大寶積經

6. CHAPTER ON BREAKING THE CONCEPT OF A BODHISATTVA

Bodhisattva Manjusri said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! As the Buddha has spoken of a bodhisattva’s initial generation of the aspiration, for what reason is it called the initial generation of the aspiration?”

The Buddha said: “Manjusri! If a bodhisattva regards with equanimity all arising perceptions throughout the three realms, this may be called the very first generation of the aspiration. This is called a bodhisattva’s initial generation of the aspiration.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri again said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s words, when a bodhisattva’s mind of desire arises, that is the initial generation of the aspiration; when a mind of anger arises, that is the initial generation of the aspiration; and when a mind of delusion arises, that is the initial generation of the aspiration. Is this what the Blessed One means by the initial generation of the aspiration?”

Devaputra Susthitamati asked Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Great Being! If bodhisattvas’ arousing greed, anger, and delusion is called the initial generation of the aspiration, then all ordinary beings completely bound by the fetters would themselves be bodhisattvas who have initially generated the aspiration. Why? Because from beginningless time ordinary beings have constantly produced these three poisonous states of greed, anger, and delusion.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devaputra! Your assertion that all ordinary beings have constantly been able to produce these three poisonous states since beginningless time is incorrect. Why? Because the mental powers of ordinary beings are weak and feeble, and they cannot arouse greed, anger, and delusion. Only all Buddhas, Blessed Ones, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas on the stage of nonretrogression are able to arouse greed, anger, and delusion. Therefore, ordinary beings cannot arouse them.”

Devaputra Susthitamati said: “Great Being! Why do you now speak in this way, causing this assembly to understand and know nothing and to fall into a net of doubt that is truly alarming?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devaputra! When a bird flies back and forth through empty space, does the passage of its tracks through empty space occur or not?”

“Great Being! It is not that no passage occurs.”

“Devaputra! So it is. For this reason I say that if anyone is able to arouse greed, anger, and delusion, only Buddhas, Blessed Ones, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and nonretrogressing bodhisattvas can arouse them.

“Devaputra! That which has no place of dependence is called ‘arising.’ That which has no grasping attachment is called ‘arising.’ Since there is neither a place of dependence nor grasping attachment, there is nothing whatsoever;

this is called ‘arising.’ The statement of non-discrimination is called ‘arising.’ The statement that it cannot be produced is called ‘arising.’ The statement of unreality is called ‘arising.’ The statement that it is not a thing is called ‘arising.’ The statement of non-coming is called ‘arising.’ The statement of non-going is called ‘arising.’ The statement of non-arising is called ‘arising.’ The statement of having no object of conditioned attention is called ‘arising.’ The statement of having no realization is called ‘arising.’ The statement of non-contention is called ‘arising.’ The statement of non-conceptualization is called ‘arising.’ The statement of indestructibility is called ‘arising.’ The statement without words is called Dharma.

The statement that cannot be broken is called ‘arising.’ The statement without letters is called ‘arising.’ The statement without attachment is called ‘arising.’ The statement without abiding is called ‘arising.’ The statement of not accepting is called ‘arising.’ The statement of not relinquishing is called ‘arising.’ The statement of not attaining is called ‘arising.’ Devaputra, know that this is a bodhisattva’s initial generation of the aspiration.

“Devaputra! If, upon generating the aspiration, a bodhisattva neither cherishes nor clings to any dharma in this way, neither conceives, sees, knows, hears, understands, accepts, nor rejects it, and neither produces nor extinguishes it, this is called the genuine generation of the aspiration.

“Devaputra! If a mahabodhisattva can rely upon the dharmadhatu in this way, upon equality in this way, upon the ultimate limit of reality in this way, and upon skillful means in this way, then desire, anger, and delusion arise. Furthermore, if the bodhisattva can resolutely rely upon this, then the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind arise; the appropriated skandha of form and the appropriated skandhas of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness arise; all views and attachments arise; ignorance and craving for existence arise; the twelve links and factors of conditioned existence arise; the various objects of the five sensual pleasures arise; attachment to the three realms arises; the view of self arises; the view of what belongs to self arises; the sixty-two views arise;

the perception of Buddha arises; the perception of Dharma arises; the perception of Sangha arises; the perception of self arises; the perception of others arises; perceptions of the great elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness arise; the four inversions arise; the four abodes of consciousness arise; the five hindrances arise; the eight wrong paths arise; the nine vexations arise; and the ten unwholesome courses of karma arise.

In brief, bodhisattvas must arouse all discrimination, everything discriminated, all speech, all characteristics, all courses of advancement, all seeking and longing, all grasping attachment, all perceptions, all thoughts, and all impediments. You should know them in accordance with reality.

“Devaputra! For this reason, if you can now neither cherish nor cling to these dharmas, nor conceive of them, this is called genuine arising.”

The Blessed One praised him, saying: “Excellent, excellent, Manjusri! You can now fully proclaim for the bodhisattvas the meaning of the initial generation of the aspiration in this way. Because in the past you made offerings to immeasurable and boundless Buddhas, Blessed Ones, exceeding the sands of the Ganges, you are able to proclaim this teaching.”

Venerable Sariputra said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! Are the very first generation of the aspiration described by Bodhisattva Manjusri and a bodhisattva’s attainment of the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas equal and without difference, despite one coming first and the other later?”

The Buddha said: “So it is. Sariputra! Long ago, when the Blessed One Dipankara conferred a prediction upon me, he said, ‘Manava! In the future, after incalculable kalpas, you will become a Buddha named Sakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One.’ Sariputra, at that time I attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas without departing from this very mind. You should know that the meaning of every bodhisattva’s initial generation of the aspiration is exactly as Manjusri has said and is no different.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Blessed One, as I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s words, all is initial arising. Why? Because, as the Buddha has said, every initial arising is precisely non-arising, and that non-arising is a bodhisattva’s very first generation of the aspiration.”

When this Dharma was taught, twenty-three thousand bodhisattvas realized the patient acceptance of non-arising; five thousand bhiksus exhausted the outflows and attained liberation among the dharmas; and six billion devaputras became free from dust and defilement and attained the purified Dharma eye.

Venerable Mahakasyapa said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! Bodhisattva Manjusri has once again accomplished what is difficult to accomplish by proclaiming such a profound Dharma gateway and enabling sentient beings to gain abundant benefit.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Venerable Mahakasyapa! In truth, I have done nothing difficult. Why? Because all dharmas are without anything that acts; nor is there anything done in the past, being done now, or to be done in the future. Mahakasyapa! With regard to all dharmas, I neither act nor refrain from acting; the meaning is likewise so.

“Furthermore, Venerable One! I neither liberate sentient beings nor bind them. Why? Because all dharmas are nonexistent. Why, then, did the Venerable One say before the Buddha that I can accomplish what is difficult to accomplish?

“Furthermore, Venerable One! In truth, I do nothing. Not only do I do nothing; all Tathagatas also do nothing, pratyekabuddhas also do nothing, and arhats also do nothing.

“Furthermore, Venerable Mahakasyapa! Who is able to do what is difficult to do? If one wishes to speak correctly of those able to perform difficult deeds, it is well said that only childish ordinary beings do so. Why? Because Buddhas have nothing attained in the past, being attained now, or to be attained in the future; likewise, all sravakas and all pratyekabuddhas have no attainment. Only ordinary beings attain everything.”

Venerable Mahakasyapa asked Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Great Being! What do all Buddhas not attain?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “All Buddhas do not attain a self; they do not attain a person, a sentient being, a living being, or an individual; they do not attain annihilationism or eternalism; they do not attain the skandhas, ayatanas, or dhatus; they do not attain name-and-form; they do not attain the Desire Realm, Form Realm, or Formless Realm; they do not attain discriminative thought, contemplation, or mindfulness; they do not attain conditioned arising; they do not attain inversions; they do not attain greed, anger, or delusion; they do not attain this world or the other world; they do not attain self or what belongs to self; and they do not attain any dharma whatsoever.

“Venerable One! Although all dharmas are successively not attained in this way, neither are they lost, bound, liberated, accepted, rejected, distant, or near. Therefore, one should awaken to and understand such a Dharma gateway.

“If all Buddhas, Blessed Ones, attain nothing, then all dharmas are neither dharmas nor things heard. Ordinary beings, however, attain everything; hence ordinary beings can perform difficult deeds. It is not Buddhas who perform them, not pratyekabuddhas, and not arhats. This is called the activity of ordinary beings.”

The Venerable One again asked: “Great Being! What do they do?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “They create annihilationism and eternalism; they create defiled attachment and dependence; they create perceptions and recollections; they create acceptance and rejection; and they create all manner of conceptual proliferation and discrimination, following matters high and low.

“Therefore, Buddhas, Blessed Ones, do none of these things with regard to such dharmas. There is nothing they did in the past, do now, or will do in the future. Only ordinary beings can perform these difficult deeds.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! Regarding the patient acceptance of non-arising that is spoken of, what is the patient acceptance of non-arising? Blessed One! For what reason is it also called the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, and how does a bodhisattva attain this acceptance of dharmas?”

The Buddha said: “Manjusri! In truth, there is no person who attains the patient acceptance of non-arising among produced dharmas. ‘Attainment’ is merely a verbal designation. Why? Because the dharma of non-arising cannot be attained. Because it is free from conditioned objects, the acceptance of dharmas is not attained. Attaining that for which there is no attainment, with neither gain nor loss, is therefore called attaining the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

“Furthermore, Manjusri! The patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas means accepting in this way because all dharmas are unarisen; accepting in this way because all dharmas neither come nor go; accepting in this way because all dharmas have neither self nor master; accepting in this way because all dharmas are neither accepted nor rejected; accepting in this way because all dharmas are nonexistent and unreal; accepting in this way because all dharmas have neither equality nor equality of equality; accepting in this way because all dharmas are incomparable; accepting in this way because all dharmas are undefiled, like empty space; accepting in this way because all dharmas are indestructible; accepting in this way because all dharmas are uninterrupted;

accepting in this way because all dharmas are neither defiled nor pure; accepting in this way because all dharmas are emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; accepting in this way because all dharmas are free from greed, anger, and delusion; accepting in this way because all dharmas are suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the ultimate limit of reality; accepting in this way because all dharmas are without discrimination, association, recollection, conceptual proliferation, or conceptual thought; and accepting in this way because all dharmas are uncreated, powerless, weak, false, and deceptive—like illusions, dreams, echoes, shadows, reflected images, plantain trunks, heaps of foam, and water bubbles.

That which is accepted is itself not an acceptance attained. It is neither a dharma nor a non-dharma; the dharma is disclosed only by means of names. Yet even those names are unattainable, being naturally and intrinsically separate.

To accept in this way is to believe and understand, joyfully enter, have no doubt, fear, agitation, or loss, allow it to pervade the body, and then practice in meditative absorption, without attaining one’s own body and without any place of abiding. This is how a mahabodhisattva attains the patient acceptance of non-arising among all dharmas, to the point of not engaging in any perception.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! Regarding what is called acceptance, what is acceptance? It is called acceptance because it is not destroyed by objects of experience.”

Devaputra Susthitamati asked Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Great Being! What is not destroyed by objects of experience?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devaputra! It is the eye. What dharmas destroy the eye? Attractive and unattractive forms can destroy the eye. Just as forms destroy the eye, various sounds destroy the ear, odors destroy the nose, flavors destroy the tongue, tangible objects destroy the body, and dharmas destroy the mind.

“Devaputra! When a bodhisattva sees a form with the eye but does not grasp its characteristic, delight in its beauty, discriminate, conceive, desire, or loathe it; when the bodhisattva knows its intrinsic nature to be empty and has no conceptual perception, then forms cannot harm the eye. The same applies to the mind in relation to dharmas.

“Devaputra! If these six faculties are unattached, unbound, unbroken, and unharmed, this bodhisattva abides in the acceptance of dharmas. Because the bodhisattva abides in the acceptance of dharmas, there is no discrimination among any dharmas: neither arising nor non-arising, neither with outflows nor without outflows, neither wholesome nor unwholesome, neither conditioned nor unconditioned. Not recollecting worldly or supramundane dharmas, and neither discriminating nor conceptualizing, is called the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.”

When this Dharma was taught, sixty-three thousand sentient beings generated the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, and twelve thousand bodhisattvas attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

Devaputra Susthitamati again asked Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Great Being! How does a mahabodhisattva initiate superior practices, transcend and progressively advance, and enter the various bhumis?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devaputra! Who herein can initiate the superior practices you describe, and do the bhumis permit transcending and advancing?”

“Great Being! Do you not know that bodhisattvas cultivate increasingly excellent practices until they transcend and completely fulfill the ten bhumis?”

“Devaputra! It is not so. I have heard the Buddha teach that all dharmas are like illusions and magical transformations. Do you believe this?”

“Great Being! Who would dare disbelieve the Buddha’s truthful words?”

“Devaputra! Do an illusory person and illusory phenomena have superior practices by which they transcend, progressively enter, and ultimately fulfill the ten bhumis?”

“Great Being! They do not.”

“Devaputra! So it is. If an illusory person and illusory phenomena could have superior practices by which they transcend and progressively enter, then we bodhisattvas would likewise transcend and progressively enter. Why? Because, as the Blessed One has said, all dharmas are like illusions and magical transformations; hence there is no progressive entry. Therefore, if one says that someone progressively enters the bhumis, that itself is not progressive entry.

“I also do not say that there is progressive entry into the bhumis. Why? Because all dharmas are without progressive entry.

Therefore, no dharma progressively enters another dharma. That is, form does not progressively enter feeling, and feeling does not progressively enter form; the same applies to the other dharmas. Why?

Because the natures of all dharmas differ from one another; each proceeds within its own sphere, being insensible, deluded, unknowing, and without awareness—like grasses, trees, tiles, stones, walls, or an image in a mirror; like an illusion or magical transformation, they cannot be contacted or realized. They have a single characteristic, which is no characteristic. For this reason, all dharmas are without transcendence or progressive passage; they neither emerge nor enter, neither go nor come.

“Devaputra! If bodhisattvas understand that all dharmas are without transcending or progressive passage in this way, there are no longer differences among the bhumis, nor any entry into the path, relinquishment of a bhumi, or retrogression. In this transcending progress toward bodhi there is no interruption or loss. Why? Because if someone sees those skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas as real, there can be no transcendence or progressive passage. Why? Because all dharmas are originally pure. This is called a bodhisattva’s transcendence of the stages of the path.

“Devaputra! It is like an illusionist who conjures ten kinds of vehicles and palaces and then places conjured people within them. Devaputra, what do you think? Do those conjured people and palaces have any fixed location?”

“Great Being! They have no fixed location.”

“Devaputra! So it is. The case of someone who sees a bodhisattva progressively transcending the bhumis is likewise.”

7. CHAPTER ON BREAKING THE CONCEPT OF THE TWO VEHICLES

At that time, Devaputra Susthitamati again asked Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Great Being! If someone comes to you seeking to leave the household life, how do you answer? How do you teach that person the Dharma of renunciation and liberation? How do you confer the precepts and instruct that person to preserve them?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devaputra! If someone comes to me seeking to leave the household life, I shall instruct that person: ‘Good man! You should not generate the thought of leaving the household life.

If you do not generate the thought of leaving the household life, I shall teach you the Dharma of true renunciation.’ Why? Devaputra! To seek to leave the household life is to seek the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm; it is also to seek the world’s five sensual pleasures and future karmic rewards.

If good men seek anything, they do not realize the Dharma. Because they do not realize the Dharma, they do not see that there is a mind. Devaputra!

If they grasp nothing, they realize the Dharma. Because they realize the Dharma, they do not see that there is a mind. Because they do not see that there is a mind, they do not leave the household life.

Because they do not leave the household life, they have no thought of leaving the household life. Because they have no thought of leaving the household life, they do not generate it. Because they do not generate it, there is no arising.

Because there is no arising, they bring suffering to an end. Because they bring suffering to an end, they reach the ultimate end. Because they reach the ultimate end, they are inexhaustible.

Because they are inexhaustible, they cannot be exhausted; that which cannot be exhausted is empty space. Devaputra! Thus shall I instruct the good man who seeks to leave the household life.

“Furthermore, Devaputra! If someone comes to me seeking to leave the household life, I shall instruct that person: ‘Good man! Do not now generate the thought of leaving the household life.’ Why? Because that mind is unarisen and cannot be generated. Do not treat that mind as something distinct and then try to preserve it.

“Good man! I shall also tell the person seeking to leave the household life: ‘If you do not shave off your beard and hair, yours is true renunciation.’ Why? Because, as the Buddha has said, nothing among all dharmas can be cut off or eliminated. The dharma of form is neither cut off nor eliminated, and the dharmas of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are neither cut off nor eliminated.

“Devaputra! If someone conceives, ‘Only by shaving off my beard and hair do I leave the household life,’ know that this person holds the characteristic of self. Because the person holds the characteristic of self, the person does not see equality. Moreover, because the person sees a self, the person sees sentient beings; because the person sees sentient beings, the person sees beard and hair; and because the person sees beard and hair, the person thinks of removing them.

“Devaputra! If that person does not see the characteristic of self, the person does not see the characteristic of others. Because there is no characteristic of others, there is no self-conceit.

Because there is no self-conceit, there is no ego. Because there is no ego, there is no discrimination. Because there is no discrimination, there is no agitation.

Because there is no agitation, there is no conceptual proliferation. Because there is no conceptual proliferation, there is neither acceptance nor rejection. Because there is neither acceptance nor rejection, there is neither action nor non-action, neither cutting off nor non-cutting off, neither separation nor union, neither decrease nor increase, neither gathering nor dispersal, neither cultivation nor recollection, and neither speech nor words.

This is called abiding in reality.”

Devaputra Susthitamati said: “Great Being! What is the meaning of reality?”

Bodhisattva Manjusri said: “Devaputra! What is called real is empty space, and empty space is called real: it neither arises nor ends, neither decreases nor increases. For this reason, empty space is real, emptiness is real, suchness is real, the dharmadhatu is real, and the ultimate limit of reality is real. Yet this reality is also unreal. Why? Because nothing can be attained within this reality; hence it is called unreal.

“Furthermore, Devaputra! If someone comes to me seeking to leave the household life, I shall instruct that person: ‘If you can now avoid grasping and clinging to this kasaya, I say that yours is true renunciation.’ Why? Because Buddhas, Blessed Ones, have no grasping attachment.

Whenever they teach the Dharma, it is never for the sake of grasping attachment. That is, they do not grasp form as permanent or impermanent, nor do they grasp feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness as permanent or impermanent. They do not grasp the eye as permanent or impermanent, nor do they grasp the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind as permanent or impermanent.

They do not grasp forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tangible objects, or dharmas. They do not grasp desire, anger, or delusion. They do not grasp inversions.

They do not grasp any dharma whatsoever, yet neither do they reject, join, or separate anything.

“Devaputra! If one grasps and clings to the kasaya, know that one holds a grave view. Therefore I say that purity and liberation are not attained through grasping and clinging to the kasaya. Why? Because at the place of the great bodhi of Buddhas, Blessed Ones, there is no kasaya.”

“Great Being! What dharma is the kasaya?”

“Devaputra! You ask what dharma is the kasaya. Desire itself is the kasaya; anger is the kasaya; delusion is the kasaya; causes are the kasaya; views are the kasaya; name-and-form is the kasaya; deluded perceptions are the kasaya; attachment is the kasaya; grasping characteristics is the kasaya; and so forth, up to conceptual proliferation concerning all dharmas, is entirely the kasaya.

If one knows that dharmas are neither wholesome nor unwholesome, and neither cultivates nor recollects them, this is called having no kasaya. If there is no kasaya, there is nothing existent. If there is nothing existent, there is no defilement.

If there is no defilement, there is no obstruction. If there is no obstruction, there is no action. This is called proper consideration.

Such consideration neither increases nor decreases anything with regard to the equality of dharmas and involves neither action nor non-action. This is called proper consideration.

“Devaputra! If one neither increases nor decreases any dharma, one should no longer give rise to conceptual perception and discrimination. Properly understanding it as the Buddha has taught is called proper consideration.”

“Great Being! What is called neither increasing nor decreasing?”

“Devaputra! It is beyond equality. Having passed beyond equality, no dharma can be attained: the past cannot be attained, the future cannot be attained, and the present cannot be attained.

That dharma is not even suchness. There is no act of increasing or decreasing, no act of an ego, no act of another person, no act of a sentient being, no act of a living being, no act of annihilation, no act of permanence, no act of discriminating the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus, and no act of discriminating Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Nor are there notions creating observance of the precepts, violation of the precepts, afflictions, purification, attainment of fruition, becoming a stream-enterer, becoming a once-returner, becoming a non-returner, becoming an arhat, or becoming a pratyekabuddha.

There are not even notions creating emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, liberation through illumination, or freedom from desire.

“Thus, Devaputra! All this Dharma of consideration, discrimination, action, and non-action is taught only for unlearned ordinary beings; you should understand this. These are the lowest, deluded people who seek to attain dharmas and falsely grasp and cling to them. The Tathagata therefore expounds such consideration and discrimination of action and non-action in order to eliminate their attachments.”

Devaputra Susthitamati praised Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Excellent, Great Being! You are able to teach such a profound Dharma gateway.”

The Buddha also praised Bodhisattva Manjusri: “Excellent, excellent! Manjusri, you are now able to proclaim this teaching.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri again said to Devaputra Susthitamati:

“Devaputra! If someone comes to me seeking to leave the household life, I shall instruct that person: ‘Good man! If you do not now receive full ordination, this is called true renunciation.’ Why? Because, as the Buddha has taught, there are only two kinds of receiving the Dharma of full ordination: first, receiving the precepts of right equality; and second, receiving the precepts of wrong inequality.

“What herein are the precepts of wrong inequality? They mean falling into the view of self, the view of a person, the view of a sentient being, the view of a living being, the view of an individual, the view of annihilation, the view of permanence, wrong views, pride, desire, anger, delusion, the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, the Formless Realm, and grasping discrimination. Devaputra! Briefly stated, this means falling into every unwholesome dharma, following evil spiritual friends, falsely grasping all dharmas, and failing to understand the essential way to liberation. This is called receiving the precepts of wrong inequality.

“Devaputra! What herein is receiving the precepts of right equality? Emptiness is equality, signlessness is equality, and wishlessness is equality.

“If one can enter these three gates of liberation, awaken to and know things in accordance with reality, neither discriminate nor conceptualize, and never retrogress with regard to any dharma, this is called receiving the precepts of right equality.

“Furthermore, Devaputra! If desire arises, if anger arises, if delusion arises, if craving and ignorance arise, if the view of self arises, if the sixty-two views arise, if the three wrong practices arise, if the four inversions arise, and even if the nine vexations and ten unwholesome courses of karma arise, this should be called receiving the right precepts. It is like all the seeds of grasses, trees, forests, and thickets, which rely upon the great earth to arise and grow. The earth is impartial and has no thought of causing this to happen. So it is in the Buddha-Dharma: if one receives the right precepts, one fulfills complete ordination.

“Devaputra! Just as all the seeds of grasses and trees abide upon the great earth and thereby grow, one should receive the complete right precepts in this way. Why? Because by abiding in the precepts, the dharmas of the path increase. Just as the growth of a seed is called maturation, so, through abiding in the precepts, all dharmas belonging to the factors conducive to bodhi arise and increase; hence this is called maturation.

“Devaputra! This is the receiving of the right precepts by all Buddhas, Blessed Ones, and sravakas of the past, future, and present: entering the three gates of liberation, wherein all conceptual proliferation and speech cease.

“Devaputra! You should know that if someone can receive full ordination in this way, it is called right reception, not wrong reception.

“Devaputra! I shall further instruct the person who has left the household life and received full ordination in this way: ‘Good men! If you can now refrain from keeping the prohibitory precepts, yours is true observance.’ Why? Because all dharmas are without anything grasped; hence there is nothing to maintain. Why, then, should there be maintenance of these precepts alone?

“Devaputra! If the precepts could be maintained, that would mean maintaining the three realms.

“Devaputra! What do you think? What constitutes the precepts?”

“Great Being! If one can fully observe the pratimoksa, that is called morality.”

“Devaputra! What is called pratimoksa?”

“Great Being! It means guarding body, speech, and mind. The completeness of these three kinds of karma is called pratimoksa.”

“Devaputra! What do you think? Where, here and now, is bodily karma or activity? Activity does not exist in the past or future either. It performs no action and has no form or appearance by which one could say that it exists, or that it is blue, yellow, red, white, or crystal-colored, does it?”

“Great Being! It does not.”

“Devaputra! What is it called, and how can it be spoken of?”

“Great Being! It is called unconditioned, truly ineffable.”

“Devaputra! What do you think? Can the unconditioned become conditioned?”

“Great Being! It cannot.”

“Devaputra! For this reason I say that not maintaining them is called true observance of the precepts.

“Devaputra! Regarding the higher training in morality, the higher training of mind, and the higher training in wisdom, know their ultimate limit in this way: because there is nothing to maintain, it is called the higher training in morality; because there is nothing to know, it is called the higher training of mind; and because there is nothing to see, it is called the higher training in wisdom. Because the mind neither discriminates, recollects, nor produces anything different, it is called the highest training of mind. The trainings in morality and wisdom are likewise.

“Devaputra! If one does not attain the mind, one does not recollect morality and does not cultivate wisdom. If one does not cultivate wisdom, one no longer gives rise to any doubt. Since there is no doubt, one does not maintain the precepts. If one does not maintain the precepts, this is called true observance of the precepts.

“Devaputra! One who observes the precepts desires nothing and therefore does not turn back; thus one is pure. Because one is pure, one is liberated.

Because one is liberated, one is diligent. Because one is diligent, one is without outflows. Because one is without outflows, one abides in right conduct.

Because one abides in right conduct, one has no form or appearance. Because one has no form or appearance, one is precisely like empty space. Why?

Because empty space has no shape or appearance. Therefore, Devaputra, if someone trains in this way, that person does not train; because there is no training, this is true training. Where does one train?

There is no place of training. What is this absence of a place? It is the equality of empty space.

If one can rightly abide in the equality of empty space, this is called truly abiding in the training in morality.

“Furthermore, Devaputra! If someone can leave the household life and receive full ordination in this way, I shall instruct that person as follows:

“‘Good man! If you can accept the offerings of all donors throughout the great trichiliocosm without giving rise to discrimination or thinking of repaying their kindness, only then is yours called pure observance of the precepts.’ Why? Devaputra!

If one apprehends a giver, a recipient, and material goods, these three things entail repayment of kindness. Furthermore, if one sees, considers, or discriminates these three things, that entails repayment of kindness. But if one neither apprehends, sees, considers, nor discriminates these three things, what kindness could be repaid?

Why? Because such repayment of kindness has been ultimately pure from the very beginning. Devaputra!

If one apprehends, sees, considers, discriminates, or remembers to repay kindness, one is an ordinary being, not an arhat. At all times, ordinary beings grasp, cling, consider, and discriminate: ‘This one receives and that one gives; that is defiled and this is pure.’ Because of this discrimination, there is repayment of kindness. What is repayment of kindness?

Ordinary beings assume a later body within samsara and therefore wish to repay kindness there. Devaputra! Arhats do not assume a later body.

Ultimately, they neither see, consider, nor discriminate between this and that. Since they no longer assume another body, where could they repay kindness?

“Devaputra! One who accepts offerings should practice threefold purity before accepting them: first, not seeing another person, and thus there is no giver; second, not seeing one’s own body, and thus there is no recipient; third, not seeing material goods, and thus there is no act of giving. Devaputra! This threefold purity is ultimate purity. With purity such as this, what need is there to repay kindness? For this reason I say that if one accepts the offerings of all faithful donors throughout the great trichiliocosm without discriminating or thinking of repaying their kindness, one is called the world’s genuine and supreme field of merit, a true renunciant, and one who purely observes the precepts.

“Furthermore, Devaputra! After enabling that person to leave the household life and observe the precepts in this way, I shall further instruct that person: ‘Good man! You should now neither practice aranya dwelling nor reside in a village; abide neither nearby nor far away; neither sit alone nor remain among a great assembly; neither speak much nor remain silent; neither beg for food nor accept invitations; neither wear rag-robes nor accept robes and bowls from others; neither eat much nor have few desires; neither seek much nor be content; neither sit beneath a tree nor sit in an open place; neither take fermented urine as medicine nor accept meat, ghee, or curds.

“‘Good man! If you do not give rise to discrimination concerning any of the dhutanga practices, and practice in this way, it is called completely practicing the dhutangas.’ Why?

“If one practices by means of recollection, that is self-conceit, and the mind still sees various characteristics: ‘I receive rag-robes; I beg for food; I dwell beneath a tree; I sit in an open place; I practice aranya dwelling; I take fermented urine as medicine; I have few desires; I am content; I practice the dhutangas.’ Devaputra! One who practices correctly does not generate such conceptual perceptions. Why?

Because this person is entirely without discrimination. This person does not even see a self, much less the virtues of the dhutangas. Therefore, Devaputra, if someone practices the dhutangas without recollecting or discriminating in this way, I call that true dhutanga practice.

Why? Because that dhutanga neither accepts nor rejects, neither cultivates nor recollects, neither cultivates nor practices, and is neither a dharma nor a non-dharma. Therefore I call it true dhutanga practice.

“Furthermore, Devaputra! After enabling that person to leave the household life and practice in this way, I shall instruct that person: ‘You should now neither contemplate the Four Noble Truths, nor cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, or the Noble Eightfold Path; even up to the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi, do not cultivate them.

Do not realize the three gates of liberation.’ Why? Because those Noble Truths enter the characteristic of non-arising and cannot be recollected, known, cultivated, or realized. Therefore I say that discussion of the foundations of mindfulness means neither recollecting nor cultivating any dharma; hence they are called foundations of mindfulness.

“Devaputra! If a bhiksu abides neither in the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, nor the Formless Realm, he is called a bhiksu who, without abiding in the four foundations of mindfulness, conceptually cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness. What is conceptual cultivation? As explained above, neither conceptualizing nor cultivating is called conceptual cultivation. You should understand successively in this way up to the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi.

“Devaputra! Since a meditating bhiksu attains nothing among any dharmas, he neither recollects, discriminates, cultivates, nor realizes them. Why? Because these dharmas are merely names. Although the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi have names, they cannot be attained. They arise solely through the discrimination of causes and conditions and have the single characteristic of no characteristic. Because of such names they are spoken of in this way, yet those words are also empty. Although they are realized and known by means of names, ultimately they cannot be attained. This is called awakening to and knowing the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi in accordance with reality.”

“Great Being! Who is called a meditating bhiksu?”

“Devaputra! If that bhiksu takes only one practice with regard to all dharmas and follows it to its ultimate extent—namely, non-arising—this is called meditative practice. Furthermore, not taking even the slightest dharma is called meditative practice. What dharmas does one not take? One does not take this world or the other world, does not take the three realms, and does not take any dharma whatsoever. Such equality is called meditative practice.

“Devaputra! In such meditative practice, there is not even one associated dharma, neither conjunction nor dispersion. This is meditative practice.”

At that time, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of sentient beings in the Dharma assembly became doubtful, thinking: “How can what Manjusri now says accord with what the Buddha has taught? The Blessed One has said that if someone enters the three gates of liberation, that is called nirvana. The Blessed One has also said that whoever can cultivate the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi can realize nirvana. Yet now Manjusri says that one should not cultivate the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi and should not enter the three gates of liberation. Has Manjusri spoken falsely?”

Knowing the doubts and thoughts of the bhiksus and the great assembly, Bodhisattva Manjusri immediately said to Venerable Sariputra: “Venerable One! You should now bear witness. The Buddha has declared you foremost in wisdom.

“Venerable One! Where did you realize the dharma of freedom from desire? At the time of realization, did you see the Four Noble Truths?”

Venerable Sariputra said: “I did not.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri asked: “Did you cultivate the thirty-seven factors conducive to bodhi?”

Venerable Sariputra said: “I did not.”

Bodhisattva Manjusri again asked: “Did you enter the three gates of liberation?”

Venerable Sariputra said: “I did not. Great Being! At that time, for me, there was not even one dharma that could be seen, eliminated, cultivated, realized, or discerned. Why? Because all dharmas are unconditioned, unarisen, ineffable, and empty. If they are empty, what could be realized?”

When this Dharma was taught, thirty thousand bhiksus in the assembly exhausted the outflows with regard to the Dharma, and their minds and understanding were liberated.