佛說佛母出生三法藏般若波羅蜜多經

Chapter 15: The Noble and Holy Ones (Part 2)

At that time, the Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the deeds of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva are most difficult, for the sake of immeasurable, innumerable sentient beings he dons the armor of vigor and undertakes the great adornment, causing all sentient beings to attain Great Nirvāṇa, and yet the characteristic of sentient beings is ultimately unobtainable.

The Buddha said to Subhūti: So it is, so it is. Subhūti, the deeds of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva are most difficult, for the sake of immeasurable, innumerable sentient beings he dons the armor of vigor and undertakes the great adornment, causing all sentient beings to attain Great Nirvāṇa, and yet the characteristic of sentient beings is ultimately unobtainable. Subhūti, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not undertake the great adornment for the sake of form, whether unbound or bound; does not undertake the great adornment for the sake of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, whether unbound or bound; does not undertake the great adornment for the sake of the stage of the Śrāvaka, the stage of the Pratyekabuddha, or the stage of the Buddha, whether unbound or bound.

Why is this? The bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not adorn for the sake of adorning all dharmas; this is called undertaking the great adornment.

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā in this way, then the bodhisattva-mahāsattva undertakes the great adornment. The bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, although they practice this profound Prajñāpāramitā, give rise to no attachment regarding the three states. What are these three states? They are the Śrāvaka stage, the Pratyekabuddha stage, and the Buddha stage.

The Buddha said: As you have said, if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practices the profound Prajñāpāramitā in this way, this is precisely the great adornment. Yet the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, although they practice this profound Prajñāpāramitā, give rise to no attachment regarding the Śrāvaka stage, the Pratyekabuddha stage, or the Buddha stage. Subhūti, what meaning do you perceive that you speak thus?

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the supreme, profound Prajñāpāramitā contains not a single dharma that can be cultivated, no dharma to be cultivated, no one who cultivates. Why is this? Because within the profound Prajñāpāramitā there is no dharma that can arise, and thus no dharma to be cultivated. Just as cultivating empty space is cultivating the Prajñāpāramitā; not cultivating any dharma is cultivating the Prajñāpāramitā. Cultivating without attachment is cultivating the Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating without limit is cultivating the Prajñāpāramitā; thus cultivating with no cultivation is cultivating the Prajñāpāramitā; cultivating without grasping is cultivating the Prajñāpāramitā.

The Buddha said to the Venerable Subhūti: So it is, so it is. This Prajñāpāramitā is subtle and profound. Subhūti, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who are able to cultivate it should take this dharma as a test to reveal its characteristics.

If there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva who, regarding this profound Prajñāpāramitā, gives rise to no craving and no attachment, no expectation, and does not follow the words of others, whose own mind is pure, who does not give rise to differing faith, who when hearing this profound Prajñāpāramitā expounded is not anxious, not afraid, does not retreat, does not lose heart, does not doubt, does not question, does not regret, does not sink, but whose mind is greatly joyful and whose faith and understanding are pure—it should be known that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva is irreversible with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, that he has formerly heard this profound dharma in the presence of a Buddha and there inquired into the meaning of the dharma.

By this cause and condition, now upon again hearing this profound dharma, he is not anxious, not afraid, and even gives rise to a joyful mind, with pure faith and understanding.

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, having heard this profound Prajñāpāramitā, is not anxious or afraid, how then should he contemplate this profound Prajñāpāramitā?

The Buddha said to Subhūti: The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to contemplate the Prajñāpāramitā should contemplate in reliance upon the mind of All-Knowing Wisdom (Sarvajñā).

Subhūti said: What is meant by contemplating in reliance upon the mind of All-Knowing Wisdom?

The Buddha said to Subhūti: To contemplate in reliance upon empty space is to contemplate in reliance upon the mind of All-Knowing Wisdom. What is meant by contemplating in reliance upon empty space? Subhūti, to contemplate in reliance upon empty space is for there to be nothing contemplated.

Because it is thus, this is called contemplating the Prajñāpāramitā in reliance upon the mind of All-Knowing Wisdom. Why is this? The Immeasurable is precisely All-Knowing Wisdom.

Subhūti, if it is Immeasurable, then there is no form, no feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; no attaining, no realizing; no path-dharma, no path-fruit; no knowing, no consciousness; no arising, no ceasing; no completion, no destruction; no contemplating, nothing contemplated; no doing, no one who does; no going, no coming; no place; no destination; neither dwelling nor not dwelling—this is precisely the Immeasurable.

If one sees this Immeasurable, then one falls into the count of the Immeasurable; if one does not see this Immeasurable, then it is immeasurable like empty space; All-Knowing Wisdom too is Immeasurable. Being Immeasurable in this way, there is no attaining, no realizing. Therefore, it cannot be attained by means of form, cannot be attained by means of feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness, cannot be attained by means of the Perfection of Giving (Dāna-pāramitā), cannot be attained by means of the Perfection of Discipline (Śīla-pāramitā), the Perfection of Patience (Kṣānti-pāramitā), the Perfection of Vigor (Vīrya-pāramitā), the Perfection of Meditation (Dhyāna-pāramitā), or the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñā-pāramitā).

How is this so? It means that form is precisely All-Knowing Wisdom; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are precisely All-Knowing Wisdom; the Perfection of Giving is precisely All-Knowing Wisdom; the Perfection of Discipline, the Perfection of Patience, the Perfection of Vigor, the Perfection of Meditation, and the Perfection of Wisdom are precisely All-Knowing Wisdom.

At that time, the Great Brahmā Heaven King, lord of the Sahā world, together with the devas of the Form Realm, and Śakra, lord of the devas, together with the devas of the Desire Realm, came together to where the Buddha was. Having arrived, with heads and faces they paid homage at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated three times to the right, withdrew and stood to one side, and together addressed the Buddha: The supreme, profound Prajñāpāramitā—its limit and its origin cannot be fully known; it is hard to see, hard to understand. For what meaning does the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, abide at the place of awakening, accomplish the fruit of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, and expound this profound Prajñāpāramitā?

The Buddha said to Brahmā, Śakra, and the devas: So it is, so it is. The supreme, profound Prajñāpāramitā is hard to see, hard to contemplate; its limit and origin cannot be grasped. The Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, regarding this profound Prajñāpāramitā, because he perceives this meaning, abides at the place of awakening, accomplishes the fruit of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, and proclaims the profound Prajñāpāramitā.

Devas, although the Tathāgata has attained Bodhi, there is no one who attains and nothing to be attained. Although he expounds the Prajñāpāramitā, there is no one who expounds and no dharma that is expounded. Why is this?

Because the dharma of Self is profound, it cannot be expressed; like empty space it is profound, and so this Dharma is profound. Because the Self is profound, this dharma is profound. Because all dharmas do not come, this dharma is profound.

Because all dharmas do not go, this dharma is profound.

Then Brahmā, Śakra, and the devas again addressed the Buddha: How rare, World-Honored One! How rare, Well-Gone One! The Dharma spoken by the Buddha, while the world acts, is hard to believe, hard to understand. Why is this? The conduct of the world has attachment; the Dharma the Buddha expounds has no attachment. Therefore, all dharmas are free of every attachment.

Chapter 16: Suchness (Tathatā)

At that time, the Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the Dharma the Buddha expounds accords with all dharmas and is free of every obstruction, and yet all dharmas are ultimately unobtainable; for like empty space, it is free of the characteristic of obstruction. World-Honored One, because dharmas are like empty space, all chapters and phrases are unobtainable; because dharmas are equal, the dharma of duality is unobtainable; because dharmas do not arise, the dharma of arising is unobtainable; because dharmas do not cease, the dharma of ceasing is unobtainable; because dharmas have no characteristic, the grasped characteristic is unobtainable; because dharmas have no location, all locations are unobtainable.

At that time, Brahmā, Śakra, and the devas together addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the Elder Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata. Why is this? Because the dharmas spoken by the Elder Subhūti are all Empty.

Then the Elder Subhūti said to Brahmā, Śakra, and the devas: You say that Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata. It should be known that, because he acts in reliance upon Suchness, Suchness does not arise. Therefore Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

Devas, just as the Suchness of the Tathāgata neither comes nor goes, so too the Suchness of Subhūti neither comes nor goes; because the Suchness of the Tathāgata is from the beginning unarisen, so too the Suchness of Subhūti is from the beginning unarisen. Why is this? The Suchness of the Tathāgata is precisely the Suchness of all dharmas; the Suchness of all dharmas is precisely the Suchness of the Tathāgata; the Suchness of all dharmas is also the Suchness of Subhūti. Because these Suchnesses have no arising, Subhūti, within this dharma of Suchness, is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata. Yet that Suchness is not Suchness.

Devas, just as the Suchness of the Tathāgata does not dwell and is not non-dwelling, so too the Suchness of Subhūti does not dwell and is not non-dwelling. Just as the Suchness of the Tathāgata is without making and not without making, without discrimination and not without discrimination, so too the Suchness of Subhūti is without making and not without making, without discrimination and not without discrimination. Because the Suchness of Subhūti is without making and not without making, without discrimination and not without discrimination, the Suchness of the Tathāgata is without making and not without making, without discrimination and not without discrimination, without obstruction because there is no obstruction;

and so all dharmas too are without making and not without making, without discrimination and not without discrimination, free of every obstruction.

Why is this? Because the Suchness of the Tathāgata and the Suchness of all dharmas are one and the same Suchness. This Suchness is not two, not divided into two, without characteristic, without discrimination.

That nondual Suchness is not Suchness and not non-Suchness, that is, not Suchness and not non-Suchness either. Therefore it is not two, not divided into two, without characteristic, without discrimination. Therefore Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

Devas, the Tathāgata does not make Suchness and does not not-make Suchness; there is no Suchness and not no Suchness. This Suchness is not two, not divided into two, without characteristic, without discrimination. Therefore Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

Devas, just as the Suchness of the Tathāgata is, in every place, constant, unbroken, indestructible, so too the Suchness of Subhūti is, in every place, constant, unbroken, indestructible, and the Suchness of all dharmas is, in every place, constant, unbroken, indestructible. The Suchness of the Tathāgata is without characteristic, without movement, unobtainable; the Suchness of Subhūti too is without characteristic, without movement, unobtainable; the Suchness of all dharmas too is without characteristic, without movement, unobtainable. Therefore Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

Devas, the Suchness of the Tathāgata is not different from the Suchness of all dharmas. The Suchness of Subhūti is not different from the Suchness of all dharmas. All those dharmas are not different from Suchness, that is, not Suchness; that which is not Suchness is precisely the Suchness of all dharmas. Suchness in this way neither comes nor goes, is not two, not different. Therefore Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

Devas, just as the Suchness of the Tathāgata is neither past, future, nor present, so too the Suchness of Subhūti is neither past, future, nor present, and the Suchness of all dharmas is also neither past, future, nor present. Therefore Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

Devas, the Suchness of the Tathāgata neither comes nor goes nor dwells in Suchness. The Suchness of the Tathāgata is precisely the Suchness of the past which does not go; the Suchness of the past is precisely the Suchness of the Tathāgata which does not go. The Suchness of the Tathāgata is precisely the Suchness of the future which does not come; the Suchness of the future is precisely the Suchness of the Tathāgata which does not come.

The Suchness of the Tathāgata is precisely the Suchness of the present which does not dwell; the Suchness of the present is precisely the Suchness of the Tathāgata which does not dwell. The Suchness of the Tathāgata is precisely the Suchness of the past, future, and present; the Suchness of the past, present, and future is precisely the Suchness of the Tathāgata. Whether it be the Suchness of the Tathāgata, or the Suchness of past, present, and future, or the Suchness of Subhūti, these Suchnesses are not two, not divided into two, without characteristic, without discrimination; the Suchness of all dharmas too is not two, not divided into two, without characteristic, without discrimination.

Whether it be the Suchness of the Tathāgata, or the Suchness of the bodhisattva stages, or the Suchness of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, these Suchnesses are not two, not divided into two, without characteristic, without discrimination, because they are ultimately unobtainable and are all merely differences of name.

Subhūti again said to the devas: You should know that Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata, not born in reliance upon form, not born in reliance upon feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; not born in reliance upon the fruit of Stream-Enterer (Srotāpanna), not born in reliance upon the fruit of Once-Returner (Sakṛdāgāmin), not born in reliance upon the fruit of Non-Returner (Anāgāmin), not born in reliance upon the fruit of Arhat, not born in reliance upon the fruit of Pratyekabuddha, not born in reliance upon the fruit of Buddha. Why is this? Dharmas do not arise and are not non-arising. Dharmas are not attained and are not non-attained. Devas, for this meaning Subhūti is born in reliance upon the Tathāgata.

When Subhūti expounded this dharma of Suchness, this great earth quaked in six ways, with eighteen signs. These are: it quaked, quaked thoroughly, quaked thoroughly and equally; it moved, moved thoroughly, moved thoroughly and equally; it surged, surged thoroughly, surged thoroughly and equally; it struck, struck thoroughly, struck thoroughly and equally; it crashed, crashed thoroughly, crashed thoroughly and equally; it roared, roared thoroughly, roared thoroughly and equally. Having manifested these eighteen signs, the great earth at once returned to its former state.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the dharma of Suchness is supreme, profound, subtle, and hard to understand.

The Buddha said to the Venerable Śāriputra: So it is, so it is. The dharma of Suchness is supreme, most excellent, profound, subtle, hard to understand, hard to enter. Therefore, when the Buddha praised this dharma of Suchness, in the assembly three hundred bhikṣus, not grasping at dharmas, realized the exhaustion of the defilements, their minds well liberated; five hundred bhikṣuṇīs, far removed from the dust and defilement, attained the pure Dharma-eye; five thousand devas attained the patient acceptance of the nonarising of dharmas (Anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti); six thousand bodhisattvas, not grasping at dharmas, realized the exhaustion of the defilements, their minds well liberated.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra, knowing that those six thousand bodhisattvas had realized the exhaustion of the defilements with their minds well liberated, then addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, these bodhisattvas have cultivated the bodhisattva conduct; by what cause and condition do they now, within this assembly, again attain the complete exhaustion of the defilements with their minds well liberated?

The Buddha said to Śāriputra: You should now know that these bodhisattvas formerly drew near to and made offerings in the presence of five hundred Buddhas, all of them cultivating the dharmas of Giving, Discipline, Patience, Vigor, Meditation, and so forth. Although they cultivated such practices and dharmas, they did not attain the protective mindfulness of the skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā. By this cause and condition, they have come back to realize this fruit.

Furthermore, Śāriputra, there are bodhisattvas who, although they cultivate the dharma-gates of Emptiness, Signlessness, and Wishlessness and practice the bodhisattva path, if they do not attain the protective mindfulness of the skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā, it should be known that this bodhisattva attains the fruit of the Śrāvaka, that is, he realizes the Reality-limit (Bhūtakoṭi).

Śāriputra, suppose in the world there were a certain bird whose body was long and large, one yojana or even five yojanas, but whose plumage and wings had not yet formed so that it could not fly far, and yet it wished to hurl its body down from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (Trāyastriṃśa) to the ground of Jambudvīpa. Then that bird, midway, would think thus: "I now wish to return to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three"; or it might think thus: "I vow to reach the ground of Jambudvīpa with my body unharmed, free from all suffering and affliction." Śāriputra, what do you think? Could that bird, wishing to ascend again to the heaven, ascend again? Vowing to reach the ground of Jambudvīpa with its body unharmed, could it attain its vow?

Śāriputra said: No, World-Honored One. Why is this? That bird's body is already large, while its plumage and wings have not yet formed; certainly its body would be harmed, or it might die.

The Buddha said to Śāriputra: It is the same with the bodhisattva. Although he may give rise to the mind of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, and through kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges has formerly extensively cultivated the practices—being able to relinquish in giving, able to maintain the precepts, able to endure in patience, never indolent in vigor, tranquil in meditation—and is moreover able to give rise to the great mind and the great vow toward Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, yet if he does not attain the protective mindfulness of the skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā, this bodhisattva will certainly fall into the stages of the Śrāvaka or the Pratyekabuddha.

Furthermore, Śāriputra, there are bodhisattvas who, although they call to mind the roots of goodness—the aggregates of Discipline, Concentration, Wisdom, Liberation, and the Knowledge and Vision of Liberation—of the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones of the past, future, and present, yet because this bodhisattva clings to the characteristic of recollection, he cannot know and cannot see the roots of goodness—the aggregates of Discipline, Concentration, Wisdom, Liberation, and the Knowledge and Vision of Liberation—of the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones.

Because he does not know and does not see, when he hears it taught that all dharmas are Empty, this bodhisattva holds to and clings to the characteristic of sound and gives rise to faith and understanding, and then takes the merit of clinging to this characteristic and dedicates it to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment. This bodhisattva will certainly fall into the stages of the Śrāvaka or the Pratyekabuddha. Why is this?

He does not attain the protective mindfulness of the skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā.

Śāriputra addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, as I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, there are bodhisattvas who, although they extensively cultivate the practices over a long time, yet if they are far removed from that good spiritual friend and do not attain the skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā, this bodhisattva cannot accomplish the fruit of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment. Therefore, bodhisattvas who wish to accomplish the fruit of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment should cultivate this skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā.

The Buddha said to Śāriputra: So it is, so it is. If bodhisattvas wish to accomplish the fruit of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, they should draw near to that good spiritual friend, and then they will be able to cultivate this skillful means of the Prajñāpāramitā. For this meaning they will be able to accomplish the fruit of Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment.

At that time, Brahmā, Śakra, and the devas together addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the profound Prajñāpāramitā and Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment are hard to attain.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Brahmā, Śakra, and the devas: So it is, so it is. The profound Prajñāpāramitā and Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment are hard to attain. If those who have no wisdom give rise to feeble vigor, give rise to feeble faith and understanding, have no skillful means, and draw near to evil companions, then with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment it is all the more exceedingly difficult.

At that time, the Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, the Buddha says that Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment is hard to attain. As I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has said, Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment is not hard to attain. Why is this? All dharmas are Empty; there is no dharma to be attained, no one who attains. The Buddha has proclaimed that all dharmas are Empty. A dharma that has cessation is cut off, so this dharma too is Empty. As for that Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment—whether a dharma attained, whether a dharma employed, whether known, whether understood—all is Empty, not attained, not realized. Therefore Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment is not hard to attain.

The Buddha said to Subhūti: Because Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment has no attaining, it is hard to attain; because there is no one who attains, it is hard to attain; because there is no discrimination, it is hard to attain.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra then asked the Venerable Subhūti: As you say, Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment is not hard to attain; then those people, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, who seek Bodhi—the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas—ought not to be turned back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment. Why is this? You say that Bodhi is not hard to attain.

Subhūti asked the Venerable Śāriputra: Does form turn back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Do feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness turn back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from form, is there any dharma that turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, is there any dharma that turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Does the Suchness of form turn back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Does the Suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness turn back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from the Suchness of form, is there any dharma that turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from the Suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, is there any dharma that turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Is form realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from form, is there any dharma realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, is there any dharma realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Is the Suchness of form realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Is the Suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from the Suchness of form, is there any dharma realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from the Suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, is there any dharma realized with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Is form clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from form, is there any dharma clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, is there any dharma clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Is the Suchness of form clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Is the Suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from the Suchness of form, is there any dharma clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Apart from the Suchness of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, is there any dharma clearly known with respect to Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: As for all dharmas, does the Suchness of all dharmas turn back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Śāriputra, what do you think? If there were a dharma that turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, then this dharma would have a place of dwelling. Because all dharmas do not dwell, what dharma could turn back? Śāriputra, can Suchness turn back?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Śāriputra, thus all dharmas like this, truly sought, are unobtainable; therefore there is no dharma whatsoever that can turn back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Venerable Subhūti: According to the meaning the Venerable One has stated, there is no bodhisattva who turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment. Subhūti, if this is so, then as the Buddha has said, should the seekers of the Three Vehicles not differ from one another?

At that time, the Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to the Venerable Śāriputra: You should ask the Venerable Subhūti—does Subhūti intend that there be only people of the One Vehicle?

At that time, Śāriputra then spoke thus to Subhūti: Subhūti, do you wish there to be only people of the One Vehicle?

Subhūti said: Śāriputra, within the dharma of Suchness, can you see a person of the One Vehicle?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Furthermore, Śāriputra, within the dharma of Suchness, can you see a person of the Three Vehicles?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Śāriputra, within the dharma of Suchness, can there be a characteristic of One or a characteristic of Three?

Śāriputra said: No, Subhūti.

Subhūti said: Śāriputra, you should now know that within the dharma of Suchness, not even one bodhisattva-dharma can be found, how much less could there be the dharma of the Śrāvaka or the Pratyekabuddha? Therefore, there is no dharma whatsoever that turns back from Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment. Śāriputra, if a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, hearing it spoken thus, is not alarmed, not afraid, does not retreat, does not lose heart, it should be known that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva can accomplish Bodhi.

At that time, the World-Honored One praised the Venerable Subhūti: Excellent! Excellent! Subhūti, what you have delighted to speak is all the majestic, protective mindfulness of the Tathāgata. It is just as you have said. So it is, so it is. If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, hearing it spoken thus, is not alarmed, not afraid, does not retreat, does not lose heart, it should be known that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva can accomplish Bodhi.

At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Buddha: World-Honored One, if a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, hearing it spoken thus, is not startled, not afraid, does not retreat, does not lose heart, what Bodhi will he accomplish?

The Buddha said: Śāriputra, he will accomplish Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment.

At that time, the Venerable Subhūti addressed the Buddha: If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva wishes to accomplish Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, how should he abide? How should he train?

The Buddha said to Subhūti: If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva wishes to accomplish Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment, then toward all sentient beings he should give rise to a mind of equality, a mind without malice, a mind of loving-kindness, a mind of benefit, a mind of a good spiritual friend, a mind without obstruction, a mind of humility, a mind without affliction, a mind that does no harm; he should give rise to such minds.

Furthermore, toward all sentient beings, he should think of them as father, think of them as mother, think of them as close friends. Furthermore, he should extensively cultivate the practices over a long time; that is, in giving he can relinquish, in discipline he can maintain, in patience he can accept, in vigor he is not indolent, in meditation he is tranquil, in wisdom he clearly understands; cultivating all manner of such excellent practices, accordingly contemplating dependent origination, observing all dharmas, with respect to dharmas not grasping the characteristics of annihilation.

Truly knowing all dharmas in this way, he is then able to surpass the bodhisattva stages, complete the Buddha-dharmas, bring to maturity immeasurable, innumerable sentient beings, and cause them all to abide in the realm of Great Nirvāṇa. If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains in this way, he has no characteristic of obstruction, and even all dharmas become free of obstruction. Subhūti, therefore, a bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to attain Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment should abide in this way and train in this way.

Training in this way, he can become a great refuge for all sentient beings.