大智度論 大方便品之上Dazhidulun — Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa · The Great Skilful Means, Part 1 of 3

The Great Skilful Means, First Part: Where the Power of Skilful Means Comes From; the Similes of Prajñā Illuminating the Five Perfections; the Six Perfections within Emptiness of Self-Nature; Not Taking and Not Giving Up, and the Losses of Grasping at Marks; the Four Gates of the Brief and Extensive, and the Brief Gathering of Prajñā

What Is Being Asked

The preceding chapter spoke of the bodhisattva of keen faculties who, within a single mind, at a single time, is able to fulfil the six perfections—within one perfection he contains the other five, and to practise one perfection is precisely to practise the six. Of such a thing the listener will naturally ask: how was this trained into being? At the opening of this chapter it is exactly this that Subhūti asks, and he asks three questions in a row: 「發意已來幾時」 tr. "how long since he aroused intent", 「為供養幾佛」 tr. "how many buddhas has he made offerings to", 「種何等善根」 tr. "what roots of goodness has he planted". The length of the kalpas, the number of buddhas met, the depth of the roots of goodness—taken together, the three questions ask one and the same thing: the power of skilful means is not clever wit; it is capital. The Buddha's three answers match the three questions one by one: immeasurable koṭi of asaṃkhyeya kalpas; buddhas as many as the sands of the Ganges; from the first arousing of intent onward, in the six perfections 「無不具足」 tr. "nothing that is not fulfilled". The reason the power of skilful means can contain all five perfections within one perfection is that those five perfections were already on him from the first, long since fulfilled, and do not wait to be pieced together on the spot.

Once the questions and answers are settled, the sūtra turns to direct instruction, and with nine similes in a row sets out the relation of prajñā to the five perfections: the sun and moon illuminating the four continents; the wheel-jewel of the wheel-turning sage king; the woman with a husband and without a husband; the general fully equipped with armour and weapons; the lesser kings paying court; the many rivers and myriad streams entering the sea; the convenience and inconvenience of the right hand and the left hand; the many streams entering the sea and becoming a single taste; the wheel-jewel leading the way in front and the four kinds of troops having their wishes fulfilled. Each of the nine similes speaks of one meaning, and yet they tend toward only one thing—the five perfections apart from prajñā cannot even hang on to the three Chinese characters 「波羅蜜」 tr. "pāramitā"; only when they obtain prajñā do they have a name, have a guard, have a direction, and become one taste. Yet when the nine similes have been spoken to the utmost, the sūtra itself overturns them: 「諸波羅蜜性無所能作、自性空、虛誑、如野馬。」 tr. "The nature of the perfections has nothing it is able to do; their self-nature is empty, is false and deceptive, like a mirage."

This overturning turns up the first real question of this unit: if all dharmas are empty of self-nature, what six perfections is the bodhisattva still to practise, what anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is he still to obtain? The Buddha's reply does not argue from the principle of emptiness; it answers from a single thought—when the bodhisattva practises the six perfections he has this thought: 「是世間心皆顛倒，我若不行方便力，不能度脫眾生生死。」 tr. "The minds of this world are all inverted; if I do not practise the power of skilful means, I cannot deliver beings from birth and death." Emptiness of self-nature is the real meaning; the inversion of beings is the fact; the power of skilful means takes its stand between the two. So below, the six perfections are fulfilled one by one, and the reason each perfection is accomplished is tied to the four Chinese characters 「為眾生故」 tr. "for the sake of beings": for the sake of beings he gives up and knows 「我無所捨」 tr. "I give up nothing"; for the sake of beings he never breaks the precepts; for the sake of beings he does not give rise to a single thought of hatred; for the sake of beings he does not give rise to laziness; for the sake of beings he does not give rise to distraction; for the sake of beings he never departs from wisdom. Empty, and yet practice is not abandoned, because there are beings; practising, and yet it does not become clinging, because he knows its self-nature is empty.

The second question follows close behind, and is asked twice: since the perfections are without difference, why is prajñā alone called foremost, highest, and wondrous? The first time, the Buddha answers by the name—without prajñā the five perfections do not obtain the name of pāramitā; the second time, Subhūti presses 「若隨實義無分別」 tr. "if, following the real meaning, there is no discrimination", and the Buddha then answers in two layers: within the real meaning there is indeed no discrimination, but 「以世俗法故說」 tr. "by reason of worldly dharmas one speaks of" the names of the six perfections. This answer settles the measure of the whole chapter: foremost, highest, and wondrous is an order within worldly speaking of the Dharma, not a ranking of high and low within the real meaning. The sūtra at once points out, with 「取一切善法到薩婆若中，住不住故」 tr. "takes all wholesome dharmas into sarvajñā, and this is because it takes abiding as not abiding", why prajñā is highest, and from there slides into the longest stretch of teaching in this unit—not taking and not giving up, not thinking, not clinging, not abiding, peeled off layer by layer; and at the end it gives a further passage of admonition: if the bodhisattva thinks of himself 「我今行般若波羅蜜」 tr. "I now practise prajñāpāramitā", if he thinks of himself 「住是般若波羅蜜，能生檀波羅蜜」 tr. "abiding in this prajñāpāramitā, one can give rise to dānapāramitā", if he thinks of himself 「諸佛知諸法無受相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 tr. "the buddhas, because they knew that dharmas have no mark of receiving, obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi" and expounds and discloses it, all three are losing prajñā. Not even 「無所有」 tr. "being without anything existent" may be clung to—「若菩薩摩訶薩著無所有法，則遠離般若波羅蜜」 tr. "if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva clings to the dharma of being without anything existent, he is far from prajñāpāramitā".

The last stretch turns to the 「略廣相」 tr. "brief and extensive marks". Subhūti says that the bodhisattva should receive and uphold, read and recite the brief and the extensive of the six perfections; the Buddha approves and pushes it a step further: knowing the brief and extensive of the six perfections, one should then know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas. How is one to know them? The sūtra gives four gates—the mark of suchness, the limit of reality, the nature of dharmas, neither joined nor dispersed—four questions and four answers, asking all the way to 「有為性、無為性不合不散」 tr. "the conditioned nature and the unconditioned nature are neither joined nor dispersed", and closing with 「是諸法自性無，云何有合有散」 tr. "these dharmas are without self-nature—where would there be joining, where dispersing?" Subhūti then sets down a verdict: 「是名菩薩摩訶薩略攝般若波羅蜜」 tr. "this is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's brief gathering of prajñāpāramitā", and says that this brief gathering of prajñā the bodhisattva who has first aroused intent should train in, and so on up to the bodhisattva of the ten grounds should also train in. What the unit of the First Part has to answer is these three questions: where the power of skilful means comes from; why, within emptiness of self-nature, the six perfections are still practised; and by what gate one enters the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas.

Passage by Passage

1. The first question and answer—how long since he aroused intent. Subhūti, taking up the preceding chapter's matter of the bodhisattva fulfilling the six perfections within a single mind, asks: 「世尊！是菩薩摩訶薩如是方便力成就者，發意已來幾時？」 tr. "World-Honored One! This bodhisattva-mahāsattva who has thus accomplished the power of skilful means—how long is it since he aroused intent?" The Buddha answers: 「是菩薩摩訶薩能成就方便力者，發心已來無量億阿僧祇劫。」 tr. "This bodhisattva-mahāsattva who is able to accomplish the power of skilful means has, since arousing the mind, passed immeasurable koṭi of asaṃkhyeya kalpas." What is asked is time, and what is answered is also time, yet the number answered is so great that it no longer counts as a number—immeasurable koṭi of asaṃkhyeya kalpas. This answer first knocks down an illusion: the power of skilful means is not cleverness of the moment; it is the accumulation of long kalpas. To see someone contain the five perfections all at once within one perfection and envy his skill is to mistake the freedom on the side of the fruit for a shortcut on the side of the cause.

2. The second question and answer—how many buddhas has he made offerings to. Subhūti asks again: 「是菩薩摩訶薩如是成就方便力者，為供養幾佛？」 tr. "This bodhisattva-mahāsattva who has thus accomplished the power of skilful means—how many buddhas has he made offerings to?" The Buddha answers: 「是菩薩成就方便力者，供養如恒河沙等諸佛。」 tr. "This bodhisattva who has accomplished the power of skilful means has made offerings to buddhas as many as the sands of the Ganges." The first question asks the number of kalpas, which is lengthwise; this question asks about the buddhas met, which is breadthwise. To cultivate long and not meet a buddha is like travelling long with no one to point the way; buddhas as many as the sands of the Ganges speak of how broadly he received teaching along this road. Only when the two matters, the kalpas and the buddhas met, are raised together is the account of where the power of skilful means comes from complete.

3. The third question and answer—what roots of goodness has he planted. Subhūti asks a third time: 「世尊！菩薩得如是方便力者，種何等善根？」 tr. "World-Honored One! The bodhisattva who has obtained such a power of skilful means—what kind of roots of goodness has he planted?" The Buddha answers: 「菩薩成就如是方便力者，從初發意已來，於檀波羅蜜無不具足，於尸羅波羅蜜、羼提波羅蜜、毘梨耶波羅蜜、禪波羅蜜、般若波羅蜜無不具足。」 tr. "The bodhisattva who accomplishes such a power of skilful means has, from the first arousing of intent onward, in dānapāramitā nothing that is not fulfilled; and in śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, and prajñāpāramitā nothing that is not fulfilled." This answer is the conclusion of the three questions, and also the root of the whole chapter: what are called roots of goodness are not elsewhere; they are the six perfections, fulfilled all the way from the very first arousing of intent. Since the six perfections were from the first fulfilled in him, containing the five perfections within one perfection is no conjuring trick, but the natural appearing of what was already there. With this the three questions and three answers are complete—the kalpas are the length of time, the offerings to buddhas are the breadth of teaching received, the fulfilment of the six perfections is the substance of the content.

4. The exclamation at its rarity, and the Buddha's approval. Having heard it, Subhūti exclaims: 「世尊！菩薩摩訶薩成就如是方便力者，甚希有！」 tr. "World-Honored One! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who accomplishes such a power of skilful means is truly rare!" The Buddha approves it: 「如是！如是！須菩提！菩薩摩訶薩成就如是方便力者，甚希有！」 tr. "Just so! Just so! Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who accomplishes such a power of skilful means is truly rare!" Between the exclamation and the approval, the momentum of the sūtra's language turns from question and answer to instruction—the nine similes below are all the unfolding of this one phrase, 「甚希有」 tr. "truly rare". What matters is that the Buddha does not play down its rarity; on the contrary he says it again: it is rare precisely because of its length, its breadth, and its substance, not because it is strange.

5. The simile of the sun and moon going round—prajñā is to the five perfections as illumination. 「須菩提！譬如日月周行，照四天下，多有所益。般若波羅蜜亦如是，照五波羅蜜，多有所益。」 tr. "Subhūti! It is as the sun and moon go round, illuminating the four continents and greatly benefiting them. Prajñāpāramitā is likewise: it illuminates the five perfections and greatly benefits them." The first of the nine similes takes the meaning of 「照」 tr. "illuminating". The sun and moon do not produce the things of the four continents, yet the myriad things wait on their illumination before they come to completion; prajñā does not give or keep the precepts in place of the five perfections, yet the five perfections wait on prajñā's illumination before they become perfections. This simile first sets up a general outline: prajñā and the five perfections are not six things side by side; one of them is present throughout the other five.

6. The simile of the wheel-jewel—without prajñā they do not obtain the name of pāramitā. 「譬如轉輪聖王，若無輪寶，不得名為轉輪聖王；輪寶成就故，得名轉輪聖王。」 tr. "It is as with a wheel-turning sage king: if he has no wheel-jewel, he does not obtain the name of wheel-turning sage king; because the wheel-jewel is accomplished, he obtains the name of wheel-turning sage king." The five perfections are likewise: 「若離般若波羅蜜，不得波羅蜜名字；不離般若波羅蜜故，得波羅蜜名字」 tr. "if they are apart from prajñāpāramitā, they do not obtain the name of pāramitā; because they are not apart from prajñāpāramitā, they obtain the name of pāramitā". The simile above speaks of the benefit of illumination; this simile speaks of the establishing of the name. Giving and upholding the precepts are in themselves still good; it is only that they do not obtain the title 「波羅蜜」 tr. "pāramitā"—pāramitā is reaching the further shore, and without prajñā one practises them and does not reach the shore, so name and reality do not correspond. Here the sūtra for the first time points out the two Chinese characters 「名字」 tr. "name", which the text below states again and again.

7. The simile of the woman with and without a husband—prajñā is to the five perfections as protection. 「譬如無夫婦人，易為侵凌」 tr. "It is as a woman without a husband is easily encroached upon and abused"; the five perfections far from prajñā—「魔、若魔天壞之則易」 tr. "it is easy for Māra, or the gods of Māra, to ruin them"; 「譬如有夫婦人，難可侵凌」 tr. "It is as a woman who has a husband is hard to encroach upon and abuse"; the five perfections that obtain prajñā—「魔、若魔天不能沮壞」 tr. "Māra, or the gods of Māra, cannot thwart and ruin them". Illumination is accomplishing, the name is establishing, protection is guarding and keeping—the three meanings advance in turn. Cultivating goodness without right view, what is most easily ruined is not the good deed itself but the mind of the one doing good; with prajñā present, wholesome dharmas have something to rely on.

8. The simile of the general's armour and weapons—what Māra and people of overweening pride, and so on up to a bodhisattva caṇḍāla, cannot ruin. 「譬如軍將，鎧仗具足，隣國強敵所不能壞」 tr. "It is as a general in an army, fully equipped with armour and weapons, cannot be ruined by the powerful enemies of neighbouring countries"; if the five perfections are not far from prajñā, then 「魔、若魔天、若增上慢人，乃至菩薩旃陀羅所不能壞」 tr. "Māra, or the gods of Māra, or people of overweening pride, and so on up to a bodhisattva caṇḍāla, cannot ruin them". The simile above raises only Māra and the gods of Māra; this simile, beyond the outer Māra, raises two further kinds of inner trouble: people of overweening pride are those who claim to have obtained what they have not obtained; a bodhisattva caṇḍāla is one whose name is in the ranks of the bodhisattvas and whose practice is not theirs. Those who ruin wholesome dharmas are not all on the outside paths; often they are among one's own fellow practitioners; what the phrase "fully equipped with armour and weapons" guards against is this layer.

9. The simile of the lesser kings paying court—the five perfections follow in accord with prajñā. 「譬如諸小國王，隨時朝侍轉輪聖王；五波羅蜜亦如是，隨順般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "It is as the lesser kings, at the proper times, pay court to and serve the wheel-turning sage king; the five perfections are likewise: they follow in accord with prajñāpāramitā." The four similes before speak of what prajñā does for the five perfections; this simile, conversely, speaks of the bearing of the five perfections toward prajñā—following in accord. The lesser kings each have their own country and their own government, and do not cease to be kings, yet by paying court they show whom they belong to; the five perfections likewise each have their own way of practice, and do not cease to be perfections, yet by following in accord they show where they tend.

10. The simile of the many rivers entering the Ganges—guarded by prajñā, they follow it and reach sarvajñā. 「譬如眾川萬流，皆入於恒河，隨入大海；五波羅蜜亦如是，般若波羅蜜所守護故，隨到薩婆若。」 tr. "It is as the many rivers and myriad streams all flow into the Ganges, and following it flow into the great sea; the five perfections are likewise: because they are guarded by prajñāpāramitā, they follow it and reach sarvajñā." The simile above speaks of the bearing of following in accord; this simile speaks of the fruit of following in accord—reaching sarvajñā. The myriad streams cannot reach the sea by themselves; they reach it after entering the Ganges; the five perfections cannot reach omniscience by themselves; they reach it after entering prajñā. In the simile the Chinese character 「隨」 tr. "follow" is the eye: it is not that prajñā carries the five perfections across; it is that the five perfections go with the current and arrive of themselves.

11. The simile of the right hand and the left hand—convenient and inconvenient. 「譬如人之右手，所作事便，般若波羅蜜亦如是；如人左手，造事不便，五波羅蜜亦如是。」 tr. "It is as a person's right hand, with which doing things is convenient—prajñāpāramitā is likewise; as a person's left hand, with which doing and making things is inconvenient—the five perfections are likewise." This simile is the shortest and the closest to one's own body. The left hand is not other than a hand; it is only inconvenient for doing things; the five perfections are not other than good; it is only that without prajñā they take effort at every point and are hard to bring to completion. Taking the left and right hands as the simile also shows that the two belong to one body—the point is not to discard the left and take the right, but to have the right hand as the master.

12. The simile of the many streams becoming a single taste—entering sarvajñā and obtaining the name of pāramitā. 「譬如眾流，若大、若小俱入大海，合為一味；五波羅蜜亦如是，為般若波羅蜜所護，隨般若波羅蜜入薩婆若，得波羅蜜名字。」 tr. "It is as the many streams, whether great or small, all flow together into the great sea and become a single taste; the five perfections are likewise: upheld by prajñāpāramitā, following prajñāpāramitā they enter sarvajñā, and obtain the name of pāramitā." The simile of the many rivers entering the Ganges speaks as far as the sea; this simile speaks of what follows entering the sea—becoming a single taste. The marks of the five perfections each differ, as streams are great and small; entering sarvajñā, they are the same salt taste and can no longer be divided. The phrase 「得波羅蜜名字」 tr. "obtain the name of pāramitā" echoes the simile of the sixth item, and yet the name established here goes further: not only do they obtain the name, they obtain the name within the single taste.

13. The simile of the wheel-jewel leading the way, and non-discrimination—the nature of the perfections is empty of self-nature, like a mirage. 「譬如轉輪聖王四種兵，輪寶在前導，王意欲住，輪則為住，令四種兵滿其所願，輪亦不離其處」 tr. "It is as with the four kinds of troops of a wheel-turning sage king: the wheel-jewel leads the way in front; when the king's mind wishes to stop, the wheel stops for him, letting the four kinds of troops fulfil what they wish, and the wheel also does not leave its place"; prajñā is likewise: 「導五波羅蜜到薩婆若，常是中住，不過其處」 tr. "it guides the five perfections to reach sarvajñā, and constantly abides therein, not passing beyond its place". This simile states again the meaning of guiding, and adds 「不過其處」 tr. "not passing beyond its place"—guiding without overstepping, abiding without leaving. Right after this the sūtra turns abruptly and says that prajñā 「亦不分別：『檀波羅蜜隨從我，尸羅波羅蜜、羼提波羅蜜、毘梨耶波羅蜜、禪波羅蜜不隨從我。』」 tr. "also does not make such a discrimination: ‘Dānapāramitā follows me; śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, and dhyānapāramitā do not follow me.’" Dānapāramitā likewise does not make the discrimination 「我隨從般若波羅蜜」 tr. "I follow prajñāpāramitā", and so it is with all the other perfections. Why? 「諸波羅蜜性無所能作、自性空、虛誑、如野馬。」 tr. "The nature of the perfections has nothing it is able to do; their self-nature is empty, is false and deceptive, like a mirage." The nine similes set up the order of guiding and following; here a single sentence sweeps away together the one that guides and what is guided, the one that follows and what is followed: guiding and following are provisions set up in speaking the Dharma; within emptiness of self-nature there is no one who is able to do, and no one who is done to. A mirage looks like water from afar, and when one goes up to it there is none; the marks of all the perfections are likewise.

14. Why the six perfections are still practised amid emptiness of self-nature—because the minds of the world are inverted he practises the power of skilful means. Subhūti at once raises the difficulty on this: 「世尊！若一切法自性空，云何菩薩摩訶薩行六波羅蜜當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？」 tr. "World-Honored One! If all dharmas are empty of self-nature, how is it that the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises the six perfections and is to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?" The Buddha does not unravel it from the meaning of emptiness; he shows directly the bodhisattva's thought: 「是世間心皆顛倒，我若不行方便力，不能度脫眾生生死。我當為眾生故行檀波羅蜜」 tr. "The minds of this world are all inverted; if I do not practise the power of skilful means, I cannot deliver beings from birth and death. For the sake of beings I shall practise dānapāramitā", and so on up to prajñāpāramitā. This is the place where the 「大方便」 tr. "great skilful means" of the whole chapter gets its name as the great skilful means—skilful means is not giving the principle of emptiness a discount; it is, with the principle of emptiness in no way diminished, still not abandoning beings. Emptiness of self-nature is said with regard to dharmas; the inversion of the world is said with regard to beings; both sides are the real state of things, and the power of skilful means is the ability, between these two sides, not to fall to either side.

15. The fulfilment of dāna—I give up nothing. 「是菩薩為眾生故，捨內外物；捨時作是念：『我無所捨。何以故？是物必當壞敗。』菩薩作如是思惟，能具足檀波羅蜜。」 tr. "For the sake of beings this bodhisattva gives up inner and outer things; as he gives them up he has this thought: ‘I give up nothing. Why? Because these things must certainly decay and be ruined.’ When the bodhisattva reflects thus, he is able to fulfil dānapāramitā." For the sake of beings is the gate of practice; 「我無所捨」 tr. "I give up nothing" is the gate of contemplation; only when the two appear at the same time is it called fulfilment. The things given up must certainly decay and be ruined, so in giving up nothing is lost; with this thought, he gives without the mark of giving, and dāna then becomes pāramitā and does not stop at deeds of merit.

16. The fulfilment of śīla—from killing living beings up to craving the two vehicles, all is what should not be. 「為眾生故，終不破戒」 tr. "For the sake of beings he never breaks the precepts"; his thought is: 「我為眾生故發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，若殺生是所不應；乃至我為眾生故發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，若作邪見、若貪著聲聞辟支佛地，是所不應！」 tr. "For the sake of beings I have aroused the mind of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; if I kill living beings, this is what should not be; and so on up to: for the sake of beings I have aroused the mind of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; if I give rise to wrong views, or crave and cling to the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, this is what should not be!" The crux of this passage lies in the two ends of the precepts, lower and upper: below, from killing living beings; above, up to craving and clinging to the ground of the two vehicles—both alike judged 「所不應」 tr. "what should not be". The two vehicles are not evil dharmas, yet for one who has already aroused the mind of awakening they are breaking the precepts—what the precepts guard is not only the conduct of body and speech; it is still more that very first vow, made for the sake of beings.

17. The fulfilment of kṣānti—not giving rise to a single thought of hatred. 「菩薩為眾生故不瞋心，乃至不生一念。菩薩如是思惟：『我應利益眾生，云何而起瞋心？』」 tr. "For the sake of beings the bodhisattva does not give rise to a mind of hatred, and so on up to not giving rise to a single thought of it. The bodhisattva reflects thus: ‘I ought to benefit beings; how could I instead give rise to a mind of hatred?’" The utmost point of patience is not in being able to hold it in; it is in not giving rise to it. And the reason it does not arise is likewise only one sentence: having aroused the mind to benefit beings, as soon as a mind of hatred rises he contradicts himself. Here nothing is said about how painful feeling is to be endured; it is said only that the resolve and the mind of hatred cannot both stand—this is patience within prajñā, which is different from forcibly holding down one's temper.

18. The fulfilment of vīrya—constantly not giving rise to a lazy mind. 「菩薩為眾生故，乃至阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，常不生懈怠心。菩薩如是行，能具足毘梨耶波羅蜜。」 tr. "For the sake of beings the bodhisattva, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, constantly does not give rise to a lazy mind. When the bodhisattva practises thus, he is able to fulfil vīryapāramitā." In this passage the mark of vigour shows only one Chinese character, 「常」 tr. "constantly", and one limit, 「乃至阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 tr. "and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi". It sets no short-term target; buddhahood is the term; it does not discuss a bearing of valour; it discusses only not giving rise to laziness. The two perfections before say 「思惟」 tr. "reflects"; this perfection says 「如是行」 tr. "practises thus"—vigour is a matter of practice, and does not wait for a further contemplation to be set up.

19. The fulfilment of dhyāna—not giving rise to a distracted mind. 「菩薩為眾生故，乃至得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，不生散亂心。菩薩如是行，能具足禪波羅蜜。」 tr. "For the sake of beings the bodhisattva, and so on up to obtaining anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, does not give rise to a distracted mind. When the bodhisattva practises thus, he is able to fulfil dhyānapāramitā." It has the same sentence-pattern as vigour, only changing laziness to distraction. The sūtra does not say what concentration he enters or what limbs he obtains; it takes only 「不生散亂」 tr. "not giving rise to distraction" as the measure of dhyānapāramitā—for the sake of beings the mind is not scattered, and that is concentration; a single mind is the fruit, not being scattered is the cause; one puts in the work on the side of the cause and does not anticipate the appearance of the fruit.

20. The fulfilment of prajñā—apart from wisdom one cannot deliver beings by any other dharma. 「菩薩為眾生故，乃至得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，終不離智慧。何以故？除智慧，不可以餘法度脫眾生故。」 tr. "For the sake of beings the bodhisattva, and so on up to obtaining anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, never departs from wisdom. Why? Because apart from wisdom, one cannot deliver beings by any other dharma." The six perfections are each tied to 「為眾生故」 tr. "for the sake of beings", and at prajñā the reason why is stated plainly: for the work of delivering beings there is no other dharma that can be used. The not giving up, not breaking, not hating, not slackening, and not being disordered of the first five perfections all must be illuminated by wisdom before they become perfections; and the reason wisdom cannot be departed from lies not in its loftiness but in its being the only thing that works.

21. Without difference, and yet prajñā is foremost—at the side of Mount Sumeru, the king of mountains, all are one colour. Subhūti raises the difficulty: 「若諸波羅蜜無差別相，云何般若波羅蜜於五波羅蜜中第一、最上、微妙？」 tr. "If the perfections have no mark of difference, why is prajñāpāramitā foremost, highest, and wondrous among the five perfections?" The Buddha's answer still takes the meaning of the name: without prajñā the five perfections do not obtain the name of pāramitā; because of prajñā they obtain it. And he brings out a simile: 「譬如種種色身，到須彌山王邊，皆同一色」 tr. "It is as bodies of various colours, on reaching the side of Mount Sumeru, the king of mountains, all alike become one colour"; the five perfections, because of prajñā, reach sarvajñā and are 「一種無異」 tr. "of one kind and without any difference", with no discriminating that this is dāna, this is śīla, and so on up to this is prajñā. Why? 「是諸波羅蜜無自性故。」 tr. "Because these perfections are without self-nature." The simile of the one colour at the side of Sumeru deepens the simile of the twelfth item, 「合為一味」 tr. "become a single taste": one taste is what cannot be divided; one colour is what cannot be distinguished—because it cannot be distinguished there is no difference, and the reason it can come to be indistinguishable is precisely that there is prajñā.

22. Without discrimination according to the real meaning, and yet still called highest—one speaks by reason of worldly dharmas. Subhūti raises the difficulty again: 「若隨實義無分別，云何般若波羅蜜於五波羅蜜中最上、微妙？」 tr. "If, following the real meaning, there is no discrimination, why is prajñāpāramitā highest and wondrous among the five perfections?" The Buddha then answers in two layers: 「雖實義中無有分別，但以世俗法故說」 tr. "Though within the real meaning there is no discrimination, yet by reason of worldly dharmas one speaks of" the names of the six perfections. And he states the reason further: it is for the sake of wishing to deliver beings from birth and death, and yet 「是眾生實不生不死、不起不退」 tr. "these beings in reality are neither born nor die, neither rise nor fall back"; because beings are without anything existent, one should know that all dharmas are without anything existent. At the end the jewel of the precious maiden is the simile—「譬如閻浮提眾女人中，玉女寶第一、最上、最妙」 tr. "It is as, among the many women of Jambudvīpa, the jewel of the precious maiden is foremost, highest, and most wondrous". This passage is where the measure of the whole chapter lies: foremost and highest are an order within worldly speaking of the Dharma, not a ranking of high and low within the real meaning; and the worldly speaking is not false speech, because the work of delivering beings does indeed go on within the worldly. Two difficulties and two answers: the first answer establishes the name; the second answer establishes the division of the two truths—if one who reads this chapter confuses these two layers, he will be at odds with it at every point.

23. With what intent the Buddha says highest—because it takes all wholesome dharmas into sarvajñā and takes abiding as not abiding. Subhūti asks: 「佛以何意故說般若波羅蜜最上、最妙？」 tr. "With what intent does the Buddha say that prajñāpāramitā is highest and most wondrous?" The Buddha answers: 「是般若波羅蜜取一切善法到薩婆若中，住不住故。」 tr. "This prajñāpāramitā takes all wholesome dharmas into sarvajñā, and this is because it takes abiding as not abiding." Within the one sentence there are two meanings: first, 「取一切善法到薩婆若中」 tr. "takes all wholesome dharmas into sarvajñā"—that it can carry; second, 「住不住故」 tr. "because it takes abiding as not abiding"—that it can not cling. If it could only carry, and abode in the place it reached, it would still be a dharma of abiding; abiding and yet not abiding—only then is it highest. This sentence is the summation of the long passage below on 「不取不捨」 tr. "not taking and not giving up"—the highness of prajñā is high in not abiding.

24. Is there a dharma that can be taken or given up—all dharmas cannot be taken and cannot be given up. Subhūti at once presses on the Chinese character 「取」 tr. "take": 「般若波羅蜜有法可取、可捨不？」 tr. "Does prajñāpāramitā have any dharma that can be taken or can be given up?" The Buddha answers: 「不也！須菩提！般若波羅蜜無法可取、無法可捨。何以故？一切法不可取、不可捨故。」 tr. "No, Subhūti! Prajñāpāramitā has no dharma that can be taken and no dharma that can be given up. Why? Because all dharmas cannot be taken and cannot be given up." The sentence above has just said 「取一切善法」 tr. "takes all wholesome dharmas", and here it says there is no dharma that can be taken; the words seem to conflict, but the meaning does not: "taking" is gathering in and bringing there, not holding as one's own. The reason in the Buddha's answer is tied not to anything special about prajñā but to 「一切法」 tr. "all dharmas"—that they cannot be taken or given up is how dharmas are of themselves, not something peculiar to prajñā.

25. With regard to what dharmas does it neither take nor give up—form, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Question: 「般若波羅蜜於何等法不取不捨？」 tr. "With regard to what dharmas does prajñāpāramitā neither take nor give up?" Answer: 「般若波羅蜜於色不取不捨，於受想行識乃至阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不取不捨。」 tr. "Prajñāpāramitā neither takes nor gives up form; it neither takes nor gives up feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi." What is listed begins from the five aggregates and stops at anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—beginning from the coarsest and ending with the most honoured. If one neither took nor gave up form, yet took and gave up awakening, the meaning of neither taking nor giving up would not be thoroughgoing; the sūtra deliberately makes awakening the end precisely in order to draw the very last thing that could be taken into the line as well.

26. How does one not take form—not thinking is called not taking. Question: 「云何不取色，乃至不取阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？」 tr. "What is called not taking form, and so on up to not taking anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?" Answer: 「若菩薩不念色，乃至不念阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是名不取色，乃至不取阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」 tr. "If the bodhisattva does not think of form, and so on up to does not think of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, this is called not taking form, and so on up to not taking anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi." This answer lands 「不取」 tr. "not taking" on 「不念」 tr. "not thinking". Taking and giving up are advancing and retreating in matters; thinking is the mind's clutching at objects; if in matters one does not take, yet in the mind one still thinks of it, the grasping at marks is there as plain as ever. Explaining not taking by not thinking is drawing the work back from the object to the mind—this is the first turn in this passage's going deeper layer by layer.

27. Why roots of goodness increase instead when one does not think—at the time of not thinking one then obtains awakening. Subhūti raises the difficulty: 「若不念色，乃至不念阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，云何得增益善根？善根不增，云何具足諸波羅蜜？若不具足諸波羅蜜，云何得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？」 tr. "If one does not think of form, and so on up to does not think of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, how can one obtain the increase of roots of goodness? If roots of goodness do not increase, how can one fulfil the perfections? If one does not fulfil the perfections, how can one obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?" This difficulty goes along with ordinary feeling: not thinking, one does not cultivate; not cultivating, there are no roots of goodness. The Buddha's answer goes the opposite way: 「若菩薩不念色，乃至不念阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，是時善根增益」 tr. "If the bodhisattva does not think of form, and so on up to does not think of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, at this time roots of goodness increase"; because roots of goodness increase he fulfils the perfections, and because the perfections are fulfilled he obtains awakening; 「何以故？不念色乃至不念阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，便得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」 tr. "Why? Because at the time of not thinking of form, and so on up to not thinking of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, he then obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi." Not thinking is not not doing; it is doing without being bound; bound, there is a measure; not bound, it is then immeasurable—the increase of roots of goodness is an increase just here.

28. By what cause and condition one obtains it by not thinking—because of thinking one clings to the three realms. Question: 「何因緣故，色不念時，乃至阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不念時，便得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？」 tr. "By what cause and condition, at the time when form is not thought of, and so on up to at the time when anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is not thought of, does one then obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?" Answer: 「以念故著欲界、色界、無色界，不念故無所著。如是，須菩提！菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜，不應有所著。」 tr. "Because of thinking one clings to the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm; because of not thinking there is nothing one clings to. Thus, Subhūti! when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he should not cling to anything." The passage above speaks of the benefit of not thinking; this passage speaks of the harm of thinking, and points to the real place of that harm—clinging to the three realms. Thinking and clinging are two ends of one thing: the arising of a thought becomes the cause of bondage; so the concluding sentence does not say ‘he should not think of anything’ but 「不應有所著」 tr. "he should not cling to anything", which shows that what the Buddha means to cure lies in clinging, not in the name and mark of thinking.

29. Where should he abide—he does not abide in form, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds. Question: 「菩薩摩訶薩如是行般若波羅蜜，當住何處？」 tr. "When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā thus, where should he abide?" Answer: 「菩薩摩訶薩如是行，不住色，乃至不住一切種智。」 tr. "When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises thus, he does not abide in form, and so on up to does not abide in the omniscience of all kinds." A place is asked about, and the answer is no place. The text before went from not taking to not thinking, from not thinking to not clinging, and here it speaks of not abiding—the four Chinese characters rendered here as ‘taking, thinking, clinging, abiding’ tighten all the way: taking is a matter of the body and hands, thinking is a matter of the mind, clinging is a matter of feeling, abiding is a matter of where one settles one's body and life. The sentence about not abiding in the omniscience of all kinds is especially weighty: not even the ultimate dharma one seeks may be made a place to settle.

30. By what cause and condition one does not abide—not clinging, one does not abide; the three losings of grasping at marks. Question: 「何因緣故，色中不住，乃至一切種智中不住？」 tr. "By what cause and condition does he not abide in form, and so on up to not abide in the omniscience of all kinds?" Answer: 「不著故不住。何以故？是菩薩不見有法可著、可住。」 tr. "Because of not clinging he does not abide. Why? Because this bodhisattva does not see that there is any dharma that can be clung to or that can be abided in." After this the sūtra brings out three layers of losing through grasping at marks, the most admonishing passage of this unit. First: if he has this thought, 「若能如是行、如是修，是行般若波羅蜜；我今行般若波羅蜜、修般若波羅蜜」 tr. "if one can practise thus and cultivate thus, this is practising prajñāpāramitā; I now practise prajñāpāramitā and cultivate prajñāpāramitā", then 「若如是取相，則遠離般若波羅蜜」 tr. "if he grasps at marks in this way, he is far from prajñāpāramitā", and so on up to far from the omniscience of all kinds; and the reason is: 「般若波羅蜜無有著處、亦無著者，自性無故。」 tr. "In prajñāpāramitā there is no place that can be clung to and also no person who is able to cling, since its self-nature is non-existent." If again he grasps at marks in this way, 「則於般若波羅蜜退」 tr. "he falls back with regard to prajñāpāramitā"; to fall back from prajñā is to fall back from awakening, and 「不得受記」 tr. "he does not receive the prediction". Second: if he has this thought, 「住是般若波羅蜜，能生檀波羅蜜，乃至能生大悲」 tr. "abiding in this prajñāpāramitā, one can give rise to dānapāramitā, and so on up to can give rise to great compassion", then 「則為失般若波羅蜜」 tr. "he loses prajñāpāramitā"; losing it, he cannot give rise to dāna, and so on up to cannot give rise to great compassion. Third: if he has this thought, 「諸佛知諸法無受相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 tr. "the buddhas, because they knew that dharmas have no mark of receiving, obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi", and 「如是演說、開示、教詔，則失般若波羅蜜」 tr. "thus expounds, discloses, and instructs, he loses prajñāpāramitā"; why? 「佛於諸法無所知、無所得，亦無法可說，何況當有所得！無有是處！」 tr. "The Buddha, with regard to dharmas, has nothing he knows and nothing he attains, and also has no dharma that can be spoken; how much less should there be something to be attained! There is no such case!" The order of the three losings is very strict: the first losing lies in approving one's own practice, the second losing lies in approving one's own power to give rise, the third losing lies in speaking of even 「無受相」 tr. "no mark of receiving" as something the Buddha knew and passing it on to others. The further on, the finer—at the third layer even speaking the Dharma to benefit others becomes a place of losing, precisely because the content spoken is not itself mistaken; the mistake lies in handing on what is unfindable as though it were findable.

31. How to be without these faults—clinging even to being without anything existent is also losing. Subhūti asks: 「菩薩行般若波羅蜜，云何無是過失？」 tr. "When the bodhisattva practises prajñāpāramitā, how is he to be without such faults?" The Buddha answers: if he has this thought, 「諸法無所有、不可取；若法無所有、不可取，則無所得。若如是行，為行般若波羅蜜」 tr. "dharmas are without anything existent and cannot be taken; if a dharma is without anything existent and cannot be taken, then there is nothing to be attained. If one practises thus, this is practising prajñāpāramitā", this is the right practice; but at once he adds a sentence: 「若菩薩摩訶薩著無所有法，則遠離般若波羅蜜。何以故？般若波羅蜜中無有著法故。」 tr. "If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva clings to the dharma of being without anything existent, he is far from prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because within prajñāpāramitā there is no dharma that can be clung to." Rather than saying that this passage answers ‘how to be without faults’, one should say that it blocks the very last line of retreat: to know that dharmas are without anything existent is right view; to cling to this being without anything existent is still clinging. What the three losings of the preceding passage break is having something to be attained; what this passage breaks is the view of nothing to be attained—both sides are sent away, and only then does prajñā appear.

32. Is prajñā far from prajñā—not giving rise to "this is form, whose form". Subhūti turns the two Chinese characters 「遠離」 tr. "far from" of the text before into a counter-difficulty: 「般若波羅蜜遠離般若波羅蜜耶？檀波羅蜜遠離檀波羅蜜耶？乃至一切種智遠離一切種智耶？」 tr. "Is prajñāpāramitā far from prajñāpāramitā? Is dānapāramitā far from dānapāramitā? And so on up to: is the omniscience of all kinds far from the omniscience of all kinds?" If each is far from itself, how then does the bodhisattva obtain it? The Buddha answers: when the bodhisattva practises prajñā, 「不生色——是色、誰色；乃至一切種智不生——是一切種智、誰一切種智。如是菩薩能生般若波羅蜜乃至能生一切種智。」 tr. "he does not give rise to form—this is form, this is whose form; and so on up to he does not give rise to the omniscience of all kinds—this is the omniscience of all kinds, this is whose omniscience of all kinds. Such a bodhisattva is able to give rise to prajñāpāramitā, and so on up to able to give rise to the omniscience of all kinds." What is called being far from is not the separation of A from B; it is not raising the two kinds of discrimination, ‘this is such-and-such a dharma’ and ‘this is so-and-so's such-and-such a dharma’. When the two clingings, to the self-nature of a dharma and to whom a dharma belongs, both at one time do not arise, prajñā then arises—「不生」 tr. "does not give rise to" and 「能生」 tr. "is able to give rise to" standing side by side within one sentence is precisely the eye of this passage.

33. Not contemplating permanent and impermanent and the rest—self-nature cannot give rise to self-nature; the four kinds of troops following, and the skilled driver of a chariot of four horses. 「復次，須菩提！菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜時，不觀色若常若無常、若苦若樂、若我若非我、若空若不空、若離若非離。何以故？自性不能生自性。」 tr. "Again, Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he does not contemplate form as permanent or impermanent, as suffering or pleasure, as self or non-self, as empty or not empty, as separated or not separated. Why? Because self-nature cannot give rise to self-nature." Five pairs of mutually dependent views, with even ‘empty and not empty’ and ‘separated and not separated’ among what is not contemplated—from which one can see that what is sent away is not only worldly views: every view that forms a pair is within it. The reason is only one sentence, 「自性不能生自性」 tr. "self-nature cannot give rise to self-nature": if a dharma had self-nature, it would complete itself without waiting for contemplation, nor would it differ because of contemplation. After this two similes gather it up: 「譬如轉輪聖王有所至處，四種兵皆隨從」 tr. "It is as, wherever a wheel-turning sage king goes, the four kinds of troops all follow along"; wherever prajñā goes, the five perfections follow along and arrive to abide within sarvajñā; 「譬如善御駕駟，不失平道，隨意所至」 tr. "It is as a person skilled at driving, driving a chariot of four horses, does not lose the level road and goes wherever his mind intends"; prajñā drives the five perfections without losing the right path, and reaches sarvajñā. After the nine similes, two more similes are brought out, echoing the earlier ones yet with a slightly different meaning—the earlier similes mostly make clear the honour of prajñā; these two similes make clear that the use of prajñā lies in not losing the path.

34. The path and what is not the path—the path of the omniscience of all kinds is the bodhisattva path. Subhūti asks: 「何等是菩薩摩訶薩道？何等是非道？」 tr. "What is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's path? What is not the path?" The Buddha answers: 「聲聞道非菩薩道，辟支佛道非菩薩道；一切種智道是菩薩摩訶薩道。」 tr. "The śrāvaka path is not the bodhisattva path; the pratyekabuddha path is not the bodhisattva path; the path of the omniscience of all kinds is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's path." The words judging the path are extremely brief, and what is sifted out is not evil dharmas but the paths of the two vehicles. The two vehicles are not wrong, yet for the bodhisattva they are not the path—right and wrong in paths are not divided by good and evil; they are divided by where one tends. The passage on śīla before said that craving and clinging to the ground of the two vehicles is breaking the precepts; here it says that the path of the two vehicles is not the path; the two places have one and the same intent.

35. It arises for the sake of a great matter—prajñā is the guide of the bodhisattvas. Subhūti, taking this up, exclaims: 「諸菩薩摩訶薩般若波羅蜜為大事故起，所謂示是道、是非道。」 tr. "The prajñāpāramitā of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas arises for the sake of a great matter—namely, to show that this is the path and this is not the path." The Buddha approves it and extends it: prajñā 「為度無量眾生故起，為利益阿僧祇眾生故起」 tr. "arises for the sake of delivering immeasurable beings, arises for the sake of benefiting asaṃkhyeya beings"; though it brings about this benefit, 「亦不受色，亦不受受、想、行、識；亦不受聲聞、辟支佛地」 tr. "it also does not receive form, nor receive feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness; nor does it receive the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha". He says further that prajñā 「是諸菩薩摩訶薩導，示阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，能令離聲聞、辟支佛地，住薩婆若」 tr. "is the guide of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas; it shows them anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and is able to make them leave the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha and abide in sarvajñā", and that 「般若波羅蜜無所生、無所滅，諸法常住故」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā has nothing arising and nothing ceasing, because dharmas constantly abide". Bringing about great benefit and yet not receiving a single dharma is the crux of this passage; the last sentence, 「諸法常住」 tr. "dharmas constantly abide", above all deserves attention—without arising and without ceasing is not annihilation; it is constant abiding.

36. Without arising and without ceasing, how does one practise the six perfections—keeping sarvajñā in mind, he gives, keeps the precepts, is patient, is vigorous, concentrates, and is wise. Subhūti at once raises the difficulty: 「若般若波羅蜜無所生、無所滅，云何菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜時應布施？」 tr. "If prajñāpāramitā has nothing arising and nothing ceasing, when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, how should he give?"—and so on up to: how should he cultivate wisdom? The Buddha's way of answering is extremely plain: 「菩薩摩訶薩念薩婆若應布施，念薩婆若應持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧。」 tr. "Keeping sarvajñā in mind, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva should give; keeping sarvajñā in mind, he should uphold the precepts, and practise patience, vigour, meditative concentration, and wisdom." The practice of the six perfections is not abandoned; only, what is kept in mind is sarvajñā. Again, with the merit he 「與眾生共之」 tr. "shares it in common with beings" and 「迴向阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 tr. "dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi"—if he dedicates in this way, he fulfils the cultivation of the six perfections, and so on up to the mind of kindness and compassion and the other merits. At the end comes the concluding exhortation: not far from the six perfections, he is not far from sarvajñā; one who wishes to obtain awakening 「應學應行六波羅蜜」 tr. "should train in and should practise the six perfections". The passage before had just said without arising and without ceasing, and this passage then says he should give, should keep the precepts—the gate of practice within non-arising falls on one 「念薩婆若」 tr. "keeping sarvajñā in mind" and one 「迴向」 tr. "dedication".

37. How does one train in and practise the six perfections—neither joined nor dispersed, nowhere to abide, and the simile of the āmra fruit. Subhūti asks about the way of training in and practising, and the Buddha gives three answers: first, to contemplate 「色不合不散，受、想、行、識不合不散，乃至一切種智不合不散」 tr. "form is neither joined nor dispersed; feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness are neither joined nor dispersed; and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is neither joined nor dispersed"; second, to have the thought 「我當不住色中」 tr. "I shall not abide in form", and so on up to not abiding in the omniscience of all kinds, 「何以故？是色無所住，乃至薩婆若無所住」 tr. "Why? Because this form has nowhere to abide, and so on up to sarvajñā has nowhere to abide"; third, he gives a long simile—「譬如士夫欲食菴羅果、若波羅那婆果，當種其子，隨時溉灌、守護，漸漸生長，時節和合，便有果實得而食之」 tr. "It is as when a man wishes to eat the āmra fruit or the boluonapo fruit: he should plant its seed, water it and guard it at the proper times, and it grows little by little; when the times and seasons come together, there is fruit to be had and eaten"; the bodhisattva wishing to obtain awakening is likewise: he should train in the six perfections, 「以布施攝取眾生，持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧攝取眾生，度眾生生死」 tr. "gathering in beings by giving, gathering in beings by upholding the precepts, patience, vigour, meditative concentration, and wisdom, and delivering beings from birth and death". At the end he further lists the things wished for, to exhort training in prajñā: 「欲不隨他人語」 tr. "wishing not to be turned by the words of others", 「欲淨佛國土、成就眾生，欲坐道場，欲轉法輪」 tr. "wishing to purify buddha-lands and bring beings to accomplishment, wishing to sit at the seat of awakening, wishing to turn the wheel of the Dharma". The first two answers are the gate of contemplation; the third simile is the gate of practice; between the seed and the fruit lie the watering and guarding and the coming together of the times and seasons, and this simile says to the full at the same time the two matters of 「無所住」 tr. "nowhere to abide" and ‘needing to be nurtured and grown’—not abiding is not not planting.

38. Should one train thus—obtaining mastery, the simile of the great sea, the simile of the archer. Subhūti asks: 「應如是學般若波羅蜜耶？」 tr. "Should one train in prajñāpāramitā thus?" The Buddha answers 「菩薩應如是學」 tr. "the bodhisattva should train thus", and sets out three meanings together: first, 「欲於諸法得自在，當學般若波羅蜜」 tr. "wishing to obtain mastery over dharmas, he should train in prajñāpāramitā", because by training in prajñā one obtains mastery within all dharmas; second, prajñā 「於一切諸法中最大」 tr. "is the greatest among all dharmas", as the great sea is the greatest among the myriad rivers, so those who seek the paths of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha and the paths of the bodhisattvas should all train in prajñā, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds; third, 「譬如射師，執如意弓箭，不畏怨敵」 tr. "It is as an archer, holding a bow and arrows that are as he wishes, does not fear hostile enemies"; when the bodhisattva practises prajñā, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds, 「魔、若魔天所不能壞」 tr. "Māra, or the gods of Māra, cannot ruin him". The three meanings each have their own bearing: mastery is said with regard to oneself, the greatest is said with regard to the Dharma, not fearing hostile enemies is said with regard to hindrances. And the second meaning expressly allows that practitioners of the two vehicles too should train in prajñā; read together with passage 34's ‘the two vehicles are not the bodhisattva path’, it rightly shows that judging the path and exhorting training are two matters—the path is judged by where one tends, training is spoken of in terms of what one draws on. The last sentence, 「是行般若波羅蜜菩薩，為十方諸佛所念」 tr. "the bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā thus is kept in mind by the buddhas of the ten directions", leads into the next passage.

39. How do the buddhas keep him in mind—they keep him in mind by way of unfindability. Subhūti asks: 「云何十方諸佛念是菩薩摩訶薩？」 tr. "How do the buddhas of the ten directions keep this bodhisattva-mahāsattva in mind?" The Buddha answers: when the bodhisattva practises the six perfections, 「十方諸佛皆念」 tr. "the buddhas of the ten directions all keep him in mind"; and what is called keeping in mind is: 「布施不可得，持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧不可得，乃至一切種智不可得。菩薩能如是不得諸法故，諸佛念是菩薩摩訶薩」 tr. "Giving is unfindable; upholding the precepts, patience, vigour, meditative concentration, and wisdom are unfindable; and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is unfindable. Because the bodhisattva is able in this way not to find dharmas, the buddhas keep this bodhisattva-mahāsattva in mind". Again he says: 「諸佛不以色故念，不以受、想、行、識故念，乃至不以一切種智故念。」 tr. "The buddhas do not keep him in mind by reason of form, do not keep him in mind by reason of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, and so on up to do not keep him in mind by reason of the omniscience of all kinds." What is asked is how the buddhas keep him in mind, and what is answered is how the bodhisattva does not find—what the buddhas keep in mind is his having nothing to be attained, and nothing more. This passage turns ‘being kept in mind by the buddhas’, a matter that most easily breeds self-comforting thoughts, into a place where there is nothing to comfort oneself with: what is kept in mind is precisely your having nothing to be attained.

40. Much that is trained in, and in reality nothing trained in. Subhūti says: 「菩薩摩訶薩多有所學，實無所學。」 tr. "The bodhisattva-mahāsattva has much that he trains in, and in reality nothing that he trains in." The Buddha approves it: 「如是！如是！須菩提！菩薩多有所學，實無所學。何以故？是菩薩所學諸法皆不可得。」 tr. "Just so! Just so! Subhūti! The bodhisattva has much that he trains in, and in reality nothing that he trains in. Why? Because the dharmas this bodhisattva trains in are all unfindable." This saying comes on from the 「不可得」 tr. "unfindable" of the passage above, and gathers it up with the Chinese character rendered here as ‘train’. Having much that he trains in is the reality of the appearances of things—the six perfections, the omniscience of all kinds, each and every one must be trained in; in reality nothing trained in is the reality of the nature of dharmas—the dharmas trained in are all unfindable. The two sentences do not obstruct one another, just as in the text before, practising and not clinging, abiding and not abiding.

41. Training in the six perfections briefly and extensively, one then knows the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas. Subhūti says to the Buddha that the dharma the Buddha speaks is 「若略、若廣」 tr. "sometimes brief, sometimes extensive", and that the bodhisattvas who wish to seek awakening, whether the six perfections be brief or extensive, 「應當受持、親近、讀、誦；讀誦已，思惟、正觀，心、心數法不行故」 tr. "should receive and uphold them, draw near to them, read them, and recite them; having read and recited them, they should reflect on them and rightly contemplate them, because mind and mental-factor dharmas do not move". The Buddha approves and extends it: 「菩薩摩訶薩略、廣學六波羅蜜，當知一切法略廣相。」 tr. "When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains in the six perfections briefly and extensively, he will know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas." Here the great section of the last stretch opens. What Subhūti asked about was at first the brief and extensive of the six perfections; the Buddha's answer extends the scope to 「一切法」 tr. "all dharmas"—training in the brief and extensive of the six perfections is the place to set one's hand; knowing the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas is the place one arrives at. And the phrase in Subhūti's words, 「心、心數法不行」 tr. "mind and mental-factor dharmas do not move", has already pointed out beforehand that the utmost rule of reading, reciting, and reflecting does not lie in hearing much.

42. How does one know the brief and extensive marks—knowing the mark of suchness. Question: 「云何菩薩摩訶薩知一切法略廣相？」 tr. "How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas?" Answer: 「知色如相，知受、想、行、識乃至知一切種智如相，如是能知一切法略廣相。」 tr. "He knows the mark of suchness of form; he knows the mark of suchness of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, and so on up to knows the mark of suchness of the omniscience of all kinds; thus he is able to know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas." The first gate is called the mark of suchness. Brief and extensive are the briefness and extensiveness of speaking the Dharma; yet knowing the marks of its briefness and extensiveness is not known from how much or how little the Dharma is spoken; it is known from the suchness of dharmas. This answer settles the common pattern of the four gates below: each gate is a place of entry, not a kind of classification.

43. What is the mark of suchness—without arising, without ceasing, without abiding-and-changing; the turn into the limit of reality. Question: 「云何色如相？云何受想行識乃至一切種智如相？」 tr. "What is the mark of suchness of form? What is the mark of suchness of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds?" Answer: 「色如相，無生、無滅、無住異，是名色如相；乃至一切種智如相，無生、無滅、無住異，是名一切種智如相。是中菩薩摩訶薩應學。」 tr. "The mark of suchness of form is without arising, without ceasing, without abiding-and-changing; this is called the mark of suchness of form; and so on up to the mark of suchness of the omniscience of all kinds is without arising, without ceasing, without abiding-and-changing; this is called the mark of suchness of the omniscience of all kinds. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva should train within this." The gloss on the mark of suchness is only three things—without arising, without ceasing, without abiding-and-changing: arising and ceasing, and abiding-and-changing, are all sent away together. Having glossed the mark of suchness, the sūtra at once goes on to say 「菩薩摩訶薩知諸法實際時，知一切法略廣相」 tr. "when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva knows the limit of reality in all dharmas, he knows the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas", turning into the second gate. Between the four gates no words of division are set up; it turns directly with a single sentence, from which one can see that the four are not four kinds of dharma but four names for one matter.

44. What is the limit of reality—being without limit is called the limit of reality; the turn into the nature of dharmas. Question: 「何等是諸法實際？」 tr. "What is the limit of reality in all dharmas?" Answer: 「無際是名實際。菩薩學是際，知一切諸法略廣相。」 tr. "Being without limit is called the limit of reality. When the bodhisattva trains in this limit, he knows the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas." To gloss the limit of reality by being without limit is negating rather than asserting: the limit of reality is not some ultimate boundary that can be reached; precisely because it is without limit it is called the limit of reality. Having answered, it again turns at once: 「若菩薩摩訶薩知諸法法性，是菩薩能知一切法略廣相」 tr. "If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva knows the nature of dharmas in all dharmas, this bodhisattva is able to know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas", leading into the third gate.

45. What is the nature of dharmas—the nature of form is called the nature of dharmas, without parts and without non-parts. Question: 「何等是諸法法性？」 tr. "What is the nature of dharmas in all dharmas?" Answer: 「色性是名法性，是性無分、無非分。須菩提！菩薩摩訶薩知法性故，知一切法略廣相。」 tr. "The nature of form is called the nature of dharmas; this nature is without parts and without non-parts. Subhūti! Because the bodhisattva-mahāsattva knows the nature of dharmas, he knows the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas." No separate nature of dharmas is set up outside form; the very nature of form is the nature of dharmas—this is where the third gate sets its hand. And the phrase 「無分、無非分」 tr. "without parts and without non-parts" sends away both sides together: it cannot be divided, nor can it be said that it cannot be divided. The preceding gate negates the limit of reality by being without limit; this gate negates the nature of dharmas by being without parts and without non-parts; the way of negating is consistent throughout.

46. Further, how does one know the brief and extensive marks—knowing that all dharmas are neither joined nor dispersed. Subhūti asks further: 「復云何應知一切法略廣相？」 tr. "Further, how is one to know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas?" The Buddha answers: 「若菩薩摩訶薩知一切法不合不散。」 tr. "If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva knows that all dharmas are neither joined nor dispersed." The fourth gate is called neither joined nor dispersed. These words have already appeared before, in passage 37 at the place of training in and practising the six perfections; there it was the gate of practice, here it is the gate of knowing; the same words used twice within one unit shows that 「不合不散」 tr. "neither joined nor dispersed" is a key phrase running through this chapter.

47. What dharmas are neither joined nor dispersed—the conditioned and the unconditioned are all so; because they are without self-nature. Question: 「何等法不合不散？」 tr. "What dharmas are neither joined nor dispersed?" Answer: 「色不合不散，受、想、行、識不合不散，乃至一切種智不合不散。有為性、無為性不合不散。何以故？是諸法自性無，云何有合有散？若法自性無，是為非法，非法不合不散。」 tr. "Form is neither joined nor dispersed; feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness are neither joined nor dispersed; and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is neither joined nor dispersed. The conditioned nature and the unconditioned nature are neither joined nor dispersed. Why? Because these dharmas are without self-nature—where would there be joining, where dispersing? If a dharma is without self-nature, this is not a dharma; what is not a dharma is neither joined nor dispersed." What is listed runs from the five aggregates to the omniscience of all kinds, with the further addition of the pair 「有為性、無為性」 tr. "the conditioned nature and the unconditioned nature", and so gathers in all dharmas without remainder. The reason why is likewise only one sentence: because they are without self-nature. Joining and dispersing are matters that exist by two dharmas depending on each other; since self-nature is non-existent, the matter of mutual dependence is non-existent too; the last sentence, 「非法不合不散」 tr. "what is not a dharma is neither joined nor dispersed", goes one layer further—even of 「非法」 tr. "what is not a dharma" it cannot be said that it joins or disperses. With this the four gates have been fully spoken.

48. This is called the brief gathering of prajñā—from the first arousing of intent to the ten grounds, all should train in it. Subhūti concludes it, saying: 「世尊！是名菩薩摩訶薩略攝般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "World-Honored One! This is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's brief gathering of prajñāpāramitā." And he says: 「是略攝般若波羅蜜中，初發意菩薩摩訶薩應學，乃至十地菩薩摩訶薩亦應學。是菩薩摩訶薩學是略攝般若波羅蜜，則知一切法略廣相。」 tr. "Within this brief gathering of prajñāpāramitā, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who has first aroused intent should train, and so on up to the bodhisattva-mahāsattva of the ten grounds should also train. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva, training in this brief gathering of prajñāpāramitā, knows the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas." The whole unit closes with these sentences. What is called the brief gathering is said precisely over against the 「若略、若廣」 tr. "sometimes brief, sometimes extensive" of the text before: the four gates of suchness, the limit of reality, the nature of dharmas, and neither joined nor dispersed are precisely the brief of prajñā. And this brief is not shallow—the one who has first aroused intent trains in it, the one of the ten grounds also trains in it; the positions are high and low, yet what is trained in is not two. The whole Larger Sūtra speaks at length without measure, and yet it can be abridged to four gates, can be abridged to a single sentence; the one training below is not left with nowhere to set his hand because of its briefness, and the one in a high position does not seek something else because of its briefness—here one meaning of the name 「大方便」 tr. "the great skilful means" is seen.

Do Not Misread

Do not read 「方便」 tr. "skilful means" as an expedient device. The three questions and three answers at the opening of this chapter speak of where the power of skilful means comes from—immeasurable koṭi of asaṃkhyeya kalpas, buddhas as many as the sands of the Ganges, in the six perfections 「無不具足」 tr. "nothing that is not fulfilled". The power of skilful means is capital accumulated over long kalpas, not adaptability in the face of events; reading it as a deft knack of handling, one will go to learn its use and be unwilling to lay down its cause—which is exactly the illusion the sūtra's three questions mean to guard against.

Do not read the nine similes as cutting prajñā and the five perfections into two sections. The illumination of the sun and moon, the guiding of the wheel-jewel, the protection of the husband, the general who cannot be ruined—all the similes take prajñā as the master, and are easily read as prajñā above and the five perfections below. Yet the sūtra says right after that prajñā 「亦不分別」 tr. "also does not make the discrimination" that dāna and the rest follow it, and that dāna and the rest 「亦不分別」 tr. "also do not make the discrimination" that they follow prajñā, and returns to 「諸波羅蜜性無所能作、自性空、虛誑、如野馬」 tr. "the nature of the perfections has nothing it is able to do; their self-nature is empty, is false and deceptive, like a mirage". The similes are for making the relation clear; once it is clear they must be put down; taking the similes as real, guiding and following both become two things depending on each other, which is falling right into what the sūtra sends away.

Do not read 「自性空」 tr. "empty of self-nature" as meaning there is no need to practise the six perfections. This is exactly how Subhūti asked, and what the Buddha answered is the bodhisattva's thought: 「是世間心皆顛倒，我若不行方便力，不能度脫眾生生死。」 tr. "The minds of this world are all inverted; if I do not practise the power of skilful means, I cannot deliver beings from birth and death." Emptiness of self-nature is said of the reality of dharmas; the inversion of beings is said of the reality of events; the two do not cancel each other. Below, the six perfections are fulfilled one by one, and each perfection is tied to the four Chinese characters 「為眾生故」 tr. "for the sake of beings"—the clearer the meaning of emptiness, the closer the gate of practice; only this is what this chapter calls the great skilful means.

Do not read 「第一、最上、微妙」 tr. "foremost, highest, and wondrous" as a ranking of high and low within the real meaning. Subhūti presses twice, and the second time the Buddha explains plainly: 「雖實義中無有分別，但以世俗法故說」 tr. "Though within the real meaning there is no discrimination, yet by reason of worldly dharmas one speaks of" the names of the six perfections. Calling prajñā foremost is an order within worldly speaking of the Dharma; if one holds that within the real meaning prajñā is truly higher than the five perfections, then the earlier words 「諸波羅蜜無差別」 tr. "the perfections are without difference" and 「無自性故」 tr. "because they are without self-nature" have nothing to rest on. Conversely, if because the real meaning is without discrimination one makes light of worldly speaking, then the work of delivering beings has nowhere to be set up—the two layers must be kept apart, and must also be brought together.

Do not read 「不念」 tr. "not thinking" and 「不住」 tr. "not abiding" as not cultivating and not training. The sūtra says plainly that at the time of not thinking roots of goodness increase instead and the perfections are fulfilled instead; it also says that in training in and practising the six perfections one should use 「無所住法」 tr. "the dharma of nowhere to abide", and at once takes the seed of the āmra fruit as a simile—one should plant its seed, water it and guard it at the proper times, and only when the times and seasons come together is there fruit. Not abiding is not not planting; not thinking is not not doing; what is sent away is being bound and clinging, not the gate of practice. If one abandons the six perfections on the ground of not abiding, one runs directly counter to the concluding exhortation of the earlier passage, 「應學應行六波羅蜜」 tr. "should train in and should practise the six perfections".

Do not read the three layers of losing through grasping at marks as forbidding the speaking of the Dharma. The third losing says that if the bodhisattva thinks 「諸佛知諸法無受相故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 tr. "the buddhas, because they knew that dharmas have no mark of receiving, obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi" and 「如是演說、開示、教詔，則失般若波羅蜜」 tr. "thus expounds, discloses, and instructs, he loses prajñāpāramitā"; what is lost does not lie in the one matter of speaking the Dharma; it lies in handing on ‘what the Buddha knew’ as a thing that can be attained; the sūtra at once explains itself: 「佛於諸法無所知、無所得，亦無法可說，何況當有所得！無有是處！」 tr. "The Buddha, with regard to dharmas, has nothing he knows and nothing he attains, and also has no dharma that can be spoken; how much less should there be something to be attained! There is no such case!" The same passage also says 「著無所有法，則遠離般若波羅蜜」 tr. "clings to the dharma of being without anything existent, he is far from prajñāpāramitā"—from which one can see that both sides are sent away. If one reads it as silence being highest, that instead becomes a clinging of the second layer.

Bearing on Practice

Use the three questions and three answers to check where one's own effort lies. When one feels that others' practice has strength and one's own is stuck, there is no need first to envy their skill; first measure oneself by the sūtra's three questions: the length of the kalpas is not something I can reckon; the breadth of meeting buddhas and receiving teaching—how much of my mind have I put into it; among the six perfections, how many of mine are 「無不具足」 tr. "nothing that is not fulfilled". Since the power of skilful means is formed by accumulation, what is lacking one simply makes up; here there is no shortcut to be sought, and no need to be disheartened either.

Use the four Chinese characters 「為眾生故」 tr. "for the sake of beings" to settle why one practises the six perfections. In the sūtra the six perfections are fulfilled one by one, and the reason is uniformly tied to "for the sake of beings": giving up while knowing that I give up nothing; guarding the precepts and not craving the two vehicles; not hating and keeping in mind that one ought to benefit beings; not slackening and not being disordered, with awakening as the term; never departing from wisdom and knowing that apart from wisdom there is no dharma for delivering beings. When the practice of the six perfections feels dry or forced, one can come back to these four Chinese characters and check: is one practising for the sake of beings, or for the sake of the appearance of one's own practice?

Use the four Chinese characters rendered here as ‘taking, thinking, clinging, abiding’ as a graded self-examination. The sūtra goes from not taking and not giving up to not thinking, from not thinking to not clinging, from not clinging to not abiding. In daily life one can look along these four layers, ever more finely: in matters, have I already stopped taking and giving up? In the mind, am I still thinking of it? Within the thinking, is there still a feeling of liking and disliking? In feeling, am I still taking some place as where to settle body and life? The further on, the finer, and the last layer does not allow abiding even in the omniscience of all kinds—this very sentence guards against the practitioner making the highest dharma into a new home.

Use the three layers of losing through grasping at marks to guard against ‘self-approval after putting in effort’. The first losing is thinking of oneself 「我今行般若波羅蜜」 tr. "I now practise prajñāpāramitā"; the second losing is thinking of oneself ‘abiding in this prajñā, one can give rise to dānapāramitā’, and so on up to great compassion; the third losing is speaking of what is unfindable as findable and passing it on to others. All three arise only after effort has been put in and something gained, so one must be especially watchful: as soon as there is a little accord, the thought ‘I am cultivating’ arises; as soon as there is a little benefit, the reckoning ‘this dharma can give rise to that virtue’ arises; as soon as one can speak a little, the idea ‘what I hand on is what the Buddha knew’ arises. The sūtra does not forbid the practice, the giving rise, or the speaking; it only blocks that one thought of grasping at marks.

Use the four gates as places of entry for reading the sūtra and contemplating the mind. The mark of suchness, the limit of reality, the nature of dharmas, neither joined nor dispersed—the four are four names for one matter, and one can take any one of them as is convenient and use it: when objects are in confusion, contemplate that they are without arising, without ceasing, without abiding-and-changing; when seeking the ultimate and finding nowhere to come home to, reflect that being without limit is called the limit of reality; when looking among the myriad dharmas for a real substance, know that the nature of form is itself the nature of dharmas, without parts and without non-parts; when seeing dharmas gather and disperse, arise and cease, and the mind rising and falling with them, reflect: because they are without self-nature, where would there be joining, where dispersing? Raise any one of the four gates, and it opens onto the brief and extensive marks.

Use ‘the one who has first aroused intent should train in it, and so on up to the one of the ten grounds should also train in it’ to settle one's own position. The brief gathering of prajñā does not have a separate shallow dharma because one is a beginner, nor a separate deep dharma because one has cultivated long. The one who has first aroused intent need not doubt, because of its briefness, that it is enough to settle the great matter; the one of the ten grounds does not seek another dharma because he has been at it long—what is trained in is not two; the positions have their own ripening, and do not wait for the dharma trained in to be changed.

Further Resonances

The unit of the First Part is a single stretch of sūtra text only, and yet it has already set up the skeleton of this chapter. The three questions and three answers set up where the power of skilful means comes from; the nine similes set up the relation of prajñā to the five perfections; one difficulty and one answer set up the reason why the six perfections are not abandoned within emptiness of self-nature; two difficulties and two answers set up the measure of the division between the two layers of the real meaning and the worldly; after that, from not taking and not giving up, to not thinking, to not clinging, to not abiding, it peels off layer by layer, inserting in the middle the three layers of losing through grasping at marks and the losing of 「著無所有」 tr. "clinging to being without anything existent", sending both sides away; at the end it turns to the brief and extensive marks, opens the four gates of the mark of suchness, the limit of reality, the nature of dharmas, and neither joined nor dispersed, and closes with Subhūti's words 「是名菩薩摩訶薩略攝般若波羅蜜」 tr. "this is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's brief gathering of prajñāpāramitā", making clear as well that from the first arousing of intent to the ten grounds all train in this brief gathering.

Within the one unit, the sūtra itself has already spoken the meaning of 「大方便」 tr. "the great skilful means" from two sides: on one side, for the sake of beings the six perfections are not abandoned; on the other side, the six perfections are practised without grasping a single mark. As for how the treatise-author explains this stretch—why the three questions are in this order, why one who has long aroused the mind and does not plant roots of goodness is so, where the meaning of rarity lies, what each of the nine similes bears on, and so on up to the reason for not taking and not giving up and the four gates of the brief and extensive—all this belongs to what the unit of the Middle Part carries, and is not anticipated here. And from the 「之餘」 tr. "continued" title of fascicle eighty-three onward, the sūtra further brings out the various skills of the path of skilful means and the meaning of the bodhisattva not realising the limit of reality, which the treatise-author explains in turn; this is the unit of the Last Part. This chapter spans two fascicles and makes three units: what the First Part sets up is the outline, what the Middle Part sets out is the meaning, what the Last Part continues is the use; the reader should follow them down in order.

Of the explanations of the ancient masters, what can be recorded for this unit is one school, Huiying's Commentary. Huiying marks the order of this chapter, saying: 「第六十八品者，名為方便品，即是方便門中第三品也」 tr. "The sixty-eighth chapter is named the chapter ‘Skilful Means’; it is the third chapter within the gate of skilful means"—his chapter number is one step lower than the present text's, and the phrase 「方便門中第三品」 tr. "the third chapter within the gate of skilful means" shows the category to which he judges this chapter to belong. Explaining why this chapter is set up after the preceding chapter, he says: 「所以次六度相攝品後明此品者，上明菩薩於一度中而能具足諸波羅蜜，今明所以然者，由菩薩善巧方便故，所以如此，故次六度相攝品後明方便品。」 tr. "The reason this chapter is made clear after the chapter ‘The Six Perfections Contain One Another’ is that above it was made clear that the bodhisattva, within one perfection, is able to fulfil all the perfections; now it is made clear why this is so: it is because of the bodhisattva's skilful means that it is so; therefore after the chapter ‘The Six Perfections Contain One Another’ the chapter ‘Skilful Means’ is made clear." This corresponds exactly to the question at the opening of this unit: since the preceding chapter made clear that all the perfections are fulfilled within one perfection, this chapter then makes clear that the reason why lies in skilful means.

Huiying further sets up a four-part division for this chapter. Of its first part he says: 「就此品中大有四分：第一就人辨方便，是故善吉問成就久近、供養佛多少、發心時節，菩薩即是方便之人，波若即是方便之法。」 tr. "Within this chapter there are broadly four parts. The first distinguishes skilful means with regard to the person; therefore Good Auspice asks how long ago it was accomplished, how many buddhas were given offerings, and at what time the mind was aroused; the bodhisattva is precisely the person of skilful means, prajñā is precisely the dharma of skilful means." What it corresponds to is the three questions and three answers of passages 1 to 3 of this unit's Passage by Passage. Of its second part he says: 「第二從譬如日月周行照四天下，明波若方便導成眾行。」 tr. "The second, from ‘it is as the sun and moon go round, illuminating the four continents’, makes clear that prajñā and skilful means guide the many practices to completion." What it corresponds to is the bundle of similes from passage 5 to passage 13. Of its third part he says: 「第三明脩因得果，名為因果方便。」 tr. "The third makes clear cultivating the cause and obtaining the fruit; it is called the skilful means of cause and fruit." What it corresponds to is the six perfections within emptiness of self-nature, from passage 14 onward. Of its fourth part he says: 「第四明菩薩善學波若雙照二諦，名為照達方便。有此四意。」 tr. "The fourth makes clear that the bodhisattva trains well in prajñā and illuminates both of the two truths; it is called the skilful means of illuminating penetration. There are these four intents." What it corresponds to is the text from passage 40, much that is trained in and in reality nothing trained in, onward, through to the brief and extensive marks. The headings of the four parts broadly correspond to the order of this unit, yet where the boundaries fall the two each speak in their own terms; both are recorded side by side without judgement.

In his passage-by-passage explanation, Huiying says of the simile of the sun and moon: 「明譬如日月周行陰陽、周行四域，多有所益。波若、方便二法亦爾。其猶日月，葢眾行也。」 tr. "It makes clear that, as the sun and moon go round through yin and yang, go round the four regions, and greatly benefit them, so the two dharmas of prajñā and skilful means are likewise. They are like the sun and moon, covering the many practices." This corresponds to passage 5. Of the simile of the wheel-jewel he says: 「若無輪寶者，但名似轉輪王，唯王一天下也。」 tr. "If he has no wheel-jewel, he is only called one resembling a wheel-turning king, ruling only one continent." This corresponds to passage 6, making clear precisely that without prajñā the five perfections do not obtain the name of pāramitā. Of the brief and extensive marks he says: 「略相即是總相，廣相即是別相，大小兩乘盡有此總別二相也」 tr. "The brief mark is precisely the general mark; the extensive mark is precisely the specific mark; the two vehicles, great and small, both have these two marks, the general and the specific", which corresponds to the four gates of passages 41 to 47. And the last words of his extant commentary are 「云何菩薩摩訶薩知一切法略廣相已下，欲廣明之，故設此問也。」 tr. "From ‘how does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva know the brief and extensive marks of all dharmas’ onward: wishing to make it clear at length, he therefore sets out this question." What it quotes is exactly the question of passage 42—the point of breaking off falls precisely within this unit, and nothing below it survives; this belongs to where the extant text stops, and is not Huiying leaving it unexplained.