最勝問菩薩十住除垢斷結經

Chapter 15: FRAGMENTATION OF THE BODY

The Buddha said to Tối Thắng:

– A great bodhisattva enters the Samadhi of Fragmentation of the Body. The bodhisattva who enters this samadhi is endowed with ten kinds of the nature of suchness. What are these ten? The nature of suchness of all worlds; the nature of suchness of all directions; the nature of suchness of all numbers of kalpas; the nature of suchness of all sentient beings; the nature of suchness of all dharmas; the nature of suchness of all bodhisattva practices; the nature of suchness of all bodhisattva vows; the nature of suchness of all kinds of samadhi; the nature of suchness of all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones; and the nature of suchness of all realms of earth. If a bodhisattva attains this Samadhi of Fragmentation of the Body, that bodhisattva attains these ten natures of suchness. How does a bodhisattva enter the Samadhi of Fragmentation of the Bodies of Sentient Beings? Tối Thắng, when a great bodhisattva enters the Samadhi of Fragmentation of the Body, the bodhisattva first enters the samadhi contemplating the inner body after emerging from the contemplation of the outer body; enters the samadhi contemplating the outer body after emerging from the contemplation of the inner body; enters the samadhi contemplating one body after emerging from the contemplation of another body; enters the samadhi contemplating another body after emerging from the contemplation of one body; enters the samadhi contemplating a human body after emerging from the contemplation of a yaksha body; enters the samadhi contemplating a yaksha body after emerging from the contemplation of a dragon body; enters the samadhi contemplating a dragon body after emerging from the contemplation of an asura body; enters the samadhi contemplating an asura body after emerging from the contemplation of a deva body; enters the samadhi contemplating a deva body after emerging from the contemplation of a Brahma-deva body; enters the samadhi contemplating a Brahma-deva body after emerging from the contemplation of a body in the Desire Realm; enters the samadhi contemplating a body in the deva realm after emerging from the samadhi contemplating a body in the hell realm; enters the samadhi contemplating a body in the hell realm after emerging from the samadhi contemplating a body in the human realm; enters the samadhi contemplating a body in the human realm after emerging from the contemplation of another realm; enters the samadhi contemplating a thousand bodies after emerging from the contemplation of one body; enters the samadhi contemplating one body after emerging from the contemplation of a thousand bodies; enters the samadhi contemplating a hundred million bodies after emerging from the contemplation of one body; enters the samadhi contemplating one body after emerging from the contemplation of a hundred million bodies; enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in Jambudvipa after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in Godaniya; enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in Godaniya after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in Uttarakuru; enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in Uttarakuru after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in Purvavideha; enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in the eastern direction after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in the other three directions; enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in three directions after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in the four directions; enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in the four directions after emerging from the samadhi contemplating all living beings with bodies in the ocean; enters the samadhi contemplating all living beings with bodies in the ocean after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the body of the ocean deity; enters the samadhi contemplating the body of the ocean deity after emerging from the contemplation of the water-nature of the ocean; enters the samadhi contemplating the water-nature of the ocean after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the fire-nature of the ocean; enters the samadhi contemplating the fire-nature of the ocean after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the wind-nature of the ocean; enters the samadhi contemplating the wind-nature of the ocean after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the four great elements; enters the samadhi contemplating the four great elements after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the dharma of nonexistence; enters the samadhi contemplating the dharma of nonexistence after emerging from the samadhi contemplating Mount Sumeru; enters the samadhi contemplating Mount Sumeru after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the hundreds of kinds of trees and grasses, mountains and rivers, and stone walls; enters the samadhi contemplating the hundreds of kinds of trees and grasses, mountains and rivers, and stone walls after emerging from the samadhi contemplating all precious articles and pure incense and flowers. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating all precious articles and pure incense and flowers after emerging from the samadhi contemplating all the food, clothing, and other necessities of all sentient beings in the four directions and in the directions above and below. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating all the food, clothing, and other necessities of all sentient beings in the four directions and in the directions above and below after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the bodies of sentient beings in the three-thousandfold world. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in the three-thousandfold world after emerging from the contemplation of embodied sentient beings in the great three-thousandfold world-system. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in the great three-thousandfold world-system after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in hundreds of thousands of millions of great three-thousandfold world-systems. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in hundreds of thousands of millions of great three-thousandfold world-systems after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in limitless worlds. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in limitless worlds after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in innumerable worlds. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in innumerable worlds after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in immeasurable Buddha-realms. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in immeasurable Buddha-realms after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in boundless Buddha-realms. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in boundless Buddha-realms after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in countless, incalculable Buddha-realms. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in countless, incalculable Buddha-realms after emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in inconceivable Buddha-realms. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in inconceivable Buddha-realms, and enters the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in limitless, immeasurable, inconceivable Buddha-realms. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating embodied sentient beings in limitless, immeasurable, inconceivable Buddha-realms, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating sentient beings that are extremely distant. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating sentient beings that are extremely distant, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating sentient beings that are extremely near. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating sentient beings that are extremely near, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the eye ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the eye ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the ear ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the ear ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the nose ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the nose ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the tongue ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the tongue ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the body ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the body ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the mind ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the mind ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the self ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the self ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the other ayatana. After emerging from the samadhi contemplating the other ayatana, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the self ayatana. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating all embodied sentient beings after emerging from the samadhi contemplating asamkhya realms, extending to a limitless number of incalculable lands. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating asamkhya realms, extending to a limitless number of incalculable lands, after emerging from the samadhi contemplating all embodied sentient beings. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating shravakas after emerging from the samadhi contemplating pratyekabuddhas. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating pratyekabuddhas after emerging from the samadhi contemplating shravakas. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the body of the self after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the body of a Buddha. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating the body of a Buddha after emerging from the samadhi contemplating the body of the self. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating a single thought-moment after emerging from the samadhi contemplating ten billion kalpas. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi contemplating ten billion kalpas after emerging from the samadhi contemplating a single thought-moment, and enters the samadhi of the present. Emerging from the samadhi of the present, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi of the past. Emerging from the samadhi of the past, the bodhisattva enters the samadhi of the future, and then enters the samadhi of the three times.

Thus, the bodhisattva enters samadhi from the place where samadhi arises and emerges from samadhi at the place where it is entered; he enters samadhi while contemplating the realm of empty space and arises from the realm of empty space. Supreme Victory, you should know that this is like a person bound by a spirit: wherever his body goes under that spirit’s control, he himself remains unaware. Yet the spirit borrows that person’s body and does not manifest its own form. A great bodhisattva is likewise: his mind enters inward samadhi and arises from outward samadhi; it enters outward samadhi and arises from inward samadhi.

It is like a person whose body has died: the consciousness departs and has nowhere to depend upon, while contact remains unmoving. The body does not know where the consciousness is, and the consciousness itself assumes another form without knowing where its former body now is. Supreme Victory, you should know that a great bodhisattva is likewise. When he first enters the samadhi of existence, he contemplates and distinguishes all things with equanimity; he then enters the samadhi of emptiness and forever ceases to perceive existence. What arises before and what ceases afterward do not know one another.

The bodhisattva must further contemplate as follows: it is like a person who has attained the paramita of mental mastery and can transform one body into many bodies, then combine the many bodies into one body. Consciousness does not perish along with one body and then immediately produce many bodies. Nor does consciousness perish from many bodies and arise within one body. The many do not arise from nonexistence, nor does the one arise from the many. A great bodhisattva is likewise: having entered samadhi and contemplated one body, he arises and enters samadhi to contemplate many bodies; having contemplated many bodies in samadhi, he arises and enters samadhi to contemplate one body.

It is like the earth, whose moisture has water as its basis, while the myriad things that arise are each dissimilar. The human realm and the realm of Mara are both moistened, with water as their basis, while the myriad things that arise are each dissimilar. The human realm and the realm of Mara are both moistened. The myriad things do not themselves know, “I have been produced,” and water does not know, “I provide the moisture.” A great bodhisattva is likewise: upon attaining this samadhi, one is innumerable and the innumerable are one. The innumerable do not know what is taken as the one, and the one does not know what is taken as the innumerable.

Supreme Victory, this is called the Samadhi of the Fragmentation of the Bodies of All Sentient Beings attained by a great bodhisattva. It is the practice of a bodhisattva on the eighth stage. Abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva immediately attains ten epithets of a Buddha and ten virtues, and is joyfully praised by everyone. What are the ten?

They are the epithets of the Tathagata. As Suchness, he cultivates Suchness. He is called Buddha because, with respect to all dharmas, a Buddha has completely awakened from this shore to the other shore.

He is called Supreme Victory because he is honored and venerated with offerings by sentient beings. He is called Omniscient because all the virtues of wisdom are complete in him. He is called Inexhaustible because he safeguards and shelters all sentient beings.

He is called Guide because he enables every class of sentient being to understand the true path. He is called Wheel of Equality because all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm and every kind of wisdom are complete in him. He is called Wondrous Light because all sentient beings rely upon his illuminating radiance.

He is called Possessor of the Ten Powers because he fulfills his vows, possesses the wisdom that discerns dharmas, remains unattached, and cannot be defiled. He is called All-Manifesting because he causes all dharmas to become one and is masterful in the paramitas.

Supreme Victory, these are called the ten epithets and ten virtues that everyone joyfully praises. All of them arise through the majestic spiritual power of samadhi.

A great bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi attains ten kinds of self-radiating light. What are these ten kinds of light? They are:

The light of all Buddhas, which shines forth of itself.

The light that surrounds the body and illuminates every world in accordance with the path, so that no world fails to follow the path.

The light that causes all sentient beings to receive instruction and discipline, perfuming them like incense.

The immeasurable light of the four kinds of fearlessness, which universally illuminates the Dharma realm, so that there is nowhere in the Dharma realm without its brilliant radiance.

The light of liberation, which removes the mind of craving and all desire.

The light that guides and transforms all sentient beings.

The light of the Buddhas that neither relies upon nor clings to anything and is free from attachment.

The light of skillful contemplation, the paramita light of a Perfectly Enlightened One.

The light of ultimate reality, in which the nature of all dharmas is thus.

The unsurpassed light that expounds the teaching and removes the calamity of bondage.

If a great bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, he attains these ten kinds of self-radiating light.

The bodhisattva must also diligently train in ten traceless practices. What are these ten practices? He should give rise to the following contemplations: bodily conduct leaves no trace; verbal conduct leaves no trace; mental conduct leaves no trace; the places in which the desirous mind would abide are all empty; by nonpractice one seeks to perfect practice, which is not a conditioned dharma; one does not corrupt the Dharma or destroy the activity of wisdom; one cultivates the wisdom of non-arising; whether studying or not studying a dharma, one must possess discerning wisdom; and wisdom, formless and pure in meaning and flavor, must be known.

This is called the great bodhisattva’s abiding in this samadhi. He should possess innumerable distinctive practices of various kinds that can sever the conditions of attachment. From one samadhi he enters innumerable kinds of samadhi.

He may either give rise to a thought or contemplate equal portions, treating equal portions as unequal portions. He proceeds from small to great and from great to small; from narrow to broad and from broad to narrow. What is bound he causes to be released, and what is released he causes to be bound.

What has no body he causes to have a body, and what has a body he causes to have no body. He may either arise or enter samadhi; he may either remain in samadhi or arise. What is defiled he causes to become undefiled, and what is undefiled he causes to become defiled.

One who comprehends this samadhi can shatter every realm of experience as a person smashes a jar, like the efficacious protection afforded by a great spell. Innumerable kinds of forms and immeasurable kinds of sounds may either be restrained by incantations or commanded by illusory sounds. Incantations command spirits, while illusions manipulate external forms.

To see a form and know it to be an illusion is precisely to bring the eye-consciousness under control. To hear a sound and know it to be an illusion is precisely to bring the ear-consciousness under control. To smell a fragrance and know it to be an illusion is precisely to bring the nose-consciousness under control.

To taste a flavor and know it to be an illusion is precisely to bring the tongue-consciousness under control. To experience a sensation arising from bodily contact and know it to be an illusion is precisely to bring the body-consciousness under control.

There is illusion and there is great illusion. The higher can revert to the lower, and the lower can revert to the higher; therefore, one should give rise to a thought and investigate them. The dharmas apprehended by the mind-consciousness are inconceivable. A great bodhisattva abiding in that samadhi is thus able either to disperse or assemble things and manifest innumerable transformations.

Supreme Victory, you should know that I shall now offer an analogy so that those with eyes may comprehend this Dharma. It is like the devas battling the asuras. The devas were victorious, and the asuras were defeated. At that time, the asuras knew that they had been defeated and devised an expedient means, transforming themselves into bathing pools containing various kinds of lotus flowers. Though the bodies of the asuras were seven thousand yojanas tall, they caused themselves and their armies to disappear and hid inside the hollow stalks of the lotus roots. The devas searched for them but could not find them. This is called the asuras’ skillful understanding of the dharmas of illusion.

A great bodhisattva is likewise. Having perfected the illusory wisdom of omniscience, he proceeds from one place to another without his wisdom diminishing by even a hair’s breadth. All bodhisattvas mutually comprehend one another. Those who bear the designation “bodhisattva” all employ wisdom concerning illusory dharmas to embrace and guide beings. The bodhisattva enters the samadhi of the whole body and universally manifests all such dharmas of samadhi.

It is like a person who, whether in the human realm or the realm of spirits, sows a seed in the earth and waters it at the proper times, causing it to grow. The seed remains in the earth, while the fruit is produced above. The former seed is not the latter seed, and the latter seed is not the former seed. The former seed is not separate from the latter seed, and the latter seed is not separate from the former seed. A bodhisattva-mahasattva is likewise: although alone he assumes a visible body and abides in this samadhi, he can depart from his present body without abiding in a body produced through the union of man and woman.

Consciousness abides amid the impure substances of the father’s essence and the mother’s blood. Within the mother’s womb, it gradually completes ten months; yet because of the purity of past conduct and the power of meritorious vows, all the bodily members and physical features become complete, the six faculties are perfected, and the distinction of sex is clearly determined. Consciousness unites with the bases of the six faculties, each of which is distinct.

The characteristics of the six faculties appear upon the body, and according to the good and evil deeds performed, one is led to receive a body. When the origin of its arising is sought, it is found to be like an illusion. A Bodhisattva Mahasattva is likewise.

Taking the mind of supreme liberation as father and mother, and discriminating wisdom as the basis for abiding in birth, the bodhisattva enters the contemplation of nonexistence and arises from the concentration on existence, or enters the contemplation of existence and arises from the concentration on nonexistence. One who abides in this samadhi possesses such virtue. It is like a dragon palace that rests upon the earth, yet can ride upon clouds and soar through space, producing thunder and lightning and, at the proper time, pouring down rain to moisten the myriad kinds of beings; nevertheless, that dragon palace does not abide in space.

Although there is no place in which the dragon abides, many kinds of transformations appear in space: it may pour forth rain, or, in accordance with its aspiration, cause beings of every kind to look upward and exclaim, “The palace is upon the earth, yet it makes rain rise upward—what wondrous phenomenon could be more wondrous than this!” A Bodhisattva Mahasattva is likewise. Abiding in this samadhi and in illusory dharmas, the bodhisattva enters the concentration contemplating the signless and arises from that which possesses signs, or enters the concentration contemplating that which possesses signs and arises from the signless.

Thus, Most Excellent One, a bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi can make space into earth and earth into space. Space and earth are nevertheless not separate from one another. It is like a palace fashioned from various precious substances, sparkling with crystalline light in the heavens.

When the deity Maheshvara ascends that palace and casts his gaze outward, he sees a thousand worlds, ten thousand worlds, a hundred thousand worlds, and the three-thousand-great-thousand world-system. Within those worlds are heavenly palaces and dragon palaces; Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Chandalas, Mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, and even the three evil destinies; Mount Sumeru, the Iron Encircling Mountains, the Great Iron Encircling Mountains, the Black Mountains, the Great Black Mountains, and the Seven-Jeweled Mountains; rivers and seas, ponds and lakes, cities and towns, villages and settlements, mountains and streams, trees, medicinal herbs, flowers, and fruits.

Throughout the three-thousand-great-thousand world-system, he sees beings possessing physical form, whether foul-smelling or fragrant, pure or impure, even those whose forms are extremely subtle. From within that central palace, the Brahma deity sees them all clearly and distinctly from afar, with nothing obscured or indistinct. Just as a person in the human realm, adorned with ornaments upon the body, sees his reflection when looking into a mirror, so does that deity see them.

Whether beings are sitting or standing, coming or going, eating or drinking, sleeping or resting, he sees them all clearly, as though seeing a jewel in the palm of his hand. A Bodhisattva Mahasattva is likewise. Abiding in the Concentration of Pulverizing the Bodies of All Beings, the bodhisattva is always sovereign over all samadhis: sovereign in the Buddha’s concentration; sovereign in the concentration for teaching and transforming beings; sovereign in the concentration that thoroughly comprehends all dharmas; sovereign in the concentration that perfects practice; sovereign in the concentration complete with supreme liberation; sovereign in all right absorptions; sovereign when entering and emerging, sitting and standing;

sovereign in the concentration through which all wisdoms are attained; and sovereign in the concentration wherein the interval of a finger snap is an entire kalpa.

This is called a Bodhisattva Mahasattva abiding in this samadhi and personally delighting in the ten masteries of a Perfectly Enlightened One. A Bodhisattva Mahasattva displays majestic and fearless power in ten ways. What are these ten?

They are: displaying the Buddha’s radiant spiritual majesty, which surpasses the realm of space, while never relinquishing the mind of diligence, and attaining the paramitas amid all conditioned and perishing dharmas; displaying the fearless conduct of a bodhisattva’s vows and thoroughly comprehending the Tathagata’s paramita of playful speech; displaying a pure world and displaying stainless purity that illuminates the world; displaying inconceivable deeds before sentient beings; displaying that bodhisattvas never sever the scriptural Dharma; displaying journeys to Buddha-realms to make offerings and pay homage; displaying the source of wisdom, conduct, and karma, for these are inconceivable; displaying the fearless discernment of samadhis;

displaying entry into subtle and wondrous concentration, clearly knowing the course of cultivation, and using the bodhisattva path to deliver and liberate sentient beings; and displaying pure Buddha-realms, never severing the Dharma of a bodhisattva’s vows, illuminating oneself without fear.

A Bodhisattva Mahasattva manifests the body of a Buddha within the mundane realm without apprehension. In order to teach and transform beings, the bodhisattva manifests the turning of the Dharma wheel, displays the fundamental Dharma of the roots of goodness of all Tathagatas, and establishes beings in the Buddha Vehicle, causing them all to attain accomplishment. The bodhisattva displays a mind fully endowed with majestic power that has reached the paramitas.

Furthermore, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva contemplates the patience regarding the non-arising of dharmas and clearly knows, comprehends, and penetrates all dharmas cultivated throughout countless, limitless hundreds of millions, hundreds, and thousands of kalpas; all appear as though present before the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva displays the Dharma’s fierce and majestic power, which sets the path and teaching ablaze. Furthermore, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva can calculate and know the days and nights, seasons, years, months, and ages, as well as the intentions employed by bodhisattvas.

By means of impartial wisdom, in a single instant the bodhisattva clearly knows the affairs of the three periods of time without error, manifesting in this manner without obstruction.

Most Excellent One, this is called a Bodhisattva Mahasattva who, abiding in this samadhi, can illuminate and reveal all the paramitas, attain the ten fearless dharmas, enter meditative concentration and right absorption amid the great assembly, and skillfully employ expedient means to contemplate the body disintegrating like particles of dust. This is the Dharma cultivated by a bodhisattva of the eighth stage.

Chapter 16: ENTRY INTO THE BODY

At that time, the Blessed One said to Most Excellent One:

– Furthermore, the great bodhisattva again contemplates his own body. Regarding all the dharmas and entrances of the body that the body itself maintains, he can discern and fully know that they have no abiding place. At that time, the bodhisattva’s mind enters the Dharma realm. When he enters concentration and contemplates the entrances of the body, he always attains mastery within the various kinds of concentration. Every pore of his body enters the concentration of the Dharma realm and the samadhi of concentrated mind, and thus attains mastery. Throughout the Dharma realms, he manifests illusory dharmas, discerns worldly phenomena, and knows past and future lives. He fully knows hundreds of thousands of millions of events in worlds and all the good and evil within Buddha lands as many incalculable, limitless asamkhya kalpas distant from here. He can comprehend them all and contemplate the accomplishments of the disciples who draw near to the Perfectly and Completely Awakened One. He regards purity and impurity alike with equanimity, neither interrupts wholesome dharmas nor diminishes the Dharma of the Mahayana, and his resolute mind remains unmoved. In Buddha lands one kalpa, one hundred kalpas, one hundred thousand kalpas, a hundred million kalpas, hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas, or limitless and immeasurable numbers of asamkhya kalpas distant from here—beyond discussion, calculation, or comprehension by thought—the bodhisattva enters right concentration and samadhi. He then emerges from samadhi and enters inward contemplation of a Buddha land. From that Buddha land he contemplates other lands, enabling beings to cultivate until they reach maturity, without losing the True Dharma that embodies the Dharma realm; and he contemplates the comings and goings of the three times without obstruction. To those whose exposition of the Dharma is obstructed, he shows the refuge toward which they should turn through entry by the Dharma wisdom-eye of penetrating analysis. They attain mastery within the Dharma realm. Entering concentration, he contemplates the ear faculty and hears every kind of pleasant and unpleasant sound, reaching the unobstructed paramita. Entering concentration, he contemplates the nose faculty without diminishing skillful means; he skillfully enters concentration and contemplates the tongue faculty in accordance with knowledge. Contemplating thus, knowing thus, and abiding in concentration while contemplating the abiding of the body, that great bodhisattva attains ten thousand kotis of bodhisattva dharani teachings and turns the Dharma wheel in the world in accordance with worldly conventions. The bodhisattva also attains ten thousand kotis of gateways of faculties and attains omniscience. He further attains ten thousand kotis of unimpeded superknowledges surrounding him; ten thousand kotis of concentrations surpassing all kinds of concentration; ten thousand kotis of bases of spiritual power, reaching the realm of infinite space; ten thousand kotis of powers that cause all practices gradually to increase ever more abundantly; eighteen kotis of aspirations seeking to eliminate all perceptions; eighteen kotis of concentrations of cessation in which there is nothing whatsoever; and eighteen kotis of manifestations of awe-inspiring spiritual transformations appearing directly before him. Most Excellent One, this is called the great bodhisattva’s attainment of ten thousand kotis of practices that never decline.

Furthermore, the bodhisattva should recollect and practice ten thousand kotis of other dharmas as jeweled necklaces with which to adorn himself. He should also cultivate ten thousand kotis of dharmas for liberating beings, ten thousand kotis of vehicles upon which beings may rely to reach the other shore, and ten thousand kotis of illuminating Flame-Concentration samadhis, so that no place in the worlds remains dark or obscure.

The bodhisattva also attains ten thousand kotis of great vows, his mind remaining unmoved when people come to behold him. The bodhisattva further attains ten thousand kotis of faithful vows free from inverted wrong views. The bodhisattva attains ten thousand kotis of right paths—the domains of Dharma through which he may come, go, and wander in order to purify the traces of his path.

The bodhisattva further attains ten thousand kotis of faithful vows free from inverted wrong views. The bodhisattva attains ten thousand kotis of rays of light issuing from his face. The bodhisattva further attains ten thousand kotis of instructional scriptures that clearly proclaim the bodhisattva’s merits.

The bodhisattva also attains ten thousand kotis of pure foundational teachings with which to purify the bodhimanda. Most Excellent One, this is called the great bodhisattva’s adorning his body and the tree of enlightenment with immeasurable merit, without losing the original limit. All these are the requisites of the bodhisattva’s path of cultivation.

If a bodhisattva fulfills these requisites, he ascends to the bodhisattva stage, where everyone joyfully praises him. Perfumed by the fragrance of merit and revered by others, whatever he undertakes within the assembly immediately brings him benefit and support, and even in the present his virtuous deeds can never be exhausted. If a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi of mastery in the concentrated mind of the Dharma realm, he will be born into a wealthy and noble family, never in a lowly place.

The assembly of bodhisattvas will all be his retinue. Having abided in this samadhi, he can see from afar all the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly and Completely Awakened Ones, ten kotis of asamkhyas distant in the southern, western, and northern directions, the four intermediate directions, and the directions above and below; and the bodhisattva can clearly know all their names. In order to establish and guide beings toward the bodhisattva practices, this bodhisattva purifies Buddha lands.

From the Tathagata’s body he sends forth immeasurable light; he manifests the Tathagata’s eye, penetrating and peerless; the Tathagata’s tongue, universally penetrating, vast, and boundless; and the Tathagata’s mind, universally penetrating, vast, and boundless—the Tathagata’s universally penetrating mind that beholds everything. Those liberated through the Dharma of the Tathagata’s unsurpassed spiritual powers are truly limitless.

The Tathagata’s path has neither higher, middle, nor lower, because all attain fulfillment; because the Tathagata’s renown spreads far and wide; because the Tathagata’s Dharma wheel turns constantly and does not turn only in the present; because the Tathagata’s immeasurable True Dharma cannot be severed midway; because the Tathagata’s present roots of goodness are joyfully acclaimed and praised by everyone; because no one is fully capable of receiving all that the Tathagata cultivates, disseminates, expounds, and discusses; because no one fails to be subdued by the roots of goodness the Tathagata plants and fulfills throughout the three times; because the Tathagata teaches all dharmas and reveals them to the ignorant;

and because the Tathagata’s domains of Dharma are made manifest by luminous wisdom.

Thus, Most Excellent One, the great bodhisattva’s purification of the present realm is precisely the ground upon which the practices are established. Through the Buddha’s profound and abundant merit, he rains down the ambrosia of Dharma upon all Buddha realms. He manifests verbal teachings and the Dharma of all Buddhas, yet fully knows that the nature of all dharmas consists of illusory forms and is not real, because beings arise spontaneously without movement or transformation.

The bodhisattva discerns the meanings, principles, forms, and characteristics of all dharmas and clearly knows that the Tathagata possesses immeasurable, inexhaustible merits. This is called the great bodhisattva who, abiding in this samadhi, journeys throughout all directions without obstruction.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi contemplates the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas without obstruction, contemplates the mind as an illusory phenomenon, and knows immeasurable, boundless dharmas. Bodhisattvas who abide in and enter this samadhi of sovereign meditative concentration can know the appellations and personal names of each Buddha, Tathagata, and Perfectly Enlightened One, even the appellations of ten thousand kotis of asamkhyeyas of Buddha-Tathagatas and the hundreds of thousands of kotis of Buddha-lands.

The bodies of the abiding bodhisattvas dwell within them all, while their mental perceptions and conceptual thoughts are immeasurable and boundless. Bodhisattvas also employ skillful means of liberation to establish the domain of dharmas, never forgetting any dharma because they have transcended views and knowledge; they constantly draw near the ocean of wisdom because they manifest exceedingly rare wisdom. Bodhisattvas also manifest bodies abiding in the present to reveal that all dharmas have no location; they manifest the establishment of Buddha-domains to spread everywhere the dharmas that have neither beginning nor end; they manifest unobstructed sense-gates and wisdom that thoroughly comprehends the Dharma because they skillfully employ discriminating wisdom;

they do not violate dignified conduct because they accomplish realms in which there is no coming or going; they manifest the domain of wisdom because their wisdom has become pure and unobstructed; they manifest the attainment of Perfect Enlightenment and illuminate the Dharma realm, in which there is neither increase nor decrease.

This is called a great bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi and thereby being able to bring forth the path of the Great Vehicle. A great bodhisattva must further cultivate the ten ocean-gates of approach without ever becoming weary or considering them sufficient. What are the ten?

They are: manifesting the ocean of Buddhas without becoming weary or considering it sufficient; moving and teaching the ocean of people so that they become unmoving, without ever becoming weary or satisfied; using the ocean of Dharma to increase and benefit wisdom without becoming weary or satisfied; bringing forth the ocean of fields of merit without becoming weary or satisfied; abiding in the dharma of nonexistence without contemplating it, practicing the ocean of meritorious qualities and spiritual powers, and, while abiding nowhere, without becoming weary or satisfied; revealing luminous wisdom by preserving wisdom without allowing it to become scattered; abiding in the ocean of the sense-gates, so that wisdom remains unconfused in going from one place to another;

abiding in the ocean of mind and thought, so as to fully awaken to and know how many kinds of minds and how many kinds of intentions all sentient beings possess, and whether their minds are immeasurable or subject to increase and decrease; abiding in the ocean of cultivation in order to fulfill all vows; and abiding in the ocean of great vows in order to accomplish the ultimately pure Dharma of liberation.

This is called a great bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi and thereby being able to attain the ten ocean-gates of approach without becoming weary or satisfied—the Dharma cultivated by bodhisattva-mahasattvas. A great bodhisattva must further contemplate the ten foremost unarisen dharmas. What are these ten dharmas?

They are: 1. Contemplating the classes of sentient beings is the foremost unarisen dharma. 2. Contemplating the nobility of the devas is the foremost unarisen dharma. 3.

Contemplating Brahma as supreme is the foremost unarisen dharma. 4. Contemplating the indestructible minds of the world-protectors is the foremost unarisen dharma. 5. Contemplating the one who dwells alone among sentient beings, without companion, is the foremost unarisen dharma. 6.

Contemplating the concentrated, undistracted mind that subdues the maras is the foremost unarisen dharma. 7. Contemplating the formlessness of the five destinies is the foremost unarisen dharma. 8. Contemplating all sentient beings as undefiled is the foremost unarisen dharma. 9.

Contemplating the exalted Dharma of all Buddhas is the foremost unarisen dharma. 10. Contemplating the sovereign, illuminating radiance of liberation is the foremost unarisen dharma. This is called the great bodhisattva’s mindfulness and contemplation of these ten foremost unarisen dharmas.

A bodhisattva must further contemplate the ten directional powers cultivated by sentient beings. What are these ten directional powers? They are: firmly bringing forth the resolve to leave the household life and teaching sentient beings; establishing a non-retrogressing mind and practicing the power of diligence for the sake of purity; the power of nonattachment and of remaining undefiled by the emptiness of all dharmas; the power of cessation, through which the sovereign mastery of all dharmas is accomplished; the power of perfecting the mind, through which the meaning of whether the mind moves or does not move is discerned; fully possessing the naturally arising power of the Dharma, through which great wisdom is accomplished;

accomplishing unobstructed power in order to establish the domain of dharmas; accomplishing the power of resolving through intention; and knowing dharmas not previously known, through accomplishing the power of wisdom that is nondual and neither arises nor ceases.

O Most Excellent One, this is called a great bodhisattva’s contemplation of the ten powers: the greatest power, incomparable power, power that is neither above nor below, immeasurable power, nurturing power, immovable power, power that causes birth in wholesome destinies, power free from anger, power of fierce wisdom, and power of diligently enduring hardship while accumulating practices. These are the ten powers that a bodhisattva must keep in mind and cultivate.

Furthermore, a bodhisattva must contemplate ten powers. What are these ten powers? They are the power of entering emptiness, the power of wholesome purity, the power of the subtle and wondrous wholesome mind, the power of the wholesome Dharma-body, the power of worldly wholesome dharmas, the power of arousing wholesome dharmas, the power of quiescent roots of goodness, the power of unprecedented wholesome dharmas, the power of the wholesomely awakened mind, and the power of a mind skillful in delivering beings to liberation.

This is called a bodhisattva’s abiding in the ten powers, whereby meditative concentration can be embraced and sustained. A great bodhisattva must further contemplate twenty powers for reaching right concentration. What are these twenty powers?

They are: the power of a Great Being; the power of drawing near to spiritual friends; the power of ultimate Perfect Enlightenment; the power of personally drawing near to and cultivating the dharmas of roots of goodness; the power of being permeated by the fragrance of immeasurable roots of goodness; the power of the Tathagata’s delivering or not delivering beings; the power of subduing defilements so that they neither arise nor cease; the power that causes a bodhisattva’s mindfulness to grow and confer benefit without interruption; the power of attaining joy through a bodhisattva’s adornments; the power of wholesome dharmas that unceasingly encourage and assist the bodhisattva; the power that causes the bodhisattva to eliminate the mind of attachment and not be bound by conditions;

the power of fulfilling the bodhisattva’s vows without seeking anything; the power that causes the bodhisattva to perfect the intention of contemplating concentration; the power of guarding the bodhisattva’s faculties; the power of establishing the Dharma King; the power of neither attaching to nor conceptualizing the body; the power of wisdom that attains skillful means; the power that causes one to have no fearful adversity amid any dharma; the power of establishing the fundamental Dharma for sentient beings so that it is not lost; and the power that enables one to walk alone among sentient beings without being disturbed.

This is called a great bodhisattva’s becoming, while within this concentration, aligned with the power of nonexistence, transcending the stages of arhats and pratyekabuddhas, and thereby becoming able to enter the bodhisattva’s power of concentration.

Chapter 17: ELOQUENCE

At that time, the Bodhisattva Most Excellent One addressed the Buddha, saying:

– How does a bodhisattva fully possess the virtues that eliminate the desires of sentient beings and bring fulfillment to all sentient beings, so that they no longer harbor resentment?

The Buddha told Most Excellent One:

– Listen! Listen! Skillfully reflect upon and remember this Dharma. I shall now distinguish and explain it well for you. From the first arising of the aspiration until attaining Buddhahood, a bodhisattva must adorn and purify the place of enlightenment, radiating a great light that illuminates that realm and causes every dark place to be made bright. Those who see that light are no longer fearful or beset by dread. Their minds become exceedingly delighted, their joy multiplies, their merit increases, and they do not abandon pure conduct. By purifying their own conduct, they cultivate the unsurpassed path, causing their karmic merit to become inexhaustible and their wisdom immeasurable. The bodhisattva’s practice of the Dharma is likewise free from error, and the practice of the Bodhisattva Vehicle is without limit. The bodhisattva’s realm is inconceivable; it cannot be measured by the realms of arhats or pratyekabuddhas. The bodhisattva’s Dharma for liberating beings is likewise free from error, and the virtues thereby perfected are boundless. The bodhisattva’s pure mental conduct never departs from the great vows. The bodhisattva teaches the Dharma of liberation and clearly reveals the gateway leading to the path. It is impossible to finish discussing the origins and principles of all the bodhisattva’s dharmas. Only after innumerable kalpas does a Great Bodhisattva become a bodhisattva, and thereafter accomplishes the bodhisattva path. When people come to attend upon the bodhisattva, wishing to increase their benefit, the bodhisattva encourages them to arouse the aspiration and perfect the virtues of a bodhisattva. The bodhisattva’s renown spreads far and wide, and all who hear that renown come to serve and make offerings day and night. Wishing to become an excellent field of merit for future generations, whenever the bodhisattva sees sentient beings, the bodhisattva immediately teaches them the Dharma of unsurpassed wisdom. Those who hear the Dharma never give rise to thoughts of weariness or satisfaction. The bodhisattva extensively expounds luminous wisdom without impairing the Dharma-nature. Thus, sentient beings who hear the Dharma respectfully accept the true teaching, and the karma of wisdom increases manyfold. The bodhisattva’s teaching of the True Dharma is inexhaustible. A Great Bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi can widely disseminate all wholesome merits. Because the bodhisattva’s mind and intent are vast, limitless, immeasurable, and incalculable, the bodhisattva constantly thinks of giving. In accordance with causes and conditions from the past, the bodhisattva enters right concentration and samadhi, then emerges from concentration and inwardly reflects upon the Dharma-nature. Through that samadhi, the bodhisattva knows the realm of samadhi and distinguishes innumerable samadhis: the Samadhi of Contemplating Concentrated Thought, the Samadhi of Vast and Universal Contemplation, the Samadhi of Contemplating Desirelessness, the Samadhi of Contemplating Characteristics, the Samadhi of Contemplating That Which Appears, the Samadhi of Contemplating Deportment, the Samadhi of Contemplating Reliance, the Samadhi of Contemplating Mindfulness, the Samadhi of Contemplating Equanimity, the Samadhi of Contemplating Joy, the Samadhi of Contemplating Peace and Security, the Samadhi of Contemplating Protection, and the Samadhi of Contemplating the Essential Way of Emancipation. Whether habitual tendencies have already arisen or have not yet arisen, they are all relinquished in accord with the joyful mind present during meditation. Although the bodhisattva enters various kinds of concentration, the bodhisattva does not become defiled by or attached to concentration. Tối Thắng, you should know that the palace of the Great Dragon King A Nậu Đạt is fashioned entirely from the seven precious substances. From the A Nậu Đạt spring flow four great rivers. The waters issuing from its four gates flow gently and do not harm the growth of plants and trees. The spring water is as clear as the color of empty space. At that time, the four rivers flow from the four gates toward the four directions and all converge in the seas. Of these four rivers, the first is named Hằng Già and flows from an elephant’s mouth; the second is named Tư Đầu and flows from a lion’s mouth; the third is named Tư Đà and flows from an ox’s mouth; and the fourth is named Bà Xoa and flows from a horse’s mouth. These four great rivers pour forth from the mouths at the four gates, flow toward the four directions, and then converge in the four seas. The great Hằng Già River pours forth its waters through the body of an elephant made of precious mother-of-pearl. The great Tư Đầu River pours forth its waters through the body of a lion made of precious vajra. The great Tư Đà River pours forth its waters through the body of an ox made of blood-red agate. The great Bà Xoa River pours forth its waters through the body of a horse made of precious blue lapis lazuli. These four kinds of precious substances are all celestial treasures, not treasures of the human realm. When each of those four great rivers first issues forth, it is one yojana wide. As they emerge, each river flows onward in succession, silently and without sound. Each great river circles the divine spring seven times to the right and then empties entirely into the sea. The distance between each of the seven circuits is one yojana. In the spaces between them grow innumerable kinds of lotus flowers: utpala lotuses, padma lotuses, Tu Kiền Đề flowers, and Mãn Nguyện Kiền Đề flowers. All kinds of rare and precious jeweled flowers grow there, giving forth wondrous fragrances that perfume the air. The colors and scents of those flowers are all beautiful and fragrant. Innumerable precious objects reflect one another’s light, so that those who behold them never tire of looking. The rare treasures within and without mutually reflect their sparkling light and blaze throughout a radius of one yojana, like mani jewels radiating light everywhere. Within the region encircled by those seven currents are various extraordinary birds whose songs mingle sorrowful and joyful notes. There are also a hundred kinds of trees and wondrous medicinal herbs, whose fragrances are carried afar by the wind, drifting all the way to the river gates. In each of the four directions—east, west, south, and north—the palace of the Dragon King A Nậu Đạt extends fifty yojanas across and is entirely adorned and carved with the seven precious substances. Innumerable mani jewels and treasures of various colors also adorn the inner palace, while mani jewels are suspended throughout the sky to represent the sun, moon, and stars. The palace is constructed entirely from the renowned wood of ox-head sandalwood. Within that palace, three times each day, various fragrant flowers rain down: utpala lotuses, Câu Mâu Đầu flowers, puṇḍarīka lotuses, Tu Kiền Đề flowers, and Mãn Nguyện Kiền Đề flowers. The palace is fashioned from innumerable kinds of precious substances whose lights mutually reflect one another, keeping it perpetually radiant. Just as the A Nậu Đạt spring gives rise to four great rivers that flow from the four gates toward the four seas, so too does the Great Bodhisattva attain four rivers of unobstructed eloquence in the Dharma; the Dharmas that extinguish the four paths all converge in the ocean of wisdom. Just as the Hằng Già River flows from the mouth of an elephant fashioned from genuine precious mother-of-pearl and its waters proceed toward the sea, so too does the Great Bodhisattva, from the pure and immaculate Dharma, utter immeasurable meanings. These are entirely explanations of the profound principles contained in the Tathagata’s secret treasury of Dharma, giving each dharma its name, clearly expounding the flavor of the Dharma, kindling the torch of wisdom, and delivering sentient beings so that they all return to the boundless ocean of wisdom. Just as the great Tư Đầu River uses genuine precious vajra to form the body of a lion and water flows from the lion’s mouth into the sea, so too does the Bodhisattva Mahasattva eloquently and extensively expound the Buddha’s vajra Dharma, protecting sentient beings and enabling them to attain clear and thorough understanding, so that they preserve vajra wisdom and proceed toward the unobstructed ocean. Just as the great Tư Đà River uses agate to form the body of an ox and pours forth from the ox’s mouth into the sea, so too does the Great Bodhisattva eloquently explain and resolve people’s questions, causing them forever to be free from hesitation and also causing sentient beings to cease all quarrels and disputes. In accordance with their capacities and karmic results, the bodhisattva distinguishes and explains the principles, bringing the various practices of sentient beings to maturity and delivering them all so that their minds turn toward the ocean free from conditions and attachments. Just as the great Bà Xoa River uses blue lapis lazuli to form the body of a horse and water pours forth from the horse’s mouth into the sea, so too does the Great Bodhisattva attain inexhaustible eloquence, contemplating and manifesting all dharmas throughout hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas without ever exhausting them. With wholesome Dharma, the bodhisattva protects body and mind and leads them toward the wholesome paths, causing those who observe the precepts to return together to the ocean of Buddhahood, which has a single flavor.

Just as those four great rivers flow to the right, circle Lake Anavatapta seven times, course toward the four directions, and then converge upon the ocean, so too does the bodhisattva-mahasattva perfect bodily conduct without going contrary to the right course, perfect verbal conduct without going contrary to the right course, and perfect mental conduct without going contrary to the right course, while pursuing cultivation with wisdom foremost.

Just as those four rivers flow toward the four directions and then return to the ocean, so too does the bodhisattva-mahasattva rely upon the four wisdoms of eloquence and proceed toward the four directions. At that time, the bodhisattva must contemplate every direction, going to the abodes of the Buddhas to attend upon and reverently worship them without losing proper deportment. The bodhisattva must also manifest the resplendent Dharma-light of all Buddhas and preserve the dharani teachings so that they are never forgotten.

The bodhisattva must further manifest the various perfections of wisdom and fully perfect the bodhisattva’s original practices. The bodhisattva must also manifest the mind of great loving-kindness and compassion and turn the Dharma wheel among sentient beings.

Just as the four rivers circle Lake Anavatapta seven times, and within the regions between those circuits grow various kinds of flowers—utpala lotuses, kumuda lotuses, pundarika lotuses, sugandhi flowers, manorama-sugandhi flowers, and other fragrant blossoms whose perfumes pervade the four directions—so too does the great bodhisattva, from the first arising of the aspiration until the attainment of Buddhahood, guide and transform sentient beings who have not yet received instruction.

The bodhisattva teaches the Dharma and encourages them to reach non-retrogression, expounding to them the Dharma of right concentration for hundreds of thousands of kotis of kalpas without weariness. As long as even one person has not yet been fully delivered, the bodhisattva does not abandon these practices and vows. The bodhisattva purifies the Buddha-land, adorns the place of abiding, enters the samadhi of the Lion’s Host, and directs the diligent mind toward the bodhi tree, remaining as adamantine and unharmed by adversity.

Just as seven jeweled trees arise within the land encompassed by the seven circuits around Lake Anavatapta and adorn it naturally, their flowers, fruits, and fragrances immeasurable, so too does the great bodhisattva adorn the Buddha-land and purify the realm. Flowers arise from the thirty-seven bodhi trees, while the mind awakens to and contemplates the path and reflects upon the true Dharma. Just as the palace of Anavatapta is fifty yojanas in width and breadth, pure and flawless, and not composed of defiling dust, so too is the great bodhisattva’s mind of the path pure and flawless. Within that mind are all manner of roots of goodness and merit, together with immeasurable Dharma-gates of concentration.

Just as Lake Anavatapta has walls made of precious ox-head sandalwood and various kinds of jewels, so too does the great bodhisattva, through mindfulness of the mind of the path, attain a hundred thousand kotis of kinds of wisdom. The bodhisattva’s vows never diminish; the mind penetrates original nonexistence, cultivates and perfects the mind of penetrating realization, and accomplishes the activity of wisdom, while all roots of goodness are purified.

Just as the inner palace of Anavatapta has a floor made entirely of pearls and amber, radiating countless kinds of light that shine everywhere, so too does the great bodhisattva enter the most subtle wisdom. The bodhisattva’s resolve to deliver beings is inconceivable, rescuing sentient beings from the mire of sorrow and suffering. Although adorned with countless precious jewels and jeweled necklaces, the bodhisattva does not impair the essential nature of the Dharma realm, abides in the Tathagata’s abode of liberation, and remains forever non-retrogressive in aspiration.

Just as the Dragon King Anavatapta shelters and protects the young dragons, freeing the terrified from fear; while the attendant divine dragons all possess majestic virtue and the lesser dragon kings of the oceans all come to submit to him, so too does the great bodhisattva shelter and protect all embodied sentient beings who harbor fear, teaching them according to the occasion and causing them to relinquish resentment. Toward the inner realm and the transcendent realm alike, the bodhisattva’s mind remains impartial, like empty space.

Just as Lake Anavatapta sends forth four rivers that flow into the rivers throughout Jambudvipa, reach even the obstructing mountain valleys, and then empty into the ocean, moistening every place through which their waters pass, so too does the great bodhisattva rely upon the rivers of the four wisdoms to convey devas, human beings, the various kinds of maras such as Mara the Deva, Sakra, Brahma, humans, and nonhumans toward the ocean of great wisdom. The bodhisattva arouses the aspiration for the unsurpassed, right, and true path, the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, and the eighteen exclusive qualities, and remains non-retrogressive in mind until reaching the bodhi tree.

Of those four rivers of wisdom, the first is the river of the wisdom of vows: the bodhisattva constantly vows to deliver sentient beings, yet relies upon nothing and does not become attached to the inner body. The second is the river of the wisdom of the boundless perfection of fulfillment. The bodhisattva purifies the path that embraces all precepts, comes and goes in cyclic existence without attachment, and possesses inexhaustible knowledge that can never be exhausted.

Through knowledge of the three times, the bodhisattva expounds the meanings of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. The third is the river of the bodhisattva’s wisdom of concentration. With innumerable concentrations as adornments, the bodhisattva journeys through the lands of the Buddhas in the ten directions, reverently worships and makes offerings to the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and expounds the ocean of the Buddhas that has no source.

The fourth is the river of great loving-kindness and compassion. It establishes every class of sentient beings in a non-retrogressive mind of loving-kindness and compassion, uproots all suffering, and frees sentient beings from the burning heat of afflictions.

The bodhisattva further employs countless skillful means to guide them, causing them to be diligent and free from the mind of begrudging attachment, and to accumulate treasures as abundant as the oceans of the ten directions. Those who are attached through conditions then know the direction in which to return. Just as Lake Anavatapta sends forth four great rivers that all return to the boundless and inconceivable ocean, so too does the great bodhisattva attain vast and supreme vows, perfect the wisdom of vows while cultivating the bodhisattva practices, and possess inexhaustible wisdom that contemplates the Dharma. The bodhisattva attains the unsurpassed path without stagnating in delusion, knows the universal accumulation samadhi taught by the Buddhas, and takes the Buddha’s bliss as joy.

Just as Lake Anavatapta sends forth four great rivers, each of which divides into five hundred branches, and all five hundred branches of each river flow into the ocean without disturbing or harming sentient beings, so too does the great bodhisattva rely upon wisdom, remain unwavering in the resolve of the vast vows, cultivate the practice of universal deliverance, and show loving compassion toward all sentient beings. Manifesting form and formlessness, the bodhisattva clearly realizes all dharmas, cultivates unobstructed wisdom, does not sever the fundamental Dharma, teaches and transforms sentient beings so that they attain liberation, and abides in unobstructedness.

Just as countless kinds of rare and precious treasures arise within the region encompassed by the seven streams circling Lake Anavatapta, their lights reflecting upon one another in radiant brilliance, that light being a hundredfold and a thousandfold brighter than sunlight and shining everywhere so that no place remains unilluminated, those with eyes see the five dazzling golden hues of the palace of Anavatapta like the sun in the sky, illuminating every place.

Each form is illumined by the light in its own way, and thus they do not obstruct one another. When the precious objects touch one another, they produce countless exceedingly soft and harmonious sounds of which listeners never tire. So too does the great bodhisattva abide in the sovereign samadhi of the Dharma realm and contemplate within every pore countless and immeasurable hundreds of thousands of kotis of Tathagatas, bodhisattva disciples, and Buddha-lands.

The many assemblies hear the flavor of the Dharma, receive and retain it, remember it without forgetting, and recite it day and night.

As though rescuing those submerged in a deep abyss, the Tathagata’s body manifests throughout inconceivable and immeasurable worlds. The bodhisattva also draws near to the worlds of the Buddhas, reverently worships them, makes offerings, and hears the flavor of the Dharma. Although the bodhisattva remains in concentration for hundreds of thousands of kalpas, no length or brevity is perceived, nor is anything seen as great or small. The bodhisattva contemplates and sees within every pore the lands, cities, and towns of the Buddha-Tathagatas, the many assemblies of disciples, and sentient beings with their countless kinds of forms and differing languages, coming and going in accordance with their thoughts. Each follows their own aspiration, and all rejoice together.

The bodhisattva perceives neither constraint nor indulgence. Why is this so? If a bodhisattva enters the concentration of the Dharma Realm, that bodhisattva’s mind is subtle, difficult to perceive, and devoid of material form.

Its course of activity is exceedingly subtle and cannot be illustrated by any analogy. Arising from birth to birth, it dissolves of itself without itself knowing. The realm of samadhi is inconceivable.

The realm of contemplation within meditative concentration is inconceivable. The dwelling place of the Buddhas is also without any location; the manifestation of their dignified conduct is boundless, and what the Buddha accomplishes is difficult to perform and difficult to perceive. The bodhisattva dwells entirely within that realm without relinquishing the bodhisattva practice, transcending the domains of Mara and unstable states of mind, abiding in the unconditioned, pure in great virtue, endowed with the ten great powers of the Tathagata, aspiring to the unsurpassed and limitless activity, and cultivating the profound and subtle meaning of the true Dharma without considering it difficult.

The great bodhisattva is likewise. In accordance with the intention of their own mind, within a single thought-moment they emerge from samadhi, know the affairs of the three times, and through contemplation distinguish wholesome paths from unwholesome paths. They attain mastery within all Dharma Realms, relying neither upon the internal nor upon the external.

Contemplating and seeking the beginning and end of all dharmas, they perceive no point of origin; all are without any location, and no conception is perceived. Because the great bodhisattva has transcended all conceptions, they discern all meanings and principles, journey through Buddha realms to pay homage and make offerings without ever becoming weary or satisfied, penetrate all Dharma Realms, and contemplate and distinguish the Dharma Realm to its ultimate source.

They abide neither in the unconditioned nor at any extreme, cultivate omniscience without attachment to knowledge, and although they come and go, they perceive no coming or going. They contemplate knowledge as an illusion, although in truth there is no illusion. They contemplate the constituent shares of sentient beings in the same way; when contemplating and seeking their root, no boundary can be found.

They purify worlds without perceiving any dharma of purity. They explain to sentient beings the conditions from which suffering is born and the conditions from which it arises, yet suffering, emptiness, non-self, and the human lifespan are all without inherent existence.

Because innumerable phenomena undergo impermanent transformations, they do not abide in samsara and are not attached to nirvana. They transcend all kalpas, pass beyond the realm of death, and contemplate all characteristics without confusion of mind. Through skillful means, the bodhisattva accords with true principle and fully attains all modes of knowledge, becoming ultimately pure and unwavering in resolve.

They contemplate the worlds and sentient beings: those who continue coming and going in samsara and those who no longer come and go in samsara. They liberate them all, ensuring that the wisdom of sentient beings does not diminish. Regarding every Dharma Realm and every form of dignified conduct in the world, they progressively attain all dharmas without disrupting their proper sequence.

The bodhisattva contemplates the accumulated meritorious practices of the Buddha without ever becoming weary or satisfied. Relying upon the Dharma treasury of the Buddhas, they obtain a great treasure and expediently manifest all samadhis without obstruction. The bodhisattva thus safeguards the naturally arisen Dharma.

They encounter no obstruction regarding the meanings and phrases of the profound and hidden Dharma, expound the Dharma of the path inexhaustibly, possess great wisdom and eloquence in discerning words, and attain dharani, expounding innumerable kinds of the Buddhas’ secret treasuries. Having abandoned lust, the bodhisattva also enables sentient beings to be free from lust, anger, and delusion. Throughout innumerable kalpas, the great bodhisattva practices skillful means, manifests innumerable kinds of paths and spiritual dispositions, and teaches sentient beings according to their kinds, enabling them to attain liberation.

All dharmas naturally bring liberation, yet no natural agency is perceived. To liberate those not yet liberated, the bodhisattva establishes the mind of great loving-kindness and compassion, while perceiving no conception of sentient beings among sentient beings. The bodhisattva teaches contemplation of the breath: at times there is an out-breath, and at times an in-breath. They fully comprehend the naturally so fundamental Dharma of the world and know that the Dharma itself eternally abides. As sentient beings cultivate, consciousness and attachment arise of themselves; they regard this as the concentration of emptiness. Perceiving no movement, they regard it as the Dharma’s continuous flow.

Although the bodhisattva transforms and liberates sentient beings, they perceive neither transformation nor liberation. They purify the sanctuary of the three realms, enter the house of the Tathagata, attain fearlessness of mind regarding all conceptions of dharmas, expound the pure Dharma, and turn the indestructible Dharma wheel. The mind of the path flourishes completely and is not the mind of an arhat or a pratyekabuddha. O Most Victorious One, this is called the great bodhisattva’s attainment of the samadhi of the sovereign concentration of the Dharma Realm. It increases the benefit of the great work, and by ascending to the bodhisattva stage, none of the effort devoted to cultivation is ever in vain.

Chapter 18: SKILLFUL WISDOM

Furthermore, Most Excellent One, the great bodhisattva must contemplate the tenth samadhi of skillful wisdom, concentration, and insight, and must recollect and cultivate it. How does a bodhisattva cultivate the tenth samadhi of skillful wisdom, concentration, and insight? Most Excellent One, the great bodhisattva has a samadhi called Immeasurable Concentrated Mind.

Abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva contemplates and knows immeasurable bodily actions; contemplates and knows immeasurable verbal actions; contemplates and knows immeasurable Buddha lands, then goes there to adorn them; contemplates and knows immeasurable sentient beings, then goes forth with wisdom to subdue them; contemplates and knows immeasurable sentient beings who receive instruction and bring the activity of wisdom to fulfillment; contemplates and knows immeasurable great lights that are emitted to receive and deliver those not yet delivered; contemplates and knows the immeasurable lights bearing the majestic marks of a great person, which are emitted and illuminate every place;

contemplates and knows the immeasurable turning of the wheel of the true Dharma—a wheel that devas, people of the world, and the various kinds of maras, including heavenly maras, Brahma, Shakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings, cannot turn, and that only a Tathagata can turn; and contemplates and knows immeasurable bodhisattvas who journey to the various Buddha lands, serving as foremost guides and teachers who lead sentient beings along the path.

Although the bodhisattva acquires the power of a Buddha, he does not rely upon that power. He freely relinquishes body and mind as though there were nothing to relinquish. He attains the wisdom of a Buddha yet does not rely upon that wisdom.

Taking the arising activity of a Buddha as his basis, he brings forth wisdom. He upholds a Buddha’s supernormal powers and delivers beings throughout immeasurable realms. Through a Buddha’s purity, he purifies his conduct.

He makes a Buddha’s practices his own practices. Through the immeasurable states of mind of a Buddha, he cultivates all immeasurable states of mind. Through a Buddha’s concentrated vigor, which is devoid of timidity, he attains a Buddha’s purity and performs the work of a Buddha.

Having abided in this samadhi, the great bodhisattva universally contemplates all wisdom. Having contemplated all wisdom, he further contemplates all karma. Having contemplated karma, he reflects and is then able to cultivate wisdom.

Having cultivated wisdom, he receives awakened wisdom. Having received the teaching of wisdom, he reflects upon wondrous wisdom. Having reflected upon wondrous wisdom, he then seeks the activity of wisdom.

Having brought forth the conditions for wisdom, he attains the liberation of wisdom. Having attained the liberation of wisdom, he attains liberation without remainder. Having attained liberation without remainder, he accords with the unsurpassed Dharma and discipline of liberation.

Through long cultivation, the bodhisattva brings the activities of a bodhisattva to fulfillment. The bodhisattva’s resolve is vigorous. The bodhisattva patiently endures suffering.

The bodhisattva subdues and curtails evil, enters the bodhisattva treasury, preserves the bodhisattva’s radiance, dispels the bodhisattva’s delusion, ascends to the bodhisattva stage, manifests the marks of a bodhisattva, removes the bodhisattva’s deafness and inability to hear, and purifies the bodhisattva’s voice. When the bodhisattva hears that voice, his mind is neither shaken nor afraid, and he does not regress. His mind does not grow weary; he does not entertain thoughts of increase, neither abandons nor doubts, neither stops midway nor relies upon what he has heard as a bodhisattva.

Thus does he attain this state. Among sentient beings, the great bodhisattva enters and examines the principles of the Dharma according to their various natures and kinds, fulfills the mind of great vows, and serves as a model for sentient beings, leading them according to the Mahayana Dharma into the rivers and ocean of the Buddha, following the direct path without losing the track of the Way. The great bodhisattva must constantly contemplate three great vows and maintain the mind of vows to guide sentient beings from this shore to the other shore.

What are these three great vows? They are: 1. The increasing great vow. 2.

The great vow of the increasing middle. 3. The great vow of the increasing lower. Furthermore, the bodhisattva has another three great vows.

What are these three great vows? They are: 1. Lower-upper. 2.

Lower-middle. 3. Lower-lower. These are called the three great vows.

Most Excellent One, you should know that only after attaining this tenth samadhi of skillful wisdom, concentration, and insight can the great bodhisattva attain the foremost, supremely increasing mind of great vows; instruct and nurture sentient beings; purify Buddha lands; preserve skillful wisdom; free himself from the bonds of sensual craving; skillfully study and penetrate the bodhisattva’s Dharma of the One Mark; awaken to the fact that all marks are also markless; skillfully comprehend the bodhisattva’s illusory Dharma; establish the minds of sentient beings so that they abide in firmness; and arouse a mind of generosity toward sentient beings of every kind.

The Tathagatas, Unattached Ones, and Perfectly Awakened Ones of the past, future, and present practice a mind of great loving-kindness and compassion that pervades everything. Those without wisdom gain luminous wisdom; the blind gain clear sight; and those without protection are protected. They cause all the Dharmas of the Buddhas to become complete and lead sentient beings who possess the mind of seeking to eliminate conceptualized dharmas.

Why is this so? It is like an elder who has accumulated in his treasury hundreds of billions in wealth—gold, silver, and precious objects such as giant clamshell, agate, pearl, and amber. He also possesses a precious wish-fulfilling pearl whose radiance shines everywhere and whose color is exquisitely beautiful, for the pearl’s inherent nature is luminous in itself.

The great bodhisattva is likewise. Realizing the jewel of mind and intention, he brings forth wisdom and uses the light of wisdom to illuminate everywhere. He fully comprehends coming and going without obstruction, and when he enters this concentrated state of mind, he encounters no calamity or adversity.

Just as the light of that luminous jewel shines everywhere, the bodhisattva naturally manifests the power of his resolve; its original nature is inherently so. Nothing can restrain it and cause that power of resolve not to be so. Why?

Its nature is naturally so, and it cannot be made otherwise. Yet the natural is also not natural, and the not-natural is also not natural. He does not perceive sentient beings as natural, nor does he perceive sentient beings as not natural.

Most Excellent One, you should know that sentient beings appear within the natural and also appear within the not-natural. Why is it said that sentient beings appear within the natural and also appear within the not-natural? To say that sentient beings appear within the natural means that, confined within the five paths, they continue to cycle without end through one body, a hundred bodies, or thousands upon tens of thousands of bodies; for one kalpa, a hundred kalpas, or thousands upon tens of thousands of kalpas, they abandon one body and then receive another, forming the four great elements and nurturing the five skandhas.

This is called sentient beings appearing within the natural. What does it mean for sentient beings to appear within the not-natural? It is because the inherent nature of sentient beings is originally empty; emptiness is also without consciousness and without conceptual thought.

At that time, four winds arise in relation to the four great elements: first, the wind of the earth-energy blows toward emptiness; second, the wind of the water-energy blows toward emptiness; third, the wind of the fire-energy blows toward emptiness; and fourth, the wind-energy itself is the wind of emptiness. The spirit joins with obstructed consciousness, and they suddenly combine with one another. Only when the five dharmas converge and accumulate does a physical form arise.

Encountering the state of a deva, it becomes a deva; encountering the state of a human, it becomes a human. According to the condition with which the form becomes defiled, it immediately assumes that body. Suppose there were earth-energy but no water, fire, or wind; formation still could not occur.

If there were water-energy but no earth, fire, or wind, formation still could not occur. If there were fire-energy but no earth, water, or wind, formation still could not occur. If there were wind-energy but no earth, water, or fire, formation still could not occur.

Suppose spirit-consciousness relied upon emptiness and governed itself, but there were no earth, water, fire, or wind; formation still could not occur. The bodhisattva must contemplate consciousness as being of the nature of emptiness and as that which is encompassed within the dhatu of Dharma. When consciousness and the four great elements—the five dharmas—accord with one another, the body of the five skandhas is formed.

Swiftness and strength are precisely the dhatu of emptiness. Consciousness itself knows coldness, roughness, smoothness, and solidity. Through reflection and investigation, one understands separation from emptiness; the mind reflects with focused attention, and its thoughts contemplate emptiness.

Liberation and quiescence are precisely the personal awakening to the illusory nature within the Dharma of emptiness. One does not return to this world but enters liberation, nirvana without remainder, and is said to have attained cessation.

If that consciousness is dull, not keen, confused, bewildered, and does not believe in the Dharma of detachment through emptiness, this is because the self itself is empty space; yet, because form experiences objects, it must enter the gate of birth. Encountering good, it follows good; encountering evil, it follows evil. When encountering good, beings believe that good and evil exist, know that in this life and the next there are distinctions of honor and inferiority, elder and younger, become weary of the calamities and sufferings of the world, and tirelessly cultivate wholesome dharmas, attaining the Way only after a long time.

When encountering evil, consciousness forever abandons the good, willingly commits evil, revolves through birth and death, and enters the suffering of hell. Only after experiencing suffering and anguish without respite does consciousness awaken by itself, recollect that its past deeds did not accord with the prohibitive precepts, and gradually reproach and reform itself, abandoning evil and following good. From the initial arising of the aspiration, it passes through many kalpas, accumulating merit and perfecting all practices, before it can attain the Way.

This is the appearance of beings in what is not natural. A great bodhisattva must constantly reflect upon and single-mindedly contemplate the natural and the non-natural. How does a bodhisattva contemplate the natural and the non-natural?

The natural is worldly dharmas; the non-natural is the Way. The natural is bondage; the non-natural is freedom from bondage. The natural is existence; the non-natural is emptiness.

The natural is the presence of consciousness; the non-natural is having become detached from consciousness. The natural is the existence of name, birth, aging, illness, and death; the non-natural is the Dharma that is unborn, neither arising nor ceasing, and that neither races nor revolves through the five destinies. A bodhisattva must remember to relinquish the naturally existent dharmas and cultivate the non-natural dharmas, so that all forms of lucid wisdom remain unobstructed.

Relinquishing the dharma of selfhood, the bodhisattva neither gives rise to the natural nor perceives cessation, purifies all worlds throughout the ten directions, and delivers those not yet delivered. Although drawing near to them, the bodhisattva does not perceive nearness; although enduring hardship for others, the bodhisattva does not cling to the thought that suffering exists. Bearing the heavy responsibility, the bodhisattva always takes the fundamental Way as the guide that leads others to the ocean of Dharma, seeks the concentration that is free from distraction, and gathers immeasurable and limitless treasures: the fivefold Dharma-body; emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, meditative concentration, liberation, excellent marks, and supernormal powers.

Taking these as the precious mind, the bodhisattva is neither afraid nor alarmed. There is also a samadhi called the Concentration of the Unconditioned. A great bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi uses right concentration to manifest radiant light, purifying the traces of beings without weariness, and expounds the nature of emptiness for their sake.

When beings clearly awaken to emptiness, only then do they become truly awakened, turn their minds back toward the Way, and never again regress.

At that time, the Blessed One said to Tối Thắng:

– Just as I now abide in this sovereign concentration of the Dharma realm and, with the divine eye, contemplate as far as the utmost boundary of empty space, in the realm where beings abide in the non-natural, within the time of a finger snap, incalculable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of beings arrive. Since ancient times, following desire, they have assumed forms and entered the gate of birth. At that time, as many Buddhas, Blessed Ones, throughout the ten directions as the sands of countless Ganges Rivers all abide in the midst of empty space in transformation bodies and expound the Dharma of emptiness and nonexistence to the consciousness composed of those four vital forces, enabling it to comprehend emptiness and then become detached even from emptiness; in the same way, they also cause it to become detached from consciousness. The emptiness of self does not conceive of the existence of self, for it has forever become detached even from emptiness. If one relies upon that emptiness, consciousness experiences and knows the body. Those who reflect upon and contemplate emptiness do not, within that realm, relinquish the consciousness that cognizes bodily form; they enter the remainderless realm, seize cessation, and attain nirvana, never again returning to this realm to receive a body of the five skandhas and enter suffering and anguish. The Tathagata’s skillful wisdom is formless. He delivers consciousness into the realm of empty space and manifests these extraordinary, subtle, wondrous powers of transformation in order to guide beings. At times he manifests pure Buddha lands; at times he establishes the serenity of sages and noble ones; and at times he walks in meditation or recites scriptures without weariness. Although consciousness cannot be seen, the majestic deportment and proper conduct of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, never diminish. A bodhisattva must contemplate empty space as encompassing boundless realms, yet empty space does not entertain the thought: “I shall now cover such lands.” Nor does empty space think that it has performed difficult and arduous work. Why is this? Empty space covers everything; such is its intrinsic nature. The Dharma does not vary or change and naturally abides forever. The Dharma neither moves nor undergoes manifold transformations; it is neither born nor extinguished and does not change. Therefore, the nature of the Dharma realm of empty space is natural.

A bodhisattva must further contemplate consciousness as empty space. Consciousness has three characteristics. What are these three characteristics?

The first is proceeding; the second is turning back; and the third is neither proceeding nor turning back. What is the first consciousness of empty space—proceeding? Proceeding means moving toward birth, nurturing the seed of the skandhas, and, following the category of defiled consciousness, immediately receiving a bodily form.

A bodhisattva must know that the consciousness of empty space also possesses an intermediate body. Consciousness unites with the four vital forces and proceeds toward the intermediate body. The intermediate body assumes form for half a month, one month, or else proceeds as an intermediate body of empty space toward the five destinies.

When the intermediate body in one of the five destinies becomes manifest and has entered that destiny, it may remain for one, two, three, or four months, up to twelve months. An intermediate body born by transformation in a heavenly realm has no age measured in months or years. Those in hell, among hungry ghosts, and among animals also possess intermediate bodies.

Each realm has its own intermediate body of empty consciousness, unlike those of the others. Being quiescent and formless, they cannot be seen; only the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and A Duy Nhan can see them. This is called the great bodhisattva’s contemplation of the intermediate body of empty space proceeding toward the gate of birth.

What is the second consciousness of empty space—consciousness that turns back? The second, turning back, means that the four vital forces unite with consciousness and abide therein. Turning back from receiving that body and mind, it contemplates emptiness, liberation, and quiescence, without conceptual thought or attachment.

Furthermore, at the appropriate time, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, employ transformation bodies of Buddhas to teach it and cause consciousness to awaken clearly, attaining parinirvana in the realm of remainderless nirvana. Tối Thắng, you should know that throughout the three times, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, instruct beings and enable incalculable, innumerable beings to reach the shore of liberation. So long as even one being remains wandering, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the three times endure hardship and toil, employing countless skillful means to teach that being and enable them to attain liberation.

Although amid suffering and anguish, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, do not regard it as hardship, nor do they harbor any weariness or disillusionment. The Tathagata appears in the world and manifests transformed Buddha bodies. For the consciousness of intermediate bodies in the realm of empty space, the Buddhas expound the subtle Dharma of the unsurpassed Way in order to instruct them.

The consciousness of an intermediate body within the womb of its parents awakens and immediately receives the Dharma teaching, enters the realm of remainderless nirvana, and attains an ineffable parinirvana. The number of beings guided and delivered by the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, throughout the ten directions is so vast that no analogy can express it. This is called a great bodhisattva abiding in that sovereign samadhi of concentration in the Dharma realm, thereby becoming able to employ skillful wisdom and practice to cultivate immeasurable dharmas, and only then ascend to the stage of a bodhisattva.

What is the third consciousness of empty space—neither proceeding nor turning back? Neither proceeding nor turning back refers to consciousness abiding within the realm of the empty nature of dharmas. The substantial form of the intermediate body is like a luminous shadow, exceedingly subtle.

Its mental consciousness contemplates emptiness but does not attain the unconditioned realm; it regresses and does not receive a presently existent body in the human realm. This is called the great bodhisattva’s contemplation of neither proceeding nor turning back.

Then Bodhisattva Tối Thắng addressed the Buddha:

– World-Honored One, according to the World-Honored One’s teaching, the form and substance of consciousness in empty space and of the intermediate body in empty space are like luminous shadows; only the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, and bodhisattvas who have attained non-retrogression can perceive them. If the consciousness of the four vital energies and the intermediate body in empty space come and go, then ultimate truth and the realm of nirvana must also possess consciousness and an intermediate body. Supposing that consciousness and an intermediate body exist there, what difference would there be between the realm of nirvana and consciousness in empty space and the intermediate body in empty space? If there were no difference, there would be no nirvana. If there were no nirvana, there would be no fruits of the Path and no Dharma of the Three Vehicles; the Dharma realm of birth and death and the realm of nirvana would then be no different. Nirvana would itself be birth and death, and birth and death would itself be nirvana. World-Honored One, from what I have heard the Buddha teach concerning consciousness in empty space and the intermediate body in empty space, many doubts have arisen in me, and I do not yet understand clearly.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Supreme Victory:

– The realm of nirvana and ultimate truth possess neither consciousness nor an intermediate body. Consciousness and the intermediate body in nirvana differ from the Dharma-nature of consciousness and the intermediate body in the realm of emptiness. Consciousness abiding in nirvana is quiescent and unmoving, and it undergoes no change. Nor does it arise or have any destination toward which it must proceed; moreover, it is free from birth, aging, illness, death, sorrow, and affliction. If it is said that consciousness is forever extinguished, it is nevertheless not forever extinguished; if it is said that consciousness arises, it nevertheless does not arise. That intermediate body takes eternal quiescence as its body.

The Tathagata appears in the world, and Tathagatas, Perfectly and Fully Awakened Ones, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the past, present, and future neither grasp nirvana nor become forever extinguished. If a Buddha, a World-Honored One, were to enter nirvana, he would not be a Perfectly Awakened One and would not have fulfilled his vast vows. Among the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, whose names have been known throughout the three periods of time from antiquity until now, I have never seen even one who entered nirvana.

Even if, in the future, Buddhas appear and move throughout the Dharma realm, they will abide only in nirvana with remainder and will not enter the realm of nirvana without remainder. Supreme Victory, you should know that the Tathagata’s consciousness and the consciousness of nirvana are not different. Yet the consciousness of nirvana has neither form nor shadow, emits no radiance, and neither moves nor shifts, whereas the Tathagata’s consciousness moves and shifts.

The consciousness of nirvana and the Tathagata’s consciousness are identical and not different; they differ only in being moving or unmoving. A bodhisattva should contemplate empty space: within that empty space there is consciousness and there is an intermediate body. In nirvana there is consciousness and there is an intermediate body.

Furthermore, if there is any Dharma beyond nirvana, it too has consciousness and an intermediate body. Supreme Victory, consciousness in empty space, the intermediate body in empty space, the consciousness of nirvana, and the intermediate body in nirvana are each distinct from one another.