最勝問菩薩十住除垢斷結經

Chapter 19: TEACHING AND TRANSFORMING SENTIENT BEINGS

At that time, the Bodhisattva Supreme Excellence addressed the Buddha:

“What does it mean for a great bodhisattva to enter birth and death, diligently practicing austerities, journeying from one Buddha-land to another to teach and nurture sentient beings and adorn the place of enlightenment? Although the bodhisattva teaches and transforms sentient beings, he does not perceive any teaching or transformation, nor does he perceive sentient beings, nor does he perceive himself as possessing any Dharma by which to liberate them. Therefore, through the Dharma-nature, he contemplates all things as empty, quiescent, and without anything whatsoever.”

The Buddha said to Supreme Excellence:

“Indeed! Indeed! It is exactly as you have said.

A great bodhisattva upholds a vast and boundless mind of great vows, teaches and nurtures sentient beings, and purifies Buddha-lands. Although he teaches and transforms sentient beings, he does not perceive any teaching or transformation, nor does he perceive sentient beings. Therefore, through the Dharma-nature, he contemplates all things as empty, quiescent, and without anything whatsoever.

All are empty; all are quiescent, without form or appearance, because they cannot be perceived. The intrinsic nature of each and every dharma is empty; the intrinsic nature of each and every sentient being is empty; the intrinsic nature of each and every land is empty; the intrinsic nature of each and every nirvana-dharma is empty; and the intrinsic nature of each and every bodhisattva is empty. Supreme Excellence, a bodhisattva should contemplate in this way, deeply penetrate the essential Dharma, and clearly realize that all dharmas are thus of one characteristic.

The wisdom of all dharmas is unconditioned, tranquil, quiescent, and free from attachment. A great bodhisattva is likewise: he disciplines his mind and directs it toward the path. When his mind is difficult to obstruct or impair, he will certainly attain unsurpassed, right, and true enlightenment and become the Supremely and Perfectly Enlightened One.

His resolve, like vajra, neither retreats nor diminishes, and with the unconditioned Dharma he adorns the foot of the tree of enlightenment as with jeweled necklaces.

“From the first arising of the aspiration until he reaches the place of enlightenment and sits beneath the king of trees, the bodhisattva has subdued those already subdued and will subdue those not yet subdued. During that time, the bodhisattva does not give rise to pride through such thoughts as: ‘I am superior to that person,’ ‘I am equal to that person,’ or ‘That person is not superior to me.’ Pride of superior-superiority, pride of superior-equality, pride of superior-inferiority; pride of equal-superiority, pride of equal-equality, pride of equal-inferiority; pride of inferior-superiority, pride of inferior-equality, and pride of inferior-inferiority—all these forms of pride must be kept in mind, contemplated, and eliminated by a great bodhisattva.

Nor does the bodhisattva harbor jealousy, envy, or arrogance.

“When the bodhisattva enters meditative concentration and observes sentient beings, he sees that he must liberate those not yet liberated; therefore, through skillful means, he enters the five destinies and the eight inopportune states. If there is a sentient being fit to receive instruction and transformation, the bodhisattva immediately becomes that person’s spiritual friend, or becomes a parent, sibling, or relative, or a wealthy and honored elder possessing great riches. In accordance with sentient beings’ needs, he gives to the poor and destitute, bringing forth limitless gold, silver, precious mother-of-pearl, agate, pearls, amber, beautiful moon-bright jewels, and wish-fulfilling gems. Or he provides food, beds and bedding, and medicines for treating illness, without any regret.

“Furthermore, if someone comes before the bodhisattva and earnestly asks for his head, eyes, hands, feet, the wealth of his kingdom, his wife and children, or objects made of the seven treasures, the bodhisattva can give them all away without entertaining any conception of giving. At that time, the bodhisattva immediately enters the samadhi of sovereign meditative absorption in the Dharma-dhatu and, through skillful means, expounds the Dharma of emptiness to those sentient beings: ‘You should understand that the Dharma is unconditioned, yet there is also no dharma that is unconditioned.’

“The bodhisattva discerns that the six sense faculties are all without a master. If the eye sees forms, those forms too are not real. Deluded sentient beings give rise within them to consciousness, thought, and discrimination. Eye-consciousness is without a master. Likewise, regarding the ear hearing sounds, the nose smelling fragrances, the tongue tasting flavors, the body sensing smoothness, and the mind discriminating dharmas, the bodhisattva observes that all are without anything whatsoever. Dharmas arise according to the conditions of their arising and cease according to the conditions of their cessation; arising does not know arising, and cessation does not know cessation. The twelve links of dependent origination and the eighteen dhatus, ayatanas, and faculties are likewise.

“At times, the bodhisattva enters the Lion’s Vigorous Advance Samadhi and can manifest innumerable transformations. Amid them, he proclaims pure sounds and reveals lands adorned with treasures, fragrant flowers, and aromatic grasses, suffused with five dazzling golden colors. His deportment is orderly and perfect, and his resolve is as immovable as Mount An Minh. The bodhisattva also manifests limitless Dharma-gates of meditative concentration in which the Tathagata constantly abides in peace and bliss, and all the fundamental dharmas of sentient beings appear before him.

“At that time, through spiritual powers, the bodhisattva again enters limitless concentrations and manifests himself seated cross-legged upon a lotus throne. Throughout limitless and boundless asamkhyeya kalpas, he manifests the form-body and the merits of all dharmas, purifies and removes the traces of sentient beings’ conceptual attachments, guides them toward the bodhisattva’s path of liberation, expounds the ambrosial Dharma in accordance with omniscience, proclaims the light of wisdom, and reveals the Buddha’s wisdom, which is free from defiling attachment.

“Or, using rare and precious materials, he erects stupas of the seven treasures throughout the whole world, completing them in two days, or three days, or four days. Or the bodhisattva goes to the Brahma Heaven, or to the Heaven of Ultimate Consummation, where he abides for many kalpas without entering final nirvana. At times, through skillful means, the bodhisattva enters an unconditioned, quiescent concentration, fully endowed with roots of virtue. Without relinquishing the Tathagata’s omniscience, he employs the power of samadhi to instruct sentient beings.

“Some sentient beings must hear instructive sounds in order to be liberated. Some are liberated by understanding the meaning of flavors. Some are liberated when their bodies experience a smooth touch. Some are liberated when their minds awaken to the essence of dharmas. The bodhisattva then reflects: ‘Sentient beings who hear sounds all wish to hear me expound their pure meaning. I should now proclaim the Tathagata’s eight tones, explaining sound in eight statements: the sound of suffering, the sound of its origination, the sound of its cessation, the sound of the path, the sound of seeing suffering and proceeding toward suffering, seeing origination and proceeding toward origination, seeing cessation and proceeding toward cessation, and seeing the path and proceeding toward the path.’

“When sentient beings hear such sounds but their minds do not awaken, they wish to behold the bodhisattva’s light and body. Entering concentration and employing impartial contemplation, the bodhisattva immediately transforms the earth, mountains, rivers, rocks, cliffs, trees, flowers, and fruits, making them all into the seven treasures—mother-of-pearl, agate, crystal, vaidurya, coral, and amber—and all emit light. These lights reflect one another and eclipse even the light of the sun and moon.

“When the minds of sentient beings still do not awaken and they again wish to behold the light of the sun and moon, the bodhisattva observes and knows their thoughts. He immediately enters the Samadhi of Unobstructed Mindfulness and emits countless hundreds of billions of rays of light from his pores. Each ray contains a lotus of the seven treasures; each lotus of the seven treasures has a dais of the seven treasures; upon each dais is a canopy of the seven treasures; beneath each canopy is a seat of the seven treasures; and upon every seat is a Tathagata expounding to sentient beings the source of suffering: ‘Suffering arises; if there is no suffering, there is no truth of suffering.

Origination arises; if there is no origination, there is no truth of origination. Cessation arises; if there is no cessation, there is no truth of cessation. The path arises; if there is no path, there is no truth of the path.’

“When those shravaka beings behold the light and hear the sounds expounding suffering, their minds become disenchanted with its afflictions. Each independently gives rise to the contemplation of suffering, emptiness, and non-self, and to the contemplation of non-arising and non-cessation. Seated upon their seats, they bring the source of suffering to an end in accord with the pure sounds.

At that time, the beings seated upon their seats smelled the fragrance, yet their minds did not awaken. Instead, they gave rise to this thought: “Our minds delight in fragrances of utmost subtlety, but now the Great Sage is teaching by means of sound.” Knowing the thoughts in the minds of those beings, the bodhisattva immediately entered the samadhi of right absorption called Most Subtle Myriad Fragrances. He transformed the earth, mountains, rivers, rocks, cliffs, trees, flowers, and fruits so that they all emitted pervasive fragrances, such as ox-head sandalwood, candana, cloves, ngai nap, bat fragrance, mong kinh, aromatic wood, and storax;

and the fragrances of pundarika flowers, sugandhika flowers, wish-fulfilling sugandhika flowers, fragrant blue lotuses, and hundreds of thousands of such kinds of flowers.

These fragrances pervaded the four directions, and there was nowhere they could not be smelled. At that time, although the beings smelled the fragrances, their minds still did not awaken, and they wished for voices teaching the Path to issue from within the fragrances. The bodhisattva, knowing this thought in the minds of those beings, then taught the six kinds of Dharma from within the fragrances.

When the beings smelled the fragrances, their minds awakened. They brought the calamities of existence in this world to an end, would never again be reborn, utterly eradicated the root of suffering, and immediately attained the fruit of the Path.

At that time, the beings seated upon their seats who craved flavors did not awaken in mind and thought to themselves: “My mind delights in delicious flavors, but now the Great Sage instructs us only by means of fragrance. This is truly not what my mind delights in.” Knowing the thoughts of those beings, the bodhisattva immediately entered the samadhi of right absorption called Most Subtle Pure Flavor. He transformed the earth, mountains, rivers, rocks, cliffs, trees, flowers, and fruits so that they all became naturally manifested ambrosial food and drink, emitting fragrances and flavors of unsurpassed sweetness and excellence.

At that time, although the beings obtained those flavors according to their wishes, they did not awaken. Their minds desired foods that would naturally appear as offerings before being cooked, and they wished to see fruits take whatever forms they desired. Knowing the thoughts in the minds of those beings, the bodhisattva immediately entered the Swift and Unobstructed Samadhi.

He transformed the earth, mountains, rivers, rocks, cliffs, trees, flowers, and fruits so that they all became living beings. Each being held in their hands innumerable kinds of naturally manifested ambrosia. From within the ambrosial food, voices issued forth, saying: “External sweetness is savored and discerned by the tongue.

Only when these two dharmas come together does defilement arise. Now, restraint and contentment are the unsurpassed Dharma; do not give rise to craving for form and its particulars, which leads to suffering. Just as a cart requires a frame before it can bear a heavy load, so one afflicted with leprosy and sores requires medicine to escape pain.” Teachings such as these all issued forth from the flavors.

When the beings heard these teachings, their minds awakened. They brought the calamities of worldly existence to an end, would never again be reborn, utterly eradicated the root of suffering, and immediately attained the fruit of the Path.

At that time, among the beings seated upon their seats, those who delighted in smooth and delicate touch did not awaken in mind and gave rise to this thought: “My mind now delights in smooth and delicate touch, yet the Great Sage speaks only of wondrous fragrances. This is truly not what my mind desires.” Knowing the thoughts of those beings, the bodhisattva immediately entered the samadhi of right absorption called Utmost Desire, Subtlety, Gentleness, and Compliance.

He transformed the earth, rivers, mountains, walls, cliffs, trees, flowers, and fruits so that they all became living beings. Each being naturally wore garments of kalpa cloth, sewn with heavenly thread and heavenly silk. When the beings saw the garments and touched them with their hands, they felt that their softness and lightness were beyond compare.

If they formed the wish for a single garment, a hundred garments would come to them of their own accord. Their minds then awakened, and they reproached themselves: “Alas! Why do I delight in wearing these garments?

Is this not to cast myself into downfall and increase my defilements? The body is merely a skeleton of dry bones covered outwardly with flesh and blood.” They then heard voices issue from empty space, saying: “Good men, you should know that the five pleasures of the world are neither true nor truly existent. When the mind clings to the sensation of smoothness, thoughts of attachment gradually arise.

You must reproach yourselves and abandon that mind of craving and attachment.” When the beings heard the voices from empty space, they immediately awakened. They brought the sufferings of worldly existence to an end, would never again be reborn, utterly eradicated the root of suffering, and immediately attained the fruit of the Path.

At that time, among the beings seated upon their seats, those who delighted in dharmas did not awaken in mind and thought to themselves: “My mind now desires the most wondrous Dharma. Today, the Great Sage speaks only of the sensation of smooth and delicate touch. This is truly not what my mind delights in.” Knowing the thoughts in the minds of those beings, the bodhisattva immediately entered the samadhi of right absorption called Immeasurable Dharma Realm.

He transformed the earth, rivers, mountains, rocks, cliffs, trees, flowers, and fruits so that they all became living beings. Each being taught the six paramitas, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, meditative concentration, liberation, the conditioned, the unconditioned, the contaminated, the uncontaminated, arising and cessation, and attachment to annihilation, declaring them all to be without any inherent existence.

At times, a bodhisattva contemplates the inclinations of sentient beings’ minds and then provisionally devises skillful means, freely manifesting himself. He may conceal his bodily form, soar into empty space, and display the eighteen kinds of transformation, traveling back and forth through the sky without obstruction. Or he may conjure lands, cities, and towns, where he expounds the Buddha-Dharma, enabling sentient beings to attain the inconceivable right concentration of the Buddhas. At that time, the people within the cities and towns conjured by the bodhisattva are entirely free of resentment and hatred. They respect one another as parents and children or as brothers, know humility and self-effacement, and always honor their elders.

The bodhisattva then enters the Light Without Compare, causing other bodhisattvas who enter this light to sit in the full lotus posture, upon lofty seats, or upon lotus thrones filling the entire world, with no place left unoccupied. Or he manifests the body of a Buddha seated upon a precious lotus, expounding the six paramitas of the Buddhas, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, meditative concentration, and liberation. The bodhisattva further blesses sentient beings with the eighteen exclusive qualities and the four fearlessnesses of the Tathagata, enabling each of them to attain deliverance.

The bodhisattva then employs the power of spiritual mastery to emit a great light, clearly revealing hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha-lands and worlds. Each ray of light leads to hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings. Following the light, they arrive there, hear the Dharma, and thereby attain deliverance. From each pore of the bodhisattva emanate one billion rays of light. Within each ray are one billion lands. These conjured lands arise and appear spontaneously, adorned with precious mani jewels and embellished throughout with carvings fashioned from all kinds of rare treasures. Mani jewels hang in empty space ten fathoms above the ground, their brilliant radiance illuminating everywhere. There are also extraordinary mani jewels used as adornments.

Upon each precious object are lands of the Buddhas numbering one billion times the sands of the Ganges, together with hundreds of thousands of millions of towers, halls, terraces, and pavilions. Within each tower or hall are hundreds of thousands of millions of jeweled lotus lion thrones from the Buddha-realms. Upon each lion throne are hundreds of thousands of millions of divine jeweled lotuses of those lands.

Upon each lotus are hundreds of thousands of millions of Tathagatas seated on lion thrones. Each Tathagata emits a great light that universally illuminates hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha-realms. Each Buddha-realm contains hundreds of thousands of millions of meritorious qualities of the Tathagata’s lion-like fearlessness.

Within each quality of fearlessness dwell hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings. Each sentient being possesses hundreds of thousands of millions of phrases embodying the meanings of Dharma verses, samadhis, and the teachings of the Buddhas. From each phrase embodying the meanings of Dharma verses and samadhis arise hundreds of thousands of millions of scriptural teachings, through which the defilements of worldly toil are burned away.

The same applies even to the Dharma-gates of meditative concentration. Within each Dharma-gate are expounded immeasurable forms of wisdom, characteristics, and teachings of non-retrogression, as well as innumerable kinds of wisdom whose meanings and implications differ from one another. Whenever each Dharma-wheel is turned, hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings are brought to maturity in their practice. In each land, there are also hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings brought to maturity in their practice. For the sentient beings of each land, there are again hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha-realms. Each conjured land naturally has its own inclinations toward good and evil, whereby all kinds of sentient beings are alike led to the Buddha-path.

When a bodhisattva-mahasattva enters this samadhi, he spontaneously manifests immeasurable awe-inspiring spiritual transformations and a realm of samadhi never before encountered or seen. These transformations are exceedingly wondrous and extraordinary; they are not phenomena that the mind can measure, nor phenomena that thought can delineate. Inwardly, outwardly, and in between, these phenomena have no location. Neither their coming nor their going can be perceived. Why is this so? It is because such is the spontaneous nature of all phenomena.

A bodhisattva practices for a hundred kalpas, seeking to bring his own defilements to an end, and fulfills the vows of a Tathagata by protecting and blessing sentient beings. Throughout an immeasurable and limitless number of kalpas, the bodhisattva neither grasps nor abides, nor is he defiled. No name can be established for this; when its root is sought, it is forever found to have no location. If one wishes provisionally to devise skillful means, contemplate and investigate the ultimate reaches of this concentration, and manifest forms through transformation—whose meaning and principle are exceedingly profound and inconceivable—only then is one truly in accord with the cultivation of the Dharma of the Buddhas. This is not a Dharma cultivated by arhats or pratyekabuddhas.

O Tối Thắng, the bodhisattva must further contemplate this principle. Patiently enduring hardship and suffering, the bodhisattva journeys among the eight difficulties and observes the minds of sentient beings: whether they harbor thoughts of sensual desire, whether their desire is great or slight—the bodhisattva knows them all. Whether their minds are deluded or free from delusion, whether their delusion is great or slight—the bodhisattva knows them all.

If those sentient beings harbor sensual desire, are infatuated with female beauty, and dwell upon and appraise what is beautiful, well-formed, and fair, their delighted minds being unable to detach themselves, the bodhisattva then provisionally manifests skillful means and extensively devises methods, displaying contemplations for them so that they may awaken to the evil and impure nature of that path. Before those sentient beings, the bodhisattva manifests a body subject to impermanence, its four great elements disintegrating, exposed and scattered. After one day, two days, and up to seven days, the body becomes swollen, foul-smelling, and unclean. Or the blood and flesh of the corpse decay, leaving only sinews and bones still joined together.

The bodhisattva further manifests innumerable other transformations: perhaps a skull, or bones of the hands and feet, each lying in a different place. After a long time they turn white like the color of a dove’s feathers; and after many days and months have passed, they crumble and return to earth. When the bodhisattva has caused sentient beings to contemplate in this way, they immediately awaken of themselves, recognize the error of desire, and clearly understand that the conduct of ordinary beings leads them to fall into evil paths, from which they cannot return to the right path.

Their minds then become remorseful, and they reform themselves. No longer following their former karma, they accord with the bodhisattva’s Dharma, reverently cultivate pure conduct, enter the realm of purity, cleanse themselves of the defilement of sexual desire, cultivate their spiritual vitality, accomplish the unsurpassed Dharma of utmost true and perfect enlightenment, purify their own lands, and instruct and nurture sentient beings.

This is how the bodhisattva, having observed minds of sensual desire, teaches the Dharma and enables beings to attain the fruit of the path.

The bodhisattva should know that if there are sentient beings without minds of sensual desire, yet whose intentions are bound to the Lesser Vehicle and do not follow the Great Vehicle, the bodhisattva encourages and assists them in accomplishing the path of Equal and Perfect Enlightenment. Guiding them with the nondual Dharma of wisdom, the bodhisattva shows them the right path, establishes them in the Great Vehicle, and prevents them from clinging to the path of the Lesser Vehicle.

Throughout innumerable kalpas they have accumulated merit and established virtue, cultivating goodness without weariness; yet their minds have been confused and mistaken, unable to distinguish the true from the false. Only now do they awaken of themselves and understand that they have not reached the ultimate goal.

What is the bodhisattva’s nondual path? The bodhisattva cultivates the nondual path, remaining constantly pure without abiding in or clinging to purity; inwardly the mind is pure, while outwardly the bodhisattva journeys forth to transform sentient beings. This is the nondual path.

The bodhisattva is always quiescent, yet outwardly appears to be engaged in restless activity; abiding inwardly in quiescence, the bodhisattva journeys forth to transform sentient beings. This is the nondual path.

When the bodhisattva enters samadhi, there has never been any error; arising from meditative concentration, the bodhisattva outwardly transforms sentient beings. This is the nondual path.

Since the distant past, the bodhisattva has practiced giving with a mind free from regret, maintaining a firm resolve without entertaining thoughts of karmic reward, while outwardly teaching sentient beings and causing them to eliminate the three conceptions. This is the nondual path.

The bodhisattva’s observance of the precepts has never been deficient, and the bodhisattva also uses the disciplinary prohibitions to transform sentient beings outwardly. This is the nondual path.

The bodhisattva’s wisdom in teaching and transforming beings is truly limitless. Inwardly the bodhisattva governs the mind so that it does not become distracted, and also uses this Dharma to teach sentient beings, enabling them to cross the vast expanse and avoid falling into the marsh of sorrow. This is the nondual path.

The bodhisattva cultivates right concentration, samadhi, and patient endurance, manifesting a body in mountains and marshlands or in uninhabited places, diligently practicing austerities. Or, near villages, the bodhisattva manifests a body going forth to seek alms. This may continue for one year or even a hundred thousand years, or for one kalpa or even a hundred thousand kalpas. During that time, the bodhisattva manifests a body that undergoes immeasurable suffering.

At that time, human and nonhuman beings dwelling in the mountains, or rakshasa spirits with two feet, four feet, or innumerable feet, each carrying knives or clubs, come to assault the bodhisattva. Some use sharp knives to cut off the bodhisattva’s nose. When the nose falls away, it grows back again, like the fruit of the Jambu tree.

Tối Thắng, you should know that if one fruit is plucked from that Jambu tree, two fruits grow; if two are plucked, four grow; if four are plucked, eight grow; if eight are plucked, sixteen grow; and if sixteen are plucked, thirty-two grow. Continuing in this manner, the entire tree becomes covered with fruit, so that neither its trunk, branches, leaves, nor twigs can be seen.

The bodhisattva enters samadhi and cultivates patient endurance in this way. If someone comes and cuts off the bodhisattva’s nose, when one is cut off, two grow; when two are cut off, four grow; when four are cut off, eight grow; when eight are cut off, sixteen grow; and when sixteen are cut off, thirty-two grow. Continuing in this manner, the entire body becomes covered with noses, so that the body itself, as well as its hands, feet, head, and eyes, can no longer be seen.

The sentient beings see only innumerable noses. At that very moment, remorse arises in them for having cut off the bodhisattva’s nose, and they yearn to see the bodhisattva’s former body. The bodhisattva then emerges from samadhi; with a peaceful mind, the bodhisattva arises from concentration and manifests once again the same bodily form as before, without any difference.

Gradually moving, the bodhisattva manifests inhalation and exhalation and then opens the eyes, as though about to speak. When the sentient beings see this, they all prostrate themselves with their five limbs touching the ground, take refuge of their own accord, and vow to become disciples attending upon the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva then observes the thoughts arising in the minds of those sentient beings and liberates them according to what is appropriate at that time.

The bodhisattva again enters meditative samadhi, the mind inwardly quiescent and free from any other thought.

Again, sentient beings come to where the bodhisattva is, surround the bodhisattva, and gouge out the bodhisattva’s eyes. As soon as an eye falls out, another immediately grows in its place. It is like crushing blue vaidurya jewels into powder: if someone wished to gather up all that vaidurya powder, it could not be done. It is also like innumerable bila fruits scattered over the ground and crushed as fine as mustard seeds: they could not be gathered up, yet every particle would emit light and reflect the others.

The sentient beings see only that the bodhisattva’s entire body is covered with eyes; they can no longer see the bodhisattva’s former bodily appearance. At that very moment, remorse arises in them for what they have done. They reproach themselves and yearn to see the bodhisattva’s former body.

The bodhisattva then emerges from samadhi; with a peaceful mind, the bodhisattva arises from concentration and manifests once again the same body as before, without any difference. Gradually moving, the bodhisattva manifests inhalation and exhalation, as though about to speak. When the sentient beings see this, they all prostrate themselves with their five limbs touching the ground, take refuge of their own accord, and vow to become disciples attending upon the bodhisattva.

The bodhisattva then observes the thoughts arising in the minds of those sentient beings and liberates them according to what is appropriate at that time. Afterward, the bodhisattva again enters meditative samadhi, the mind inwardly quiescent and free from any other thought.

There were also sentient beings who came before the bodhisattva, holding sharp knives, and severed the bodhisattva’s hands and feet. The bodhisattva’s hands and feet grew forth again like the branches of a cudala tree. If someone were to cut down the branches, leaves, twigs, and tips of that cudala tree, the severed branches scattered all over the ground would, in the time it takes to snap one’s fingers, come back to life through the vital breath of the earth and become as they were before.

Every branch, leaf, twig, and tip would become a tree. At that time, the bodhisattva was likewise: his entire body became nothing but limbs, hands, and feet, and his former bodily form could no longer be seen. The sentient beings saw only hands and feet covering the bodhisattva’s body and could no longer see his former bodily form.

At that very moment, they felt remorse for what they had done, reproached themselves, and longed to see the bodhisattva’s former bodily form again. The bodhisattva then relinquished the samadhi. With mind serene, he arose from meditative concentration and manifested his bodily form once more, exactly as it had been before.

He slowly began to move, revealed the coming and going of his breath, and opened his eyes as though about to speak. Upon seeing this, the sentient beings all prostrated themselves with their five limbs touching the ground, took refuge, and vowed to become disciples attending upon the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva then observed the thoughts arising in the minds of those sentient beings and, according to what was appropriate at the time, brought them to liberation.

This means that the bodhisattva knows completely whether a person has a mind of sensual desire or is free from sensual desire, and whether such desire is abundant or slight. The bodhisattva also does not think to himself, “Dwelling amid the defilements of worldly toil, I am wasting my own efforts,” nor does he think, “These sentient beings are easy to persuade.” The bodhisattva acts without perceiving any action, and he does not perceive anyone receiving the teaching.

The intrinsic nature of both acting and teaching is empty and quiescent. The bodhisattva does not perceive them as one, nor does he perceive them as not one. The intrinsic nature of one is itself not one; how much less could one say that there is a “one” called a single dharma?

A name is provisionally established and conventionally spoken of as “eye.” The intrinsic nature of the eye is itself a provisional designation. The ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, together with form, sound, fragrance, taste, tangible objects, whether smooth or fine, and dharmas, are likewise. When the bodhisattva uses words to speak of a single dharma, it is because he wishes to disclose a Dharma gateway and reveal immeasurable entrances leading to the Dharma of Nonbeing, in order to instruct sentient beings.

At that time, Venerable Supreme Victory again addressed the Buddha:

– How does the bodhisattva know completely whether sentient beings have minds of anger or are free from anger, and whether their anger is abundant or slight?

The Buddha said to Venerable Supreme Victory:

– The bodhisattva-mahasattva journeys throughout worlds in immeasurable Buddha-lands. In each Buddha-land, he observes the various kinds of sentient beings possessing form: creatures that crawl, fly, move, or stir; insects, breathing creatures, and even ants. Whether they have anger or are free from anger, and whether their anger is great or slight, he distinguishes and assesses them all, and then administers the appropriate medicine. If sentient beings are greatly afflicted by anger, he manifests transformations to reveal clearly the teachings of suffering, emptiness, and impermanence. He may manifest scenes of wild beasts and insects devouring and gnawing one another; scenes of disaster caused by brigands, warfare, and weapons; or scenes of calamities involving floods and consuming fires. Transformations such as these are beyond calculation. If the minds of those sentient beings awaken, the bodhisattva instructs them accordingly. Upon accepting his teaching, those sentient beings immediately attain liberation in that very place. If some sentient beings behold these transformed scenes of impermanence yet their minds do not awaken, the bodhisattva then again employs skillful wisdom and enters the Samadhi of Forbearance. This samadhi is called the Contemplation of Impermanence. There is also a samadhi called the Samadhi of Loving-Kindness That Subdues and Dispels Anger. If a bodhisattva-mahasattva enters the meditative absorption of that samadhi, he can subdue and eliminate anger. If exceedingly evil beings—such as rakshasa spirits, tigers, wolves, and vicious brigands—approach the bodhisattva intending to harm him, before reaching him they turn back midway. Thus, the power of the concentration of loving-kindness universally protects the worlds, and billions upon billions of lands receive its aid and deliverance. One who enters the Samadhi of Loving-Kindness possesses ten dharmas of deliverance. What are these ten dharmas? They are: possessing exceedingly profound wisdom and carrying out immeasurable deeds; clearly remembering the Dharma of dharani, with a mind difficult to obstruct or destroy; making no calculations based upon oneself, but taking the Dharma realm as the measure and thereby entering the immeasurable dharmas cultivated by all Buddhas of the past, present, and future, and confirming them with the unsurpassed Dharma seal; relying upon the Tathagata’s power to increase the benefit of Buddha-lands; always independently establishing the resolve to purify and cultivate the bodhimanda and establishing the deeds of a bodhisattva. One who practices in this manner accords with the Dharma and discipline and accords with non-arising; his eyes are opened, and he suddenly attains great awakening. His wisdom-eye is pure and forevermore cannot be obscured by sensory dust; he attains the lineage of the eye. He attains the Buddha’s pure eye, the supreme wisdom-eye, the eye of profound vision, the Dharma-eye constantly established in concentration, the eye protected by good and wise spiritual friends, and the eye of the exceedingly profound Path. He attains the eye of eloquence, with speech unobstructed; he attains the eye forever free from delusion, with a mind that neither discriminates between self and other nor harbors doubt; and he enters the eye of the Dharma gateway, guiding sentient beings who are blind and benighted, discerning meanings, revealing the Dharma gateway of amrita, drawing near to true good and wise spiritual friends, and perfecting the mind of the Path. The state he has realized cannot be obstructed, nor can anyone destroy it. This is called the bodhisattva’s discerning the various eyes, accomplishing the work of the Path, becoming a good friend to worldly beings, manifesting an awe-inspiring countenance, and providing peace and joy to those in whom wholesome thoughts have not yet arisen. Through the Dharma, he teaches and transforms sentient beings, causing them to establish unobstructed roots of virtue. His pure merit ensures that every aspiration bears fruit. He nurtures the true Dharma and encounters the Dharma of liberation; severs the net of delusion; and raises dense clouds of wisdom throughout the entire realm of space. Through the Dharma of the sages and saints, he clearly comprehends the defilements of the mind. The aspiration he has brought forth is always present before him, and the thoughts he has generated are entirely free from the calamity of delusion. His faculty of faith is steadfast and his meritorious work inexhaustible. He draws near to and reveres all Buddhas, casts aside conceptions of suffering and pleasure, cultivates the profound mind of the Path, and attains the precious treasure of wisdom. He attends upon the wise, like a wondrous fragrance of flowers carried everywhere by the wind, enabling all people to hear the Dharma and causing those whose minds are defiled by evil to become purified. Tối Thắng, you should know that I now dwell in Jambudvipa, here in the city-state of Vaishali. With the physical eye I survey the lands in every direction and see that nowhere surpasses this place in suffering, grief, and anxiety; yet it is precisely here that the lineage of the Tathagata appears. At present, the sentient beings there have no fragrance, but only a foul odor. That stench rises as high as eighteen yojanas into the sky. The devas were originally human beings, and human beings are the roots and seeds of the devas. Those devas also know how to contemplate their former lives: “All the merit we have accumulated arose from the human body. Had we not planted roots of merit while possessing a human body, we could never have received these blessed rewards.” Tối Thắng, you should know that at that time, the devas each assembled together, intending to descend into the human world, and they all flew through the sky. That foul vapor formed dense clouds everywhere. When the devas smelled the fetid and impure odors of the human world, they immediately turned back and did not descend among humans. Thus, those possessed of pure fragrance cannot bear to dwell there. When bodhisattva-mahasattvas practice the mind of great loving-kindness and compassion and teach and transform beings, they do not discriminate between lands that are fragrant or foul, pure or impure. Nor do they think: “I now delight in and can patiently teach and transform beings in this place, but I cannot patiently teach and transform beings in that place.” Just as I now dwell here in the Saha world, where the conditions for teaching and transforming sentient beings have been fulfilled, all Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones throughout the ten directions praise me from afar. Each, while remaining in his own world, tells the four assemblies: “In that direction, in that place, there is a Buddha of such-and-such a name, called the Tathagata Shakyamuni. He dwells in that Saha world as though dwelling amid five cauldrons of boiling water, five sharp iron spearheads, five sword-blades, five fiercely blazing fires, five paths of terror and confusion, five places from which none can rescue him, and five burdens of calamity. That Buddha is able to remain there and instruct sentient beings—this is truly wondrous—and to discern and expound the paramitas of the sages and saints.” When devas whose bodies are pure and undefiled come to that place and encounter its clouds of stench, they immediately return to the heavens. They go back to their palaces, proceed to the rear gardens, and enter the Lake of Sorrowlessness, where they bathe themselves for seven days and seven nights, yet still fear that the foul odor of the human realm clings to their bodies. Their minds no longer delight in roaming through the human world. At that time, the fragrance of the devas is carried far by the wind, spreading downward through space for eighteen thousand yojanas. That fragrance extends even farther downward than this; when it encounters the malodorous vapors, it continues to spread downward through space, its perfume reaching as far as two thousand yojanas. Although the devas possess the fragrance of merit, it cannot compare with the fragrance of moral discipline possessed by those free from desire. A bodhisattva should contemplate that the devas’ blessings, prosperity, food, and drink seem enduring, yet when their merit is exhausted, regret will come too late. He should therefore aspire only to dwell in the human realm and initiate deeds of merit. How, then, could his mind still perceive fragrance or stench? The bodhisattva-mahasattva is likewise: although dwelling amid the five fiercely blazing fires of suffering and distress, his mind is neither weary nor disheartened, and he feels no regret. His thoughts are always mindful of liberating sentient beings. If a sage or saint possessing spiritual powers were to use those powers to carry an ordinary person into the fragrant atmosphere of the heavens and then bring that person back to the human world, the perfume imbued in that person’s body would not dissipate for twenty-one days. As for those free from desire whose virtue of moral discipline is complete, even after many kalpas the fragrance of their moral virtue is never lost. Therefore, bodhisattva-mahasattvas dwell together with the world and remain in the world for a long time. Moreover, they serve as brilliant torches for the world. Though they labor diligently, they do not regard it as suffering. Their aspiration for the Path flourishes, and their minds never diminish. This is called the bodhisattva’s observation of whether sentient beings possess anger or are free from anger, and whether their anger is great or slight, knowing them all completely.

At that time, Tối Thắng again addressed the Buddha:

– World-Honored One, how does a bodhisattva single-mindedly contemplate and discern whether sentient beings possess deluded minds or minds free from delusion, and whether their delusion is great or slight, knowing all of this completely?

The Buddha said:

– At that time, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi of right concentration called Luminous Wisdom and universally contemplates the worlds to the very bounds of empty space. Among them are sentient beings with one leg, two legs, or even innumerable legs, as well as devas, dragons, ghosts, spirits, asuras, garudas, candalas, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans. The bodhisattva clearly knows their faculties and conditions, discerning them distinctly and in detail, and through profound contemplation sees them ultimately and in accordance with reality. If there are sentient beings greatly afflicted by delusion, the bodhisattva establishes skillful means for them and expounds the fundamental Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination: conditioned by ignorance are formations; conditioned by formations is consciousness; conditioned by consciousness are name-and-form; conditioned by name-and-form are the six sense entrances; conditioned by the six sense entrances is contact; conditioned by contact is feeling; conditioned by feeling is craving; conditioned by craving is grasping; conditioned by grasping is becoming; conditioned by becoming is birth; conditioned by birth are aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and anguish. For those whose minds are distracted by false thoughts and impurity, the bodhisattva uses inexhaustible wisdom to expound the Dharma in forward and reverse order: when ignorance ceases, formations cease; when formations cease, consciousness ceases; when consciousness ceases, name-and-form cease; when name-and-form cease, the six sense entrances cease; when the six sense entrances cease, contact ceases; when contact ceases, feeling ceases; when feeling ceases, craving ceases; when craving ceases, grasping ceases; when grasping ceases, becoming ceases; when becoming ceases, birth ceases; when birth ceases, death ceases; and when death ceases, there are no longer sorrow, suffering, anguish, or impure formations. The outflows are a great calamity; nirvana is wondrous. Having contemplated all their characteristics, the bodhisattva thus expounds for them the ultimate Dharma that brings the source of suffering to an end. If there are sentient beings whose delusion is deep and dense and whose consciousness is not lucid, the bodhisattva gradually leads them onto the path and guides them to a place of tranquility. The bodhisattva further explains clearly the Dharma of original nonbeing, the Dharma that neither arises nor ceases, and the Dharma that does not cling to annihilation, distinguishing the signs of flourishing and decline throughout the three times. Because their consciousness cannot extinguish the deluded activities of the past, the bodhisattva reveals Dharma gates that illuminate them, causing wondrous wisdom to appear and fully giving rise to the merits of the Buddha path. The bodhisattva never relinquishes the work of being a good spiritual friend, frequently visits the bodhisattvas’ tranquil Dharma halls, and contemplates and enters the profound essentials of the Dharma of all Tathagatas. Moreover, the bodhisattva should contemplate ten steadfast dharmas. What are these ten steadfast dharmas to be contemplated? Drawing near to the Buddha treasury of the Dharma-body, the bodhisattva gathers inconceivable thoughts and reunites them as one. Clearly awakening to emptiness, the bodhisattva neither entertains thoughts nor perceives multiplicity; things arise and cease of themselves, yet there is no master. All practices that have been undertaken are without any point of origin, and the paths that arise cannot be guarded or maintained. The realm of empty space within the dharma realm is likewise inexhaustible. Casting off bondage, the bodhisattva frees the mind from attachment to sentient beings and, relying upon roots of goodness, accomplishes omniscience. Transcending all realms, the bodhisattva accomplishes immeasurable wisdom in its entirety, together with acute and swift wisdom, and the mind becomes replete with bodhisattva vows. The bodhisattva practices in accordance with the pure words and deeds of all bodhisattvas and never forgets the principles and meanings of the Tathagata’s teachings. Without abandoning the characteristics of the nature of all dharmas, the bodhisattva does not err regarding the subtle dharmas that the mind has entered. The mind is like the strength of vajra and cannot be destroyed. With regard to the bodhisattvas’ exceptional and supreme teaching privately transmitted by all Buddhas, there is no sentient being deemed capable of being delivered. The Dharma of nonduality that has been proclaimed cannot be altered. These are called the bodhisattva’s ten steadfast dharmas, through which the fruit of the path is swiftly accomplished and maintaining the path is not difficult.

Most Excellent One, this is called the bodhisattva’s supreme, wondrous, and inexhaustible Dharma, which must be kept in mind and cultivated.

Chapter 20: NIRVANA THROUGH THE THREE PATHS

At that time, the bodhisattva Most Excellent rose from his seat, knelt upright with palms joined, and addressed the Buddha:

– World-Honored One, the virtue of the Tathagata, the Most True One, is without limit. Without relying upon the gateways of the path to seek liberation, he reverently delights in diligent cultivation and study in purity, and in the vajra samadhi Dharma, which is beyond measure. Now I hear the Tathagata speak of nirvana and of purifying the three paths and returning them to the one, so that there are no longer two designations and no attachment to duality. If one contemplates in this way, why is it necessary to seek the unsurpassed and most true path? World-Honored One, I pray that you will explain this clearly for us, so that the minds of those who thirst for and aspire to the path may abandon erroneous understanding.

At that time, the World-Honored One turned his golden body toward the four directions and gazed intently upon those in the assembly. Seeing that the entire assembly was quiescent and beyond designation, and that each person was free from all thoughts, he looked again at Most Excellent and said:

– The question you have asked is truly excellent and exceedingly difficult to hear! The Tathagata shall explain it clearly for you, so that those who study the path in the future will forever be free from doubt.

Most Excellent said to the Buddha:

– I rejoice and wish to hear it.

The Buddha said to Most Excellent:

– The root of the path is pure and does not give rise to defiled branches. Because its essential nature is pure, all dharmas are pure. Furthermore, with regard to the purity of dharma-nature, one must gradually discern the enumerable and the innumerable. When the innumerable is purified, one attains purity throughout the three times. Through complete understanding of the three times, one contemplates the three realms as empty. This is called the Subtle Purity Samadhi. Tối Thắng, you should know that the Dharma of cessation in the three paths has categories that are not the same, and each has a different aspiration. The body is the root of defilement; mindfulness is the pool of defilement; perception is the dust of affliction; and consciousness is the master of bondage. If one eliminates one while three remain, one does not attain purity. If one eliminates two while two remain, one likewise does not attain purity. If one eliminates three while one remains, one likewise does not attain purity. Only when one eliminates all four and emptiness alone remains does one attain purity. The purity of omniscience is likewise so: from the first attainment of the path up to the ultimate fruit of the Unattached One, and again from the First Abiding Ground to the Tenth Abiding Ground, all eliminate the four and return to the four refuges and the four unobstructed knowledges. What are the four? These four dharmas are: The body is the root of defilement, which all ordinary beings possess. Mindfulness is the pool of defilement, from which flow the four currents of heedlessness. Perception is the dust of affliction, giving rise to eighty thousand thoughts of craving. Consciousness is the master of bondage, binding beings to the three modes of existence. Therefore, the Great Sage manifests three paths that appear to be superior and inferior, but in truth, in transforming and liberating sentient beings, he eliminates innumerable differentiated dharmas; the path within nirvana never departs from empty quiescence. The nirvana of bodhisattvas is named for liberating others. The nirvana of pratyekabuddhas is named for manifesting supernormal powers. The nirvana of shravakas is named for manifesting limitation and narrowness. Furthermore, Tối Thắng, in the nirvana of bodhisattvas, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity are employed to teach and nurture sentient beings. They establish skillful means to guide even a single person onto the path, restraining body and mind so that the faculties become harmonious and at ease, with immeasurable peace and bliss. At that very moment, the mind-consciousness becomes tranquil and liberated, no longer retaining worldly thoughts, and all faculties of consciousness become pure—pure like nirvana in which all is forever exhausted, yet without anything possessed. This is called non-thought, corresponding with having nothing whatsoever to think of; one does not perceive thought, and thought itself is non-thought. Those who study the Dharma of non-thought study as though not studying. Form itself is formless, and form is not perceived. Mind, mentation, consciousness, and mindfulness likewise neither cogitate nor discriminate. Beginning with the body of the five skandhas, one finally reaches the formless. The Dharma-body is pure; it does not perceive any thought and has nothing whatsoever to think of. Tối Thắng, you should know that whenever nirvana is spoken of, could such nirvana truly be remote? Do not contemplate it in that way! Why? Because the essential nature of the Dharma of non-thought is formless; contemplating that essential nature is itself nirvana. The essential nature of nirvana is itself the Dharma of contemplation. They are one, not two, and there is no distinction between them. Because nirvana is nameless, it cannot be perceived, nor can the designation “nirvana” be established. Tối Thắng, only when bodhisattva-mahasattvas study this pure path of nirvana do they accord with the path and accord with the mindfulness of non-thought.

Tối Thắng, you must further discern this: bodhisattva-mahasattvas who wish to cultivate and fully comprehend the pure path and the essential nature of nirvana must cultivate pure conduct. How do bodhisattvas cultivate their own pure conduct? They constantly keep body, speech, and mind pure, flawless, and undefiled.

What does it mean for the body to be pure, flawless, and undefiled? At that time, because the bodhisattva’s body is already pure, the bodhisattva awakens to the fact that all objects outside the body are likewise pure. Because one’s own body is empty and quiescent, one awakens to the emptiness of all bodies.

When one’s own body is quiescent, one knows that all bodies are likewise quiescent. When one’s own body is liberated, all bodies are likewise so. The bodhisattva must further reflect upon and contemplate the Dharma, fully understanding that indolence is itself non-indolence.

If one’s own body is free from arrogance, could the path possibly possess arrogance? Therefore, the bodhisattva awakens to the fact that the body is devoid of arrogance. The bodhisattva gives rise to mindfulness and contemplates the evil dharmas of the world, seeing the body as an image or an echo.

Not perceiving any conception of purity, the bodhisattva attains pure, conceptionless mindfulness and only then accords with nirvana. This is called the pure and undifferentiated path of nirvana of the great bodhisattva.

Bodhisattva Tối Thắng again addressed the Buddha:

– What is the bodhisattva’s pure essential nature of being free from desire—desiring yet without desire?

The Buddha told Tối Thắng:

– Bodhisattva-mahasattvas journey through the five paths and revolve in birth and death, skillfully manifesting in accordance with the proper time and circumstances. At times they teach that purity of the body is itself the doctrine of non-arising; seeing birth and death as devoid of birth and death, they awaken to and understand non-arising. Birth and death are one, not different, nor are there innumerable distinct designations for them. Bodhisattvas must also clearly discern bodily activity, penetrate non-arising, and perceive the equality of birth and death; they then know that bodily activity comprehends both internal and external dharmas. What is bodily activity? It is the flourishing and decline of the three times: past, present, and future. The past leaves no trace, the present is indeterminate, and the future has no designation. Furthermore, Tối Thắng, the past has forever ceased and been exhausted, the future is boundless, and the present is continually shifting. Bodhisattvas must also reflect upon dharmas that are exhaustible and inexhaustible. What does it mean to reflect upon dharmas that are exhaustible and inexhaustible? At that time, the bodhisattva discerns and completely comprehends that the utterly purified perception of empty space is inexhaustible, and that liberation is quiescent and devoid of conceptual thought. Those who entertain conceptual thoughts are thereby deficient with regard to the precepts of the Noble Ones.

The Buddha told Tối Thắng:

– Formerly, when I attained Buddhahood, I sat beneath the Bodhi tree for seven days and seven nights, contemplating that tree without turning away. My mind recalled Buddhas of the past, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges: through self-awakening to what Dharma did they attain what Dharma? Most Excellent, at that time I further recalled that Buddhas of the distant past realized the Dharma-body before attaining the fruit of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Where causes and conditions converge, there is consciousness and there is perception, yet neither can be seen; one does not cling to annihilation, arising, or cessation. Thus, Most Excellent, one who contemplates in this way is said to realize the Dharma-body. Whenever the body is purified, all returns to the ocean of wisdom. Most Excellent, you should know that the meaning of returning to the ocean comprises ten meanings. What are these ten? First is returning to the Buddha’s ocean, contemplating dharmas as being without form or characteristic. Returning to the ocean of sentient beings means transcending the perils of conditioned existence. Returning to the ocean of Dharma means cultivating all forms of wisdom. Returning to the ocean of the field of merit means establishing teachings without a root. Returning to the ocean of the skandhas means revealing the Dharma through impurity. Returning to the ocean of wisdom means discerning innumerable methods of instruction. Returning to the ocean of the fundamental meaning means increasing wholesome roots. Returning to the ocean of mental abiding means fully knowing the innumerable thoughts arising in the minds of sentient beings, awakening to the immeasurable, and knowing without obstruction. Returning to the ocean of conduct means not acting contrary to one’s vows. Returning to the ocean of the great resolve means knowing completely the source of birth and death. Most Excellent, these are the meanings of the ten gateways of return practiced by great bodhisattvas. They must recollect and cultivate them, and then all will return to the Tathagata’s uncontaminated Dharma-body.

The bodhisattva must further contemplate that the Tathagata’s uncontaminated body does not abide in Original Nonbeing and does not fall within the three realms, clearly knowing Original Nonbeing to be the one Dharma-body. Contemplate the uncontaminated body as abiding in Original Nonbeing: though it abides, no abiding is perceived, nor is there any dharma that abides. With the uncontaminated body, enter the ocean of birth and death and manifest a form-body as though there were no form-body—without boundary, without characteristics, and incapable of being seen.

Even when the form-body has ceased, no cessation is perceived; nor is the dharma of Original Nonbeing belonging to the body of birth perceived as abiding in Original Nonbeing. The Tathagata’s pure body is likewise untainted by defilement. Upon entering among sentient beings, it manifests in accordance with their forms and characteristics, clearly knowing the purity of sentient beings’ bodies.

When one’s own body is pure, the bodies of sentient beings are pure; they are one, not two, nor are they many bodies. The Dharma of Original Nonbeing is equal. The Dharma of Original Nonbeing has no path, and no path is perceived.

Nor are there worldly dharmas, contaminated dharmas, or uncontaminated dharmas. Nor are the teachings of the three vehicles perceived—the paths of the arhat, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, and Buddha. Nor are the ten directions, the four kinds of fearlessness, or the eighteen unique qualities perceived.

One is entirely unattached to all the paths and dharmas of sages and noble ones. This is called the bodhisattva’s practice that accords with purity and accords with having nothing with which to accord.

Furthermore, Most Excellent, a great bodhisattva must recollect and contemplate the purity of spoken words. How do words uttered by the mouth accord with purity? At that time, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi of the purity of the realm of empty space and universally contemplates the three-thousandfold world.

All sentient beings with form therein—whether wise or foolish, pure and virtuous or base and corrupt—return to emptiness and are all pure. The bodhisattva must further contemplate with impartiality. Within the Dharma of ultimate truth, neither equality nor inequality is perceived.

Why is this? When contemplating the characteristic of equality, neither equality and inequality nor characteristics and non-characteristics are perceived. The bodhisattva further employs the characteristic of equality to contemplate all dharmas.

The Dharma of the Path is not perceived as unlimited; worldly dharmas are not perceived as limited; sages and noble ones are not perceived as transcending the three modes of existence; and the power of ordinary beings is not perceived as feeble or narrow. Most Excellent, you should know that the bodhisattva discerns the purity of sounds without attachment to the thoughts and perceptions of sentient beings. The bodhisattva skillfully contemplates sounds and clearly sees that there is no echo; neither sorrow nor joy is perceived as permanent or impermanent, whether delighting in inverted dharmas or in non-inverted dharmas.

The bodhisattva clearly knows that all dharmas of sentient beings are pure, without defiling desire and without clinging to annihilation, arising, or cessation, and without the three fundamental poisons of lust, anger, and delusion. The bodhisattva must further contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination and the eighteen fundamental sustaining dharmas: from delusion through death, all are pure. Delusion does not know, ‘I created formations,’ and formations do not know that they exist because of delusion.

Each dharma arises by itself; each dharma ceases by itself. If dharma does not perceive dharma, how could there be delusion or formations? Thus, Most Excellent, dharma does not know dharma; arising is arising, and cessation is cessation.

A dharma does not itself know arising or non-arising, cessation or non-cessation. Therefore, it is said that one does not cling to annihilation, arising, or cessation.

At that time, the bodhisattva Most Excellent addressed the Buddha:

– World-Honored One, delusion and formations throughout the three times revolve in dependence upon the body. When there is a body, formations arise along with it; when there is no body, formations cease. The same applies through old age and death. World-Honored One, I pray that the World-Honored One clearly explain this doubt so that sentient beings of the future may forever be free from doubt.

The World-Honored One then said to Most Excellent:

– Delusion does not defile the body, and the body does not defile delusion. Delusion does not perceive, ‘I possess a body,’ and the body does not perceive, ‘I possess delusion.’ Both are pure, and there is no self or ego; therefore, the self itself is said to be empty and quiescent. This is called the purity of all the bodhisattva’s dharmas. Since they are said to be pure, how could there be words that are right, and how could there be words that are wrong? Words are neither within nor without. When one does not perceive words as coming forth or entering, one will perfect the ten steadfast meanings and discern the inclinations, dispositions, and skandhas of sentient beings. What are these ten meanings? At that time, because the bodhisattva seeks to transform and liberate sentient beings, the bodhisattva first seeks the Dharma of liberation. Because of diligence without attachment, the bodhisattva manifests innumerable transformations. Because all dharmas are empty, the bodhisattva manifests unobstructed power. Because the bodhisattva has attained mastery over all dharmas, the power of calming the mind is manifested. Because there is no turning, the revolving activity of mind, mentation, and consciousness is manifested. For the sake of meanings and implications, the bodhisattva makes distinctions. To reveal wisdom, the power of the Dharma’s intrinsic nature is manifested. To teach the Dharma to sentient beings, the bodhisattva discerns meanings and implications. To abide securely in the True Dharma, the power of fearlessness is manifested. To reveal the immeasurability of all wisdom, eloquence is manifested. Because of nonduality, the power of nonduality is manifested. Thus, Most Excellent, when a great bodhisattva discerns the inclinations and dispositions of sentient beings as abiding neither within nor without nor between the two extremes, can it be said that the bodhisattva possesses desire?

Most Excellent replied:

– World-Honored One, it cannot.

The Buddha asked:

– Can it be said that desire—lust, anger, and delusion—is the bodhisattva?

Most Excellent replied:

– World-Honored One, it cannot.

The Buddha asked again:

– If desire—lust, anger, and delusion—cannot be regarded as the bodhisattva, can the fetters and defilements be regarded as the bodhisattva?

Most Excellent replied:

– World-Honored One, they cannot.

The Buddha said to Most Excellent:

– A great bodhisattva is not attached to words, nor is the bodhisattva attached to the absence of words. In all dharmas, there is neither attachment nor non-attachment. With respect to the eye, ear, nose, mouth (tongue), body, and mind (mental faculty), neither attachment nor non-attachment is perceived. Spoken sounds are like the sound of blowing wind: only through the convergence of conditions does sound arise. The sounds of the wise and the foolish, the ugly and the beautiful, are not manifold. They abide neither within nor without, and when sought between the two, they cannot be found.

The Buddha further said to Most Excellent:

– A great bodhisattva who abides in the samadhi of the originally nonexistent and unmoving Dharma contemplates thoughts, movements, transformations, and all his own actions as being equal to empty space. There is neither abiding nor non-abiding, nor are there any perceptions. Most Excellent, this means that every echo arising from the sounds and speech of sentient beings is empty and unreal—a false phenomenon upon which one cannot rely.

At that time, Most Excellent said to the Buddha:

– The Dharma of the Tathagata’s noble truths leads to the attainment of the fruition of the noble path. If expedient teachings are illusory and unreal, why is it said that they bring about the attainment of supreme perfect enlightenment?

The Buddha told Most Excellent:

– The Tathagata, the Equally and Perfectly Enlightened One, contemplates the principles of the path and Dharma in accordance with reality. Because he has attained the true Dharma, he awakens to and knows that all phenomena are neither real nor existent. Furthermore, Most Excellent, a great bodhisattva journeys throughout the five destinies to teach sentient beings. According to the causal practices already present within them, he leads them to liberation. Observing the names and sounds employed by sentient beings, he turns the unsurpassed Dharma wheel and, through phrases, meanings, and teachings, enables them to understand the corresponding fruits of karma. Because sentient beings experience suffering and happiness, he teaches the origin of suffering. Since the bodhisattva has awakened to all phenomena, all his words are wordless; what, then, could be called speech, and whence could speech arise? He fully knows that speech has no place of arising. The bodhisattva then teaches sentient beings who are attached to accumulation the fundamental Dharma of origination: how that origination arises, what its cause is, and what its conditions are. He distinguishes the causes and conditions of original nonexistence and the inception of origination, yet sees neither origination nor any name. Most Excellent, this means that all the sounds of sentient beings who are attached to accumulation are empty and unreal. Furthermore, according to the past karmic results of sentient beings, the bodhisattva instructs them by means of the path, enabling those who hear the Dharma to practice in accordance with it, though they do not know where the karmic consequences of that practice will lead. The bodhisattva must also contemplate the attachments to accumulation present in sentient beings, thoroughly penetrate all phenomena without seeing any arising, and not dwell upon words or sounds. Whether sitting or walking, the bodhisattva remains single-minded. Though dwelling amid turmoil, he is always as if in a peaceful place. If he is among a great assembly of serene and silent noble ones, whenever the thought of speaking arises, he immediately checks himself and considers whether those words entail attachment or non-attachment. The bodhisattva sees neither exhaustion nor non-exhaustion; in regard to all phenomena, he likewise sees no exhaustion. He forever refrains from producing any trace of words or sounds arising from views that cling to annihilation, arising, or cessation. Furthermore, the bodhisattva contemplates the eight practices of the path in which sentient beings delight and through which those who cultivate them will proceed toward nirvana: right speech, right action, through to right concentration. He contemplates such phenomena and phenomena that are not such as being equal to empty space, of one characteristic, nondual, and without contradiction. This is called the pure and undefiled speech of a great bodhisattva.

Furthermore, a great bodhisattva must recollect and contemplate the purity of consciousness. Why is the bodhisattva’s consciousness said to be pure? At that time, the bodhisattva’s mind is pure and undefiled.

The mind, originally nonexistent and pure, is seen to have no source. The source of that mind cannot be defiled, nor can it be a mind that creates calamities. Why is this?

A great bodhisattva fully knows that the mind is originally pure, yet does not perceive any purity. Worldly people, being greatly deluded, become defiled and attached to it. Because the bodhisattva contemplates and realizes emptiness, he has no attachment.

He cultivates and thoroughly discerns skillful expedient means, which are inherently pure. The bodhisattva should know that the source of this mind has, from the beginning, neither come nor gone. It makes no distinctions of high and low, honored and humble, noble and base.

He does not perceive that something existed in the past but does not exist now, nor that something exists now but did not exist in the past. He does not recollect roots of merit. This is called emptiness, non-arising, and nirvana.

The Buddha asked:

– Does one who recollects those roots of merit fully know the source of mind and consciousness?

Most Excellent replied:

– No.

The Buddha asked:

– If one’s inner mind has not fully realized emptiness, can one penetrate the phenomena of external characteristics?

Most Excellent replied:

– No.

Most Excellent said to the Buddha:

– If that is so, why is it called emptiness?

The Buddha said:

– The mind is originally empty. It is neither self nor not-self; neither mind nor not-mind. If a bodhisattva concentrates his mind and contemplates emptiness, he does not perceive the mind itself. Since one’s own mind is originally nonexistent, external characteristics are likewise originally nonexistent. They are one and not two, and there are not innumerable differentiated names. Since the mind is not the self’s mind, no-mind is mind. Since the self’s mind is not mind, no-self is self. Since form is not the self’s form, formlessness is form. Since the self is not the form-self, no-self is self. The self’s mind and the self’s form are not the self’s mind or the self’s form. Since form is not the self’s form, formlessness is form. Since the self is not the form-self, no-self is self. The self’s mind and the self’s form are not the self’s mind or the self’s form. The form-self and the mind-self are not the form-self or the mind-self. So too, sound, scent, taste, fine and coarse tangibles, mind, and phenomena are neither the self’s mind and the self’s phenomena, nor the mind-self and the phenomenon-self. Why is this? Because the mind is originally empty, external characteristics are likewise empty. By knowing that external characteristics are empty, one thoroughly penetrates all phenomena as likewise empty—one and not two, without innumerable forms. All phenomena are likewise so. One does not perceive that they existed in the past but do not exist now, nor that they exist now but did not exist in the past. Nonexistence is not nonexistence, and existence is not existence. Existence does not know whence existence comes. Nonexistence does not know whence nonexistence comes. Because there is no nonexistence, its own nature is always nonexistent. Because there is existence, its own nature is always existent. Existence does not give rise to existence, and nonexistence does not give rise to nonexistence. Because there is no nonexistence, the emptiness of its own nature is nonexistence. Because there is existence, the emptiness of its own nature is existence. Existence does not know nonexistence, and nonexistence does not know existence. All sounds are empty and unreal. This is called the purity of the bodhisattva’s mind. That pure mind cannot become submerged in the thirty-six defilements and forever remains unattached to the impurities that have afflicted the mind of the great bodhisattva throughout past and present. Moreover, through skillful expedient means, the bodhisattva penetrates original nonexistence and is therefore pure in himself. Yet he does not conceive attachment to purity and thus fully knows that the Dharma of emptiness is wholly pure. One who enters the samadhi of mastery of mind can return to dwell within samsara, journeying back and forth through the five destinies to cultivate roots of merit. One possessing roots of merit knows mind, mentation, and consciousness to be devoid of mind, mentation, and consciousness. Moreover, with his original mind, he extends compassion to all and clearly knows sentient beings to be empty and without anything whatsoever. Self, person, and lifespan are wholly pure. The bodhisattva further distributes his roots of merit equally among all, enabling every kind of sentient being to cultivate the path diligently. Sentient beings and the path are equal and nondual. One who contemplates in this way is said to be pure from beginning to end. The bodhisattva further employs pure equality to contemplate lust, anger, and delusion as themselves being the path. The path is pure; delusion is pure. These two phenomena are one and not two, nor are they many. The bodhisattva contemplates the beginning and end as pure in their own nature and does not cling to any impurity or defilement.

At that time, the Blessed One told Most Excellent:

– Because bodily conduct is pure, one commits no evil. Pure speech always accords with perfect sincerity. Pure thoughts extend loving-kindness and compassion to all. Only when these practices are complete may one be called a bodhisattva.

When the Blessed One had finished teaching this chapter on the purity of original nonexistence, five thousand bodhisattvas all attained the stage of being bound to attain Buddhahood after one more birth, and countless thousands of people all aroused the aspiration for the unsurpassed path of equality.

Chapter 21: THE SIGNLESS VEHICLE

Most Excellent addressed the Buddha:

– How does a great bodhisattva, from the first arising of the aspiration until the attainment of Buddhahood, fully realize the single characteristic as being without characteristics? How, moreover, does the bodhisattva use the absence of characteristics to discern the single characteristic? How does a bodhisattva, with a pure mind, journey through sensual desire and, from within sensual desire itself, attain purity?

The Buddha said to Most Excellent:

– The bodhisattva practices skillful means in accordance with signlessness. With a purified mind, he journeys throughout the five realms and the worlds of the ten directions, or is born in a realm of form or formlessness within the Desire Realm. Although dwelling in such a realm, he is not defiled by it, for together with good men and good women, he takes delight in the Dharma as his joy. The bodhisattva also goes to the realm of form, dwelling with devas and humans in their palaces, or teaching the subtle signless vehicle to the Brahma kings in the abode of Brahma. Amid the assembly of Brahmas, he sometimes walks in meditation and sometimes maintains the noble silence of the sages. There the bodhisattva alone is supreme, and no one can equal him. Furthermore, Most Excellent One, the bodhisattva reveals the subtle teaching of the Path there, gradually subduing the devas and causing them to cultivate the truth and abandon the notion that the Brahma hosts are pure. Dwelling in the realm of form, the bodhisattva descends and is born in the Desire Realm. Inwardly, he always abides in peaceful, quiescent bliss and lives alone in mountains and forests. Although alone in the mountains, his mind is constantly established in meditative concentration. Sometimes the bodhisattva manifests as having a household, with wife and children accompanying him, and lives among sentient beings while pursuing a livelihood. When of exalted station, he manifests as lowly; when of lowly station, he manifests as exalted, thereby observing the minds of sentient beings. Whether coming or going, standing or sitting, speaking or moving about, the bodhisattva gives rise neither to arrogance nor to self-abasement. Why is this so? Because the bodhisattva has completely penetrated the purity of phenomena from root to branch. Furthermore, the bodhisattva enters hundreds of thousands of kinds of concentration, meditative attainments, and samadhis. Through the majestic spiritual power of samadhi, he contemplates the trichiliocosm, manifests a bodily form endowed with spiritual powers and brilliant radiance, and freely journeys everywhere to transform beings through wisdom and skillful means. Only when the mind is pure can this be called signlessness. Only when a great bodhisattva accords with this concentration can he seek the signless vehicle of the Path. He does not see others as born, nor does he see others as unborn. While cultivating the Path through the unborn within birth, he entertains no conception of the signs of the fundamentally nonexistent Path of the sages. He seeks neither signs nor signlessness. He fully comprehends that the sign of the Path is signlessness: when arising occurs, it simply arises; when cessation occurs, it simply ceases. Where there are signs, one proceeds toward the Path; where there are no signs, one practices cessation; and where there are signs, practice also ceases. This is called a bodhisattva’s awakening to the sign of the Path. A great bodhisattva also does not seek signs and regard them as the sign of the Path. Why? Since the essential nature of the Path is signless, he does not seek signlessness as the sign of the Path. He does not regard union or separation as the sign of the Path. He does not perceive the root of the twelve links of dependent origination, self, person, or lifespan, nor does he regard the arising of formations from ignorance and so forth as the sign of the Path. Nor does he perceive the absence of self, person, or lifespan, or regard the arising of formations from ignorance and so forth as the sign of the Path. Why? The essential nature of the Path is signless, and he does not perceive signs. He does not mistakenly conceive that the many phenomena arise from the sign of the Path. He fully knows the four great elements as body and non-body, permanent and impermanent, empty and nonempty, self and non-self; grasping and relinquishing, union and separation are all unreal. This is called a great bodhisattva’s accordance with the Dharma with which he should accord. It is neither different nor not different; only by seeing neither difference nor non-difference does he accord with the signless sign of the Path. A wholesome body and an unwholesome body; a determinate body and an indeterminate body; a contaminated body and an uncontaminated body; a conditioned body and an unconditioned body; a body brought to fulfillment and a body brought to failure; grasping and relinquishing, union and separation—all discriminations regarding signs or signlessness are empty and therefore possess nothing. The bodhisattva contemplates the body as a dream, a shadow, an echo, or a midday mirage. He does not see the body as empty, nor does he see it as nonempty. He does not see it as possessing conception, nor does he see the body as devoid of conception. He does not see the body as possessing aspiration, nor does he see the body as devoid of aspiration. He does not see the body as either according or not according with freedom from desire. He does not see the body as either according or not according with the twelve links of dependent origination. The twelve links of dependent origination neither accord nor fail to accord. The same applies up to the eighteen dhatus. The dharmadhatu is thus, and therefore neither accords nor fails to accord with the sign of the Path. The arising of craving from ignorance is likewise: it neither accords nor fails to accord with the sign of the Path. All phenomena of name-and-form and the six ayatanas neither accord nor fail to accord with the sign of the Path. The great bodhisattva must further enter the samadhi of the concentration of cessation, in which the mind is unmoving, and then contemplate how the sign of the Path neither accords nor fails to accord with the eighteen foundational sustaining phenomena, and how the emptiness of the Dharma-nature neither accords nor fails to accord with the twelve links of dependent origination. The limitless, immeasurable, and inconceivable defilements and afflictions neither accord nor fail to accord with the sign of the Path. Even the Dharma-nature and all sentient beings neither accord nor fail to accord with the twelve links of dependent origination. Even aging and death, and phenomena free from lust, anger, and ignorance, neither accord nor fail to accord with the sign of the Path; they are neither non-accordant. The enumerable and the innumerable neither accord nor fail to accord with the sign of the Path. The sign of the Path is nondual; it neither accords nor fails to accord with the enumerable and the innumerable. With respect to ultimate truth—whether there is a world or no world; whether contaminated or solitary; conditioned or unconditioned; determinate or indeterminate; wholesome or unwholesome, good or bad—the bodhisattva practices all according to the Dharma-gate of nonduality, yet also does not practice according to the Dharma-gate of nonduality, and his mind remains unspoiled as he seeks the sign of the Path. One who does not seek the sign of the Path neither accords nor fails to accord with ultimate truth and with all phenomena—conventional or nonconventional, contaminated or uncontaminated, conditioned or unconditioned, determinate or indeterminate, wholesome or unwholesome, bad or good. Furthermore, with regard to the signlessness of the signs of all phenomena, the great bodhisattva does not perceive signs, yet it is not that he does not perceive signlessness. Nor does he perceive any sign in that signless Path. This is called the Path’s accordance with signlessness. As for the sign of signlessness, that Dharma in its essential nature is quiescent, like empty space, signless yet not devoid of signs. It should accord with accordance, yet there is no such phenomenon of accordance. When a great bodhisattva attains this concentration of the sign of the Path in this manner, he gains mastery over all domains. After entering that concentration, he discerns that upon every pore of his own body there appear before him limitless, immeasurable, and inconceivable worlds of Buddhas. Once these worlds have appeared, their assemblies of accompanying disciples also appear, together with hosts of bodhisattvas who thirst to hear the Dharma and are never satiated. The bodhisattva causes that great assembly to see throughout the trichiliocosm immeasurable rays of light issuing from the golden body of the Tathagata, each ray containing countless, immeasurable Buddha-fields. Within those Buddha-fields, the bodhisattva manifests bodily forms and, amid the great assemblies, expounds the Great Dharma. Those who hear the Dharma become steadfast in mind and never relinquish the vajra concentration and samadhi. In those realms, throughout hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas, the bodhisattva travels everywhere teaching and transforming beings. He manifests provisional wisdom as though there were no provisional wisdom and does not perceive anyone transformed by provisional wisdom. Although dwelling in those realms, his mind is like a shadow, a mirage, or a reflection in a mirror, devoid of thought. Even after searching throughout vast numbers of kalpas, he cannot find its source, yet during that interval he gives rise to a mind of indolence. Nor does the bodhisattva think that sentient beings are easy to teach and transform: “In a single day and night, I teach and transform beings everywhere, throughout Buddha-worlds numerous as the sands of the Ganges, for hundreds of millions of thousands of myriads of kalpas.

“Within the Dharma teachings of the Buddhas, I am supreme.” Thus, the great bodhisattva enters the samadhi of the signless nature of the Path, clearly discerns every pore of the body, and travels everywhere teaching and transforming beings without weariness or aversion. For those who do not accept instruction and are not greatly troubled by lust, anger, and delusion, the bodhisattva purifies their world and guides them to the Tathagata’s great assembly; yet the bodhisattva perceives neither length nor brevity and gives rise to no impure thought.

Why is this? Within immeasurable Dharma-realms, the great bodhisattva subdues the mind and intention, patiently endures all defilements, and clearly discerns unprecedented practices, incomparable practices, and practices that establish diligence. The inconceivable samadhi, the samadhi without any sign of the Path, and the samadhi of the characteristic of ultimate reality are one, not two, and without distinction.

The bodhisattva enables sentient beings to discern the characteristic of the Path.

With regard to conditioned continuity and the absence of continuity; outflows and the absence of outflows; the conditioned and the unconditioned; the determinate and the indeterminate; desire and the absence of desire, the bodhisattva sees neither that they correspond with the characteristic of the Path nor that they do not correspond. The characteristic of the Path neither corresponds nor fails to correspond with conditioned continuity and the absence of continuity; outflows and the absence of outflows; the determinate and the indeterminate; desire and the absence of desire.

The characteristic of the Path neither corresponds nor fails to correspond with the twelve links of dependent origination; nor does it correspond with the conditions of delusion, craving for existence, birth, aging, illness, and death. The twelve links of dependent origination neither correspond nor fail to correspond with the Path. The conditions of delusion, craving for existence, birth, aging, illness, and death neither correspond nor fail to correspond with the Path.

Thus, O Supreme Excellence, when a great bodhisattva attains this meditative concentration of the characteristic of the Path, he sees neither correspondence nor noncorrespondence. This is called the great bodhisattva’s correspondence, within the meditative concentration of the characteristic of the Path, with the Dharma of noncorrespondence. With respect to the signless samadhi, he likewise sees neither correspondence nor noncorrespondence. This is called correspondence with the Dharma of noncorrespondence, a Dharma that arhats and pratyekabuddhas cannot know. Why is this? Because it is not within their sphere.

The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, inconceivably enter throughout all worlds in the ten directions, manifesting the excellent marks, dignified conduct, ritual propriety, the eighteen transformations, and the fearless samadhi of the lion’s vigorous advance. O Supreme Excellence, at that time the great bodhisattva fully possesses the Tathagata’s meditative concentration of the characteristic of the Path and does not relinquish the vajra-like concentration of his vows. Using the Dharma of liberation taught by the Buddhas, he liberates those not yet liberated, yet sees neither liberation nor nonliberation.

In the space of a single thought, the great bodhisattva’s mind emerges from samadhi without abandoning sentient beings suffering affliction in the ten directions. He reflects and goes to provide the four requisites—clothing, food, elephants and horses, the seven treasures, beds and bedding, and medicines for illness—and uses skillful wisdom to liberate all sentient beings. Everything is done for sentient beings, not for himself.

The bodhisattva journeys from one Buddha-land to another, teaching and extolling the True Dharma without ever becoming weary or content. He enters the various Buddha-lands so that all sentient beings there may hear the teachings. For those not yet awakened, the bodhisattva causes the work of the Buddha to flourish, manifests omniscience, clearly knows their thoughts, and then goes there to teach and transform them.

Entering this meditative concentration of the characteristic of the Path, the bodhisattva penetrates the minds, intentions, and consciousnesses of every kind of sentient being throughout as many Buddha-lands as the sands of the Ganges. He observes the thoughts arising in sentient beings and discerns the deeds they performed in the past, whether they lead toward the path of hell-beings, hungry ghosts, or animals, or toward the paths of devas or human beings.

In the time it takes to snap one’s fingers, the great bodhisattva can discern in this way the destinations of sentient beings’ rebirth. If sentient beings cultivate the wholesome path corresponding with the samadhi of the characteristic of the Path, the bodhisattva also knows whether they possess a mind inclined toward the Lesser Vehicle, the mind of a pratyekabuddha, or the mind of a bodhisattva.

Thus, the great bodhisattva travels throughout the Buddha-lands, venerating and serving the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, purifying the Buddha-lands, and fulfilling the aspirations of all sentient beings. If, in any Buddha-land, the bodhisattva sees sentient beings with miserly and covetous minds, he personally manifests the practice of great giving. In that Buddha-land he raises the parasol of generosity and, with a pure Brahma voice, proclaims to everyone: “Worthy ones, you should know that my name is Giver of Everything Who Seeks No Recompense. If anyone lacks anything—clothing, food and drink, medicine for illness, beds and bedding, and even a kingdom’s wealth, wives and children, horses and elephants, or the seven treasures—I shall provide it all.”

The bodhisattva practices giving from the first arising of the aspiration until the attainment of Buddhahood. Apart from three things that he does not give away, he gives everything else. What are these three? First, his father; second, his mother; and third, his teacher. This is called the Root-Establishing Bodhisattva’s practice of generosity throughout the Buddha-lands.

Furthermore, employing skillful means, the great bodhisattva travels throughout lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions. Whenever he sees sentient beings whose minds are indolent, he manifests a body that upholds the precepts and practices the eighteen dharmas. Whether beneath a tree, in a wilderness, within a deep cave, upon a high mountain, or dwelling secluded in a deep forest, he earnestly honors and preserves the precepts without transgression.

When entering human settlements, he maintains dignified conduct and ritual propriety while entering and departing, walking and standing. Whether walking or sitting, his mind remains constantly vigilant, and he never departs from the precepts. He realizes clearly that the prohibitory precepts are fundamentally without anything possessed; whatever is born must perish, and all is impermanent: “My body and the bodies of others are one and not different.”

Upon reaching the state of purity, proceeding from one ground to another until reaching the tenth ground, the bodhisattva does not perceive the ten grounds as an obstruction, nor does he perceive attaining the ten grounds as unobstructed. Just as a bird flying through empty space leaves no footprints, he clearly realizes that all phenomena are empty like space: a thing is also a non-thing, and a non-thing is also a thing. The great bodhisattva is likewise. He travels to immeasurable Buddha-lands without relinquishing his steadfast mind of vast vows, gathers in and transforms indolent sentient beings, and enables them to abide in and enter the right samadhi of the characteristic of the Path.

Furthermore, by means of skillful wisdom, the great bodhisattva goes to lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions. Seeing sentient beings whose minds are indolent, who are constantly angry, and whose minds have never known joy, the bodhisattva manifests there a body that practices patience. If anyone reviles and curses him, he remains silent and does not respond.

If anyone severs his hands and feet or mutilates his body, the bodhisattva’s mind remains unchanged. He gives rise to no anger, keeps his mind like the earth, and clearly contemplates that this body is formed by the conjunction of the four great elements and will disintegrate when consciousness departs; what is there to cherish? The wise discern that this body is not a single entity and therefore do not give rise to attachment.

It is like a butcher cutting an ox into four portions and knowing clearly that, from beginning to end, there is nothing in that body that can be possessed. The bodhisattva-mahasattva is likewise, clearly realizing that this body has no master and that there is nothing in it that can be possessed. What is this body? Whose body is it? Its names, marks, and designations are all unreal.

Some bodhisattvas practice patience by means of meditative concentration. In a deserted wilderness where no one is present, they sit upright beneath a tree and contemplate single-mindedly. Travelers and cowherds carrying grass and firewood pass nearby and use blades of grass to prod the bodhisattva’s nostrils or insert them into his ears.

The bodhisattva’s contemplation is thoroughly cultivated; after looking, he closes his eyes again. His mind and intention remain quiescent, his thoughts are undisturbed, and he entertains no other perception. Or someone may approach directly and hurl bricks, tiles, and stones, splitting his head, swelling his eyes, and injuring his body.

The bodhisattva’s mind still does not change, and he gives rise to no confused thoughts. This is called the great bodhisattva’s practice of patience by means of meditative concentration, whereby he receives and liberates more sentient beings than can ever be reckoned.

Furthermore, through inconceivable power, the great bodhisattva travels to lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. Seeing beings whose minds are constantly indolent and arrogant, the bodhisattva manifests there a body of diligent effort, gathers in and transforms those beings, and establishes them in liberation. At that time, for the sake of even a single being, the bodhisattva remains free of indolence for hundreds of thousands of kalpas, never feeling weary or disheartened.

Why is this? Because the bodhisattva has fully comprehended that the dharmadhatu is empty and possesses nothing, and employs the Tathagata’s Dharma path to liberate that person. Although liberating beings, the bodhisattva perceives neither anyone being liberated nor anyone not being liberated.

This is called the great bodhisattva’s single-minded diligence, whose mind neither changes nor entertains any other perception.

The bodhisattva endures suffering and affliction amid such circumstances. At times, that land may undergo the conflagration at the end of a kalpa, with flames rising as high as the Brahma Heaven; at other times, waters may rise as high as the Brahma Heaven; or winds may sweep through the lands, shattering them into particles like mist and dust. The bodhisattva always remains there, protecting all kinds of beings and causing them to abide securely in liberation without panic or confusion.

This is called the great bodhisattva traveling to lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions. Seeing that the minds of beings are distracted and unsettled, the bodhisattva manifests there a body seated in meditation—whether sitting in a village, beneath a tree, in a deep cave, or amid forests and mountains. Throughout hundreds of thousands of kalpas, the bodhisattva’s mind entertains no other perception, guiding beings to liberation and causing their minds to remain undistracted and unmoved.

At that time, the bodhisattva enters meditative concentration beside a road. That samadhi is called the Concentration of Formless Perception. One who enters this concentration may remain in it for one kalpa or even hundreds of thousands of kalpas. Though heaven and earth break apart, mountains, rivers, trees, and plants are all destroyed, and springs, streams, rivers, and seas all dry up, the bodhisattva remains seated in meditation and absorbed in concentration, the mind neither changing nor entertaining any perception of destruction.

Cowherds, woodcutters, and grass gatherers passing nearby may poke a twig into the bodhisattva’s nostrils or ears, lift the eyelids with their hands to look, pry open the mouth to inspect the teeth, or try to seize and pull out the hair on the crown of the head, but they cannot do so. They may even use a sharp knife to cut the bodhisattva’s fingernails, but they cannot. Why is this? It is entirely due to the awe-inspiring spiritual power of the bodhisattva’s indestructible meditative concentration. The Buddhas of the ten directions further bestow their awe-inspiring spiritual power, ensuring that the bodhisattva encounters no suffering or affliction.

This is called the great bodhisattva traveling to lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions and, upon seeing beings whose minds and thoughts are distracted, personally entering concentration and remaining tireless and undiscouraged from kalpa to kalpa.

Furthermore, employing skillful means, the great bodhisattva travels to lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Observing beings whose minds are foolish, deluded, and confused, the bodhisattva manifests wisdom there, discerning the purport of the teachings for those beings and contemplating matters of the present and matters of the three times; the successive path of the stages, from stage to stage, and from no stage to a stage.

Just as a bird flies without obstruction, so too does the bodhisattva: what is not an appearance is an appearance, and an appearance is not an appearance; what is not a thing is a thing, and a thing is not a thing. What does it mean that what is not an appearance is an appearance, and an appearance is not an appearance?

At that time, the bodhisattva enters the Concentration of the Limit of Space, properly abides in it, and contemplates worlds in other directions. Medicinal fruits, trees and plants, mountains and rivers, rocks and cliffs are all empty, like space. The great bodhisattva likewise sees all worlds as equal to space. This is called the great bodhisattva’s contemplation that what is not an appearance is an appearance, and an appearance is not an appearance. The principle that what is not a thing is a thing is likewise the same.

The bodhisattva further enters and manifests the Concentration of Sovereignty in All-Knowledge, dispelling beings’ perceptions of foolishness, darkness, and delusion, and causing them all to abide securely upon reaching the far shore of liberation. This is called the great bodhisattva traveling to the immeasurable worlds throughout the ten directions and, upon observing beings who harbor perceptions of foolishness, delusion, and confusion, manifesting luminous wisdom for them so that they may forever be free from ignorance and darkness.