, they undergo every kind of suffering, without exception. Therefore, Shariputra, the Buddha sees that among all beings in the world, no great enemy or harm exceeds wives, concubines, female beauty, and sensual desires.

Shariputra! Wisdom refers to the Tathagata. Those said to lack wisdom are beings. Whatever the wise rebuke is called true; whatever the unwise appropriate is not true.

– Shariputra! What do the unwise appropriate? They appropriate conditioned dharmas and appropriate wives, concubines, and children. Those unwise people are in turn appropriated by their wives, concubines, and children. Continuously appropriating one another in this way, they do not appropriate the noble path.

– Shariputra! Because they are bound by wives, concubines, spouses, and children, those without wisdom produce many obstructions to wholesome dharmas. What do they obstruct? They obstruct renunciation, morality, meditative absorption, the path to heaven, and nirvana; they also obstruct all subtle and wholesome dharmas.

– Shariputra! When those without wisdom thus appropriate wives, concubines, female beauty, and children, briefly stated, they appropriate enemies; they appropriate the evil destinies of hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts; and they appropriate evil and unwholesome dharmas, thereby obstructing all dharmas of the noble ones and sages. Moreover, appropriating wives, concubines, and female beauty in this way obstructs even the enjoyment of good food, much less other supreme dharmas.

– Shariputra! Briefly speaking, these obstructions are: obstruction to seeing the Buddha, obstruction to hearing the Dharma, obstruction to serving the Sangha, obstruction to faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, obstruction to attaining the unconditioned, and obstruction to the seven noble treasures: faith, morality, learning, generosity, wisdom, moral shame, and moral dread.

– Shariputra! To appropriate the sensual forms of wives, concubines, men, or women is to appropriate faithlessness, corrupt morality, wrong learning, miserliness, wrong views, shamelessness, and lack of moral dread; it is also to appropriate malignant sores, poisoned arrows, smoke and fire, and venomous snakes.

Shariputra! To delight in household life, becoming infatuated and refusing to relinquish it, is to delight in a graveyard. Therefore, the Buddha says that dwelling at home is like dwelling in a cemetery or in a wilderness without refuge, where all pure dharmas are lost.

– Shariputra! If one is infatuated with the sensual forms of men or women, wives or concubines, one should know that this is precisely infatuation with the fuse of an explosive, with the point of a sharp blade, with a great red-hot iron ball, with lying upon a heated iron bed, and with sitting upon a heated iron seat.

– Shariputra! If one is infatuated with adornment by garlands and scented ointments, one is precisely infatuated with red-hot iron garlands and with excrement and urine smeared upon the body.

– Shariputra! To appropriate houses as dwellings is to appropriate great red-hot iron cauldrons. To appropriate male or female servants and laborers is to appropriate the cruel wardens of hell. To appropriate livestock is to appropriate iron dogs and black horses in hell, and also hundreds of thousands of hell’s guards. To appropriate female beauty, wives, and concubines is, one should know, to appropriate the entire mass of anxiety, sorrow, and suffering.

– Shariputra! One should rather lie upon a red-hot iron bed a thousand nayutas in extent than look from afar with defiled affection upon women, wives, or concubines provided by one’s parents, much less draw near and embrace them.

– Shariputra! One should know that women are the root of all suffering, the root of obstruction, the root of killing and harm, the root of bondage, the root of grief, the root of enmity, and the root of rebirth.

One should know that women destroy the noble eye of wisdom. One should know that women are like red-hot iron flowers scattered upon the ground to be trodden underfoot. One should know that women spread and increase all evil and perverse dispositions.

– Shariputra! Why are they called “women”?

The term “woman” has the meaning of carrying a heavy burden. Why? Because they can cause beings to carry a heavy burden; cause beings to take up a heavy burden; cause beings to be distressed by a heavy burden; cause beings to be distressed by a heavy burden; cause beings to retain and bear a heavy burden; cause beings to carry a heavy burden everywhere; cause beings’ minds to toil beneath that burden; cause beings to be scorched and oppressed by that burden; and cause beings to be injured by that burden.

– Shariputra! The term “woman” also denotes a place where beings suffer loss; a place where all cravings sink and drown; a place where one submissive to his wife pays tribute; a place where a beautiful wife bewilders; a place where a superior wife makes one bow his head; a place where one afraid of his wife is whipped; a place where an unrestrained wife runs free; and a place where one who serves every whim of his wife suffers weariness. For these reasons, such places are called “woman.”

Again, Shariputra! Because worldly beings do not relinquish wives, they do not relinquish the heavy burden. What heavy burden? The five skandhas: the form skandha, feeling skandha, perception skandha, formation skandha, and consciousness skandha.

Because women in the world can cause beings not to relinquish this burden of the five skandhas, the five skandhas are called a burden.

– Shariputra! Why do worldly people also call a wife “the constant second”? Because that woman is a second companion in violating morality, a second companion in violating proper conduct, a second companion in violating right view, a second companion when eating and drinking, a second companion in going to the hells and the destinies of animals and ghosts, a second companion in obstructing noble wisdom and hindering the bliss of nirvana, and one who gathers every kind of suffering. Therefore, worldly people call a wife “the constant second.”

– Shariputra! Why do worldly people also call a wife “the female multitude”? Because women give rise to many faults and limitless deceptions, they are called the female multitude. One who freely follows the female multitude should be known to have fallen into the hands of Mara’s army, freely committing evil.

One should know that all women in the world give rise to many faults and limitless deceptions. Their minds are restless and wandering, continually inclining and overturning without pause; their minds are like monkeys and apes. They are skilled in methods of displaying deception. Therefore, women are called the female multitude.

– Shariputra! “The female multitude” means the illusory female village. It is also called the illusory city, the illusory settlement, the capital of the king of illusion, the inn of illusory travelers, the lodge of illusory people, the illusory country, illusory village, illusory place, illusory quarter, illusory world, illusory realm, boundless illusion, vast illusion, immeasurable illusion, inconceivable illusion, vast illusion, immeasurable illusion, and inconceivable illusion. Because the grave fault of sensual pleasure can lead to evil destinies, women are called the illusory female village.

It is like a magician well trained in magical arts who displays many deceptions before a crowd.

In the same way, the illusory female village is well trained in women’s deceptive arts and can bind a husband through whatever he sees, hears, feels, or touches.

Women are also skilled at bewitchment and therefore possess much power. Whatever they do—singing, dancing, jesting, laughing, weeping, lamenting, walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—causes the husband to lose self-mastery and become bound, commanded, and controlled.

It is like a field of ripe grain in the world being shattered and flooded by hail.

So too, the illusory female village is like hail pouring upon the husband’s field and destroying all the fine grain of wholesome dharmas.

– Shariputra! Women possess so many grave faults leading directly to evil destinies, yet foolish ordinary beings, bewitched by them, do not recognize these grave faults. Instead, they appropriate wives, concubines, and female beauty and then become infatuated with them.

– Shariputra! Because a wise great bodhisattva practices the perfection of morality, he clearly knows sensual pleasures to be faulty and, in accordance with the true Dharma, gives rise to two perceptions: he regards foolish people as evil persons and Buddhas and bodhisattvas as good persons. Having formed these perceptions, the great bodhisattva thinks: “I must now go to the good and should not go to the evil. I should not go to the realms of hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts. I should not go to places where morality is destroyed or disciplined conduct violated. I must go to the supreme, unsurpassed, unobstructed place utterly free from all evil and defiled dharmas. I must go to the greatly wise Buddha-Tathagatas. I must travel against the current and should not follow it. I must roar like a lion, not cry like a jackal. I must display power like the king of garudas and should not display the feeble strength of a tiny insect. I must be a virtuous person and should not be a vicious and corrupt one. I must eat wholesome, supreme, and pure food and should not eat food that is unwholesome, base, and filthy. I must cultivate subtle meditative absorption, supreme meditative absorption, exceptional meditative absorption, and foremost meditative absorption; I should not cultivate inferior absorptions that do not belong to these higher kinds.”

– Shariputra! The great bodhisattva thinks: “I must sport in the meditative absorptions of the Buddhas and should not sport in the absorptions of shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, or ordinary beings. I must cultivate meditative absorption without dependence. I should not cultivate meditative absorption dependent upon form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; nor should I cultivate absorption dependent upon earth, water, fire, or wind; nor absorption dependent upon the desire realm, form realm, or formless realm; nor absorption dependent upon what has been seen, heard, remembered, known, attained, touched, or realized. I must cultivate meditative absorption without dependence. Through cultivating in this way, I harm neither myself nor others nor both together. I must diligently seek to perfect the Buddha’s wisdom; how could I instead seek worldly sensual pleasures?”

– Shariputra! Having developed such correct contemplation while cultivating the perfection of morality, a great bodhisattva must further give rise to four kinds of revulsion and detachment:

First, he can give rise to revulsion and detachment regarding sensual pleasures.

Second, he can give rise to revulsion and detachment regarding all realms of existence.

Third, he can give rise to revulsion and detachment regarding ungrateful beings.

Fourth, he can give rise to revulsion and detachment regarding all sources of suffering and affliction.

– Shariputra! When practicing the perfection of morality, if a great bodhisattva observes sentient beings in evil destinies and, upon seeing beautiful women, develops greed, he must give rise to four repulsive perceptions: decline, falling, going to the latrine, and foul pus and excrement.

– Shariputra! Sentient beings in evil destinies who possess understanding must, upon seeing beautiful women, maintain these four perceptions; how much more should human beings do so.

– Shariputra! Good sons in the Mahayana who are detached from all conditioned dharmas give rise, upon seeing beautiful women, to four perceptions: decline, falling, going to the latrine, and pus and excrement. If greed still arises, they must further give rise to three perceptions of kinship: if she is of an age with one’s mother, regard her as a mother; if of an age with one’s sisters, regard her as a sister; if of an age with one’s children or grandchildren, regard her as a child or grandchild.

– Shariputra! A great bodhisattva who hears the Buddha’s teaching and understands it well should accord with the scriptures of the perfection of morality in this way. Why? It is rare to find any being who, since the distant past, has not once been our father or mother. To approach a wife, concubine, or woman is to approach one’s mother from a past life.

– Shariputra! Having heard the Buddha’s teaching, a great bodhisattva should diligently train in this way in order to attain purity.

– Shariputra! Foolish people in the world oppose and disbelieve this true Dharma. Bodhisattvas accord with the true Dharma and do not oppose it.

If one has practiced this correct contemplation but greed still remains, one should contemplate that greedy mind in accordance with reason and examine what it sees that causes it to arise. If greed arises through the eye faculty, one should further contemplate according to reason: “I have developed defiled attachment through the eye faculty; yet who sees the eye faculty? Does the eye faculty see the eye faculty?

Does it see itself? Why? That is also an eye faculty, and this is also an eye faculty.

Both are produced from the four great elements and are born from the primary elements. It is not that one’s own substance gives rise to defiled attachment toward this substance, nor that my own substance gives rise to defiled attachment. Why?

Because that is precisely this. If defiled attachment arises toward that, it should also arise toward this. Why?

Because there is no difference.”

Foolish ordinary beings in the world share in craving; I must seek dharmas different from theirs. Why? Because all sensations of sensual craving are utterly ungraspable.”

The Blessed One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

“Mutually sharing a single substance,

They have no differing nature.

Through irrational, false attachment,

A mind of craving arises.

How could what is born of the four great elements

Become defiled by what those elements produce?

All dharmas are like illusions;

Nothing gives rise to craving.

Foolish people cognize incorrectly

And deludedly generate craving.

The unfilial give rise to greed;

The good and virtuous have no attachment.

Throughout the realms of the ten directions,

No real greed can be found.

Only because of incorrect cognition

Does that greed arise.

Again, Shariputra! When practicing the perfection of morality, if a great bodhisattva has contemplated in this way but greed still remains, he must further accord with the scriptures as follows: The eye faculty is like a mass of foam that cannot be grasped. Why? A mass of foam cannot be grasped. Why? That mass of foam, like all dharmas, has no self, no being, no experiencer, no knower, no seer, no person, no mind-born being, no agent, and no recipient. Within all dharmas, where there is thus no agent and no recipient, who can become defiled by attachment, and toward what can attachment arise?

– Shariputra! The eye faculty is like a bubble, without solidity. Why? A bubble, like all dharmas, fundamentally has no self, no being, no experiencer, no knower, no seer, no person, no agent, and no recipient. Within dharmas where there is thus neither agent nor recipient, who can become defiled by attachment, and toward what can attachment arise?

– Shariputra! The eye faculty is like a mirage born from thirsting craving; like a banana tree, without solid substance; like a dream image, unreal; like an echo, arising from conditions; like a shadow, appearing according to karma; like a cloud, dispersing as it drifts; like lightning, vanishing as soon as it flashes; like space, free from self and possessions of self; like grasses, trees, earth, and stones, being insentient; like a machine moving with the wind; like a heap of rotting refuse, quickly putrefying and disintegrating; and like a well on high ground, always liable to dry up. The eye faculty does not endure for long and will eventually perish and decay. Fundamentally, it has no self, no being, no life principle, no knower, no seer, no person, no agent, and no recipient. Who, then, becomes defiled by attachment, and toward what can attachment arise?

Just as one contemplates the eye faculty, one should contemplate all faculties, their objects, and all dharmas in accordance with reason in the same way.

– Shariputra! It is impossible that a great bodhisattva who contemplates correctly in this way should still be led away by craving.

When a great bodhisattva contemplates correctly in this way, one should know that he is forever free from craving toward all dharmas. This is called the great bodhisattva’s complete and pure elimination of all craving while practicing the perfection of morality.

– Shariputra! Practicing the perfection of morality in this way, a great bodhisattva does not perform karma that harms beings. Even if his own life is threatened, he does not injure any being. He does not commit stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, or frivolous speech, nor does he give rise to greed, hatred, or wrong views. Even if his own life is threatened, he does not commit these evils. This is called pure morality.

– Shariputra! Because a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of morality, he perfects immeasurable and boundless Buddha-Dharmas.

Because he practices the perfection of morality, the great bodhisattva fully accomplishes unbroken morality, for he does not associate closely with the unwise. He fully accomplishes morality without holes, for he can remain far removed from inequitable dharmas. He fully accomplishes unstained morality, for he does not associate closely with evil people or the afflictions.

He fully accomplishes undefiled morality, for he increases only wholesome dharmas. He fully accomplishes morality worthy of offerings, for he acts according to his vows. He fully accomplishes praiseworthy morality, for the wise do not rebuke him.

He fully accomplishes morality that is well maintained, for he perfects right mindfulness and right understanding. He fully accomplishes irreproachable morality, for faults do not arise. He fully accomplishes morality that is well protected, for he carefully guards all the faculties.

He fully accomplishes lofty and vast morality, for the Buddhas remain mindful of him. He fully accomplishes morality of few desires, for he knows moderation. He fully accomplishes contented morality, for he relinquishes delight.

He fully accomplishes morality of right conduct, for body and mind are detached. He fully accomplishes tranquil morality, for he is disenchanted with commotion. He fully accomplishes the morality of joyful contentment with the lineage of the noble ones, for he neither longs for nor cares about physical beauty.

He fully accomplishes the meritorious morality of few affairs, for he freely develops roots of goodness. He fully accomplishes morality that acts as spoken, for he does not deceive worldly people. He fully accomplishes the morality of great loving-kindness, for he does not harm the life of any being.

He fully accomplishes the morality of great compassion, for he patiently endures every suffering. He fully accomplishes the morality of great sympathetic joy, for he does not regress or diminish in the joy of Dharma. He fully accomplishes the morality of great equanimity, for all greed and hatred are utterly exhausted.

He fully accomplishes morality that constantly examines his own faults, for inwardly he always observes well. He fully accomplishes morality that does not disparage those who are deficient, for he skillfully accommodates and protects the minds of beings. He fully accomplishes morality that matures beings, for it ultimately reaches the perfection of generosity.

He fully accomplishes morality that is well guarded, for it ultimately reaches the perfection of morality. He fully accomplishes morality without hatred or harmfulness, for it ultimately reaches the perfection of patience. He fully accomplishes morality whose factors of concentration are complete, for it ultimately reaches the perfection of meditative absorption.

He fully accomplishes morality that never wearies of correct learning, for it ultimately reaches the perfection of great wisdom. He fully accomplishes morality that draws near to good spiritual friends, for he skillfully cultivates the provisions belonging to awakening. He fully accomplishes morality that remains far from evil friends, for he abandons the path of inequality.

He fully accomplishes morality that does not cherish his own body, for he constantly contemplates impermanence. He fully accomplishes morality that does not cherish his own life, for he does not constantly protect what he prizes. He fully accomplishes morality without regret, for his mind is well purified.

He fully accomplishes morality without false display, for his skillful means are well purified. He fully accomplishes morality without feverish affliction, for his higher intention is well purified. He fully accomplishes morality without agitation, for he remains far removed from craving.

He fully accomplishes morality without arrogance, for he is gentle and upright. He fully accomplishes morality without perversity, for his nature is virtuous. He fully accomplishes well-tamed morality, for he is free from anger and resentment.

He fully accomplishes tranquil morality, for his nature is peaceful and composed. He fully accomplishes morality of wholesome speech, for he acts in accordance with his words and does not contradict them. He fully accomplishes morality that matures sentient beings, for he never abandons the means of gathering them.

He fully accomplishes morality that protects the true Dharma, for he does not himself destroy the noble treasure of Dharma.

– Shariputra! A wise great bodhisattva who thus purifies the aggregate of morality and fully accomplishes the perfection of morality can, for the sake of unsurpassed bodhi, skillfully cultivate the wondrous practices of a bodhisattva. This is called the great bodhisattva’s perfection of morality.

If great bodhisattvas diligently cultivate this bodhisattva practice, no Mara, host of Mara, or celestial Mara can disturb them, nor can followers of other paths or proponents of rival doctrines overcome them.”

The Dharma Assembly of the Bodhisattva Treasury

Chapter on the Perfection of Morality

End