仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Vulture Peak near the city of Rajagriha, together with one thousand eight hundred bhiksus, all of whom were arhats. They had exhausted all outflows, were free from afflictions, completely liberated in mind and completely liberated through wisdom, had attained the nine knowledges and the ten knowledges, and had accomplished what was to be done. They contemplated in accordance with reality the three kinds of provisional existence, contemplated the three gates of liberation, and had perfected both conditioned and unconditioned merit.

There were also eight hundred bhiksunis, all of whom were arhats. There were also immeasurable and innumerable great bodhisattvas who possessed the true wisdom of equality and had permanently severed the obstruction of the afflictions. Endowed with skillful means, they had brought forth great practices and vows.

Through the four means of embracing, they benefited sentient beings, and with the four immeasurable minds they encompassed all. They had completely penetrated the three knowledges, attained the five supernormal powers, and cultivated the boundless factors of enlightenment. Their skillful abilities surpassed those of everyone in the world.

They had deeply penetrated and clearly understood dependent arising, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. They entered and emerged from the attainment of cessation, manifested in ways difficult to fathom, subdued hostile maras, and clearly understood both truths. With the Dharma eye, they saw and knew all the faculties and capacities of sentient beings.

With the four unobstructed understandings, they taught without fear. Possessing the wondrous wisdom of the ten powers, their voices in expounding the Dharma resounded like thunder. They had drawn near to the unequaled, peerless Vajra Samadhi.

All of them were fully endowed with such merits.

There were also immeasurable assemblies of upasakas and upasikas, all of whom had seen the Noble Truths.

There were also immeasurable practitioners of the seven stages of the worthy ones, the foundations of mindfulness, right efforts, bases of supernormal power, faculties, powers, eight spheres of mastery, ten totalities, and sixteen mental activities, advancing to the direct contemplation of the Four Noble Truths.

There were also sixteen great kings, including King Prasenajit, together with tens of millions of attendants.

There were also the six heavenly kings of the Desire Realm, including Sakra Devendra, together with immeasurable assemblies of heavenly princes.

There were the devas of the four dhyana heavens in the Form Realm, including the great Brahma kings, together with immeasurable assemblies of heavenly princes.

There were immeasurable magically manifested sentient beings from realms such as those of the asuras, together with vast retinues.

Moreover, pure realms manifested throughout the ten directions, and ten billion lion thrones appeared. Upon those thrones the Buddhas sat and expounded the Dharma of liberation. Before each throne appeared a flower with ten billion petals, adorned with precious substances. Upon every flower were immeasurable transformation Buddhas, immeasurable bodhisattvas, immeasurable members of the fourfold assembly, and the eight classes of beings. In their midst, the Buddhas expounded the Prajnaparamita, which gradually spread in succession throughout Buddha realms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions.

All the great assemblies that had thus arrived bowed with their heads at the Buddha’s feet and then withdrew to sit to one side.

At that time, on the eighth day of the first month, the Blessed One entered the wondrous samadhi of great quiescence. From every pore of his body he emitted great light that illuminated Buddha realms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. Then immeasurable devas of the Desire Realm rained down many kinds of beautiful flowers. The devas of the Form Realm also rained down celestial flowers of many intermingled colors, exceedingly delightful to behold. From the Formless Realm there rained fragrant flowers whose fragrance was like Mount Sumeru and whose blossoms were like wheels. Descending like clouds, they covered the entire great assembly and the Buddha, causing the world to quake in six ways.

The great assembly then said to one another, “Previously, for our sake, the Greatly Awakened Blessed One taught the Maha Prajnaparamita, the Vajra Prajnaparamita, the Prajnaparamita Requested by the Deva Kings, the Extensive Prajnaparamita, and immeasurable and innumerable other Prajnaparamita teachings. For what reason does the Tathagata now emit such great light?”

At that time, King Prasenajit of Sravasti thought, “Today the Buddha manifests such a rare sign. Surely he will rain down the rain of Dharma, enabling all to obtain benefit, peace, and happiness.” The king then asked the upasakas Ratnacchattra, Vimalakirti, and others; the great sravakas Sariputra, Subhuti, and others; and the great bodhisattvas Maitreya, Simhanada, and others:

“What auspicious sign is the Tathagata manifesting?”

No one in the great assembly was able to answer. Relying upon the Buddha’s awe-inspiring spiritual power, King Prasenajit and the others caused music to resound, while all the devas of the Desire Realm performed immeasurable kinds of celestial music, whose sounds filled the entire great trichiliocosm.

The Blessed One then emitted immeasurable asamkhyas of rays of light, displaying every color intermingled together. Within each halo of light appeared a precious lotus. Each lotus had one thousand petals made of pure gold, and upon it sat a transformation Buddha expounding the Dharma of liberation. The Buddha’s light illuminated Buddha realms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. Because the causes and conditions were present, these manifestations appeared.

From Buddha realms in other directions came great bodhisattvas: from the east, the great bodhisattva Universal Light; from the southeast, the great bodhisattva Lotus Hand; from the south, the great bodhisattva Free from Sorrow; from the southwest, the great bodhisattva Radiance; from the west, the great bodhisattva Practicing Wisdom; from the northwest, the great bodhisattva Precious Excellence; from the north, the great bodhisattva Excellent Lifespan; from the northeast, the great bodhisattva Free from Defilement; from above, the great bodhisattva Joyful Lifespan; and from below, the great bodhisattva Lotus Excellence.

Each came together with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of great bodhisattvas. They brought many kinds of incense, scattered many kinds of flowers, and performed immeasurable music as offerings to the Tathagata. They all bowed with their heads at the Buddha’s feet, then silently withdrew to one side, where they sat respectfully with palms joined, single-mindedly gazing upon the Buddha.

CHAPTER TWO: CONTEMPLATING THE TATHAGATA

At that time, the Blessed One emerged from samadhi and, seated upon the lion throne, addressed the great assembly:

“The Tathagata knows that the sixteen great kings are all thinking, ‘Out of great compassion, the Blessed One enables all to obtain benefit, peace, and happiness. How should we kings protect our countries?’ Good men, I shall first explain for the great bodhisattvas how to protect the fruit of Buddhahood and how to protect the practices of the Ten Grounds. You should listen clearly and attentively and properly retain this teaching in mind.”

When they heard the Buddha speak in this way, the entire great assembly, including King Prasenajit and the others, praised him together, saying:

“Excellent! Excellent!”

They then scattered immeasurable precious, fragrant, and beautiful flowers. The flowers transformed into precious canopies suspended in midair, covering the entire great assembly and extending everywhere.

At that time, King Prasenajit rose, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, joined his palms, knelt upright, and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, how do great bodhisattvas protect the fruit of Buddhahood? How do they protect the practices of the Ten Grounds?”

The Buddha said to King Prasenajit:

“To protect the fruit of Buddhahood means that great bodhisattvas should abide in this way: They teach and transform all beings born from eggs, wombs, moisture, or transformation, yet they do not contemplate material characteristics and do not contemplate form. The same applies to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Their understanding of self and person; permanence, bliss, self, and purity; the four means of embracing; the six paramitas; the two truths; the Four Noble Truths; the powers; the fearlessnesses; and all practices, up to and including bodhisattvas and Tathagatas, is likewise: they contemplate neither conceptual characteristics nor suchness.

Why is this? Because the nature of all dharmas is true and real. It neither comes nor goes, neither arises nor ceases, and is equal to the true limit.

The Dharma-nature is nondual and undifferentiated, like space. The characteristics of the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus possess neither self nor what belongs to a self. This is how great bodhisattvas practice the Prajnaparamita.”

King Prasenajit said to the Buddha:

“Blessed One, if the nature of bodhisattvas and sentient beings is nondual, by what characteristics do bodhisattvas teach and transform sentient beings?”

The Buddha said:

– Great King! Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are permanence, bliss, self, and purity. The Dharma-nature does not abide in form, nor does it abide in non-form. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are permanence, bliss, self, and purity; it does not abide in purity, nor does it abide in non-purity. Why is this? Because the nature of all dharmas is empty; they exist according to conventional truth and through provisional designation. All sentient beings and the dharmas of the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus; meritorious, non-meritorious, and imperturbable actions—all exist through cause and effect. The practices cultivated by the sages and worthies of the Three Vehicles, up to and including the fruit of Buddhahood, are all said to exist. The sixty-two views are also said to exist.

Great King! If one clings to names and characteristics and discriminates among the practices of the six destinies, the four modes of birth, and the Three Vehicles, one does not see the true nature of all dharmas.

King Prasenajit said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! The true nature of all dharmas is pure and equal, neither existent nor nonexistent. How, then, does wisdom illuminate it?

The Buddha said:

– Great King! Wisdom illuminates the true nature, which is neither existent nor nonexistent. Why is this? Because the Dharma-nature is empty; that is, form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; the twelve ayatanas; the eighteen dhatus; the six realms of ordinary beings; the twelve links of dependent origination; the two truths; and the Four Truths are all empty. These dharmas arise and then cease, exist and then become nonexistent; so it is in every kshana. Why is this? Because within a single thought there are ninety kshanas, and in each kshana there are nine hundred instances of arising and ceasing. Thus, all conditioned dharmas are empty. Through the profound prajnaparamita, one illuminates and sees that all dharmas are empty: inner emptiness, outer emptiness, inner-and-outer emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of ultimate meaning, emptiness of the conditioned, emptiness of the unconditioned, beginningless emptiness, ultimate emptiness, emptiness of nature, emptiness of intrinsic nature, emptiness of intrinsic characteristics, emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness of prajnaparamita, emptiness of persons, emptiness of the fruit of Buddhahood, and the emptiness of emptiness; therefore, they are empty. Conditioned dharmas exist through the aggregation of dharmas, exist through the aggregation of experience, exist through the aggregation of names, exist through the aggregation of causes, and exist through the aggregation of fruits. The six destinies exist, the ten bhumis exist, and the fruit of Buddhahood exists; all of them exist.

Good man! If a bodhisattva abides in the characteristics of dharmas and entertains the characteristic of a self and the characteristic of a person, this is the cognition of a sentient being and attachment to the mundane world; therefore, he is not a bodhisattva. Why is this?

Because all dharmas are empty. If, with regard to all dharmas, one attains the unmoving, the non-arising and non-ceasing, the signless, and that which is not non-signless, one should not give rise to views and attachments. Why is this?

Because all dharmas are Suchness. The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are also Suchness. In the very first thought when noble wisdom manifests directly, it is fully endowed with eighty-four thousand paramitas.

This is called the Bhumī of Joy, where all obstructions are completely extinguished and liberation is attained. Its functioning is called the Vehicle. When the characteristic of movement ceases, it is called the Vajra Samadhi; the characteristic and principle of equality are called the Wisdom of All-Knowing Wisdom.

Great King! The words, sections, and phrases of this prajnaparamita have all been spoken alike by a hundred Buddhas, a thousand Buddhas, and hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Buddhas. Suppose someone were to give away the seven treasures filling great trichiliocosms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and enable every sentient being throughout those great trichiliocosms to realize the fruit of arhatship.

This would not equal the merit of a person who, toward this sutra, gives rise to even a single thought of pure faith—how much less that of one who receives and upholds it, reads and recites it, or understands a single sentence. Why is this? Because, apart from the nature of written words, there is no characteristic of written words; it is neither Dharma nor non-Dharma.

Because prajna is empty, the bodhisattva is also empty. Why is this? Because within each of the ten bhumis there is initial arising, present arising, and the cessation of arising.

Thus, all thirty arisings are empty. The Wisdom of All-Knowing Wisdom is also entirely empty.

Great King! If a bodhisattva sees that there is an object realm, sees wisdom, sees speaking, or sees receiving and upholding, this is not the seeing of a noble one but the seeing of an ordinary being. The karmic retributions of sentient beings in the three realms are illusory and false.

The karma of the Desire Realm is produced by discrimination; the karma of the Form Realm is produced by the four dhyanas; and the karma of the Formless Realm is produced by the four formless samadhis. All karmic fruits of the three realms are empty. The fundamental ignorance of the three realms is also empty.

The bhumis of the noble ones are uncontaminated arising and ceasing. The other forms of ignorance perfumed within the three realms and their changing retributions are also all empty. A bodhisattva at the stage of Equal Enlightenment realizes the Vajra Samadhi; the causes and fruits of the two kinds of death are empty, and All-Knowing Wisdom is also empty.

In the Buddha of Unsurpassed Enlightenment, all forms of wisdom are perfected; cessation through analysis and cessation not through analysis, the true and pure Dharma-realm, the equality of nature and characteristics, and responsive functioning are also empty.

Good man! When someone cultivates prajnaparamita, the speaker and the listener are like an illusionist who neither speaks nor listens. Dharmas are identical with the Dharma-nature, like empty space. All is Suchness.

Great King! Such is how a great bodhisattva safeguards the fruit of Buddhahood.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to King Prasenajit:

– By what characteristics do you contemplate the Tathagata?

King Prasenajit replied:

– To contemplate the true characteristic of the body is to contemplate the Buddha in the same way: there is no interval before, no interval after, and no interval in between. It neither abides in the three intervals nor is apart from them; neither abides in the five skandhas nor is apart from them; neither abides in the four great elements nor is apart from them; neither abides in the six ayatanas nor is apart from them; neither abides in the three realms nor is apart from them; neither abides in the directions nor is apart from them. Knowledge and ignorance are equal; neither one nor different, neither this nor that, neither pure nor defiled, neither conditioned nor unconditioned, neither the characteristic of self nor the characteristic of another; without name and without characteristic, neither strong nor weak; neither instructing nor speaking; neither giving nor stingy; neither observing precepts nor transgressing them; neither patient nor angry; neither diligent nor indolent; neither concentrated nor distracted; neither wise nor deluded; neither coming nor going, neither entering nor departing; neither a field of merit nor not a field of merit; neither characteristic nor non-characteristic; neither grasping nor relinquishing; neither great nor small; neither seeing nor hearing, neither perceiving nor knowing. The activities of the mind are utterly extinguished, and the path of language is completely cut off. The Dharma-nature is identical with the true limit. With such characteristics do I contemplate the Tathagata.

The Buddha said:

– Good man! It is exactly as you have said. The powers, fearlessnesses, and other virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, as well as the distinctive dharmas of all Buddha-Tathagatas, are all likewise. One who cultivates prajnaparamita should contemplate in this way. To contemplate otherwise is called false contemplation.

When the Buddha taught this Dharma, an immeasurable assembly attained the pure Dharma-eye.

CHAPTER THREE: THE PRACTICE OF THE BODHISATTVA

At that time, King Prasenajit said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! How should great bodhisattvas cultivate the practices that safeguard the Ten Bhumis? How should they teach and transform sentient beings? And by what characteristics should they contemplate?

The Buddha said:

– Great King! Great bodhisattvas rely upon the five kinds of patience in their cultivation: the patience of subjugation, the patience of faith, the patience of conformity, and the patience of non-arising, each of which has superior, middle, and inferior levels; while the patience of quiescence has superior and inferior levels. This is called the bodhisattva's cultivation of prajnaparamita.

Good man! Upon first entering the stage of Subjugating Patience, a bodhisattva begins to cultivate the seed-nature and practice the Ten Abodes. When the aspiration is first aroused, beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, upon seeing the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, give rise to the ten kinds of faith: the mind of faith, the mind of mindfulness, the mind of diligence, the mind of wisdom, the mind of concentration, the mind of non-retrogression, the mind of precepts, the mind of vows, the mind of protecting the Dharma, and the mind of dedication of merit.

If these ten minds are fully perfected, one can teach and transform beings to a limited extent and surpass all the wholesome stages of the practitioners of the Two Vehicles. This is the bodhisattva who has first nurtured and developed the mind of awakening; it is the sacred embryo.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva at the stage of the seed-nature of the nature cultivates the ten kinds of paramita and brings forth ten kinds of counteragents. That is, the bodhisattva contemplates the body, feelings, mind, and dharmas; impurity, the various forms of suffering, impermanence, and non-self; counteracts the three unwholesome roots of greed, anger, and delusion; and brings forth the three wholesome roots of generosity, loving-kindness and compassion, and wisdom.

The bodhisattva contemplates patience regarding causes in the past, patience regarding causes and effects in the present, and patience regarding effects in the future. A bodhisattva at this stage benefits and brings happiness to beings, transcends notions of self-view and views concerning persons held by beings, and cannot be harmed by the inverted notions of non-Buddhist practitioners.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva at the stage of the seed-nature of the Path cultivates the Ten Dedications and brings forth ten minds of patience. That is, by contemplating the five skandhas—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—the bodhisattva attains patience in morality, patience in concentration, patience in wisdom, patience in liberation, and patience in the knowledge and vision of liberation. By contemplating the causes and effects within the three realms, the bodhisattva attains the patience of emptiness, the patience of signlessness, and the patience of wishlessness.

By contemplating the conventional and real dharmas of the two truths as impermanent, the bodhisattva attains the patience of impermanence. By contemplating all dharmas as empty, the bodhisattva attains the patience of non-arising. A bodhisattva at this stage becomes a Wheel-Turning King and possesses the power to teach, transform, and benefit all beings.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva at the stage of the Patience of Faith—that is, at the Ground of Joy, the Stainless Ground, and the Luminous Ground—can eliminate the three obstructions and sever the bonds of afflictions associated with form; practice the four means of attraction: generosity, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation; cultivate the four immeasurable minds: immeasurable loving-kindness, immeasurable compassion, immeasurable sympathetic joy, and immeasurable equanimity; fulfill the four great vows; eliminate the fetters and hindrances; constantly teach and transform beings; cultivate the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; realize unsurpassed awakening;

and abide in the three gates of liberation: the gate of liberation through emptiness, the gate of liberation through signlessness, and the gate of liberation through wishlessness.

These are the fundamental practices of a great bodhisattva, from the first arousal of the aspiration until the attainment of omniscience, benefiting and bringing peace and happiness to all beings.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva at the stage of Conforming Patience—that is, at the Blazing Wisdom Ground, the Difficult-to-Conquer Ground, and the Manifest Ground—can eliminate the three obstructions and the bonds of mental afflictions. With a single body, the bodhisattva can travel throughout hundreds of millions of Buddha lands in the ten directions and manifest indescribable spiritual powers and transformations to benefit and bring peace and happiness to beings.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva at the stage of the Patience of Non-arising—that is, at the Far-Traveling Ground, the Immovable Ground, and the Ground of Excellent Wisdom—can eliminate the three obstructions and the habitual tendencies associated with form and mind, manifest incalculably many bodies, and benefit all beings in accordance with their various kinds.

Furthermore, at the stage of the Patience of Quiescent Extinction, both Buddhas and bodhisattvas rely upon this patience. With vajra samadhi, one who abides at the lower level of this patience is called a bodhisattva, while one who abides at its higher level is called one possessed of omniscience. By contemplating the ultimate truth and eliminating the characteristic of ignorance, one attains Equal Awakening.

The one characteristic and signlessness are equally nondual. This is the eleventh ground of omniscience, neither existent nor nonexistent, serene and pure, neither coming nor going, eternally abiding and unchanging. Its Dharma-nature is equal to the true limit.

With great compassion that takes no object as its condition, one constantly teaches and transforms beings, riding the vehicle of omniscience to enter the three realms and deliver them.

Good man! All the afflictions of the various kinds of beings, the karmic fruits of maturation, and the twenty-two faculties do not extend beyond the three realms. The transformation bodies and Dharma bodies through which the Buddhas teach also do not lie beyond these realms. If it is said that beyond the three realms there is still a realm of all beings, that is the teaching of the non-Buddhist scripture proclaiming a great existent.

Great King! I have always taught beings only to eliminate completely the ignorance of birth and death within the three realms; this itself is Buddhahood. The intrinsic purity of one’s own nature is called original awakening; it is the wisdom of omniscience of all Buddhas. Through it, one becomes the foundation of beings, and it is also the root practice of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas. This is the bodhisattva’s cultivation: the fourteen patiences within the five kinds of patience.

The Buddha said:

– Great King! Previously, you asked how bodhisattvas teach and transform beings. A great bodhisattva should teach and transform them in this way: From the first ground to the final ground, the bodhisattva must comprehend fully both the sphere of their own practice and the sphere of a Buddha’s practice. If a great bodhisattva abides throughout one hundred Buddha lands and becomes a holy Wheel-Turning King in Jambudvipa, the bodhisattva cultivates one hundred Dharma illumination gateways and, abiding in the impartial mind through the perfection of generosity, teaches and transforms beings throughout the four continents. If a great bodhisattva abides throughout one thousand Buddha lands and becomes a king in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, the bodhisattva cultivates one thousand Dharma illumination gateways, expounds the ten wholesome paths, and delivers all beings.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout ten thousand Buddha lands and becomes a heavenly king in the Yama Heaven, the bodhisattva cultivates ten thousand Dharma illumination gateways and, relying upon the four dhyanas, teaches and transforms all beings.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout one hundred million Buddha lands and becomes a heavenly king in the Tushita Heaven, the bodhisattva cultivates one hundred million Dharma illumination gateways and practices the factors of awakening to teach and transform all beings.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout ten billion Buddha lands and becomes a heavenly king in the Heaven of Delight in Transformations, the bodhisattva cultivates ten billion Dharma illumination gateways and teaches and transforms beings through the two truths and the Four Noble Truths.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout one hundred billion Buddha lands and becomes a heavenly king in the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Transformations, the bodhisattva cultivates one hundred billion Dharma illumination gateways and teaches and transforms all beings through the wisdom that realizes the twelve links of dependent origination.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout one trillion Buddha lands and becomes a Brahma king in the realm of the First Dhyana, the bodhisattva cultivates one trillion Dharma illumination gateways and teaches and transforms all beings through the wisdom of skillful means.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the dust particles in a hundred myriad kotis of worlds, the bodhisattva becomes a Brahma king in the realm of the Second Dhyana, cultivates Dharma illumination gateways of impartial simultaneous illumination as numerous as the dust particles in a hundred myriad worlds, and teaches and transforms all beings through the wisdom of vows and spiritual powers.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout Buddha lands as numerous as the dust particles in a hundred myriad asamkhyeya kalpas, the bodhisattva becomes a Brahma king in the realm of the Third Dhyana, cultivates Dharma illumination gateways as numerous as the dust particles in a hundred myriad asamkhyeyas, and teaches and transforms all beings through the wisdom of the four unobstructed knowledges.

If a great bodhisattva abides throughout indescribably and inexpressibly many Buddha lands and becomes the Great Brahma Heavenly King in the realm of the Fourth Dhyana, the bodhisattva cultivates indescribably and inexpressibly many Dharma illumination gateways, attains the Samadhi of Exhaustive Principle, which is identical to the sphere of a Buddha’s practice, fully comprehends the source of the three realms, and benefits beings in a manner resembling the sphere of the Buddha. This is how a great bodhisattva manifests the body of a king to teach, transform, guide, and lead beings.

The Tathagatas of the ten directions are likewise: having realized unsurpassed awakening, they constantly pervade the Dharma-realm to benefit and bring happiness to beings.

At that time, the entire great assembly rose to their feet, scattered indescribably many flowers, burned indescribably many kinds of incense, and made offerings to, revered, and praised the Tathagata.

Then, before the Buddha, King Prasenajit spoke verses of praise:

– Guiding Teacher, World-Honored One, whose essence is vajra,

You turn the Dharma wheel, your mental activity quiescent and extinct.

You expound the teaching in eight kinds of perfect voice;

Hundreds of myriad kotis of people attain the Path.

Gods and humans all cultivate the practice of liberation.

Cultivating all the bodhisattva paths,

The merits of the five gates of patience, the wondrous Dharma,

And the fourteen patiences—all bodhisattvas clearly understand them.

They practice within the patiences of the Three Worthies and Ten Sages;

Only a Buddha comprehends them to their ultimate source.

The ocean of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, the treasury of the Three Jewels,

Contains immeasurable merit within it.

Bodhisattvas practicing the ten wholesome deeds bring forth the great resolve,

Yet still abide within the ocean of samsara in the three realms.

Those of lesser and middling goodness become minor kings;

Those of superior goodness become Iron Wheel-Turning Kings.

Those at the stage of cultivating the seed-nature turn the copper wheel over two continents;

Those at the stage of the intrinsic seed-nature turn the silver wheel over three continents.

Those of the seed-nature of the path firmly attain the state of a Wheel-Turning King,

Possessing the seven treasures and turning the golden wheel over four continents.

The sacred embryo of the Patience of Subjugation comprises thirty stages:

The ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications of merit.

This is the Dharma studied by the Buddhas of the three times;

All these stages arise through this Patience of Subjugation.

It is the foundation of all bodhisattva practices,

And therefore it is difficult to bring forth the resolve and the mind of faith.

If one attains the mind of faith, one will never regress,

But advances into the path of the first ground, the unborn.

Benefiting oneself and others equally,

One is therefore called a newly resolved bodhisattva.

The Bodhisattva of the Ground of Joy is a Wheel-Turning King,

Illuminating the principle of the equality of the two truths.

Going to a hundred realms, he teaches and transforms sentient beings;

Through pure generosity, he benefits the multitudes of beings.

Entering the essence of prajna is called “abiding”;

Abiding and living in virtuous conduct is called a “ground.”

In the first abode, the one mind is endowed with all virtues

And remains unmoved with regard to ultimate truth.

The Bodhisattva of the Stainless Ground is a king of the Trayastrimsa Heaven,

Manifesting bodies throughout a thousand realms within the six destinies.

His pure observance of the precepts is wholly perfected,

And he has forever ended all transgressions formerly committed.

Without attributes and without conditions, his nature is true;

Without essence and without arising, his radiance is nondual.

The Bodhisattva of the Luminous Ground is a king of the Yama Heaven,

Manifesting bodies and traveling to ten thousand Buddha-realms.

He has completely penetrated samadhi,

Appears and disappears freely, and possesses the three illuminations.

The Grounds of Joy, Stainlessness, and Luminosity

Eliminate the bonds of form and the afflictions.

Clearly contemplating all karma of body and speech,

The pure Dharma-nature shines in perfect fullness.

– The Bodhisattva of the Blazing Wisdom Ground is a king of the Tusita Heaven,

Who, with utmost diligence, travels throughout a hundred million realms.

With true wisdom of quiescent extinction and wisdom in skillful means,

He realizes the principle of non-arising and illuminates emptiness and existence.

– The Bodhisattva of the Difficult-to-Conquer Ground is a king of the Heaven of Delight in Creation,

Who attains equality and travels through ten billion realms.

He contemplates emptiness and the truth of emptiness, free from dual attributes,

And manifests bodies throughout the six destinies.

– The Bodhisattva of the Manifest Ground is a Sovereign King,

Who clearly sees that the attributes of dependently arisen phenomena are one.

The luminous wisdom of ultimate truth pervades everywhere,

And he goes to a hundred billion realms to liberate sentient beings.

– The Grounds of Blazing Wisdom, Difficult-to-Conquer, and Manifest Presence

Eliminate the three obstructions that delude the mind.

The wisdom of emptiness is quiescent, contemplating without conditions;

It reflects upon the empty mind and immeasurable objects.

– The Bodhisattva of the Far-Traveling Ground is a king of the First Dhyana Heaven,

Who abides in the patience of signlessness and non-arising.

His skillful means are all impartial,

And he goes to a trillion realms to liberate sentient beings.

Entering the immovable current of the Dharma-ground,

He is no longer subject to fragmentary birth and death and transcends all states of existence.

He constantly contemplates ultimate truth and clearly understands nonduality;

He practices the second of the twenty-one quiescences of emptiness.

Attachment to the Dharma that accords with the path, together with ignorance,

Is eliminated only by a bodhisattva abiding on the Far-Traveling Ground.

– The Bodhisattva of the Immovable Ground is a king of the Second Dhyana Heaven,

Who attains a transformation body and is always sovereign and free.

He travels to realms as numerous as the dust motes in a million worlds,

Transforming himself according to each kind of being in order to liberate sentient beings.

He clearly knows the immeasurable kalpas of the three times

And remains unmoved with regard to the supreme truth.

– The Bodhisattva of the Good Wisdom Ground is a king of the Third Dhyana Heaven,

Who in a single moment manifests throughout a hundred billion realms.

He constantly practices the unconditioned conduct of empty quiescence,

And in a single thought understands Buddha treasuries as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

– The Bodhisattva of the Dharma Cloud Ground is a king of the Fourth Dhyana Heaven,

Who goes to realms numbering a hundred million Ganges sands to liberate sentient beings.

Upon first entering the Vajra stage, he knows all things

And has transcended the twenty-nine realms.

Within the Patience of Quiescent Extinction, there is neither contemplation nor patience;

He then turns toward Wondrous Awakening, the Unequaled Equal.

– The Grounds of Immovability, Good Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud

Eliminate the previously accumulated habitual tendencies of ignorance.

As the habitual tendencies of ignorance are removed, consciousness transforms along with them,

And the principles of the two truths are both understood exhaustively.

Signless perfect awakening pervades the Dharma realm;

When the thirty births are exhausted, wisdom is perfectly luminous.

Quiescent illumination, unconditioned, is true liberation;

The manifestations of great compassion are beyond compare.

Clear and pure, unmoving, ever peaceful and secure,

Its light shines everywhere without obstruction.

The Three Worthies and Seven Sages still undergo karmic retribution;

Only the Buddha alone abides in the Pure Realm.

All sentient beings dwell only provisionally;

Upon realizing the Vajra state, one is originally unmoving.

The virtues of the Tathagata’s three karmic activities are immeasurable;

With impartial love, he cherishes all sentient beings.

He is the unsurpassed Dharma King within the human realm,

Whose immeasurable radiance shelters and refreshes beings.

He always teaches the Dharma in accord with true meaning;

His mind and wisdom are quiescent, clearly knowing the unconditioned.

The Lion among Humans expounds

Profound meanings of words never heard before,

Causing realms as numerous as the sands of the Ganges to quake.

The great assembly rejoices and receives benefit.

The World-Honored One taught this to the fourteen kings;

I now bow my head and pay homage.

At that time, upon hearing the Buddha, the World-Honored One, and King Prasenajit speak of the immeasurable merits of the fourteen patiences, millions of billions of great assemblies, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, obtained the benefit of the Great Dharma. Through hearing the Dharma, they awakened and realized the Patience of the Non-arising of Dharmas.

The World-Honored One then addressed the great assembly:

– This King Prasenajit, ten thousand kalpas ago in the past, was a bodhisattva on the fourth ground within the Dharma of the Buddha Dragon Light King. At that time, I was a bodhisattva on the eighth ground. Today, before me, he has uttered the great lion’s roar. So it is, so it is! It is exactly as you have spoken. You have attained the true meaning, the inconceivable meaning. Only Buddhas together with Buddhas can know this.

Good men! These fourteen patiences, the Dharma-bodies of all Buddhas, and the practices of bodhisattvas are inconceivable and incalculable. Why is this? It is because all Buddhas are born from prajnaparamita, transform through prajnaparamita, and enter extinction through prajnaparamita. Yet in truth, although the Buddhas are born, there is no place of birth; although they transform, there is no place of transformation; although they enter extinction, there is no place of extinction. This is the supreme truth, without duality, neither attribute nor absence of attributes, without self and without other, neither coming nor going, for it is like empty space.

Good men! The nature of all sentient beings neither arises nor ceases. Through the illusory conjunction of dharmas, there appear the attributes of the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus, yet there is neither combination nor dispersion.

Dharmas are identical with the Dharma-nature, for they are quiescent and empty. The intrinsic nature of all sentient beings is pure. All conditioned activities are neither bound nor released, neither cause nor effect, yet neither are they without cause and effect.

What is known is known through the afflictions: experiencing formations and all suffering, the attributes of self, person, knower and viewer, and one who experiences. Because all is empty, the dharmas of the objective realm are empty. Emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness do not accord with inverted views or with illusory transformations.

There is no attribute of the six destinies, no attribute of the four modes of birth, no attribute of the sages, and no attribute of the Three Jewels, for all are like empty space.

Good men! Profound prajna cannot be known or seen. It neither acts nor takes conditions, neither relinquishes nor accepts.

One rightly abides in contemplation, yet there is no attribute of illumination. Whoever practices the path in this way is like empty space. Thus, regarding the attributes of dharmas, neither a mind that apprehends nor a mind that does not apprehend can be attained.

Therefore, prajna is neither the five skandhas nor apart from the five skandhas; neither sentient beings nor apart from sentient beings; neither the objective realm nor apart from the objective realm; neither practice and understanding nor apart from practice and understanding. Such attributes are incalculable. Therefore, although all the practices cultivated by bodhisattvas have not yet reached the ultimate, practice still exists within them.

All Buddhas know them to be like illusory transformations; although they attain the attribute of non-abiding, they nevertheless manifest transformations within them. Therefore, the fourteen patiences are inconceivable and immeasurable.

Good man! Today you have spoken of this treasury of merit, which brings exceedingly great benefit to all sentient beings. Even if immeasurable bodhisattvas of the Ten Bhūmis, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, were to speak of this merit, what they described in hundreds of thousands of koṭis of parts would be like a single drop of water in the ocean. The Buddhas of the three times know it as it truly is, and all sages and noble ones praise it. Therefore, I shall now speak briefly of a small portion of its merit.

Good man! These fourteen patiences have been revealed by all bodhisattvas of the past and present throughout the worlds of the ten directions. The Buddhas and great bodhisattvas of the future will do likewise. It is impossible for a Buddha or bodhisattva to attain all-knowledge without relying upon this gateway. Why is this? Because the Buddhas and bodhisattvas have no other path.

Good man! If a person hears of the Patience of Abiding, Patience of Practice, Patience of Dedication, Patience of Joy, Patience of Freedom from Defilement, Patience of Radiance, Patience of Blazing Wisdom, Patience Difficult to Conquer, Patience of Manifest Presence, Patience of Far-Reaching Practice, Patience of Immovability, Patience of Excellent Wisdom, Patience of the Dharma Cloud, and Patience of Perfect Awakening, and with one-pointed mind possesses pure faith, that person will transcend all sufferings and calamities throughout a hundred kalpas, a thousand kalpas, and immeasurable, boundless kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. That person will not be born in the evil realms and, before long, will attain unsurpassed bodhi.

At that time, one billion bodhisattvas, all bearing the same name, the great bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, arrived from other places together with an immeasurable and innumerable great assembly. Filled with joy and delight, and through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, they saw Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions, each seated in a place of enlightenment and teaching the fourteen patiences exactly as the Blessed One had taught them. They all rejoiced greatly and practiced the prajnaparamita in accordance with the teaching.

The Blessed One then said to King Prasenajit:

“Previously, you asked by means of what characteristic one should abide in contemplation. A great bodhisattva should contemplate thus: By means of an illusory body, one perceives illusions, abiding in true equality, in which there is no longer any person or self. One contemplates in this way in order to teach and benefit sentient beings.

Yet throughout distant kalpas, from the very first kṣaṇa, the consciousness of sentient beings has differed from wood and stone. Whatever defilement or purity arises is produced by each being itself. From the first kṣaṇa throughout ineffably many kalpas, the fundamentally defiled or pure consciousnesses have been immeasurable and innumerable; down to the final vajra-like kṣaṇa, these consciousnesses are so numerous that they cannot be spoken of or described.

When sentient beings arise, they possess two dharmas: form and mind. Form is called the form skandha, while mind is called the other four skandhas. All have the nature of accumulation and obscure reality.

“Great king! A single dharma of form gives rise to immeasurable forms. The eye meets form, the ear meets sound, the nose meets scent, the tongue meets flavor, and the body meets tangible objects. Solidity is called earth; moisture is called water; the nature of warmth is called fire; and lightness and movement are called wind. The loci from which the five consciousnesses arise are called the five material faculties. Thus, in successive order, one mind and one form give rise to immeasurably many forms and minds, beyond all description; yet all are like illusions.

“Good man! What sentient beings experience stands upon the level of the conventional. Whether regarded as existent or nonexistent, it arises from the deluded conceptions of sentient beings, who recollect and think, then create karma and experience its fruits. All this is called conventional truth. All sentient beings within the six destinies and three realms—brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras—as well as notions of self and person, views and knowledge, dharmas of form, and dharmas of mind, are like things seen in a dream.

“Good man! All names are provisionally established. Before a Buddha appears in the world, the illusory dharmas of conventional truth have neither names nor meanings, nor any essential characteristics.

There are no names for the three realms, no names for the six destinies, and no names for the fruits of good and evil. When a Buddha appears in the world, for the sake of sentient beings he teaches immeasurable terms concerning the three realms, the six destinies, defilement, and purity. All these are like echoes.

Dharmas continue from thought-moment to thought-moment without pause; from kṣaṇa to kṣaṇa, they are neither one nor different. As soon as they arise, they immediately cease. They are neither annihilated nor permanent, for conditioned dharmas are like a shimmering mirage.

Dharmas established in mutual dependence comprise the form dhatu, the eye dhatu, and the eye-consciousness dhatu, through to the dharma dhatu, the mind dhatu, and the mind-consciousness dhatu. They are like flashes of lightning, having no fixed nature and existing only in mutual dependence. Existence and nonexistence, oneness and difference, are like a person seeing a second moon.

Dharmas come into being through conditions. The dharmas of the skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus are like foam upon water; dharmas come into being through causes. All the causes and fruits of sentient beings, whether simultaneous or occurring at different times, together with the good and evil of the three times, are like clouds in empty space.

“Good man! A great bodhisattva abides in non-discrimination, without the characteristics of this and that or self and other, and constantly performs actions that are beneficial, without any notion of benefit. Therefore, know that foolish ordinary beings, with their defiled consciousness, sink deeply into falsehood and are bound by characteristics. Bodhisattvas see and know these things to be like the creations of an illusionist, without essential characteristics, merely like flowers in empty space. Thus does a great bodhisattva dwell in benefiting self and others, contemplating in accordance with true suchness.”

When the Buddha taught this Dharma, immeasurable numbers of devas and humans in the assembly attained the Patience of Subjugation, the Patience of Emptiness, and the Patience of Non-arising. Immeasurable bodhisattvas, from the First Bhūmi and Second Bhūmi through to the Tenth Bhūmi, all attained the stage of one birth away from Buddhahood.

CHAPTER FOUR: THE TWO TRUTHS

At that time, King Prasenajit addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! Does conventional truth exist within ultimate truth? If it does not, then wisdom is not two. If it does, then wisdom is not one. How should the meaning of one and two be understood?”

The Buddha said:

“Great king! In the Dharma of the past Buddha Dragon Light King, you asked about this meaning. If I do not speak now, the great king will not hear. Thus, neither speaking nor hearing is the meaning of one and the meaning of two. Listen carefully, and I shall explain it for you.”

The Blessed One then spoke in verse:

“Ultimate truth is without characteristics;

Its essence is made by neither self nor other.

What exists through causes and conditions is like an illusion,

And is likewise made by neither self nor other.

The Dharma-nature is originally without nature;

Ultimate truth is empty suchness.

All dharmas are like illusions,

Existing through the union of three provisional designations.

Emptiness and the truth of emptiness are truly empty;

Quiescent ultimate truth is empty.

Dharmas exist through conditions;
Such is the meaning of existence and nonexistence.

Existence and nonexistence are originally two,

Like the two horns of an ox.

Understanding clearly, one sees no duality;

The two truths are always thus empty.

When the mind understands, it sees no duality;

Seek the two, and they cannot be found.

Do not say that the two are one;

Even the one cannot be attained.

Clear understanding always proceeds from the one;

With regard to truth, it always proceeds from the two.

Penetrating this one and two,

One enters ultimate truth.

Conventional truth is born through illusion,

Like a flower in empty space,

Like an image, like a wheel of hairs;

Through conditions, illusions appear to exist.

Illusions perceive illusions;

The foolish call illusions real.

The illusionist sees illusory dharmas;

Both reality and illusion are nonexistent.

If one understands dharmas in this way,

One understands the meaning of one and two.

With regard to all dharmas,

One should contemplate in this way.”

O great king! The great bodhisattva abides in the ultimate truth in order to teach and transform sentient beings. Sentient beings and the Buddha are nondual.

Why is this? Because sentient beings and bodhi are both empty. Since sentient beings are empty, the attainment of bodhi is also empty.

Since bodhi is empty, sentient beings are empty. Since all dharmas are empty, even emptiness is empty. Why is this?

Because prajna is signless, and both truths are empty. That is to say, from ignorance to all-knowledge, there is neither an intrinsic characteristic nor an extrinsic characteristic. Within the ultimate meaning, there is seeing, yet nothing is seen.

If there is practice, one does not become attached to it; if there is no practice, one does not become attached to that either; and whether neither practicing nor not practicing, one likewise does not become attached. One is attached to none of the dharmas. Before a bodhisattva becomes a Buddha, bodhi is regarded as affliction.

When a bodhisattva becomes a Buddha, affliction is bodhi. Why is this? Because in the ultimate meaning there is no duality.

All Buddha Tathagatas and all dharmas are likewise.

King Prasenajit said to the Buddha:

“Why do all Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions practice the true characteristic without departing from written words?”

The Buddha said:

“O great king! Written words refer to sutras, corresponding verses, prophecies, independent verses, spontaneous teachings, accounts of causes and conditions, parables, accounts of past events, birth stories, extensive teachings, marvelous events, and expositions. All passages, written words, speech, and sounds expressed in these scriptures are suchness and are not apart from the true characteristic. If one grasps the characteristics of written words, however, that is not the true characteristic.

“O great king! One who cultivates the true characteristic cultivates written words in this way. The true characteristic is the mother of the wisdom of all Buddhas and the fundamental mother of wisdom of all sentient beings.

This is called the essence of all-knowledge. Before Buddhas have attained Buddhahood, it is the mother of their present Buddha-wisdom. Once they have attained Buddhahood, it is all-knowledge.

Before it is attained, it is the intrinsic nature; once attained, it is wisdom. The prajna of the three vehicles neither arises nor ceases; its intrinsic nature eternally abides. This is the awakened nature of all sentient beings.

If a bodhisattva neither becomes attached to written words nor departs from written words, perceiving neither the characteristic of written words nor the absence of written words, and can cultivate in this way without perceiving the characteristic of cultivation, that person is called one who cultivates written words and is able to attain the true nature of prajna. This is prajnaparamita.

“O great king! In this way, great bodhisattvas safeguard the fruit of Buddhahood, safeguard the practices of the ten bhumis, and protect the teaching and transformation of sentient beings.”

King Prasenajit said to the Buddha:

“The true nature is one, yet the faculties, practices, and classes of sentient beings are immeasurable. Are the Dharma gates, then, one or immeasurable?”

The Buddha said:

“O great king! The Dharma gates are neither one nor immeasurable. Why is this?

Because material dharmas and mental dharmas, the characteristics of the five clinging skandhas, and the views of self and person held by sentient beings involve many different faculties and practices and boundless varieties. Accordingly, the Dharma gates adapted to those faculties are also immeasurable. The nature of these dharmas is neither characterized nor uncharacterized, nor is it immeasurable.

If a bodhisattva, in accordance with sentient beings, sees one or sees two, then that bodhisattva does not see the meaning of either one or two. To understand clearly that they are neither one nor two is the ultimate truth. To grasp one and two as existent or nonexistent is the conventional truth.

Therefore, the Dharma gates are neither one nor two.

“O great king! The prajnaparamita taught by all Buddhas and the prajnaparamita that I teach today are nondual and not different. All of you in this great assembly should receive, uphold, read, and recite it, bringing your words into accord with your practice. This is how the Dharma of all Buddhas is received and upheld.

“O great king! This prajnaparamita possesses immeasurable merit. Suppose there were ineffably many Buddhas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and each of those Buddhas taught and transformed immeasurably and ineffably many sentient beings.

Suppose each of those sentient beings attained Buddhahood, and those Buddhas in turn taught and transformed immeasurably and ineffably many sentient beings, all of whom attained Buddhahood. The prajnaparamita taught by those Buddhas would contain immeasurable and ineffable nayutas of kotis of verses, whose exposition could never be exhausted. From among those verses, take but a single verse; divide that single verse into a thousand parts; and from those thousand parts, expound only one part.

Even the merit of the meaning contained in a single sentence of that part would be inexhaustible, how much more so the entire merit of the immeasurable meanings of all such sentences. If anyone gives rise to a single thought of pure faith in this sutra, that person will transcend the suffering and hardships of birth and death for hundreds of kalpas, thousands of kalpas, and hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas. How much more merit will be gained by one who copies, receives, upholds, reads, recites, and expounds it to others!

Such merit is equal to that of all Buddhas throughout the ten directions. Know that this person is protected and kept in mind by all Buddhas and will before long realize unsurpassed bodhi.

When the Buddha taught this Dharma, one billion people attained the patient acceptance of the threefold emptiness, one hundred trillion people attained the patient acceptance of great emptiness, and immeasurable bodhisattvas came to abide in the ten bhumis.