Toh 203The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Seal of Dharma”

Summary

In this short sūtra, the Buddha addresses the nature of monastic ordination according to the perspective of
the Great Vehicle and how going forth from the life of a householder can be said to have the qualities of
being noble and supramundane. Following the Buddha’s teaching, the two prominent monks Śāriputra and Subhūti
engage in a brief discussion on this same topic.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. The
translation was produced by Jordi Roig, who also wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor checked the
translation against the Tibetan and edited the text.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the
Buddha.

Introduction

The Seal of Dharma is set in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, outside of Śrāvastī, where
the Buddha is teaching a large audience of monks and bodhisattvas. The teaching unfolds as the Buddha
replies to a series of questions posed by two prominent monks, Śāriputra and Subhūti. Śāriputra,
renowned for his pure observance of monastic discipline, first asks how monastic ordination can be
said to have the qualities of being noble and supramundane. After the Buddha replies to Śāriputra,
Subhūti asks Śāriputra to explain the Buddha’s instructions. Śāriputra then explains that the Buddha’s
paradoxical response—in which he states that only those who do not transcend the
qualities of ordinary beings and do not attain the uncontaminated qualities have truly
renounced the world—is a teaching on the Great Vehicle doctrine of emptiness. When Śāriputra finishes
his explanation, the Buddha grants his approval and tells Śāriputra that this teaching constitutes a
“seal” (phyag rgya, mudrā)
that one may use to challenge beings who are overcome by pride that is driven by their conventional
understanding of renunciation and ordination.

Seven hundred monks attain liberation after hearing this teaching, but the controversy over its
approach to renunciation and ordination leads a group of one hundred advanced monks to stand up and
leave, while an even smaller group of five monks completely reject this teaching and fall into the
hell realms. The Buddha takes this opportunity to point out that this understanding of “going forth”
(rab tu byung ba, pravrajita) may be considered something that the entire world finds disagreeable,
but it is nevertheless true. He explains that since ordinary, worldly beings are ultimately
nonexistent, one should not object to this teaching simply because the entire world finds it
unacceptable. The doctrine of emptiness is thus applied to the “realm of beings” (sems can gyi khams, sattvadhātu) in exactly the same way that it is applied to the “realm of phenomena”
(chos kyi dbyings, dharmadhātu) to discourage any tendency toward rejecting the doctrine of emptiness
simply because it does not accord with the way things appear for ordinary beings.

To the best of our knowledge, a Sanskrit version of the sūtra is no longer extant, and it was
never translated into Chinese. It is thus difficult to determine much about the history of this
scripture in India and East Asia, or to evaluate its importance in Indian Buddhist traditions. The
only witnesses we have of this sūtra today are the Tibetan translations that were included in the
Tibetan Kangyurs.

The colophon to the Tibetan translation mentions that it was produced by the translators Lui
Wangpo and Lhai Dawa, both of whom lived during the early ninth century ce.
This dating is also supported by the text’s inclusion in the early ninth-century Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) inventory of translations into Tibetan. In addition to his work as a translator, Lui Wangpo was also among
the first seven monks to be ordained in Tibet. We do not have much personal information regarding Lhai
Dawa, but we do know he was a prolific translator who contributed to at least fourteen translations
that were subsequently included in the Kangyur, including the Tibetan translation of one of the
shorter versions of the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra (Toh 120) from the Sanskrit.

The translation presented here is based primarily on the Tibetan Degé edition, but the Comparative
Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace manuscript editions were
consulted in the case of problematic readings.

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Seal of Dharma

Homage to all buddhas and
bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, together with a great monastic assembly of five thousand monks and many
bodhisattva great beings. By the power of the Blessed One, Venerable Śāriputra rose from his seat,
draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Joining his palms, he bowed to the
Blessed One and asked, “Blessed One, when we speak of ‘going forth,’ Blessed One, to what extent is a
monk who has gone forth in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya  fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane
ordination?”

“Śāriputra,” the Blessed One replied, “a monk who has gone forth in the well-proclaimed Dharma and
Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane ordination to the extent that he does
not transcend the qualities of ordinary beings and does not attain the uncontaminated qualities. Those
who go forth in this way are genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go forth in this way are
incorrectly going forth. Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations that are offered
faithfully. They are also worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats, medicines, and healing
substances.

“Śāriputra, monks who do not abandon exertion will also not abandon form. They will also not
abandon feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness. That is why a monk who has gone forth in the
well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane
ordination. Those who go forth in this way are genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go
forth in this way are incorrectly going forth. Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations
that are offered faithfully. They are also worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats,
medicines, and healing substances.”

At that point Venerable Subhūti inquired of Venerable Śāriputra, “Venerable Śāriputra, what did the
Blessed One have in mind when he said, ‘Śāriputra, a monk who has gone forth in the well-proclaimed
Dharma and Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane ordination to the extent
that he does not transcend the qualities of ordinary beings and does not attain the uncontaminated
qualities. Those who go forth in this
way are genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go forth in this way are incorrectly going
forth. Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations that are offered faithfully. They are
also worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats, medicines, and healing substances’?”

“Venerable Subhūti,” Śāriputra replied, “the qualities of ordinary beings are illusory and cannot
be transcended. Venerable Subhūti, the qualities of ordinary beings are neither created nor easily
transcended. Venerable Subhūti, the realm of sentient beings is not apprehended within, it is not
apprehended without, and it is also not apprehended anywhere else. The nature of the realm of sentient
beings and the nature of all qualities of ordinary beings are not easily transcended.

“Venerable Subhūti, the Blessed One has said, ‘A monk who has gone forth in the well-proclaimed
Dharma and Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane ordination to the extent
that he does not transcend the qualities of ordinary beings and does not attain the uncontaminated
qualities. Those who go forth in this way are genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go forth
in this way are incorrectly going forth. Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations that
are offered faithfully. They are also worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats, medicines,
and healing substances.’

“Venerable Subhūti, regarding that statement, how could something that has no basis or foundation
possibly be attained? Venerable Subhūti,
if the uncontaminated qualities were possible to attain, then the state of the worthy ones would arise
based on apprehension. The nature of the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the perfect buddhas, is
without basis.

“Venerable Subhūti, this is what the Blessed One had in mind when he said, ‘A monk who has gone
forth in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and
supramundane ordination to the extent that he does not transcend the qualities of ordinary beings and
does not attain the uncontaminated qualities. Those who go forth in this way are genuinely going
forth, whereas those who do not go forth in this way are incorrectly going forth. Śāriputra, such
monks are worthy of receiving donations that are offered faithfully. They are also worthy of receiving
clothing, food, bedding, seats, medicines, and healing substances.’ ”

Venerable Subhūti asked, “Venerable Śāriputra, what did the Blessed One have in mind when he said,
‘Monks who do not abandon exertion will also not abandon form. They will also not abandon feelings,
perceptions, formations, or consciousness. That is why a monk who has gone forth in the
well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane
ordination. Those who go forth in this way are genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go
forth in this way are incorrectly going forth. Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations
that are offered faithfully. They are also worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats,
medicines, and healing substances’?”

Śāriputra replied, “Venerable Subhūti, the Blessed One had the nature of reality in mind when he said, ‘Monks who do
not abandon exertion will also not abandon form. They will also not abandon feelings, perceptions,
formations, or consciousness.’

“Venerable Subhūti, the realm of phenomena is not apprehended internally, it is not apprehended
externally, and it is also not apprehended anywhere else. What is imputed as ‘internal’ is without
anything to impute and is an imputation of what is unborn. In view of that, the realm of phenomena is
sameness because the realm of sentient beings is sameness, and the realm of sentient beings is
sameness because the realm of phenomena is sameness. Therefore, the realm of sentient beings and the
realm of phenomena are indivisible and undivided. That which is indivisible and undivided is also
without anything to remove or add. That which is without
anything to add or remove is not something
to transcend or attain.

“Venerable Subhūti, the Blessed One had this in mind when he said, ‘Monks who do not abandon
exertion will also not abandon form. They will also not abandon feelings, perceptions, formations, or
consciousness. That is why a monk who has gone forth in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya is fully
ordained after taking the noble and supramundane ordination. Those who go forth in this way are
genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go forth in this way are incorrectly going forth.
Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations that are offered faithfully. They are also
worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats, medicines, and healing substances.’

“Monks who have no qualms do not raise qualms. Monks who lack verbal expression and have
transcended verbal expression are unable to make presentations based on deliberations. For such monks there is no coming,
going, standing, sitting, and lying down. Monks who are not skilled logicians delight in examination.
Monks who are skilled logicians delight in nonexamination. Venerable Subhūti, that is what the
Blessed One had in mind when he said, ‘That is why a monk who has gone forth in the well-proclaimed
Dharma and Vinaya is fully ordained after taking the noble and supramundane ordination. Those who go
forth in this way are genuinely going forth, whereas those who do not go forth in this way are
incorrectly going forth. Śāriputra, such monks are worthy of receiving donations that are offered
faithfully. They are also worthy of receiving clothing, food, bedding, seats, medicines, and healing
substances.’ ”

At that time, the Blessed One expressed his approval to Venerable Śāriputra: “Excellent,
Śāriputra, excellent! The way that you have presented this is exactly what I intended and taught. This
is what going forth means according to the well-spoken Dharma and Vinaya. Śāriputra, one who wishes to
challenge proud beings using this seal should explain this seal in their presence. Śāriputra, one who
truly understands it can use this seal to challenge multitudes of proud beings.”

When this Dharma teaching was taught, the minds of seven hundred monks were freed from
contaminants without further appropriation. However, one hundred monks who had reached their final
existence did not adopt, understand, or appreciate this Dharma teaching, so they rose
from their seats and left. Five monks even rejected the teaching and turned their backs on it, so they
fell into the great hells in their current embodiments.

“Śāriputra,” the Blessed One said, “I have taught this Dharma knowing well that, unfortunately,
the entire world will find it disagreeable. I knew this but taught it anyway, as there is nothing
disagreeable about it at all. To give an analogy, Śāriputra, a person may fall asleep and dream that I
am teaching the Dharma to you in front of a crowd of people. That person might object to this, saying,
‘That Dharma is disagreeable to the entire world!’ But what do you think, Śāriputra? In that case
would those people who disagree with this Dharma truly exist?”

Śāriputra replied, “No, Blessed One, they would not.”

The Blessed One said, “Śāriputra, likewise, even though I also admit that this Dharma is
disagreeable to the entire world, I teach it this way because that very world itself is not seen
correctly. As the world does not exist, the Dharma is incalculable. Even the designation of the world
is also nonexistent. Śāriputra, the expression disagreeable to the entire world
refers to the fact that phenomena are unadulterated and unmixed.

Śāriputra asked, “Blessed One, what does the word unadulterated mean?”

The Blessed One replied, “Śāriputra, unadulterated refers to the fact that
phenomena have the same taste. They are neither exclusively the same nor exclusively different.
Śāriputra, unadulterated is a synonym for emptiness.”

Śāriputra asked, “Blessed One, what does the word emptiness mean?”

The Blessed One replied, “Śāriputra, emptiness means absence of
designation. That which is beyond designation is not amenable to designation. That
which is not amenable to designation is neither mundane nor supramundane. Śāriputra, that which is
neither mundane nor supramundane is called emptiness.”

When the Blessed One had said this, Venerable Śāriputra, the entire assembly of monks, the
bodhisattva great beings, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed
One had said.

This concludes the noble Great Vehicle sūtra “The Seal of Dharma.”

Colophon

This was translated and finalized by the translators Bandé Lui Wangpo and Lhai Dawa.

Notes

Bibliography

Lui Wangpo

klu’i dbang po
ཀླུའི་དབང་པོ།

Lhai Dawa

lha’i zla ba
ལྷའི་ཟླ་བ།

Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park
jetavanam anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ
rgyal bu rgyal byed kyi tshal mgon med zas sbyin gyi kun dga’ ra ba
རྒྱལ་བུ་རྒྱལ་བྱེད་ཀྱི་ཚལ་མགོན་མེད་ཟས་སྦྱིན་གྱི་ཀུན་དགའ་ར་བ།