大智度論 白話全本 · 冊9Dazhidulun — Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa · Complete Vernacular · Vol. 9

This fascicle is titled Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, Commentary on Chapter Sixty-One, "Not Realising It in a Dream" (Fascicle Seventy-Six).

Sūtra ①: The Marks of Not Craving the Two Vehicles or the Three Realms Even in a Dream and Also Not Realising Them; the Difference between the Oath of Utmost Sincerity and the Empty Oath; Four Kinds of Subtle Deeds of Māra; One Should Draw Near to the Good Friend—Persons and Dharmas Alike Are Called the Good Friend; the Six Perfections Are the World-Honored One, Are the Path, Are Father and Mother

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva even in a dream does not crave the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground, nor craves the three realms, and contemplates all dharmas as like a dream, like an illusion, like an echo, like a mirage, like a transformation, and also does not realise them—Subhūti! Know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva in a dream sees the Buddha together with countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭi of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, gods, nāgas, ghosts and spirits, kiṃnaras, and others, expounding the Dharma; hearing the Dharma from the Buddha, he at once understands its meaning and practises in accordance with the Dharma. Subhūti! Know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva in a dream sees the Buddha's thirty-two marks, eighty minor marks, and great light, leaping up into space and expounding the Dharma in the midst of the great assembly of bhikṣus; manifesting great supernormal power, he conjures conjured persons who go to other lands to do the work of a Buddha. Subhūti! Know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva in a dream sees armies rising in disorder, or villages broken, or cities broken, or sees a time when fire breaks out, or sees tigers, wolves, lions, and other fierce and evil beasts that harm people, or sees someone about to come and cut off his head, or sees his father and mother perish, and his brothers, sisters, and all his relatives, friends, and acquaintances die—seeing all such kinds of grievous and painful things, he is not startled, not terrified, nor grieved and vexed; on waking from the dream, he at once reflects thus: ‘The three realms are false; all are but like a dream! When I obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi (unsurpassed, right, and complete awakening), I too shall teach beings that the three realms are like a dream.’ Subhūti! Know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! How can one know that when this avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, there will be no three evil destinies in his land? Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva in a dream sees the hells, the animals, the hungry ghosts, he has this thought: ‘I shall strive with vigour, so that when I obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, there will be none of the three evil destinies at all in my land.’ Why? This dream and all dharmas are without duality and without difference. Subhūti! Know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva in a dream sees the fire of the hells burning beings, and makes this oath: ‘If I am really an avaivartika, may this fire go out!’ And the fire goes out at once. If the fire of the hells goes out, this is the mark of the avaivartika.

‘Again, if the bodhisattva by day sees fire breaking out in a city, he has this thought: ‘In a dream I saw the conduct, kind, and appearance of the avaivartika; if I now really have these, I myself make the oath: may this fire go out!’ If the fire goes out, know that this bodhisattva has already received the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi and abides in the avaivartika ground. If the fire does not go out, it burns one house and leaves one house, burns one lane and leaves one lane. Subhūti! Know that the households that are burned have thickly accumulated the causes and conditions of the deed of breaking the Dharma; because of this it burns one house and leaves one house; these beings are burned because in this life they suffer the remaining calamity of having broken the Dharma. Subhūti! By these causes and conditions, know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘Now I shall further tell you the conduct, kind, and appearance of the avaivartika. Subhūti! If a man or a woman is held by a non-human, then the bodhisattva-mahāsattva has this thought: ‘If I have been given the prediction by the buddhas of the past, if my mind seeks anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi purely, practises the pure right path, is far from the mind of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, far from the thought of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, I should accomplish anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. I shall surely obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, not fail to obtain it; the immeasurable buddhas now present in the lands of the ten directions have nothing they do not know, nothing they do not see, nothing they do not understand, nothing they do not realise. The buddhas know my deep mind, and have determined for certain that I shall surely obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.’ Because of this oath of utmost sincerity, as for this man or woman held by a non-human and vexed by a non-human, may that non-human go far away! Subhūti! When this bodhisattva-mahāsattva makes the oath thus, if the non-human does not go, know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva has not yet received the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi from the buddhas of the past. Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva makes the oath thus and the non-human goes, know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva has already received the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi from the buddhas of the past. Subhūti! By such conduct, kind, and appearance, know that this is the mark of avaivartika of an avaivartika bodhisattva-mahāsattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is far from the six perfections and the power of skilful means, has not long practised the four foundations of mindfulness, and so on up to not having long practised the emptiness, signless, and non-action samādhis, and has not entered the bodhisattva's position, this bodhisattva is harassed by evil Māra. The bodhisattva makes this oath: ‘If I have really received the prediction from the buddhas, may this non-human go.’ Then evil Māra at once employs a means and commands the non-human to leave. Because evil Māra has majestic power surpassing the non-humans, the non-human at once leaves. Then the bodhisattva has this thought: ‘Because of the power of my oath, the non-human has left’—and does not know that it was the power of evil Māra; and because he relies on this as proof, he slights, mocks, disparages, and scorns the other bodhisattvas, saying these words: ‘I have already received the prediction from the buddhas; you have not yet obtained it.’ By such an empty oath, having no power of skilful means, he gives rise to overweening pride. Because of this matter, he is far from sarvajñā (omniscience), far from anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! Know that this person falls into one of the two grounds—either the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. From the causes and conditions of this oath, a deed of Māra has arisen. Because this person does not draw near to and rely on the good friend, and does not ask about the mark of the avaivartika, Māra's binding of him grows all the firmer. Why? Because this bodhisattva has not long practised the six perfections and has no power of skilful means. Subhūti! Know that this is a deed of Māra of the bodhisattva.

‘Subhūti! How is it that the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who has not long practised the six perfections, and so on up to not having entered the bodhisattva's position, is harassed by evil Māra? Subhūti! Evil Māra transforms himself into all kinds of bodies and says to the bodhisattva: ‘You have received from the buddhas the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi: you are named So-and-so, your father is named So-and-so, your mother is named So-and-so, your brothers and sisters are named So-and-so, the names of your ancestors for seven generations are thus; you were born in such-and-such a direction, such-and-such a land, such-and-such a city, such-and-such a village.’ If he sees that the bodhisattva's nature and conduct are gentle, he says to the bodhisattva: ‘In former lives you were likewise gentle.’ If he sees that his nature is hasty, sudden, and violent, he says: ‘In former lives you were like this too.’ If he sees that the bodhisattva cultivates the araṇya practice, he says to him: ‘In former lives you too cultivated the araṇya practice.’ If he sees the bodhisattva begging for food, wearing robes of cast-off rags, not drinking juices after midday, eating at one sitting, eating from a single bowl what others give, dwelling among corpses, dwelling in the open, dwelling under a tree, always sitting, never lying down, sitting wherever the seat is spread, keeping only the three robes, or having few desires, or being content, or dwelling in seclusion, or not anointing the feet, or speaking little, he says to the bodhisattva: ‘In former lives you too had these practices. Why? Since you now have this merit of the dhūta, in former lives too you must have had this merit.’ This bodhisattva, hearing these matters of former lives and his names and clan, and hearing the merit of the dhūta now praised, is at once delighted and gives rise to a mind of pride and arrogance. Then evil Māra says to the bodhisattva: ‘You have such merit, such marks; you have really received from the buddhas the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.’ Subhūti! Evil Māra, taking on the garb of a bhikṣu, or the appearance of a householder, or the bodily form of father or mother, comes to where the bodhisattva is and says thus: ‘You have already received the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? The marks of the merit of the avaivartika are all complete in you.’ Subhūti! The conduct, kind, and appearance of the real avaivartika that I have taught, this person forever lacks! Subhūti! Know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva is held by evil Māra. Why? The conduct, kind, and appearance of the avaivartika, this person forever lacks, and yet, because he has heard this name, he gives rise to a mind of arrogance and slights, mocks, disparages, and scorns others. Subhūti! This is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva being held by Māra; know that this is a deed of Māra of the bodhisattva.

‘Again, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva has not long practised the six perfections, does not know the mark of names, does not know the mark of form, does not know the marks of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness. Evil Māra comes and says to him: ‘When in the age to come you obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, you will have such a name.’ Following his original thought, he tells him his name. This bodhisattva without wisdom and without skilful means has this thought: ‘I too previously had the thought of this name for when I become a Buddha; this person speaks just as I thought, what this person says accords with my original thought; I have surely been given the prediction by the buddhas.’ Subhūti! The conduct, kind, and appearance of the avaivartika that I have taught, this person forever lacks; he merely slights, mocks, disparages, and scorns others with an empty name; because of this matter, he is far from anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva is far from prajñāpāramitā, has no power of skilful means, is far from the good friend, and is on good terms with the evil friend, and therefore falls into one of the two grounds—either the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground; if, after going and coming for a long, long time within birth and death, he then returns to rely on prajñāpāramitā, and if he meets a good friend, then because he constantly follows him and draws near to him, he obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. If this person, within this one body, does not repent at once, he will fall into one of the two grounds—either the arhat ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. Subhūti! As when a bhikṣu, with regard to the dharma of the four grave prohibitions, breaks any one matter of them, he is no śramaṇa, no son of the Śākya, and this person in his present body does not obtain the four fruits of the śramaṇa. Subhūti! The mind of this bodhisattva who clings to an empty name is also like this; because he slights, mocks, disparages, and scorns others, know that this sin is heavier than a bhikṣu's four prohibitions. Subhūti! Setting aside this heavy sin, his sin still exceeds the five heinous sins. Because he accepts this name, he gives rise to a haughty mind and slights, mocks, disparages, and scorns others; if he gives rise to such a mind, know that his sin is very heavy! Subtle deeds of Māra such as these of names and the like, the bodhisattva should become aware of!

‘Again, Subhūti! When the bodhisattva is in empty and quiet mountains, marshes, and far-off places, Māra comes to where the bodhisattva is and praises the dharma of seclusion, saying these words: ‘Good man! What you practise is the dharma of seclusion that the Buddha praises.’ Subhūti! I do not praise this seclusion, namely merely being in empty and quiet mountains, marshes, and far-off places.’

Subhūti said: ‘World-Honored One! If empty and quiet mountains, marshes, and far-off places are not the dharma of seclusion, then how is there any other seclusion besides?’

The Buddha said: ‘Subhūti! If a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is secluded from the mind of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, and dwells in empty and quiet mountains, marshes, and far-off places, this is the dharma of seclusion the Buddha approves. Subhūti! Such a dharma of seclusion is what the bodhisattva-mahāsattva should cultivate and practise; practising this dharma of seclusion day and night, he is called a bodhisattva of the practice of seclusion. Subhūti! The dharma of seclusion that evil Māra speaks of is merely empty and quiet mountains, marshes, and far-off places; this bodhisattva's mind is in clamour, that is, he is not secluded from the mind of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha and does not diligently cultivate prajñāpāramitā; this bodhisattva-mahāsattva cannot fulfil the omniscience of all kinds. This bodhisattva practises the dharma of seclusion that evil Māra speaks of, and his mind is not pure, yet he despises the other bodhisattvas who dwell at the city's edge with pure minds, who have no mind of clamour of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, nor any other mixed and evil minds, and who are complete in meditative concentration, liberation, wisdom, and the supernormal powers. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva who is far from prajñāpāramitā and has no skilful means, though he be in the utterly remote wilderness beyond a hundred yojanas, in places where birds and beasts, ghosts and spirits, and rākṣasas dwell, for one year, or for a hundred thousand myriad koṭi years, or for more than a myriad koṭi years, still does not know this bodhisattva's dharma of seclusion—namely that the bodhisattvas, by this dharma of seclusion, with a deep mind arouse anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi and do not practise with a mixed mind. This bodhisattva's is a practice of clamour, yet he relies on and clings to this dharma of seclusion. What this person practises is what the Buddha does not approve! Subhūti! The real dharma of seclusion that I have taught—this bodhisattva is not within it, nor does he see the mark of this seclusion. Why? Because he practises only this empty seclusion. Then evil Māra comes and stands in space, and praises him, saying: ‘Excellent! Excellent! Good man! This is the true dharma of seclusion that the Buddha speaks of; practising this seclusion, you will quickly obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.’ This bodhisattva-mahāsattva is attached to this seclusion, yet makes light of the other pure bhikṣus who seek the Buddha path, taking them to be in clamour, taking clamour for non-clamour and non-clamour for clamour, not respecting what should be respected and respecting what should not be respected. This bodhisattva says these words: ‘Non-humans think of me and come to praise me; what I practise is true seclusion; as for you who dwell at the city's edge, who would come to praise you?’ Because of these causes and conditions, he despises the other bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. Subhūti! Know that this is called a caṇḍāla among bodhisattvas, who defiles the bodhisattvas. This person resembles a bodhisattva, but is really a great thief among the gods above and the humans among people, and also a thief in the garb of a śramaṇa! Such a person, those who seek the Buddha path should not draw near to, should not make offerings to or respect. Why? Subhūti! Know that this person has fallen into overweening pride. Because of this, if a bodhisattva-mahāsattva wishes not to abandon omniscience, wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, single-mindedly wishes to seek anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and wishes to benefit all beings, he should not draw near to such a person and respect him and make offerings to him. The dharma of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is that he should always diligently seek his own benefit, be weary of the world, and let his mind always be far removed from the three realms; toward such a person he should give rise to minds of kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity: ‘I practise the bodhisattva path; I should not give rise to such faults and sins; if they arise, I shall quickly extinguish them!’ Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva should be skilful at discerning this matter, and within this matter be skilful at freeing himself from it!

‘Again, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who with a deep mind wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi should draw near to, respect, and make offerings to the good friend.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! What is the good friend of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The buddhas are the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's good friends, and the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas too are the bodhisattva's good friends. Subhūti! Arhats too are the bodhisattva's good friends; these are the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's good friends.

‘Again, Subhūti! The six perfections too are the bodhisattva's good friends; the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas too are the bodhisattva's good friends. Subhūti! Suchness, the limit of reality, and the nature of dharmas too are the bodhisattva's good friends. Subhūti! The six perfections are the World-Honored One, the six perfections are the path, the six perfections are the great light, the six perfections are the torch, the six perfections are knowledge, the six perfections are wisdom, the six perfections are the rescue, the six perfections are the refuge, the six perfections are the island, the six perfections are the ultimate path, the six perfections are father, are mother. The four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds are also like this. Why? The six perfections and the thirty-seven dharmas of the path are also the father and mother of the buddhas of the past; the six perfections and the thirty-seven dharmas of the path are also the father and mother of the buddhas of the ten directions of the future and the present. Why? Subhūti! Because from within the six perfections and the thirty-seven dharmas of the path the buddhas of the ten directions of the past, future, and present are born. Because of this, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, to purify buddha-worlds and bring beings to accomplishment, should train in the six perfections and the thirty-seven dharmas of the path, and in the four means of gathering by which to gather in beings. What are the four? Giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and shared endeavour. Subhūti! Because of such benefit I say: ‘The six perfections and the thirty-seven dharmas of the path are the World-Honored One of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, are the path, are the great light, are the torch, are knowledge, are wisdom, are the rescue, are the refuge, are the island, are the ultimate path, are father, are mother.’ Subhūti! Because of this, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to abide not following the teaching of others, wishes to sever the doubts of all beings, and wishes to purify buddha-worlds and bring beings to accomplishment, should train in this prajñāpāramitā! Why? Because within this prajñāpāramitā all dharmas are expounded at length; it is where the bodhisattva-mahāsattva should train.’

What follows is the treatise's explanation.

Treatise ①: Three Answers to Why It Is Said Again When the "Avaivartika" Chapter Has Already Said It; the Two Kinds of Avaivartika and the Four Positions of the Prediction; Why He Does Not Crave in a Dream; the Causes and Conditions Explained One by One of Seeing the Buddha in a Dream, Seeing Sufferings in a Dream, Seeing the Three Evil Destinies in a Dream, Extinguishing Fire in a Dream, and Extinguishing Fire by Day; the Simile of the Spell against Fire and the Fault When Māra Sends the Ghosts and Spirits Away; the Explanation of Three Kinds of Subtle Deeds of Māra; the Deep Mind and the Two Causes and Conditions, Inner and Outer; Persons and Dharmas Alike Called the Good Friend; How the Small Vehicle Can Serve as a Good Friend; Why, besides the Six Perfections, the Limbs of the Path and Suchness, the Nature of Dharmas, and the Limit of Reality Are Named Separately; a Line-by-Line Explanation of the Six Perfections Being the World-Honored One, the Path, the Great Light, and So On up to Father and Mother

The treatise-author asks:

In the "Avaivartika" chapter the mark of the avaivartika has already been spoken of at length; why is it now spoken of again?

The treatise-author answers:

The meaning of prajñāpāramitā that is spoken of is in every case the mark of the avaivartika; only, in the "Avaivartika" chapter its concrete marks are spoken of much, while in the other chapters the mark of the avaivartika is also spoken of here and there, only not in sequence.

Someone says: it is for the sake of beings who come later that the mark of the avaivartika is spoken of in different words.

Someone says: there are two kinds of avaivartika: first, those who have already obtained the prediction; second, those who have not yet obtained the prediction. Obtaining the prediction is of two kinds: first, the prediction given in one's presence; second, the prediction not given in one's presence. The prediction not given in one's presence is again of two kinds: first, the causes and conditions of the prediction fulfilled; second, the causes and conditions of the prediction not yet fulfilled.

Those in whom the causes and conditions of the prediction are fulfilled know the real mark of all dharmas and are complete in the six perfections; those in whom the causes and conditions of the prediction are not fulfilled only know the real mark of all dharmas and have obtained one portion of prajñāpāramitā, while the other perfections are not yet fulfilled. What the sūtra text says, ‘this bodhisattva can answer as an avaivartika bodhisattva answers’, is the avaivartika spoken of at the end of the previous chapter; therefore it says in sequence: ‘Not craving the two grounds in a dream, though he has not yet fulfilled the dharmas of the avaivartika, he too is called avaivartika.’ It is in order to speak of such marks of the avaivartika and the like that it is spoken of in sequence in this chapter.

Because this bodhisattva constantly trains in emptiness by day, in his dreams by night too he does not crave the three realms. Because this person constantly practises the mind of kindness and compassion toward beings and deeply delights in the Buddha's Dharma, he does not crave the two vehicles. Whether in a dream or awake, he contemplates all dharmas as like a dream, like an illusion, and so on. Though this bodhisattva has not yet obtained the prediction given in his presence, and the other dharmas are not yet fulfilled, this too is called the mark of the avaivartika. Why? The bodhisattva retrogresses in two places: first, he turns because of clinging to worldly pleasure; second, he turns because of taking the two vehicles. Because this bodhisattva's mind is firm and he enters deeply into emptiness and the mind of kindness and compassion, even in a dream he does not crave the three realms or the two vehicles—how much less when awake!

Again, if the bodhisattva dreams that the Buddha expounds the Dharma in the midst of the great assembly of humans and gods, that is the meaning of the real mark of all dharmas; the bodhisattva knows this meaning, and his mind accords with the Dharma.

Again, the secret dharma of the buddhas the bodhisattva is able to see in a dream, namely he sees the Buddha's body, immeasurable, surpassing Mount Sumeru, its colour like jambūnada gold, adorned with the thirty-two marks and the eighty kinds of minor marks, emitting immeasurable light; expounding the Dharma with the sound of the Brahmā voice, and sending forth from the pores of his body immeasurable conjured buddhas who go to the ten directions, doing the work of a Buddha by all kinds of power of skilful means, and delivering beings. Then this bodhisattva, because he sees this supernormal power of the Buddha, with a deep and pure mind asks about the Buddha's Dharma and obtains the real mark of all dharmas; this is called avaivartika.

Because this bodhisattva constantly practises ultimate emptiness, the afflictions of I and mine and the rest are broken down and thinned, so that he does not begrudge even his own body, how much less his other kin! Because of these causes and conditions, if in a dream he sees himself, or his father and mother and others, meeting with the causes and conditions of being killed or of dying, and villages being broken and the like, he too is neither grieved and vexed nor fearful. On waking, he reflects: ‘As in a dream, not dying and yet seeing death, not fearful and yet seeing what is fearful—the whole of the three realms is like this; why only in a dream! When I become a Buddha, I shall teach beings that all dharmas are ultimately empty and are all like a dream.’

Again, there is the bodhisattva who, at the time of planting the causes and conditions of a pure land, makes this vow: ‘In all this long time I gather the practice of a pure land; because I cultivate this mind, if in a dream I see beings of the three evil destinies, at once I obtain this mind: ‘When I become a Buddha, may my land be without even the name of the three evil destinies.’’

Again, because this bodhisattva constantly cultivates the mind of kindness and compassion, when in a dream he sees the fire of the hells burning beings, he makes the oath, and the fire goes out at once.

On waking, he takes up this mark, and if he sees a real fire burning a city, he has this thought: ‘In a dream I could put out fire; this fire too should be able to be put out!’ Why? Because the Buddha has said that dream and waking are without difference. Because this bodhisattva has cultivated and gathered merit through immeasurable kalpas and obtained the real mark of all dharmas, ghosts and spirits, nāga kings, and others come to help put out this fire. Where some of it does not go out, burning one house and leaving one house, it is because these beings' sins are heavy; the power of the bodhisattva's merit and wisdom cannot extinguish what is heavy in sin, namely the deed of breaking the Dharma. The Dharma here means prajñāpāramitā; none of the benefits of the other dharmas can match prajñāpāramitā, and therefore the sin of one who breaks it is heavy. By the power of the bodhisattva's oath it does not burn in sequence; only those of heavy sin are not saved; this does not hinder its being a mark of the avaivartika.

The passage on being held by a non-human is also like the spell against fire.

There is a bodhisattva who has not yet obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, who, hearing of this avaivartika spell that makes ghosts depart, then goes and casts the spell. This bodhisattva himself has no power as yet; because Māra came and sent the ghosts and spirits away, he presumes it to be his own power. Because there is such a fault, the Buddha makes it plain so that he may become aware of it.

Again, when the bodhisattva has not yet entered the right position, Māra takes on all kinds of forms, appearing according to his thoughts, and says to him: ‘You have already received the prediction; you have such marks, only because of your fleshly eye you do not know it.’ Because of these causes and conditions, he gives rise to overweening pride and despises others.

Again, the bodhisattva does not obtain the real mark of all dharmas, and does not know that, alongside the coming together of the five aggregates of form and the rest, there is in addition a mark of a name.

Māra comes and gives him the prediction: ‘You will become a Buddha, named So-and-so.’

This bodhisattva reflects: ‘I originally had the thought of this name; what he now says is the same as what I vowed; it must be the prediction of the buddhas.’ Therefore his mind gives rise to arrogance, and he despises the other great bodhisattvas. Because of these causes and conditions, he is far from the unsurpassed path; when he has finished undergoing his sin, he falls into the two vehicles.

If he repents within this very body, then after a long, long time he will finish repaying his sin, return to rely on prajñāpāramitā, and be able to become a Buddha. Why? If he repents only after turning to another body, then the sin is heavy and hard to extinguish, and he cannot become a Buddha. Because this mind clings to this empty name and obtains a heavy sin, the Buddha speaks the simile of the four grave prohibitions: one who breaks these grave prohibitions does not in his present body obtain the four fruits of the path. Why? Because among these four prohibitions there is false speech, claiming, ‘I am an arhat.’ Here he clings to the name of this prediction and says of himself, ‘I shall become a Buddha’; therefore it is heavier than the four prohibitions. As for its exceeding the sin of the five heinous sins, it is like the sin of breaking prajñāpāramitā spoken of in "The Hells" chapter. As for subtle deeds of Māra, subtle means not going against his intent; following his own thoughts, it helps his mind along. This bodhisattva has not yet obtained the dharmas of the avaivartika, and Māra deceives him, saying that he has already obtained them. These are subtle deeds of Māra; the bodhisattva of keen faculties should become aware of them, drive them off, and keep far from them!

Again, when the bodhisattva is in a place of seclusion, Māra comes and praises him: ‘You are able to leave far behind your relatives and fellow students, and to be alone in the deep mountain forest for the sake of the Buddha path; this is the true practice of the bodhisattva path.’ Because of this, this bodhisattva gives rise to a mind of arrogance and despises the other bodhisattvas who dwell among the great assembly. Because of this matter, he is far from the Buddha path and falls into the two vehicles. The Buddha, by all kinds of causes and conditions, rebukes this bodhisattva as a thief, a caṇḍāla, and so on, as the sūtra says: he should not be drawn near to. The seclusion the Buddha speaks of is the mind's separation from the two vehicles and the three realms; this is called true seclusion. As the sūtra explains at length, subtle deeds of Māra such as these and the like should be recognised and kept far from.

What the sūtra text says, ‘Again, the bodhisattva wishes with a deep mind to obtain the unsurpassed path’—a deep mind means a single mind, a weighty mind, loving the Buddha path deeply, beyond all the things the whole world delights in.

One should draw near to the good friend. Why? There are two causes and conditions by which the unsurpassed path is obtained: first, the inner; second, the outer. The inner means right recollection, considering and reckoning dharmas; the outer means the good friends.

The Buddha elsewhere has spoken of the marks of the good friend in all kinds of ways; therefore Subhūti asks the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! What is the good friend of the bodhisattva?’

The Buddha answers: ‘The buddhas, the great bodhisattvas, and the śrāvakas are the bodhisattva's good friends. The six perfections and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds, suchness, the nature of dharmas, the limit of reality, and the other dharmas too are good friends.’ Because dharmas can accomplish the matter, the six perfections and the other dharmas are said to be called good friends.

The three kinds of noble persons, by this dharma of the six perfections, cause the bodhisattva to practise it respectfully and so become a Buddha; therefore dharmas and persons alike are called ‘good friends’.

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha, the bodhisattvas, and the six perfections can bring the bodhisattva to accomplishment and so should be good friends; the path of the Small Vehicle is different—how can it serve the bodhisattva as a good friend?

The treatise-author answers:

There are people of the Small Vehicle who, because in former lives they sought the Buddha path, have keen faculties; though they are of the Small Vehicle, they have a mind of pity, observe those who should accomplish the Great Vehicle, and expound the dharma of the Great Vehicle to them; because they know to repay the Buddha's kindness, they keep the seed of the Buddha from being cut off. As Śāriputra sought the Buddha path for sixty kalpas; though he retrogressed and became an arhat, he too has keen faculties and wisdom, and can expound the Great Vehicle for the bodhisattvas. Subhūti constantly practises the samādhi of non-contention, and because he constantly has the mind of kindness and compassion toward beings, he too can teach the bodhisattvas the dharma of the Great Vehicle. As Mahākāśyapa, by the power of the supernormal powers, holds this body until Maitreya appears in the world, and will come forth from within the Nine-Footed Mountain to make the causes and conditions of attaining the path for the great assembly. Examples such as these are very many.

The treatise-author asks:

The six perfections gather in all dharmas; why now speak separately of the thirty-seven limbs and so on up to suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality?

The treatise-author answers:

The six perfections are the brief statement; the four foundations of mindfulness and the rest are the extended statement, the explanation of the six perfections. The six perfections are the bodhisattva's initial path, and somewhat far; the thirty-seven limbs are the near causes and conditions. Among the six perfections, dhyānapāramitā and prajñāpāramitā are the greatest; just as, although there are the stars and constellations, the sun and moon are the most outstanding. Within these two perfections, the four foundations of mindfulness, the Buddha's ten powers, and such dharmas are the most subtle and wondrous, because they can greatly benefit and cause people to attain the path in this present life, and because keeping the precepts, giving, and the rest do not match them. Suchness and the other unconditioned dharmas are named separately because, being real and not false and deceptive, they can accomplish the bodhisattva's matter; practising the four foundations of mindfulness and such dharmas, he obtains such dharmas as these, which enable the bodhisattva to escape from false and deceptive dharmas; therefore they are called good friends.

Again, these six perfections and the other dharmas are as a Buddha, without difference; the Buddha now too delivers people by this Dharma; therefore it says: ‘World-Honored One! Just as what the World-Honored One says cannot be destroyed, what the six perfections and the rest say also cannot be destroyed.’ Therefore it says: ‘The six perfections are the World-Honored One.’

As for ‘are the path’: it means that by practising this path one can enter directly into the immeasurable dharmas of the buddhas.

What is spoken within the six perfections, when people reckon it, consider it, discriminate it, and constantly cultivate it, can cause people to obtain great wisdom and break the ignorance of the worlds; therefore it says, ‘the six perfections are the great light’.

Are the great torch, are knowledge, are wisdom, are the rescue, are the refuge, are the island, are the ultimate path—as said above.

Prajñāpāramitā is the mother, the five perfections are the father; because they are spoken of together, it says, ‘the six perfections are father and mother’. As it is said of the six perfections, so it is of the four foundations of mindfulness and the rest.

Here the causes and conditions are stated: ‘The six perfections and the other dharmas are also the father and mother of the buddhas of the three times and the ten directions.’

These six perfections and the rest are dharmas of benefiting oneself; the practitioner who wishes by the six perfections to teach and transform beings and to purify buddha-worlds should gather in beings with the four means of gathering. The meaning of the four means of gathering is as said before. Because in this way they benefit oneself and benefit others, the Buddha says, ‘the six perfections, the thirty-seven limbs, and the other dharmas are the World-Honored One, are the path’, and so on.

Therefore, if the bodhisattva wishes not to follow the teaching of others—not following the teaching of others means knowing for oneself the real mark of all dharmas, so that even if someone transforms himself into a Buddha's body and comes to speak words that differ from the marks of dharmas, he neither believes nor follows them.

He himself obtains the bodhisattva path, gradually fulfils the dharmas of the buddhas, purifies buddha-worlds, and brings beings to accomplishment. Obtaining the Buddha path, he can sever the doubts of all beings. If he wishes to obtain these, he should train in prajñā. Within prajñāpāramitā, whether worldly or world-transcending, great or small, there is no single matter that is not spoken of.

The above is Fascicle Seventy-Six of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa.

This fascicle is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the remainder of the sixty-first chapter, "Not Realising It in a Dream"—continuing from the previous fascicle—composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin.

Sūtra ②: What Is the Mark of Prajñāpāramitā—the Mark That Is like Space, without the Mark of Anything Existent

At that time Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! What is the mark of prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The mark that is like space is the mark of prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! Prajñāpāramitā is without the mark of anything existent.’

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Is there such a cause and condition—that as is the mark of prajñāpāramitā, so too is the mark of all dharmas?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘Just so! Just so! As is the mark of prajñāpāramitā, so too is the mark of dharmas. Why? Subhūti! All dharmas are separated from marks, are of the mark of emptiness. Because of such causes and conditions, Subhūti! as is the mark of prajñāpāramitā, so too is the mark of dharmas—that is, because they are separated from marks and of the mark of emptiness.’

Sūtra ② (continued): If All Dharmas Are All Separated and All Empty, How Is It Known That Beings Have Stain and Have Purity

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If all dharmas are themselves the separation of all dharmas, and all dharmas are themselves the emptiness of all dharmas, then how is it known that beings have stain and have purity? World-Honored One! A dharma separated from marks has no stain and no purity; a dharma of the mark of emptiness has no stain and no purity; a dharma separated from marks and of the mark of emptiness cannot obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and within what is separated from marks and of the mark of emptiness there is no dharma to be obtained. World-Honored One! Within what is separated from marks, within the mark of emptiness, there is no bodhisattva who can obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. World-Honored One! How should I understand the meaning the Buddha has spoken?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘What do you think? Have these beings through the long night practised the mind of I and mine?’

Subhūti said: ‘Just so, World-Honored One! Beings through the long night have practised the mind of I and mine.’

The Buddha asked further: ‘What do you think? Is this mind of I and mine separated from marks? Is it of the mark of emptiness?’

Subhūti said: ‘World-Honored One! The mind of I and mine is separated from marks, is of the mark of emptiness.’

The Buddha asked further: ‘What do you think? By this mind of I and mine, do beings go and come within birth and death?’

Subhūti said: ‘Just so, World-Honored One! By this mind of I and mine, beings go and come within birth and death.’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so, Subhūti! Because beings go and come within birth and death, one knows that there are stain and vexation. Subhūti! If beings had no mind of I and mine, no clinging mind, these beings would no longer go and come within birth and death; if they do not go and come within birth and death, there is no stain and vexation. Thus, Subhūti! beings have purity.’

Sūtra ② (continued): One Who Practises Thus Does Not Practise Any Dharma—None in All the World Can Subdue Him

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises thus, he does not practise form, does not practise feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness; he does not practise the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eightfold noble path; he does not practise inner emptiness and so on up to the emptiness of non-existent and existent dharmas; he does not practise the ten powers of the Buddha and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds. Why? Because these dharmas are unfindable; there is no one who practises, no place where one practises, and no dharma that is practised. World-Honored One! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises thus, none of the gods, humans, and asuras of all the world can subdue him. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva is one whom no śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha can reach. Why? Because no one can reach the place where he abides—that is, the bodhisattva's position. World-Honored One! This bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises the mind that accords with sarvajñā; there is none who can reach him!’

Sūtra ② (continued): The First Weighing—Making Offerings for a Whole Lifetime to All Who Have Obtained Awakening Does Not Equal Expounding This Prajñā

The Buddha said: ‘Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises thus, he swiftly draws near to sarvajñā. Subhūti! What do you think? If the beings of Jambudvīpa all obtained a human body, and having obtained a human body all further obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; and if there were good men and good women who for the whole of their lives made offerings to them, respected them, honoured them, and praised them, and dedicated such roots of goodness to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—is the merit this person obtains by these causes and conditions great or not?’

Subhūti said: ‘Very great, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha said: ‘It does not equal a good man or good woman who, in the midst of a great assembly, expounds this prajñāpāramitā, shows it, distinguishes it, illuminates it, and expounds it for people, and also, in accordance with prajñāpāramitā, practises right recollection; this person's merit is greater. And so on up to the beings within the three-thousand great-thousand world: the principle is the same.

‘Subhūti! What do you think? If the beings within Jambudvīpa all at one time obtained a human body, and having obtained a human body, there were good men and good women who taught them to practise the ten wholesome paths, the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, the four formless absorptions, taught them to obtain the path of the srota-āpanna and so on up to the arhat and the pratyekabuddha path, taught them to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; and dedicated such roots of goodness to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—Subhūti! What do you think? Is the merit these good men and good women obtain great or not?’

Subhūti said: ‘Very great, World-Honored One!’

Sūtra ② (continued): The Second Weighing—One Who Expounds Prajñā Reaches the Edge of All Fields of Merit; Great Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity, and the light of great knowledge

The Buddha said: It does not equal a good man or good woman who expounds this very deep prajñāpāramitā for beings, shows it, distinguishes it, illuminates it, and expounds it for people, and also is not apart from sarvajñā; this person obtains greater merit. And so on up to the three-thousand great-thousand world: the principle is the same. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not stray far from the mind that accords with sarvajñā, and so reaches the edge of all fields of merit. Why? Apart from the buddhas, there is no other dharma with such power as the bodhisattva-mahāsattva has. Why? Because when the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practise prajñāpāramitā, they give rise to a mind of great kindness toward all beings; because they see beings tending toward the place of death, they give rise to great compassion; when they practise this path they are glad and give rise to great joy; not rising together with perception, they obtain great equanimity. Subhūti! This is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's light of great knowledge. What is called the light of great wisdom is the six perfections.

Subhūti! Though these good men have not yet become buddhas, they can be a great field of merit for all beings, and they do not turn back from anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; the offerings they receive—clothing, food and drink, bedding, couches and spreads, medicine for sickness, and the things needed to sustain life—they practise in accord with prajñāpāramitā, and their thought can fully repay the kindness of the donors, and they swiftly draw near to sarvajñā. For this reason, Subhūti! if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva wishes not to receive the country's giving in vain, wishes to show beings the path of the three vehicles, wishes to be a great light for beings, wishes to pull beings out of the prison of the three realms, wishes to give eyes to all beings, he should constantly practise prajñāpāramitā.

When he practises prajñāpāramitā, if he would say anything, he says only prajñāpāramitā; having spoken prajñāpāramitā, he constantly recollects prajñāpāramitā; having constantly recollected prajñāpāramitā, he constantly practises prajñāpāramitā, not letting any other thought arise, and day and night diligently practises the thought that accords with prajñāpāramitā, without stopping and without resting. Subhūti! It is as when a man had never obtained a maṇi jewel, later obtained one, and having obtained it, greatly rejoiced and leapt for joy; afterwards he lost it again, and was greatly grieved, and constantly recollected this maṇi jewel, thinking thus: ‘How is it that I have suddenly lost this great treasure!’ Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva is also like this: he constantly recollects prajñāpāramitā, and is not apart from the mind of sarvajñā.

Sūtra ② (continued): The Nature of Every Thought Is of Itself Separated and of Itself Empty—How Is One Not Apart from the Thought That Accords with Sarvajñā

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! The nature of every thought is of itself separated, the nature of every thought is of itself empty; how then, when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, can there be a thought not apart from what accords with sarvajñā? Within this empty dharma of separation there is no bodhisattva, and no thought, and nothing that accords with sarvajñā.’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva knows thus that the nature of all dharmas is of itself separated, and the nature of all dharmas is of itself empty; that it is not made by śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, nor made by the Buddha; that the mark of dharmas abides always, and that the mark of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the position of dharmas, suchness, and the limit of reality are also like this—this is called the bodhisattva practising prajñāpāramitā and not being apart from the thought of sarvajñā. Why? Because the nature of prajñāpāramitā is of itself separated and of itself empty, neither increasing nor decreasing.’

Sūtra ② (continued): Equal to Prajñāpāramitā and Obtaining Awakening—Neither Increasing nor Decreasing, Neither One nor Different

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If the nature of prajñāpāramitā is of itself separated and of itself empty, how can the bodhisattva-mahāsattva be equal to prajñāpāramitā and obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The bodhisattva-mahāsattva is equal to prajñāpāramitā, neither increasing nor decreasing. Why? Because suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality neither increase nor decrease. And why is that? Because prajñāpāramitā is neither one nor different. If a bodhisattva hears such a mark of prajñāpāramitā and is not startled, does not sink, is not afraid, is not terrified, does not doubt—Subhūti! know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva is practising prajñāpāramitā; know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva certainly abides within the avaivartika ground.’

Sūtra ② (continued): Ten Rounds of Asking about Practising Prajñā—to Each One the Answer Is No

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Prajñāpāramitā is empty, is without anything existent, is without firmness—is this practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Apart from emptiness, is there another dharma that is practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Is this prajñāpāramitā itself practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Apart from prajñāpāramitā, is that practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Is form practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Are feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Are the six perfections practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Are the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! The mark of emptiness of form, the mark of being false, deceptive, and unreal, the mark of being without anything existent, the mark of being without firmness, and the mark of suchness of form, the mark of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the position of dharmas, and the limit of reality—is this practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! The mark of emptiness of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas, the mark of being false, deceptive, and unreal, the mark of being without anything existent, the mark of being without firmness, and suchness, the mark of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, the position of dharmas, and the limit of reality—is this practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! If none of these dharmas is practising prajñāpāramitā, then how is one to practise so that it is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practising prajñāpāramitā?’

Sūtra ② (continued): The Buddha Answers with Four Counter-questions—This Is Called the Bodhisattva-mahāsattva's Acceptance of the Non-arising of Dharmas

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘What do you think? Do you see a dharma that is practising prajñāpāramitā?’

Subhūti said: ‘No, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha asked further: ‘Subhūti! Do you see in prajñāpāramitā a place where the bodhisattva-mahāsattva can practise?’

Subhūti said: ‘No, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha asked further: ‘Subhūti! The dharma that you do not see—is this dharma findable?’

Subhūti said: ‘No, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha asked further: ‘Subhūti! If a dharma is unfindable, will this dharma arise?’

Subhūti said: ‘No, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha said: ‘Subhūti! This is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva accomplishes this acceptance, he receives the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! This is called the fearlessness and the unobstructed knowledge of the buddhas. When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises this acceptance of dharmas and diligently practises with vigour, if it were said that he does not obtain great wisdom, the omniscience of all kinds—that is, the wisdom of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—there is no such principle! Why? Because this bodhisattva-mahāsattva has obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, and so, all the way to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, he does not decrease and does not retrogress.’

Sūtra ② (continued): Is the Prediction Obtained within the Mark of Non-arising, the Mark of Arising, the Mark of Neither Arising nor Non-arising

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! The mark of non-arising of dharmas—is the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi obtained within it?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! The mark of arising of dharmas—is the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi obtained within it?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! The mark of dharmas that is neither arising nor non-arising—does it obtain the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

The Buddha said: ‘No, Subhūti!’

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! Then how do the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas know dharmas so as to obtain the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘Do you see a dharma that obtains the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

Subhūti said: ‘No, World-Honored One! I do not see a dharma that obtains the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, nor do I see any dharma that has one who obtains it or a place of obtaining.’

The Buddha said: Just so! Just so! Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva has nothing to be attained in all dharmas, he does not think thus: ‘I shall obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; by this matter I obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; this is the place of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.’ Why? Because when the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practise prajñāpāramitā, they have no recollection, imagining, and discrimination of any kind. And why is that? Because within prajñāpāramitā there is no discrimination, recollection, and imagining of any kind.

Treatise ②: The Mark of Prajñā Has Already Been Spoken of in Every Way Above—Why Is It Asked Again Now

The treatise-author asks:

The mark of prajñā has already been spoken of in every way above; why is it asked again now?

The treatise-author answers:

Prajñāpāramitā is foremost in subtlety and wonder; those who hear it are never sated, are never satisfied, and it has no single fixed mark; therefore one should not raise this as a difficulty. Even the great bodhisattvas of the ten abodes are not yet satisfied with prajñāpāramitā, how much less a person of the Small Vehicle such as Subhūti!

Furthermore, above he heard prajñā praised in every way as father, as mother, and so on; for this reason he asks again.

The Buddha, because of what Subhūti asks, speaks broadly of the mark of prajñāpāramitā for the sake of the other beings.

Treatise ② (continued): The Explanation of the Mark of Space; the Mark of Dharmas Is Also like the Mark of Prajñā

The treatise-author sets out the Buddha's words: ‘Subhūti! What is called the mark of space is the mark of prajñāpāramitā. As space has no mark of form, and also no mark of what is not form, prajñāpāramitā is also like this: it is without the mark of anything existent.’

Subhūti asked further: ‘Is there such a cause and condition: that the mark of dharmas is like the mark of prajñā?’

The Buddha answered: ‘There is. All dharmas are utterly empty, utterly separated from marks; therefore it is said: as is the mark of prajñāpāramitā, so too are all dharmas.’

Treatise ② (continued): Why There Are Stain and Purity—When the Mind of I and Mine Ceases, Going and Coming in Birth and Death Is Cut Off

Subhūti raised an objection: ‘If all dharmas are separated from marks and of the mark of emptiness, then how is it known that there are stain and purity? And how can the bodhisattva obtain the unsurpassed path?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘What do you think? Beings through the long night have practised the mind of I and mine, and so on.’ The meaning of what the Buddha says is this—as I and mine are ultimately non-existent, beings, because of the causes and conditions of madness and inversion, give rise to every kind of affliction; because of the causes and conditions of the afflictions there are deeds; because of the causes and conditions of deeds they go and come within birth and death—this matter, root and branch, is all empty. Why? Because there is no self, the mind of what belongs to self is false and deceptive; because the mind of what belongs to self is false and deceptive, the remaining dharmas of cause and effect, passing one into another, are all false and deceptive.

If, by the real wisdom of prajñāpāramitā, one contemplates the five aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as empty, as non-self, separated from their specific marks—the specific marks themselves are empty, and from the very beginning are ultimately non-arising—at that time the mind of I and mine ceases; as when the sun rises, all darkness is dispelled. Because the mind of I and mine has ceased, the remaining afflictions also cease; because the remaining afflictions have ceased, the causes and conditions of deeds also cease; because the causes and conditions of deeds have ceased, going and coming within birth and death is cut off—this is called purity.

Though the marks of all dharmas are entirely empty, it is still by such causes and conditions that there are purity and stain.

Treatise ② (continued): He Does Not Practise Any Dharma, and None in All the World Can Subdue Him

At that time Subhūti, having considered and weighed the Buddha's words, addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! When the bodhisattva practises thus, he really does not practise any dharma such as form. Why? Because this bodhisattva does not find the practice, the place of practice, or the practitioner of these dharmas.’

As for Subhūti's sentence ‘World-Honored One! If the bodhisattva can practise thus, none in the world of all humans and gods can subdue him’—worldly people all cling to provisional names; what this practitioner practises is a real dharma, and so they cannot subdue him. Worldly people cling to everything false, deceptive, and inverted, and to false and deceptive retributions; this bodhisattva does not cling even within ultimate emptiness, how much less to other dharmas! This being so, how could he be subdued? What is called the world of gods, humans, and asuras means the people who have wisdom within these three good destinies; therefore it is said that they cannot subdue him. And as for what is called ‘one whom no śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha can reach’—the three good destinies above were spoken of with regard to people who have not yet obtained the path; here it says that even those who have already obtained the path cannot reach him. Here the causes and conditions of their not reaching him are stated—that is, the bodhisattva enters the Dharma-position, and none of the Māras or those sent by Māra can trouble him. This bodhisattva constantly practises the mind that accords with sarvajñā, and so draws near to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? Because he does not cling to any dharma, and constantly gathers all the dharmas that aid the path.

Treatise ② (continued): The Buddha Approves His Words and Praises Them; Next the Retribution of Merit That Benefits Others Is Made Clear

The Buddha approved his words and praised them.

Because the Buddha wished to expound such wisdom for others, he first praised the bodhisattva's benefit to himself; now, for the sake of benefiting others and distinguishing the retribution of merit, he asked Subhūti: ‘What do you think? The beings of Jambudvīpa all obtain a human body.’ As the sūtra speaks of it at length, and so on up to the mind that accords with sarvajñā going out above all fields of merit.

Here the causes and conditions are stated: ‘If the bodhisattva can himself practise prajñāpāramitā and can also teach and transform others, this person can reach the edge of all fields of merit.’ What is called a field of merit runs from the srota-āpanna all the way to the Buddha. This bodhisattva can tread and put into practice with effort the prajñāpāramitā that has been spoken, and so will become a Buddha. The other merits and wholesome dharmas will all be exhausted because they are apart from prajñāpāramitā, whereas prajñāpāramitā cannot be exhausted.

As for saying that there is no other merit with such power as the bodhisattva-mahāsattva has, here it states the causes and conditions itself: ‘When the bodhisattva practises prajñā, he obtains the acceptance of the equality of dharmas; because he has obtained the acceptance of equality, though he practises emptiness, he can also give rise to the four immeasurable minds.’ Among the four immeasurable minds, great compassion is the root of the Great Vehicle; he sees beings about to tend toward the dharma of death, like a prisoner going to execution. The bodhisattvas can give rise to the six perfections and so on, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds; for this reason the bodhisattvas can give rise to great compassion.

For this reason, though this person has not yet obtained the unsurpassed path, he is already a field of merit for all beings.

For this reason it is said: ‘If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva wishes not to receive the country's giving emptily, he should train in prajñāpāramitā.’

What is called not receiving giving emptily means that he can repay the donors, can give rise to the path, and can make the donors' merit inexhaustible, all the way until they enter nirvāṇa.

Treatise ② (continued): Showing the Path of the Three Vehicles, Being a Great Light, Pulling Beings Out of the Prison of the Three Realms, Enabling Them to Obtain the Five Eyes

If he would show beings the path of the three vehicles, show beings the great light of omniscience, and also wishes to pull beings out of the four bonds in the prison of the three realms, and wishes to enable beings to obtain the five eyes, he should constantly practise the thought that accords with prajñāpāramitā. What is called the thought that accords with it is the mind of prajñā. If he practises the mind of prajñāpāramitā; if he would say anything, he says only prajñāpāramitā.

Treatise ② (continued): The Noble Silence of the worthies and sages, and Expounding the Dharma—the Simile of the Poor Man Who Loses His Treasure

The Buddha commanded his disciples that, if they live together in harmony, they should constantly practise two things: the first is the noble silence of the worthies and sages, the second is expounding the Dharma.

What is called ‘the noble silence of the worthies and sages’ is the mind of prajñā; what is called ‘expounding the Dharma’ is expounding prajñāpāramitā. This person comes out from the mind of prajñā and expounds prajñāpāramitā; having expounded prajñāpāramitā, he returns and enters into prajñā, not letting any other thought or other words come in. Constantly practising day and night—this is without stopping and without resting. In this way he obtains the merits spoken of earlier.

Because the Buddha wished to make this matter clear and plain, he spoke a simile: ‘As a poor man who has lost a treasure of great price constantly recollects it and is never apart from it. The bodhisattva is also like this: he is not apart from the mind of sarvajñā, and constantly practises prajñāpāramitā, without stopping and without resting.’

Treatise ② (continued): All Thoughts Are Empty—How Is One Not Apart from the Thought of Sarvajñā

At that time Subhūti, having heard this matter, addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If all thoughts are empty, how can the bodhisattva not be apart from the thought of sarvajñā? Within emptiness the bodhisattva is unfindable, and sarvajñā too is unfindable.’

The Buddha answered: ‘If the bodhisattva knows that all dharmas are separated from self-nature, are not made by śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, nor made by the Buddha, but naturally come forth from causes and conditions; and that the mark of dharmas, suchness, and the limit of reality of all dharmas abide always in the world—this is the bodhisattva's practice of not being apart from prajñāpāramitā.’

The Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: ‘Because prajñāpāramitā is empty, because it is separated, therefore it neither increases nor decreases.’

Subhūti, having heard these words, asked the Buddha further: ‘If the nature of prajñāpāramitā is empty, how can the bodhisattva be joined with prajñā and obtain the unsurpassed path?’

The Buddha, following Subhūti's words, said: ‘If the bodhisattva is joined with prajñāpāramitā, he neither increases nor decreases; because the suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality of all dharmas neither increase nor decrease, prajñāpāramitā neither increases nor decreases.’ Prajñāpāramitā is itself the suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality of all dharmas; suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality are themselves prajñāpāramitā.

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: ‘These three dharmas—suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality—are neither one nor different, and prajñā is also like this.’ The dharmas of the world, if not one, are two; if not different, are one; prajñāpāramitā is not like this. For this reason prajñāpāramitā is immeasurable and boundless. Because of emptiness, the signless, and non-action, it neither increases nor decreases; if the bodhisattva obtains this neither increasing nor decreasing, he can obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

If the bodhisattva hears this matter, penetrates it without obstruction, and enters the wisdom of the Buddha, then though he has not yet become a Buddha, because of the power of faith he has no doubt within the Buddha's Dharma, and is not terrified and not afraid. And why is that? Ordinary people have fear because they cling to the mind of self; this bodhisattva has nothing to fear because the mark of self has already been severed. Know that this bodhisattva abides in the avaivartika ground, and can also rightly practise prajñā.

Treatise ② (continued): The Explanation of the Ten Rounds of ‘No’—Emptiness Is Not Practising, What Is Apart from Emptiness Is Not Practising, Prajñā Does Not Practise Itself

Subhūti heard that this bodhisattva rightly practises prajñāpāramitā, and therefore asked the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Prajñāpāramitā contemplates everything as empty, as not firm—is this mark of emptiness practising prajñā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No!’ Why? If it is empty and there is no dharma, then how does one practise prajñā?

Subhūti asked further: ‘Apart from this emptiness, is there another dharma that is practising prajñā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No!’ Why? If all dharmas are emptiness, the signless, and non-action, how could there be another dharma apart from emptiness? Therefore he says ‘no’.

Subhūti, having heard that emptiness is not practising prajñā, and that what is apart from emptiness is also not practising prajñā, and that all dharmas are contained within prajñā, now asks only: ‘Is prajñā practising prajñā?’

A dharma does not practise itself; it should be practised by some other dharma; therefore he says ‘no’.

Subhūti asked further: ‘Apart from prajñā, is there another dharma that is practising prajñā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No.’ Why? Because all dharmas are contained within prajñā, and there is no further dharma to practise prajñā.

Earlier he asked in general about the one who is called the practiser of prajñā; now he asks about the causes and conditions of names: ‘Are the five aggregates practising prajñā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No.’ Why? Because these five aggregates exist from the false and deceptive coming together of causes and conditions; because they are not free, they have no mark of abiding—how could they practise?

Subhūti asked further: ‘If the bodhisattva does not practise prajñā because provisional names are empty and unreal, then are the six perfections and the other dharmas that aid the path now practising prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘No.’ Why? As the five aggregates cannot practise because they exist by coming together, these dharmas too are like this.

Subhūti asked further: ‘The mark of emptiness and the mark of not being firm of dharmas such as form, and suchness, the mark of dharmas, the position of dharmas, the abiding of dharmas, and the limit of reality—are these dharmas practising prajñā?’

The Buddha answered: ‘These dharmas are unconditioned dharmas, neither arising nor ceasing; because they abide always in their own nature, they do not practise.’

Treatise ② (continued): Who Then Practises Prajñā—the Buddha Answers with Counter-questions; It Is Not Seen by the Wisdom-eye

Subhūti asked the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Because it is a provisional name, the person does not practise; because dharmas too arise from the coming together of causes and conditions and are without self-nature, they too do not practise—then who practises prajñā? If there is no practising, how does one obtain the unsurpassed path?’

Now the Buddha answers with a counter-question: ‘What do you think?’ Subhūti was urgently seeking from the Buddha that one who practises prajñā, so the Buddha asks him: ‘With what you see by the wisdom-eye, is there definitely a dharma that is practising prajñā?’

Subhūti, by way of the three gates of liberation, has entered into the real mark of all dharmas; even the mark of dharmas is unfindable, how much less the practitioner! Therefore he answers: ‘World-Honored One! I do not see one who practises prajñā.’

The Buddha asked further: ‘Do you see in this prajñāpāramitā a place where the bodhisattva can practise?’

Subhūti answered: ‘I do not see it.’ Why? Because within prajñāpāramitā every contemplation has ceased—whether permanent or impermanent, whether arising or ceasing, and so on; there is no fixed mark of any dharma that is prajñā—how then could one say that this is prajñāpāramitā?

The Buddha asked further: ‘If with the eye of wisdom you do not see a dharma, is this unseen dharma existent or non-existent?’

Subhūti answered: ‘Non-existent.’ Why? Because the Buddha says that the eye of wisdom is real, and that the fleshly eye and the divine eye are false and deceptive; Subhūti contemplates with the wisdom-eye and does not see it, and so he says ‘non-existent’.

The Buddha asked further: ‘If a dharma is non-existent and unfindable, will this dharma have arising?’

Subhūti answered: ‘It does not arise.’ This dharma is of itself non-existent, is ultimately empty, is without anything existent; the idle discourse of this dharma's existence, non-existence, and so on has already ceased—how could there be arising?

Treatise ② (continued): The Acceptance of Non-arising and the Prediction—the Body Born of the Dharma-nature; the Simile of Travelling by Land and Riding a Boat

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘If the bodhisattva penetrates this dharma without doubt, and because of the power of faith and the power of wisdom can abide within this dharma, this is called the acceptance of non-arising.’ The provisionally named bodhisattva within the five aggregates, having obtained such a dharma, is called one who practises prajñāpāramitā. This is said according to worldly dharma, not according to the highest meaning; within the highest meaning, every kind of idle discourse and word is itself non-arising. Having obtained this acceptance of non-arising, he then receives the prediction of the unsurpassed path.

The Buddha said: ‘If the bodhisattva single-mindedly practises with diligence and vigour, without stopping and without resting, practising in accordance with the acceptance of non-arising, and yet it were said that he does not obtain this great wisdom, this unsurpassed wisdom, this omniscience, there is no such principle!’ Why? As it is said in the sūtra: ‘Where there is no cause and no condition there is no retribution; wrong causes and conditions also have no retribution; causes and conditions that are insufficient also have no retribution.’ In this way, the bodhisattva who has obtained this acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas gives up this fleshly body of birth and death, obtains the body born of the Dharma-nature, and abides within the supernormal powers that are the bodhisattva's retribution; at one time he can make immeasurable transformation bodies, purify buddha-worlds, and deliver beings. This person, in his last body, fulfils the dharmas of a Buddha and sits at the seat of awakening. Since the right causes and conditions are already complete, if it were said that he does not obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, there is no such principle! And why is that? Because this person has obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising, goes straight forward single-mindedly, and does not give up or retreat.

When the bodhisattva has not yet obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, he deeply clings to worldly dharmas, and his afflictions are thick and heavy; though he has merit and a wholesome mind, it is soft, weak, and shallow and does not advance, and so he is covered over by the afflictions; once he has obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising, there is no more of this. When he has not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising, effort is arduous, like travelling by land; after he has obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, effort is very easy, like riding a boat. For this reason the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas is what the bodhisattvas prize. Because it is prized in this way, Subhūti asks: ‘World-Honored One! Is it because he has obtained the dharma of non-arising that he receives the prediction?’

Treatise ② (continued): Four Rounds of Asking about the Prediction—Three Answers of No, and at the Last a Counter-question by the Wisdom-eye

The Buddha said: ‘No!’ Why? Because the dharma of non-arising neither arises nor ceases and has no mark that can be obtained; how then could one receive the prediction because of it?

Subhūti asked further: ‘Is the prediction obtained by the dharma of arising?’

The Buddha said: ‘It is not obtained.’ Why? Because the dharma of arising is false and deceptive, false speech, a made dharma; how then could it obtain the true and real dharma of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?

Subhūti asked further: ‘Is the prediction received by arising and non-arising?’

The Buddha said: ‘No!’ Why? Because both of these have faults.

Subhūti asked further: ‘World-Honored One! If this is so, then how is the prediction given?’

The Buddha then asked him in return: ‘When you contemplate with the wisdom-eye, do you see a dharma that gives the bodhisattva the prediction?’

Subhūti answered: ‘I do not see it.’ Why? Because this dharma is from the very beginning of the mark of quiescence; within it there is no seeing and no not seeing, no giving of the prediction and no not giving of the prediction; nor does he see anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and there is no dharma that is obtained and no person who can obtain it. Here it states the causes and conditions itself: ‘Prajñāpāramitā has no such recollection, imagining, and discrimination.’

Treatise ② (continued): Drawing the Questions and Answers to a Close—the Silence toward the Brahmin Ascetic Vatsa; Subhūti's Feeling of Difficulty Ceases of Itself

The treatise-author asks:

Above, Subhūti asked, ‘Does the bodhisattva receive the prediction because he has obtained the acceptance of non-arising?’ and the Buddha answered, ‘No’; why then does the Buddha turn around and answer again with the principle of non-arising, namely, ‘When the bodhisattva practises prajñā, he has no recollection, imagining, and discrimination at all’?

The treatise-author answers:

The practitioner really does receive the prediction because of the acceptance of non-arising; it is only that Subhūti, for the sake of the bodhisattvas, asks with a clinging mind and a mind of attaining, and for this reason the Buddha says ‘no’.

It is as when all dharmas are really without self, and the brahmin ascetic Vatsa asked the Buddha: ‘Is there a self?’ The Buddha was silent and did not answer. He asked again: ‘Is there no self?’ The Buddha did not answer either. Although all dharmas are really without self, because the brahmin ascetic asked with a clinging mind, wishing to make sport of the meaning of non-self, the Buddha did not answer.

The intent of Subhūti's question is this: he knows that there definitely is such a matter as receiving the prediction, only he does not know by contemplating which dharma one obtains the prediction, and so he asks.

For this reason, the Buddha asks him by means of the dharma Subhūti himself has obtained: ‘With what you see by the wisdom-eye, is there definitely a dharma that receives the prediction?’

Subhūti abides within the three gates of liberation and contemplates the nature of dharmas, and does not see that there definitely is one who receives the prediction, because the nature of all dharmas is signless and measureless; if he does not see a dharma of receiving the prediction, then how could there be a person who is to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?

When Subhūti heard that even this person who receives the prediction is empty, his feeling of difficulty then ceased; he understood of himself and had no doubt.

The Buddha approved his meaning: ‘Just so! Just so! That you do not see and do not obtain a dharma—this is what is true and real. Why? Because the mark of prajñāpāramitā is without any discrimination.’

This chapter is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-second chapter, "Training Alike", composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin; it is in the seventy-seventh fascicle.

Sūtra ①: Śakra Praises Those Who Receive and Uphold Prajñā as Not Having Come from Small Merit—the Weighing against the Ten Wholesome Paths, the Four Dhyānas, the Four Immeasurables, and the Four Formless Absorptions; the Bhikṣu Says It Surpasses Yours, Sir; Śakra States for Himself the Causes and Conditions of Surpassing and the Merit in the Present Life; Ānanda Doubts Whether It Is by Śakra's Own Power or the Buddha's Power; the Buddha Tells of Evil Māra Giving Rise to Doubt and Great Grief and Pain, the Conditions by Which Māra Finds His Opening, the Way Out for the Evil Mind, and Dwelling Together, Looking on One Another as on the World-Honored One, True Companions Riding Together in One Boat—This Is Training Alike

At that time Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! This prajñāpāramitā is without any kind of recollection, imagining, and discrimination, because it is ultimately separated from them. World-Honored One! Those beings who, hearing this prajñāpāramitā, are able to receive and uphold, read, recite, expound, rightly recollect, draw near to, and practise as taught, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, not mixed with other minds and mental-factor dharmas, have not come from small merit.’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so! Just so! Those who hear this very deep prajñāpāramitā, and so on up to not being mixed with other minds and mental-factor dharmas, have not come from small merit. Kauśika! What do you think? If the beings of Jambudvīpa accomplished the ten wholesome paths, the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless absorptions, and there were besides a good man or good woman who received and upheld the very deep prajñāpāramitā, read, recited, drew near to, rightly recollected, and practised as taught, this person would surpass the beings of Jambudvīpa who accomplish the ten wholesome paths and so on up to the four formless absorptions a hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten million koṭi-fold, and so on up to being beyond the reach of calculation and simile.’

At that time a bhikṣu said to Śakra Devānām Indra: ‘Kauśika! The merit of this good man or good woman who practises prajñāpāramitā surpasses yours, sir!’

Śakra Devānām Indra said: ‘This good man or good woman with a single arousing of the mind surpasses me, how much more on hearing this prajñāpāramitā and writing it out, receiving and upholding, reading, reciting, rightly recollecting, and practising as taught! This good man or good woman practising prajñāpāramitā surpasses not only me; he also surpasses all the gods, humans, and asuras of the world; not only does he surpass all the gods, humans, and asuras of the world, he also surpasses the srota-āpanna, the sakṛdāgāmin, the anāgāmin, the arhat, and the pratyekabuddha; not only does he surpass these, from the srota-āpanna and so on up to the pratyekabuddha, he also surpasses the bodhisattva who practises the five perfections and is far from prajñāpāramitā; not only does he surpass the bodhisattva who practises the five perfections and is far from prajñāpāramitā, he also surpasses the bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā without the power of skilful means. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva, practising prajñāpāramitā as taught, does not cut off the seed of the Buddha, constantly obtains the sight of the buddhas, and quickly draws near to the seat of awakening. The bodhisattva practises in this way in order to pull out the beings sunk in the long stream. This bodhisattva training in this way is precisely not training in the training of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha. When the bodhisattva trains in this way, the gods of the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings come to the bodhisattva's place and speak thus: 「善男子！當勤疾學，坐道場成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，如過去諸佛所受四鉢，亦當應受，我當持來奉上菩薩及諸餘天——四天王天、三十三天、夜摩天、兜率陀天、化樂天、他化自在天、梵天乃至首陀會天，亦當供養。」 tr. "Good man! You should train diligently and swiftly; when you sit at the seat of awakening and attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, then, as the buddhas of the past received four bowls, you too should receive them; we shall bring them and offer them up to the bodhisattva; and all the other gods—the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heaven of the Thirty-three, the Yāma heaven, the Tuṣita heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Transformation, the heaven of the gods Sovereign over Others' Transformations, the Brahmā heaven, and so on up to the Śuddhāvāsa heaven—will also make offerings." The buddhas of the ten directions also constantly keep in mind this bodhisattva-mahāsattva—the one who practises this very deep prajñāpāramitā as taught. All the worldly calamities and toilsome sufferings that this bodhisattva has will never be again; in all the world there are four hundred and four sicknesses, and in this bodhisattva's body there are none of these sicknesses. Because he practises the very deep prajñāpāramitā, he obtains this merit in the present life.’

At that time Ānanda had this thought in his mind: ‘Is Śakra Devānām Indra speaking by his own power? Or is he speaking by the Buddha's spiritual power?’

Śakra Devānām Indra, knowing what Ānanda was thinking in his mind, said to Ānanda: ‘What I have said is all the Buddha's majestic power!’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘Just so! Just so! As Śakra Devānām Indra has said, it is all the Buddha's majestic power. Ānanda! When this bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains in this very deep prajñāpāramitā, the evil Māras within the three-thousand great-thousand world all give rise to doubt and suspicion: 「今是菩薩為當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？當中道於實際作證，墮聲聞、辟支佛地？」 tr. "Will this bodhisattva now attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? Or will he midway realise the limit of reality and fall to the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha ground?" Again, Ānanda! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not part from prajñāpāramitā, Māra is then greatly grieved and pained, as though an arrow had entered his heart. At this time Māra further lets loose great fire and great wind, rising together in the four directions, wishing to make the bodhisattva's mind sink, be terrified, and grow lazy, and within sarvajñā give rise to even a single disordered thought.’

Ānanda said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Does Māra trouble and disorder all bodhisattvas? Or are there those who are not troubled and disordered?’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘There are those he troubles and disorders, and there are those he does not trouble and disorder.’

Ānanda said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Which bodhisattvas are troubled and disordered by evil Māra?’

The Buddha said: ‘There are bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who in a former life heard this very deep prajñāpāramitā and in their minds had no faith and no understanding. With such a bodhisattva, Māra then finds his opening.

‘Again, Ānanda! When a bodhisattva hears someone teaching this very deep prajñāpāramitā, doubt arises in his mind: 「是般若波羅蜜，為實有？為實無？」 tr. "This prajñāpāramitā—is it really existent? Is it really non-existent?" With such a bodhisattva, Māra then finds his opening.

‘Again, Ānanda! There is the bodhisattva who is far from the good friend and, because he is taken in by the evil friend, does not get to hear the very deep prajñāpāramitā; because he does not hear it, he does not know and does not see, nor does he ask: 「云何應行般若波羅蜜？云何應修般若波羅蜜？」 tr. "How should one practise prajñāpāramitā? How should one cultivate prajñāpāramitā?" With this bodhisattva, evil Māra then finds his opening.

‘Again, Ānanda! If a bodhisattva is far from prajñāpāramitā and takes up evil dharmas, this bodhisattva then has his opening found by evil Māra. Māra thinks thus: 「是輩當有伴黨，當滿我願。」 tr. "These will have companions and partisans; they will fulfil my wish." This bodhisattva himself falls into the two grounds, and also makes others fall into the two grounds.

‘Again, Ānanda! If, when a bodhisattva hears someone teaching the very deep prajñāpāramitā, he says to others: 「是般若波羅蜜甚深，我尚不能得其底，汝復用聞、用學是般若波羅蜜為？」 tr. "This prajñāpāramitā is very deep; even I cannot reach its bottom; what use is it for you to hear and to train in this prajñāpāramitā?" With such a bodhisattva, Māra then finds his opening.

‘Again, Ānanda! If a bodhisattva slights the other bodhisattvas, saying: 「我行般若波羅蜜，行遠離空；汝無是功德。」 tr. "I practise prajñāpāramitā, I practise the emptiness of seclusion; you have no such merit." At this time evil Māra greatly rejoices and leaps for joy. If there is a bodhisattva who, presuming on his name and clan and because he is known to many people, slights the other bodhisattvas who practise the good, this person does not have the true and real conduct, kind, and appearance, and merit, of the avaivartika; because he does not have this merit, he gives rise to the afflictions; only because he clings to an empty name, he despises others, saying: 「汝不在如我所得法中。」 tr. "You are not within the dharma such as I have attained." At that time evil Māra thinks thus: 「今我境界宮殿不空，增益三惡道。」 tr. "Now my domain and palaces will not be empty, and the three evil destinies are increased." Evil Māra then augments his majestic power, making other people believe and accept his words; because they believe and accept his words, they receive and practise according to his sūtras, and train according to what he says; when they train according to what he says, the fetters increase. Because their minds are inverted, what these people do by the deeds of body, speech, and mind all receives evil retribution; for this reason the three evil destinies are increased, and Māra's retinue and palaces become ever more numerous. Ānanda! Māra, seeing such benefit, therefore greatly rejoices and leaps for joy. Ānanda! If a person who practises the bodhisattva path fights and contends with a person who seeks the śrāvaka path, Māra thinks thus: 「是遠離薩婆若。」 tr. "This is far from sarvajñā." Ānanda! If bodhisattva and bodhisattva fight and contend with one another, with hatred and abuse, at this time evil Māra greatly rejoices and leaps for joy, saying: 「兩離薩婆若遠。」 tr. "Both are far removed from sarvajñā." Again, Ānanda! If a bodhisattva who has not received the prediction gives rise to an evil mind toward a bodhisattva who has already obtained the prediction, fighting, contending, and abusing, then, according to how many thoughts arise, so many kalpas, that number of kalpas; if he does not abandon the omniscience of all kinds, only afterwards, having made up that number of kalpas, does he arouse the great adornment.’

Ānanda said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! This evil mind must actually pass through that number of kalpas; in the meantime, can one get out of it and remove it?’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘Though I have said that those who seek the bodhisattva path, as well as śrāvakas, obtain a way out of sin, Ānanda! if those who seek the bodhisattva path fight and contend with one another, with hatred and abuse, holding resentment, not repenting, and not letting go, I do not say there is a way out for them; they must surely pass again through that number of kalpas; if they do not abandon the omniscience of all kinds, only afterwards do they obtain the great adornment. Ānanda! If this bodhisattva, after fighting, contending, hatred, and abuse, then himself changes and repents, thinking thus: 「我為大失！我當為一切眾生下屈，今世、後世皆使和解，我當忍受一切眾生履踐如橋梁，如聾、如瘂，云何以惡語報人？我不應壞是甚深阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心；我得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，應當度是一切苦惱眾生，云何當起瞋恚？」 tr. "This is a great fault of mine! I should bow low for all beings, and make peace with them all in this life and in later lives; I should bear all beings treading upon me as upon a bridge, as one deaf, as one dumb; how could I answer people with evil words? I should not ruin this very deep mind of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; when I attain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, I should deliver all these suffering and afflicted beings; how should I give rise to hatred?"’

Ānanda said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How should bodhisattva and bodhisattva dwell together?’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘Bodhisattva and bodhisattva dwelling together should look on one another as on the World-Honored One. Why? This bodhisattva-mahāsattva should think thus: 「是我真伴，共乘一船，彼學我學，所謂檀波羅蜜乃至一切種智。若是菩薩雜行、離薩婆若心，我不應如是學；若是菩薩不雜行、不離薩婆若心，我亦應如是學。」 tr. "This is my true companion, riding together in one boat; what he trains in I train in, namely dānapāramitā and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds. If this bodhisattva practises mixedly and parts from the mind of sarvajñā, I should not train in that way; if this bodhisattva does not practise mixedly and does not part from the mind of sarvajñā, I too should train in that way." The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way—this is training alike.’

Treatise ①: Four Accounts of the Mixing of Other Minds and Mental-Factor Dharmas, the Simile of Blades of Grass and the Vajra, Why the Bhikṣu Spoke to Śakra and Why Śakra Did Not Give Rise to a Haughty Mind, the Proof of the Buddha's Power, the Distinction between Having Māra as Enemy and Not, Whether Sin Can Be Repented and Repenting with a Lowly Intent, the Causes and Conditions for Breaking Hatred, and the Instruction on Riding Together in One Boat, with Brothers of the Same Dharma Not to Contend with One Another

The treatise-author explains:

Above, Śakra Devānām Indra said 「善男子書、受持般若乃至正憶念，得無量功德」 tr. "the good man who writes out, receives and upholds prajñā, and so on up to rightly recollects it, obtains immeasurable merit"; now the meaning within it is taught. This person who reads and recites prajñā, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, not letting other minds and mental factors be mixed in, obtains the merit spoken of above. But one who only goes by hearing and cannot put it into practice, with other minds not entering, though he obtains merit, is not called unsurpassed.

On the phrase 「餘心、心數法雜」 tr. "mixed with other minds and mental-factor dharmas", someone says: it is the evil minds of stinginess, greed, and the rest, and those that break the six perfections.

Someone says: it is only not letting the evil mind grow and gain its strength; when it comes, it is extinguished.

Someone says: it is not letting the mind of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha enter.

Someone says: the indeterminate and scattered mind, though it is not evil, because it blocks the wholesome path, is also not allowed to enter. Therefore this person has not come from small merit.

The Buddha approved his words, saying: 「如是！」 tr. "Just so!"

To distinguish the strength of pure practice, he therefore asks Kauśika in return 「若閻浮提人一切成就十善道」 tr. "if the people of Jambudvīpa all accomplished the ten wholesome paths" and the rest, as said in the sūtra. Such merit, though much, because it is apart from the real mark of all dharmas, is false, not firm, impermanent, exhausted, and ceasing, and does not count as much; as blades of grass, though many, are not equal to one small piece of vajra.

The treatise-author asks:

Why did this bhikṣu say to Śakra 「善男子福德勝仁者」 tr. "the good man's merit surpasses yours, sir"?

The treatise-author answers:

Śakra has already become, within the fruit of the reward of merit, the lord of humans and gods, of majestic virtue and honoured. This bhikṣu, revering this wholesome dharma and wishing to display this merit, therefore said 「勝於仁者」 tr. "surpasses yours, sir".

Again, this bhikṣu had heard that Śakra had already obtained the śrāvaka path, and therefore said: 「汝雖有福德，是菩薩勝汝。」 tr. "Though you have merit, this bodhisattva surpasses you."

Śakra, having obtained the path, because he is deeply mindful of the Buddha's Dharma, does not give rise to a haughty and arrogant mind; accepting his words, he said: 「菩薩為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，但發心便勝我，何況如所說行！」 tr. "The bodhisattva, for the sake of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, merely by arousing the mind surpasses me, how much more when he practises as taught!" Why? Śakra's reward of merit is slight and thin; this bodhisattva's merit is pure and thick. Further, because Śakra's merit is attached to heavenly pleasures and is only for his own person; the bodhisattva's meritorious virtue is dedicated, for the sake of all beings, to the joy of the Buddha path.

The listeners in the assembly at the time, hearing the bhikṣu say 「勝於仁者」 tr. "surpasses yours, sir" and Śakra accept his words, all gave rise to a mind that slighted Śakra. Therefore Śakra said: 「不但勝我，乃至勝菩薩行般若無方便力者，如所說行般若波羅蜜時不雜餘心心數法故。」 tr. "He surpasses not only me, and so on up to surpassing the bodhisattva who practises prajñā without the power of skilful means, because when he practises prajñāpāramitā as taught he is not mixed with other minds and mental-factor dharmas."

Here Śakra himself states the causes and conditions of surpassing, namely 「是菩薩如說行般若，不斷佛種」 tr. "this bodhisattva, practising prajñā as taught, does not cut off the seed of the Buddha", and so on up to 「以行般若波羅蜜故，得是現世功德」 tr. "because he practises prajñāpāramitā, he obtains this merit in the present life".

The treatise-author asks:

Why did Ānanda have this thought: 「帝釋自以力說？用佛力說？」 tr. "Is Śakra speaking by his own power? Is he speaking by the Buddha's power?"

The treatise-author answers:

Ānanda knew that Śakra was a śrāvaka, and yet what he said was very deep, going beyond the wisdom of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha; therefore doubt arose and he thought to himself.

The treatise-author asks:

Śakra himself has wisdom and is able to ask and able to answer; why is it said to be 「佛力」 tr. "the Buddha's power"?

The treatise-author answers:

Prajñā is very deep and very hard, immeasurable and boundless; if even teaching it elsewhere is hard, how much more teaching it before the Buddha in the midst of the great assembly! Therefore it is said to be 「佛力」 tr. "the Buddha's power". As it says in the Sūtra of Holding the Mind: 「佛以光明威神入其身故，能於佛前難問有所說。」 tr. "Because the Buddha's light and majestic power entered his body, he was able, before the Buddha, to pose difficult questions and to say something."

The Buddha told Ānanda, approving what Śakra had said; and he further praised the bodhisattva who practises the deep prajñā as having great majestic virtue, namely saying: 「阿難！是菩薩習學深般若時，惡魔生疑。」 tr. "Ānanda! When this bodhisattva trains in the deep prajñā, evil Māra gives rise to doubt." Evil Māra is the enemy and thief of the bodhisattva, constantly seeking the bodhisattva's opening, as is said in the "Māra" chapter. Because the bodhisattva practises prajñāpāramitā deeply, Māra greatly devises means to ruin the bodhisattva's mind. If the bodhisattva grows lazy, Māra greatly rejoices: 「是人自當墮落！」 tr. "This person will fall of himself!"

Someone says: 「一切菩薩應有魔怨。」 tr. "All bodhisattvas must have Māra as enemy." Therefore Ānanda asks: 「為盡有魔？亦有無者？」 tr. "Do all have Māra? Or are there also those who do not?"

The Buddha answers by distinguishing: namely, those who practise the bodhisattva path with a deep and pure mind have no Māra troubling them; those who are not pure and are ruined by Māra are as the sūtra says at length.

The treatise-author asks:

As the Buddha has said, 「一切有為法皆可轉可捨」 tr. "all conditioned dharmas can be turned and can be abandoned"; why did Ānanda give rise to doubt and ask the Buddha: 「是罪可悔不？」 tr. "Can this sin be repented or not?"

The treatise-author answers:

Ānanda knew that prajñāpāramitā is an inexhaustible cause and condition: if one makes offerings to it, the merit is boundless, and even up to attaining buddhahood the merit is still not exhausted; if one rebukes it in hatred, the sin is likewise boundless. Therefore he asked the Buddha.

The Buddha answered: 「我法雖有出罪，若菩薩共鬪結恨，不即捨，則不可出。」 tr. "Though in my Dharma there is a way out of sin, if bodhisattvas fight together and bind resentment and do not at once let it go, then there is no way out." Why? Because this bodhisattva, in his deep mind, slights and hates the other bodhisattvas. Because of hatred and arrogance, he cannot bend his mind low to repent together, but wishes instead to perform other merit to seek the extinction of this sin. The Buddha said: 「此罪不可出，以懷恨故，雖作餘福德，皆不清淨；不清淨故無力；無力故不能滅罪。此人若欲作佛，不捨一切智，下意懺悔者，補爾所劫乃得發大莊嚴。」 tr. "There is no way out of this sin; because he holds resentment, though he makes other merit, none of it is pure; because it is not pure it has no strength; because it has no strength it cannot extinguish the sin. If this person wishes to become a Buddha, one who does not abandon omniscience and with a lowly intent repents makes up that number of kalpas, and only then arouses the great adornment."

The treatise-author asks:

Resentment held in the mind—how can it be extinguished?

The treatise-author answers:

The causes and conditions for breaking hatred are as said in the sūtra.

Ānanda knew that all beings are bound to the causes and conditions of deeds and are not free, and there is no one able to save them; with fear in his mind, he therefore asked the Buddha: 「菩薩共住云何？云何用心恭敬？」 tr. "How do bodhisattvas dwell together? How should they use the mind to revere one another?"

The Buddha answered: 「供養恭敬，當如視佛。」 tr. "In making offerings and revering, they should be as looking on the Buddha." Because he is a Buddha of the future.

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: 「菩薩共住，應作是念：『是我真伴，俱到佛道，共乘一船。』」 tr. "Bodhisattvas dwelling together should have this thought: ‘This is my true companion; together we reach the Buddha path, riding together in one boat.’" The boat is the six perfections; the three realms and the three outflows are the water; the further shore is the Buddha path. What he trains in, I too should train in. What is called training is the six perfections and the rest—the same precepts, the same view, the same path. Just as brothers among the white-robed should not fight and contend with one another, we are brothers of the same Dharma and should likewise not contend and compete with one another. If this bodhisattva practises mixedly and parts from the mind of sarvajñā, I should not train in this way. Why? In excellent matters one should train after the other; evil matters should be abandoned. If the bodhisattva trains in this way, the matters of slighting and hatred all cease; this then is called the bodhisattvas' training alike.

This chapter is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-third chapter, "Equal Training", composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin; it is in the seventy-seventh fascicle.

Sūtra ①: Subhūti Asks about the Bodhisattva's Dharma of Equality, and the Buddha Answers That Inner Emptiness and so on up to the Emptiness of Specific Marks, and the Emptiness of the Marks of All Dharmas, Are the Dharma of Equality, and That Abiding in This Dharma of Equality One Obtains Awakening—Training for the Sake of the Exhaustion, Separation, Cessation, and Non-arising of Form Is Training in Sarvajñā; Training in Suchness Exhausts the Limits of All Training; the Benefits and the Avoidances of Training in This Way; Obtaining Purity within All Dharmas; the Two Similes of Gold and Silver and of the Work of a Wheel-Turning Sage King; Training in Prajñā without Giving Rise to Stinginess and the Other Minds or to the Mind That Grasps at Marks; the Deep Prajñā Gathering In All the Perfections, and the Two Similes of the View of Self and of the Life-Faculty; the Weighing of Merit against the Beings of the Three-Thousand Great-Thousand World; the Merits of the Śrāvaka and the Pratyekabuddha All Obtained and yet Not Abided In; the Distinction of the Three Kinds of 「作是念」 tr. "Having This Thought"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! What is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's dharma of equality, in which the bodhisattva should train?’

‘Subhūti! Inner emptiness is the bodhisattva's dharma of equality; outer emptiness and so on up to the emptiness of specific marks is the bodhisattva's dharma of equality. Subhūti! Form—the mark of form is empty; feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness—the mark of consciousness is empty; and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—the mark of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is empty. Subhūti! This is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's dharma of equality. Abiding in this dharma of equality, he obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains for the sake of the exhaustion of form, is this training in sarvajñā? If he trains for the sake of the separation of form, trains for the sake of the cessation of form, is this training in sarvajñā? If he trains for the sake of the non-arising of form, is this training in sarvajñā? Feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness are also like this. If, practising the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas, he trains for the sake of their exhaustion, separation, cessation, and non-arising, is this training in sarvajñā?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘As Subhūti has said, to train for the sake of the exhaustion, separation, cessation, and non-arising of form is training in sarvajñā; to train for the sake of the exhaustion, separation, cessation, and non-arising of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas, is training in sarvajñā.’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘What do you think? The suchness of form, the suchness of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, and so on up to the suchness of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi and the suchness of the Buddha—can these suchnesses be exhausted, can they be made to cease, can they be severed?’

Subhūti said: ‘No, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in suchness in this way is training in sarvajñā. This suchness is not realised, does not cease, is not severed. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in suchness in this way is training in sarvajñā. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way is training in the six perfections, is training in the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas. If he trains in the six perfections and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas, this is training in sarvajñā. Subhūti! Training in this way is for exhausting the limits of all training. Training in this way, Māra and the gods of Māra cannot break him; training in this way, he goes straight to the ground of the avaivartika; training in this way is training in the path the Buddha practises; training in this way is obtaining protection, is training in great kindness and great compassion, is training in purifying buddha-worlds and bringing beings to accomplishment. Subhūti! Training in this way is for the sake of training so that the wheel of the Dharma of three turnings and twelve aspects can be turned; training in this way is training in delivering beings; training in this way is training in not cutting off the seed of the Buddha; training in this way is training in opening the gate of ambrosia; training in this way is training in wishing to show the unconditioned nature. Subhūti! The inferior person cannot do this training; the one who trains in this way does so in order to pull out the beings sunk in birth and death. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way never falls among the hells, the hungry ghosts, or the animals, is never born in a border land, is never born in a caṇḍāla household; he is never deaf, never blind, never mute, never crippled, and his faculties are not deficient; his retinue is accomplished, and he is never alone or poor. The bodhisattva who trains in this way never kills living beings, and so on up to never gives rise to wrong view; training in this way, he does not live by wrong livelihood, and does not take in evil people or those who break the precepts. Training in this way, because of the power of skilful means, he is not born in the heavens of long life. What is the power of skilful means? It is as spoken of in the "Prajñāpāramitā" chapter. Because of the power of skilful means, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva enters the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, and the four formless absorptions, and yet is not born according to the dhyānas, the immeasurables, or the formless absorptions. Subhūti! The bodhisattva who trains in this way obtains purity within all dharmas—namely, purifying the mind of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! All dharmas are pure in their original nature; why is it said that the bodhisattva obtains purity within all dharmas?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘Just so! Just so! All dharmas are pure in their original nature; if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's mind within this dharma can penetrate and does not sink, this is prajñāpāramitā. Such dharmas all ordinary people do not know and do not see. For the sake of these beings the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises dānapāramitā and so on up to prajñāpāramitā, practises the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds. Subhūti! The bodhisattva who trains in this way obtains knowledge, obtains power, and obtains fearlessness within all dharmas; training in this way is for knowing where the minds of all beings tend. It is like the great earth, where only a few places yield gold, silver, and precious things; Subhūti! beings are also like this: only a few people can train in prajñāpāramitā; most fall to the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. Subhūti! It is like how only a few people take up and practise the work of a wheel-turning sage king, and most take up and practise the work of a minor king; just so, Subhūti! only a few beings practise prajñāpāramitā and seek omniscience; most practise the śrāvaka path or the pratyekabuddha path. Subhūti! Among the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who arouse the mind to seek anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, few practise as taught; most abide in the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground; many bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practise prajñāpāramitā without the power of skilful means, and therefore only a few abide in the ground of the avaivartika. Subhūti! For this reason, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to abide in the ground of the avaivartika, who wishes to be within the number of the avaivartika, should train in this very deep prajñāpāramitā.

‘Furthermore, Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains in this prajñāpāramitā, he does not give rise to the mind of stinginess and greed, does not give rise to the mind of precept-breaking, hatred, laziness, distraction, or delusion, does not give rise to the minds of any of the other kinds of fault. He does not give rise to the mind that grasps at the mark of form or grasps at the marks of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, does not give rise to the mind that grasps at the mark of the four foundations of mindfulness, and so on up to does not give rise to the mind that grasps at the mark of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? This bodhisattva-mahāsattva, practising this very deep prajñāpāramitā, has no dharma to be found; because it is unfindable, toward dharmas he does not give rise to the mind to grasp at marks. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in the very deep prajñāpāramitā in this way gathers in all the perfections, makes all the perfections increase, and all the perfections follow along. Why? Subhūti! Within this very deep prajñāpāramitā all the perfections are entirely contained. Subhūti! It is like how within the view of self the sixty-two wrong views are all included; just so, Subhūti! this very deep prajñāpāramitā includes all the perfections. Subhūti! It is like a man who dies: because the life-faculty ceases, all his other faculties cease along with it; just so, Subhūti! when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises the very deep prajñāpāramitā, all the perfections follow along. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to bring all the perfections across to the further shore should train in the very deep prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this very deep prajñāpāramitā goes above all beings. Subhūti! What do you think? Are the beings in the three-thousand great-thousand world many or not?’

Subhūti said: ‘Even the beings in a single Jambudvīpa are very many—how much more those of the three-thousand great-thousand world!’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘Suppose the beings in the three-thousand great-thousand world all at once obtained human bodies and all obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; and suppose there were a bodhisattva who for the whole of his life made offerings to that many buddhas, offering them robes, food and drink, bedding, medicine, and whatever is needed to sustain life. Subhūti! What do you think? Because of this cause and condition, is the merit this person obtains much or not?’

Subhūti said: ‘Very much! Very much!’

The Buddha said: ‘It is not as much as the merit obtained by this good man or good woman who trains in prajñāpāramitā, practises as taught, and rightly recollects. Why? Prajñāpāramitā has power; it can bring the bodhisattva-mahāsattva to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! For this reason, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to go above all beings should train in prajñāpāramitā. Wishing to be rescue and protection for beings who have no rescue and protection, wishing to be a refuge for beings who have no refuge, wishing to be the ultimate path for beings who have no ultimate path, wishing to be eyes for the blind, wishing to obtain the merits of the Buddha, wishing to do the sovereign play of the buddhas, wishing to make the Buddha's lion's roar, wishing to strike the Buddha's bell and drum, wishing to blow the Buddha's Dharma conch, wishing to ascend the Buddha's high seat and teach the Dharma, wishing to sever the doubts of all beings—he should train in the very deep prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains in the very deep prajñāpāramitā, there is not a single one of the wholesome merits that he does not obtain.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Can he also obtain the merits of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha?’

The Buddha said: ‘The merits of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha he can all obtain, only he does not abide in them; having observed them with wisdom, he passes straight beyond them and enters the bodhisattva position. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way draws near to sarvajñā and quickly obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way is a field of merit for the gods, humans, and asuras of all the world. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way passes above the fields of merit of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and quickly draws near to sarvajñā. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains in this way—this is called not abandoning and not parting from prajñāpāramitā, and constantly practising prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva trains in the very deep prajñāpāramitā in this way, know that this is a non-retrogressing bodhisattva, who quickly draws near to sarvajñā, is far from the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha, and draws near to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, if he has this thought: 「是般若波羅蜜，我以是般若波羅蜜得一切種智。」 tr. "This is prajñāpāramitā; by this prajñāpāramitā I obtain the omniscience of all kinds." If he thinks in this way, it is not called practising prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! If he does not have this thought: 「是般若波羅蜜，是人有般若波羅蜜；是般若波羅蜜法，是人行般若波羅蜜得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」 tr. "This is prajñāpāramitā; this person has prajñāpāramitā; this is the dharma of prajñāpāramitā; this person, practising prajñāpāramitā, obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi." this is called practising prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! If the bodhisattva has this thought: 「無是般若波羅蜜，無人有是般若波羅蜜；無有行是般若波羅蜜得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」 tr. "There is no such prajñāpāramitā; no person has this prajñāpāramitā; there is none who, practising this prajñāpāramitā, obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi." Why? Because all dharmas—suchness, the nature of dharmas, the limit of reality—constantly abide. Practising in this way, this is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practising prajñāpāramitā.’

Treatise ①: The Explanation—Following on from Training Alike, the Dharma of Equality Is Asked About; the Two Kinds of Acceptance of Equality, and As the Two Ends of a Scale Come to Rest Level; Contemplating Form as Impermanent, the Mind Is Separated from Form and Obtains the Dharma of Non-arising; That Suchness Cannot Be Exhausted, Made to Cease, or Severed; Exhausting the Limits of All Training; the Chain of Cause and Effect of Great Kindness and Great Compassion, and the Gate of Ambrosia as the Three Gates of Liberation; the Three Kinds of Wrong View of the Inferior; the Great Person Reckoning the Real Mark and Entering the Nature of Dharmas; Four Rounds of Question and Answer; the Nine Causes and Conditions for Keeping Clear of the Evil Destinies; the Threefold Definition of Evil People and Those Who Break the Precepts; Purity Named as Abandonment, Nothing Whatsoever, and Ultimate Emptiness; the Point of the Similes of Gold and Silver and of the Work of a Wheel-Turning Sage King; Saying ‘Does Not Arise’ Because the Afflictions Are Restrained, and Going Straight along the Middle Way; the View of Self as the Root from Which the Fifty-seven Views Arise; the Wrong and the Right of the Three Kinds of 「作是念」 tr. "Having This Thought", and the Third Statement Speaking the Real Mark

The treatise-author explains:

Above, Ānanda asked about ‘fighting and contention’, and the Buddha answered with ‘the purity of training alike’. Now Subhūti asks the Buddha: 「甚深同心等法，是菩薩所學處？」 tr. "The very deep dharma of equality of one mind—is this where the bodhisattva trains?" The Buddha answers: 「內空乃至自相空，是名等法。」 tr. "Inner emptiness and so on up to the emptiness of specific marks—this is called the dharma of equality."

There are two kinds of acceptance of equality: at the end of the previous chapter the acceptance of the equality of beings was spoken of; this chapter speaks of the acceptance of the equality of dharmas. As the two ends of a scale come to rest level, so inner emptiness and the other emptinesses are equal among all dharmas. As inner dharmas have all kinds of differences, on obtaining inner emptiness they are all equal and without dharmas; and so on up to the emptiness of specific marks: the marks of all dharmas are each empty of themselves, and at this time the mind is equal. The bodhisattva, abiding in this equality, can obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

Subhūti asks again: 「為色等盡故，為學薩婆若？」 tr. "Training for the sake of the exhaustion of form and the rest—is this training in sarvajñā?" One contemplates form and the rest as impermanent, ceasing thought by thought and not abiding; if one obtains such a contemplation, the mind is separated from form; because the mind is separated from form, the afflictions cease; because the afflictions cease, one obtains the dharma of non-arising.

Subhūti asks: 「如是學為學薩婆若？」 tr. "Is training in this way training in sarvajñā?"

The Buddha asks Subhūti in return: 「於汝意云何？色等諸法如及如來如，是如為盡、滅、斷不？」 tr. "What do you think? The suchness of form and the other dharmas, and the suchness of the Tathāgata—are these suchnesses exhausted, ceased, severed, or not?"

Subhūti says: 「不！」 tr. "No!"

This suchness, from the beginning, has not been gathered and has not come together; how could there be exhaustion? From the beginning it has not arisen; how could there be cessation? This dharma from the beginning is false and deceptive and has no fixed mark; how could it be severed?

「須菩提！菩薩摩訶薩能如是學如，為學薩婆若。」 tr. "Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who can train in suchness in this way is training in sarvajñā." This suchness is permanent, cannot be realised, cannot be made to cease, cannot be severed; that exhaustion, separation, and severing are practised in order to remove the inversions; they are not the ultimate.

What is spoken of here is the matter of the ultimate, and so the Buddha praises it, saying: 「如是學，雖不定為一法故學而學薩婆若。」 tr. "Training in this way, though not training fixedly for the sake of any one dharma, is training in sarvajñā."

If he trains in sarvajñā, this is training in the six perfections and the rest; if he can train in the six perfections and the rest, this is exhausting the limits of all training. If he exhausts the limits of all training, then because this person's immeasurable merit and wisdom are complete, Māra and Māra's people cannot subdue him. Because he trains rightly in this way, he goes straight to the ground of the avaivartika. Training in this way is training in the path the Buddha practises. Training in this way, he is protected by the buddhas of the ten directions and by the great bodhisattvas, the gods, and good people. One who can train in this way has no wrong views, his mind clings to nothing, and toward all beings he can give rise to great kindness and great compassion; because of great kindness and great compassion, he can teach and transform beings; because beings' minds are pure, the Buddha's realm is pure; when the Buddha's realm is pure, he obtains the Buddha path, turns the wheel of the Dharma of three turnings and twelve aspects, and by the three vehicles delivers immeasurable beings. Because he delivers beings by the Great Vehicle, he does not cut off the seed of the Buddha; because he does not cut off the seed of the Buddha, in the world he constantly opens the Dharma-gate of ambrosia and constantly shows beings the unconditioned nature. The unconditioned nature is what is called suchness, the nature of dharmas, the limit of reality, nirvāṇa. Ambrosia is the unconditioned nature; the gate is the three gates of liberation. What is called inferior means lazy and heedless, not delighting in the Buddha-Dharma, not practising the path single-mindedly, practising sin and merit mixedly. Such a person cannot train in this dharma. Why? This inferior person has this thought: 「我身及親屬是我所應護，諸餘眾生何豫我事，而以頭目髓腦施之，令其得樂？一切人皆方便求樂，我今何為捨樂求苦？」 tr. "My own body and my kin are what I ought to protect; what have all the other beings to do with me, that I should give them my head, eyes, marrow, and brain to bring them happiness? All people seek happiness by whatever means; why should I now give up happiness and seek suffering?" Or he gives rise to wrong view and again has this thought: 「眾生無量無邊，度不可盡；若可度盡，即是有量有邊，一佛便可度盡。」 tr. "Beings are immeasurable and boundless and cannot be delivered to the last; if they could be delivered to the last, they would be measurable and bounded, and a single Buddha could deliver them all." Or he has this thought: 「佛說一切法空、不生不滅，我復何所度？求佛道、不求佛道，同如幻夢。」 tr. "The Buddha says all dharmas are empty, not arising and not ceasing; what then is there for me to deliver? Seeking the Buddha path and not seeking the Buddha path are alike like an illusion and a dream." Such inferior people, because of the causes and conditions of all kinds of wrong views and of greed, cannot train in this great Dharma.

At times a great person appears in the world who reckons and considers the real mark of all dharmas—namely, neither permanent nor impermanent, neither bounded nor boundless, neither existent nor non-existent, and so on; he practises such a path and breaks the inverted views; and again, abandoning this path, he enters straight into the nature of dharmas and constantly abides in this pure nature of dharmas. Because all beings do not know this matter, he gives rise to the mind of great compassion, and thereafter cultivates and gathers the six perfections and the other merits, the Buddha's supernormal powers, wisdom, and unobstructed liberation, and obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; by all kinds of gates of skilful means he widely delivers beings. Such a person is rare.

The treatise-author asks:

As said before, 「眾生無量無邊」 tr. "beings are immeasurable and boundless", and it was also said: 「眾生空，復何所度？」 tr. "Beings are empty; what then is there to deliver?" This being so, how can there be anyone delivered?

The treatise-author answers:

These are the words of inferior people; how are they worth taking as proof?

Furthermore, as said before: because of the causes and conditions of wrong views and of greed, the inferior person has this thought and says 「眾生有邊、無邊」 tr. "beings are bounded, are boundless", 「一切法空無所有、一切法常實」 tr. "all dharmas are empty and without anything existent; all dharmas are permanent and real"—all are included within the sixty-two wrong views.

The great person has no greed; he considers and reckons, separates from such faults, abides in the nature of dharmas, and gives rise to the mind of great compassion. As a great person gives wealth to others simply with a giving mind and does not take a price. The greedy person gives only after seeking causes and conditions; the person of wrong views relies on bounded, boundless, and the like, and none of them can do something without profit and give anything. As a petty person trades in the market, and gives only when he seeks a profit.

And furthermore, the great person, the bodhisattva, has nothing he seeks or desires; he can give his head, eyes, and the rest to beings, and the fruit of retribution he obtains he also gives away; toward all dharmas his mind relies on nothing, and yet he can gather all merits. Therefore the Buddha says: 「欲拔一切眾生沈沒生死者，能如是學。」 tr. "One who wishes to pull out all the beings sunk in birth and death can train in this way."

Furthermore, the bodhisattva who trains in this way constantly has a mind of kindness, compassion, and pity; because he does not trouble or harm beings, he does not fall into the hells; because he constantly contemplates the real mark of dharmas arising from causes and conditions and does not give rise to delusion, he does not fall among the animals; because he constantly practises giving and breaks the mind of stinginess and greed, he is not born among the hungry ghosts. Because he is never sparing of the twelve divisions of the scriptures and the eighty-four thousand heaps of Dharma spoken by the Buddha, he is not born in a border land. Because he constantly makes offerings to elders and good people and breaks pride, he is not born among the caṇḍāla and other lowly people. Because he loves and protects beings with a deep mind and fully practises the work of benefiting them, the body he receives is whole and complete. Because he transforms many beings with wholesome dharmas, his retinue is accomplished and he is never alone or poor. Because he deeply loves and delights in śīlapāramitā, he does not practise the ten evil paths or wrong livelihood. Because he has no mind of self and only benefits beings, not acting for his own sake, he does not take in evil people or those who break the precepts. What is called an evil person means one whose mind is evil; what is called one who breaks the precepts means one whose body and speech are evil.

Furthermore, one who practises the three unwholesome paths is called an evil person; one who practises the seven unwholesome paths is called one who breaks the precepts.

Furthermore, as for the bodhisattva: if, as a householder, he takes in evil people, this is called an evil person; if, having gone forth, he takes in evil people, this is called breaking the precepts.

The treatise-author asks:

The bodhisattva appears in the world in order to deliver evil people, as a good physician cures the various illnesses; why does he not take in evil people?

The treatise-author answers:

Of evil people and those who break the precepts, there are those who can be transformed and those who cannot be transformed; here only those who cannot be transformed are spoken of. If he takes them in and dwells together with them, he ruins his own path himself, and brings no benefit to them either; as in rescuing the drowning: one who cannot himself float and yet wishes to bring the other across—neither of the two escapes drowning. Therefore it is said that he keeps far from evil people.

Because the desire realm has much evil, and because he gives rise to a mind of pity, he is born within the desire realm; though he practises dhyāna and his mind is harmonised and supple, because of the power of skilful means, at the time of death he is not born according to the dhyāna, as the sūtra explains at length.

「須菩提！菩薩如是學，於一切法中得清淨，所謂淨聲聞、辟支佛心。」 tr. "Subhūti! The bodhisattva who trains in this way obtains purity within all dharmas—namely, purifying the mind of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha." What is called purity is abandonment, nothing whatsoever, ultimate emptiness.

Subhūti said to the Buddha: 「若一切法從本已來空、清淨，云何言『菩薩如是學，得一切法中清淨』？」 tr. "If all dharmas from the beginning have been empty and pure, why is it said, ‘The bodhisattva who trains in this way obtains purity within all dharmas’?"

The Buddha approved Subhūti's words and stated the causes and conditions for him: 「若菩薩知一切法從本已來空、清淨，於是中心不沒、不却。不沒名不疑、不生邪見。通達，不與空諍，是名般若波羅蜜。一切凡夫人不知不見如是清淨法，為是人故，行六波羅蜜等諸助道法。」 tr. "If the bodhisattva knows that all dharmas from the beginning have been empty and pure, within this his mind does not sink and does not shrink back. Not sinking means not doubting and not giving rise to wrong views. Penetrating, not contending with emptiness: this is called prajñāpāramitā. All ordinary people do not know and do not see such pure dharmas; for the sake of these people he practises the six perfections and the other dharmas that aid the path." The bodhisattva's Dharma should teach and transform these beings; this is called the bodhisattva obtaining purity within all dharmas—namely, abandoning the inversions of the three realms, passing beyond the ground of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha, and obtaining within all dharmas the power of pure wisdom; because he obtains this merit, of all beings of the three times and the ten directions he can know completely their minds and mental-factor dharmas, and the causes and conditions of the various deeds to which the workings of their minds give rise; having known them, according to what is fitting for each, he teaches them the Dharma and opens and transforms them. All such kinds of benefit are obtained through training in prajñā; therefore it is said to be exhausting the limits of all training.

Few can train in this way; such a person is hard to find! Wishing to make this meaning clear, the Buddha spoke similes—namely, gold and silver, and the work of a wheel-turning sage king, and the rest.

Furthermore, when the bodhisattva trains in this prajñā, he does not give rise to the mind of stinginess and the rest. What is called not giving rise to the mind of stinginess and the rest means that, because the bodhisattva trains in prajñāpāramitā, he restrains the afflictions; though the afflictions are not yet exhausted, they can do nothing, and therefore it is said that they do not arise.

The bodhisattva practising prajñā, because he knows that the marks of all dharmas are false, deceptive, and not real, therefore does not grasp at the marks of form and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? Because he does not wish to let it fall into views of existence and non-existence, he goes straight along the middle way and gathers the practices of the bodhisattva.

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: 「菩薩行般若，於一切法無所得，無所得故，無有法可取相——若善、若不善等。」 tr. "The bodhisattva practising prajñā has nothing to be attained in all dharmas; because there is nothing to be attained, there is no dharma whose mark can be grasped—whether wholesome, or unwholesome, and so on."

If the bodhisattva can train in this way, he gathers in all the perfections. Dāna and the other perfections are not apart from prajñāpāramitā; because of the power of prajñāpāramitā, it makes the other perfections separate from wrong views and greedy clinging, and each is able to increase.

Because the Buddha wished to make this meaning clear, he spoke similes: namely, the view of self, and the life-faculty, and the rest.

The treatise-author asks:

The view of self and the other views each have their distinct marks; why is it said that they are included within the view of self?

The treatise-author answers:

Though each has its distinct mark, the view of self is the root. Because of the cause and condition of ignorance, people give rise to the view of self within the empty five aggregates; because they give rise to the view of self, they say 「是身死，如去、不如去」 tr. "when this body dies, it goes thus, or it does not go thus". If it goes thus, that is the view of permanence; if it does not go thus, that is the view of annihilation. If one speaks of annihilation, then now enjoying pleasure and clinging to the five desires, and taking evil dharmas as supreme, one gives rise to grasping at views. If one says it is permanent, then going forth to train in the path, keeping the precepts and practising austerities, one gives rise to grasping at precepts. Or at times, seeing that both annihilation and permanence have faults, one then says there are no causes and conditions and no fruits of retribution, and gives rise to wrong view. Abiding within these five views, concerning whether the world is permanent or impermanent, the prior limit and the later limit, and the like, one gives rise to the fifty-seven views. Therefore to say 「身見攝六十二見」 tr. "the view of a body includes the sixty-two wrong views" is without fault.

Because of such various causes, conditions, and similes, it is known that prajñāpāramitā is the foremost among all dharmas; because prajñāpāramitā is the foremost among all dharmas, the bodhisattva, because he trains in this prajñā, is foremost among beings. Because the Buddha wished to use this matter to teach and transform beings skilfully, he spoke a simile: 「須菩提！於汝意云何？三千大千世界中眾生多不？」 tr. "Subhūti! What do you think? Are the beings in the three-thousand great-thousand world many or not?" and so on, up to 「菩薩如是學，當知是不退轉，遠離二乘，近佛乘。」 tr. "The bodhisattva who trains in this way—know that he is non-retrogressing, far from the two vehicles, and near the Buddha vehicle."

Furthermore, the Buddha told Subhūti: 「若菩薩作是念：『是般若波羅蜜。』」 tr. "If the bodhisattva has this thought: ‘This is prajñāpāramitā.’"

What is called ‘this is prajñāpāramitā’ displays the mark of prajñāpāramitā as existent or non-existent and so on, seeing prajñā, attaining prajñā, clinging to prajñā, and so on. What is called ‘by this prajñāpāramitā I obtain the omniscience of all kinds’ means that the coming together of the five aggregates is provisionally named bodhisattva; the bodhisattva, following after the provisional name, reckons it to be a self, and by this prajñā has something that is done. Prajñā is the mark of non-clinging, and yet this person says that a prajñā possessed of marks is the highest meaning; this person, following the provisional name, gives rise to the mind of self. Prajñā is the mark of non-action, and yet this person wishes to use prajñā to have something done—namely, ‘I use this prajñā to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi’. Therefore the Buddha says: 「作如是念者，不名行般若。」 tr. "One who has such a thought is not called practising prajñā." If he does not think in this way, it is called practising prajñāpāramitā.

The treatise-author asks:

Having this thought and not having this thought—the matter has already been fully spoken; why is there further a third statement?

The treatise-author answers:

The first is the mark of wrong practice; the second blocks wrong practice; the mark of right practice has not yet been spoken, and therefore the third speaks the mark of right practice.

Furthermore, the first is a clinging mind grasping at marks; the second refutes this mark of clinging but does not say what the marks of dharmas are; in the third, wrong clinging is refuted and the real mark is also spoken.

The bodhisattva has this thought: 「於一切處，不顯示般若波羅蜜相；亦不生我心、我用般若波羅蜜有所作；但知一切法常住如、法性、實際中，於如、法性、實際中不諍。」 tr. "In all places he does not display the mark of prajñāpāramitā; nor does he give rise to the mind of self, ‘I use prajñāpāramitā to have something done’; he only knows that all dharmas constantly abide in suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality, and within suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality he does not contend." Therefore the third is spoken, and it is without fault.

Fascicle seventy-seven of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa ends here.

This chapter is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-fourth chapter, "Aspiration and Delight", composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin; it is in the seventy-eighth fascicle.

Sūtra ①: Śakra Thinks That the Remaining Beings Should Aspire to and Delight in Those Who Arouse the Intent of Awakening; the Scattering of Flowers and the Vow, and the Weighing of the Merit of Rejoicing; Those Who Do Not Rejoice Are Māra's Retinue; Rejoicing and Dedication Are Not Mind and Not Apart from Mind; Subhūti Challenges the Buddha with the Mind That Is Like an Illusion, and Ultimate Separation Is Made Clear; What Is Practised Is Very Deep and the Two Vehicles Are Not Realised; the Practice with Nothing to Be Attained; the Similes of Space, the Illusory Person, the Image in a Mirror, the Conjured Person, and the Wooden Puppet Make Clear Non-discrimination; Śāriputra and Subhūti Discuss Why, If All Dharmas Are without Discrimination, There Are the Differences of the Six Destinies and the Four Fruits

At that time Śakra Devānām Indra had this thought in his mind: ‘When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, vīryapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, śīlapāramitā, and dānapāramitā, and so on up to the eighteen unshared dharmas, he then goes above all beings—how much more when he obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! Those beings who hear of this sarvajñā and believe and accept it obtain the good benefit among humans and the foremost among lives—how much more those who arouse the intent of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! These beings who are able to arouse the intent of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—the remaining beings should aspire to it and delight in it.’

At that time Śakra Devānām Indra scattered heavenly māndārava flowers over the Buddha's body and uttered these words: ‘By this merit, if there are those who seek anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, may these people be fully endowed with the dharmas of a Buddha, fully endowed with the omniscience of all kinds, and fully endowed with the dharmas of the one who is so of himself; if there are those who seek to be śrāvakas, may they be fully endowed with the dharmas of a śrāvaka. World-Honored One! If there is a bodhisattva who arouses the intent of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, I never give rise to a single thought to make him turn back; nor do I give rise to a single thought to make him turn back and fall to the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha ground. World-Honored One! I wish that the bodhisattvas redouble their vigour toward anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and, seeing beings within birth and death in all kinds of suffering and vexation, wish to benefit and bring ease and happiness to all the gods, humans, and asuras of the world; and with such a mind make such a vow: 「我既自度，亦當度未度者；我既自脫，當脫未脫者；我既安隱，當安未安者；我既滅度，當使未入滅度者得滅度。」 tr. "Having delivered myself, I shall also deliver those not yet delivered; having freed myself, I shall free those not yet freed; being myself at peace, I shall bring peace to those not yet at peace; having myself passed into extinction, I shall cause those who have not yet entered extinction to attain passing into extinction." World-Honored One! If good men and good women give rise to the mind of rejoicing toward the meritorious virtue of the bodhisattva who has first aroused intent, how much merit do they obtain? If they give rise to the mind of rejoicing toward the meritorious virtue of the bodhisattva who has long aroused intent, how much merit do they obtain? If they give rise to the mind of rejoicing toward the meritorious virtue of the avaivartika bodhisattva, how much merit do they obtain? If they give rise to the mind of rejoicing toward the meritorious virtue of the bodhisattva bound to buddhahood in one more birth, how much merit do they obtain?’

The Buddha told Śakra Devānām Indra: ‘Kauśika! The world of the four continents can be weighed and its weight known, but the merit of this mind of rejoicing cannot be weighed. Again, Kauśika! This three-thousand great-thousand world can all be weighed and its weight known, but the merit of this mind of rejoicing cannot be weighed. Again, Kauśika! Of the sea-water filling the three-thousand great-thousand world, if one took a single hair and split it into a hundred parts, and with one part of the hair drew up the sea-water drop by drop, the number of drops could still be known; but the merit of this mind of rejoicing cannot be known by number.’

Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If beings' minds do not rejoice in anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, they are all Māra's retinue; the minds that do not rejoice have come from Māra's midst to be born. Why? World-Honored One! These bodhisattvas who have aroused the mind are born in order to break Māra's domain. Therefore those who wish to love and revere the Three Honoured Ones should give rise to the mind of rejoicing; having rejoiced, they should dedicate it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, because of the mark of neither one nor two.’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so! Just so! Kauśika! If there are those who can in this way rejoice and dedicate toward the bodhisattvas, they constantly meet the buddhas; they never see evil forms, never hear evil sounds, never smell evil scents, never eat evil flavours, never touch evil tangibles, never follow evil thoughts; they are never far from the buddhas, and from one buddha-world to another buddha-world they draw near to the buddhas and plant roots of goodness. Why? Good men and good women rejoice in and dedicate the roots of goodness of immeasurable asaṃkhyeya bodhisattvas who have first aroused intent; and they rejoice in the roots of goodness of immeasurable asaṃkhyeya bodhisattva-mahāsattvas of the second ground, the third ground, and so on up to the tenth ground, and of those bound to buddhahood in one more birth, and dedicate them to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Because of the causes and conditions of these roots of goodness, they quickly draw near to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. These bodhisattvas, having obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, deliver immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya beings. Kauśika! Because of these causes and conditions, good men and good women should rejoice in the roots of goodness of the bodhisattva who has first aroused intent and dedicate them to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, not mind, and not apart from mind; they rejoice in the roots of goodness of the one who has long aroused intent, of the avaivartika, and of the one bound to buddhahood in one more birth, and dedicate them to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, not mind, and not apart from mind.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! This mind is like an illusion; how can it obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘What do you think? Do you see this mind as like an illusion?’

‘No, World-Honored One! I do not see the illusion, nor do I see the mind that is like an illusion.’

‘Subhūti! What do you think? If there is no illusion, and also no mind that is like an illusion, do you see this mind?’

‘No, World-Honored One!’

‘Subhūti! What do you think? Apart from illusion and apart from the mind that is like an illusion, do you see that there is some other dharma that can obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

‘No, World-Honored One! I do not see that, apart from illusion and apart from the mind that is like an illusion, there is some other dharma that can obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. World-Honored One! I do not see that there is some other dharma, or any dharma that could be spoken of as existent or as non-existent! Because this mark of dharmas is ultimately separated, it does not fall into existence and does not fall into non-existence. If a dharma is ultimately separated, it cannot obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; a dharma that is without anything existent should also not obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? World-Honored One! All dharmas are without anything existent; within this there is nothing stained and nothing pure. World-Honored One! Therefore prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated; dhyānapāramitā, vīryapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, śīlapāramitā, and dānapāramitā are ultimately separated; and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, which is also ultimately separated. If a dharma is ultimately separated, it should not be cultivated and should not be destroyed. In practising prajñāpāramitā too there is no dharma to be obtained, because of ultimate separation. World-Honored One! If prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated, how can anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi be obtained by means of prajñāpāramitā? Anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is also ultimately separated; within two separations how can there be anything attained?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘Excellent! Excellent! This prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated; dhyānapāramitā, vīryapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, śīlapāramitā, and dānapāramitā are ultimately separated; and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is ultimately separated. Subhūti! If prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is ultimately separated, for this reason anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi can be obtained. Subhūti! If prajñāpāramitā were not ultimately separated and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds were not ultimately separated, then it would not be called prajñāpāramitā, not be called dhyānapāramitā, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds. Subhūti! If prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is ultimately separated, therefore, Subhūti, it is not that anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is obtained not by means of prajñāpāramitā, nor is it that anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is obtained by obtaining separation through separation; it is not that it is not by means of prajñāpāramitā.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! The meaning that the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises is very deep!’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so, Subhūti! The meaning that the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises is very deep. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are able to do what is hard, namely to practise this deep meaning and yet not realise the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha ground.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! As I have heard the meaning from the Buddha, what the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises is not hard. Why? This bodhisattva-mahāsattva does not obtain this meaning as something that can be realised, nor does he obtain prajñāpāramitā as what realises, nor is there anyone who realises. World-Honored One! If all dharmas are unfindable, what is the meaning that can be realised? What is the prajñāpāramitā that realises? Who is the one who realises, and who, having realised, obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? World-Honored One! This is called the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's practice with nothing to be attained. The bodhisattva who practises this attains clarity with regard to all dharmas.

‘World-Honored One! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva hears this deep Dharma and his mind is not startled, does not sink, is not terrified, and is not afraid, this is called practising prajñāpāramitā. When this bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he does not see himself practising prajñāpāramitā, nor does he see this prajñāpāramitā, nor does he see himself as one who will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he does not have this thought: 「聲聞、辟支佛地去我遠，薩婆若去我近。」 tr. "The śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha grounds are far from me; sarvajñā is near to me."

‘World-Honored One! It is like space, which does not have this thought: 「有法去我遠、去我近。」 tr. "Some dharma is far from me, is near to me." Why? World-Honored One! Because space is without discrimination. World-Honored One! The bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā also does not have this thought: 「聲聞、辟支佛地去我遠，薩婆若去我近。」 tr. "The śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha grounds are far from me; sarvajñā is near to me." Why? Because within prajñāpāramitā there is no discrimination. World-Honored One! It is like the illusory person, who does not have this thought: 「幻師去我近，觀人去我遠。」 tr. "The conjurer is near to me; the onlookers are far from me." Why? Because the illusory person is without discrimination. The bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā also does not have this thought: 「聲聞、辟支佛地去我遠，薩婆若去我近。」 tr. "The śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha grounds are far from me; sarvajñā is near to me." World-Honored One! It is like the image in a mirror, which does not have this thought: 「所因者去我近，餘者去我遠。」 tr. "That on which I depend is near to me; the rest are far from me." Why? Because the image is without discrimination. The bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā also does not have this thought: 「聲聞、辟支佛地去我遠，薩婆若去我近。」 tr. "The śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha grounds are far from me; sarvajñā is near to me." Why? Because within prajñāpāramitā there is no discrimination. World-Honored One! The bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā is without love and without hate. Why? Because the self-nature of prajñāpāramitā is unfindable. World-Honored One! It is like the Buddha, who is without love and without hate; the bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā is likewise without love and without hate. Why? Because within prajñāpāramitā there is no hate and no love. World-Honored One! It is like the Buddha, in whom all discriminating notions are severed; the bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā is also like this: all discriminating notions are severed, because of ultimate emptiness.

‘World-Honored One! It is like a person conjured by the Buddha, who does not have this thought: 「聲聞、辟支佛去我遠，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提去我近。」 tr. "The śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha are far from me; anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is near to me." Why? Because the person conjured by the Buddha is without discrimination. The bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā is also like this; he does not have this thought: 「聲聞、辟支佛去我遠，阿耨多羅三藐三菩提去我近。」 tr. "The śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha are far from me; anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is near to me." World-Honored One! It is like a transformation made because there is something to be done: the matter done by the transformation is without discrimination. World-Honored One! Prajñāpāramitā too is like this: there is a matter to be done, and one cultivates it and this matter is accomplished, and yet prajñāpāramitā too is without discrimination. World-Honored One! It is like a craftsman, or a craftsman's apprentice, who, because there is something to be done, makes wooden puppets—a man or a woman, an elephant, a horse, an ox, a sheep; this that is made can also have something it does, and this too is without discrimination. World-Honored One! Prajñāpāramitā too is like this: because there is something to be done, it is said that this matter is accomplished, and yet prajñāpāramitā too is without discrimination.’

Śāriputra asked Subhūti: ‘Is it only prajñāpāramitā that is without discrimination, or are dhyānapāramitā and so on up to dānapāramitā also without discrimination?’

Subhūti told Śāriputra: ‘Dhyānapāramitā is without discrimination, and so on up to dānapāramitā, which is also without discrimination.’

Śāriputra asked Subhūti: ‘Is form without discrimination, and so on up to consciousness also without discrimination? Are the eye and so on up to the mind without discrimination? Are form and so on up to dharmas without discrimination? Are eye-consciousness-contact and so on up to mind-consciousness-contact without discrimination? The feeling born from the condition of eye-contact and so on up to the feeling born from the condition of mind-contact; the four dhyānas, the four immeasurable minds, the four formless absorptions; the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eightfold noble path; emptiness, the signless, non-action; the Buddha's ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed knowledges, great kindness and great compassion, the eighteen unshared dharmas, anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, the unconditioned nature—are these also without discrimination? Subhūti! If form is without discrimination and so on up to the unconditioned nature is without discrimination, if all dharmas are without discrimination, how is it discriminated that there is the birth and death of the six destinies—this is hell, this is the hungry ghosts, this is the animals, this is the gods, this is humans, this is the asuras? How is it discriminated that this is the srota-āpanna, the sakṛdāgāmin, the anāgāmin, the arhat, the pratyekabuddha, the buddhas?’

Subhūti replied to Śāriputra: ‘Beings, because of the causes and conditions of inversion, perform deeds of body, speech, and mind, and according to the retribution of the original deeds of their desire they receive the bodies of the six destinies: the bodies of hell, the hungry ghosts, the animals, humans, the gods, and the asuras. As you said: 「云何分別有須陀洹乃至佛道？」 tr. "How is it discriminated that there is the srota-āpanna and so on up to the Buddha path?" Śāriputra! The srota-āpanna exists precisely because of non-discrimination; the fruit of the srota-āpanna also exists because of non-discrimination; and so on up to the arhat, the fruit of the arhat, the pratyekabuddha, the pratyekabuddha path, the Buddha, and the Buddha path—these too exist because of non-discrimination. Śāriputra! The buddhas of the past too exist because of non-discrimination, because discrimination is severed. Therefore, Śāriputra, you should know that all dharmas are without discrimination and of an indestructible mark, because they are like the suchness of dharmas, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality. Śāriputra! Such a bodhisattva-mahāsattva should practise the prajñāpāramitā of non-discrimination; having practised the prajñāpāramitā of non-discrimination, he then obtains the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of non-discrimination.’

Treatise ①: Explaining That Arousing the Mind Surpasses All Beings—the Two Kinds of Beings and the Two Kinds of Arousing the Mind, and the Four Similes of the Crown Prince in the Womb, the Prince Not Yet Enthroned, the Kalaviṅka Bird, and the Śrāmaṇera; the Two Extremes and the Middle Way; the Accounts of the Good Benefit and the Life of Wisdom; the Question and Answer on Sin and Merit Not Being Something That Can Be Given to Others; the Field of Merit of Rejoicing and the Breaking of Māra's Realm; Neither One nor Two, and Not Mind and Not Apart from Mind; the Counter-question on the Empty Mind That Is Like an Illusion, and the Simile of Touching Space with a Finger; the Fault That with a Fixed Mark There Would Be No Four Truths and No Three Jewels; the Two Truths of Hard and Not Hard; the Two Similes of the Wooden Puppet Accomplishing Its Matter and the Four Rivers Entering the Sea; the Three Fetters Being Inversion, and the Provisional Name of Worldly Truth

The treatise-author explains:

At this time Śakra Devānām Indra and the people in the assembly all rejoiced together. Śakra Devānām Indra had this thought in his mind: ‘When this bodhisattva practises the bodhisattva path, all the merits he has already surpass all beings—how much more when he accomplishes anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi!’

Beings are of two kinds: the first are those who have aroused the mind, the second are those who have not yet aroused the mind. The bodhisattva who has aroused the mind surpasses all who have not yet aroused the mind. Why? This person plants the causes and conditions of the immeasurable, unsurpassed dharmas of the Buddha, and wishes to deliver all beings, making them leave suffering and obtain happiness; the remaining beings only seek happiness for themselves and wish to give others suffering. Because of these and other causes and conditions, the one who has aroused the mind is superior.

The treatise-author asks:

The arhats, the pratyekabuddhas, and those who have the five supernormal powers are people free from desire; among those who have aroused the mind, there may be some who are not yet free from desire and have merely aroused the mind—how can it be said that they surpass?

The treatise-author answers:

This matter has already been answered in various ways in the earlier chapters. Though arhats and the like have exhausted the outflows, they are not equal to the bodhisattva who has first aroused the mind. It is like the crown prince of a wheel-turning sage king, who, though still in the womb, already surpasses the other sons; and again like the crown prince of a king, who, though not yet enthroned, surpasses the great ministers with their offices, riches, and honours.

Bodhisattvas who have aroused the mind are of two kinds: the first practise the bodhisattva path of the perfections and the rest, the second have only aroused the mind emptily. What is spoken of here is 「行菩薩道者」 tr. "one who practises the bodhisattva path"; though this person's matter is not yet accomplished, he can surpass all beings—how much more when it is accomplished! As the kalaviṅka bird within the egg, before it has uttered a sound, can already surpass all the other birds—how much more when it is accomplished! The bodhisattva too is like this: though he has not yet become a Buddha, he practises the bodhisattva path, and with the voice that proclaims the real mark of all dharmas he breaks the idle discourse of the outside paths and of Māra's people—how much more when he becomes a Buddha!

Someone says: if there is one who can with a single arousing of the mind say: 「我當作佛，滅一切眾生苦。」 tr. "I shall become a Buddha and extinguish the suffering of all beings.", then, though he has not yet severed the afflictions and has not yet practised what is hard to practise, because his deed of mind and his deed of speech are weighty, he surpasses all beings. All beings seek happiness for themselves, and for their own sakes love those who are dear to them; though arhats and pratyekabuddhas do not crave worldly happiness, for the sake of extinguishing their own suffering they seek the happiness of nirvāṇa and cannot act for beings; what arises in the bodhisattva's mind and what he says with his mouth is for the delivering of all, and so he is superior.

It is like an arhat who had obtained the six supernormal powers, who took along a śrāmaṇera and had him carry his robe and bowl on his back as they went along the road. The śrāmaṇera reflected: ‘By which vehicle shall I enter nirvāṇa?’ At once he aroused the mind: ‘The Buddha is the World-Honored One, supreme and most wondrous; I shall enter nirvāṇa by the Buddha vehicle.’ The master knew his thought, and at once took the robe and bowl and shouldered them himself, and pushed the śrāmaṇera to walk in front. The śrāmaṇera reflected once again: ‘The Buddha path is very hard; one abides long in birth and death and undergoes immeasurable suffering; for the time being I will enter nirvāṇa early by the Small Vehicle.’ The master again handed the bag of robe and bowl back to the śrāmaṇera to carry, and told him to walk behind. So it went up to three times. The śrāmaṇera said to his master: ‘Master, you are old and senile; you behave like a child at play! Just now you had me go in front, and again you have me go behind—how very quick!’ The master answered: ‘When you first raised the thought and aroused the mind to become a Buddha, this mind was precious and weighty, and you then abode in the path of my master. Such a person the pratyekabuddhas should still make offerings to, how much more an arhat! Therefore I pushed you to the front. Your mind then regretted it and wished to take the Small Vehicle, and yet you have not yet obtained it; you are far removed from me, and therefore I made you go behind.’ Hearing this, the śrāmaṇera was startled into understanding: ‘My master can know my mind! With a single arousing of intent I have already surpassed the arhat, how much more on accomplishing it!’ At once he firmly abode of himself in the Dharma of the Great Vehicle.

Furthermore, the name surpassing need not mean surpassing in all matters; it is only in the matter of 「一發心，欲作佛，度眾生」 tr. "a single arousing of the mind, wishing to become a Buddha and deliver beings" that he is superior; the rest—meditative concentration, liberation, and so on—he does not yet even have, so how can he be said to surpass? It is as, speaking in terms of flying, the bird surpasses the human. The merits he will obtain in the future—this matter is not discussed.

People of the Small Vehicle say: ‘Even the bodhisattva bound to buddhahood in one more birth does not surpass the little śrāmaṇera who has obtained the immeasurable restraints.’

Within the Mahāyāna treatises, some people say thus: ‘Among them there are those who have aroused the mind of the Great Vehicle who, though still among base and evil petty people, still surpass those of the two vehicles who have obtained liberation.’

These are called the two extremes. Leaving these two extremes is called the middle way. The meaning of the middle way is as said above. Because it has the reality of meaning, one should take it. Therefore it is said: 「初發心時，勝一切眾生，何況成佛！」 tr. "At the time of first arousing the mind, one surpasses all beings—how much more on becoming a Buddha!"

Those who hear of sarvajñā and believe and accept it obtain the good benefit among humans.

Someone says: ‘The six perfections are the benefit.’

Someone says: ‘The retribution of the six perfections is the benefit, namely the wheel-turning sage king, Śakra and the Brahmā king, the kings of humans, the kings of the Dharma, and so on.’

Someone says: ‘Obtaining avaivartika, one does not fall into the evil destinies, and is always born in places of wealth and honour among humans and gods.’

Someone says: ‘The bodhisattva abides in the supernormal powers of retribution, travels to the ten directions, makes offerings to the buddhas, and teaches and transforms beings by all kinds of skilful means; through the causes and conditions of belief and acceptance he teaches and transforms beings and obtains great benefits such as these.’

As to the phrase 「壽命中最」 tr. "the foremost among lives": beings have two kinds of life—the first is the life-faculty, the second is the life of wisdom. Because this person obtains the life of wisdom, he is said to be 「壽命中最」 tr. "the foremost among lives". How much more one who arouses the mind! The one who arouses the mind is worthy of respect and esteem. Why? Because of the causes and conditions spoken of earlier: 「能捨自樂、與他樂；不自憂苦，憂他人苦故。」 tr. "Because he can give up his own happiness and give happiness to others; he does not grieve over his own suffering, but grieves over the suffering of others."

At that time Śakra Devānām Indra, wishing to display the mark of his joy, scattered heavenly māndārava flowers over the Buddha's body, as is set out at length in the sūtra.

The treatise-author asks:

Sin and merit cannot be given to others; even if one wishes to give them, the giving cannot be done. Why does Śakra Devānām Indra say 「以此福德令求佛道者具足佛法」 tr. "by this merit may those who seek the Buddha path be fully endowed with the dharmas of a Buddha"?

The treatise-author answers:

Though they cannot be given to others, yet one can make one's own mind good. Again, this Śakra Devānām Indra wishes to show that he does not cling to merit, and so with the mind of rejoicing gives it to those who seek the Buddha path. Giving to the śrāvakas is likewise.

Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha: ‘Though I have obtained the śrāvaka path, I do not give rise to a single thought to make the bodhisattvas turn back toward the mind of the two vehicles. Why? The bodhisattvas, seeing that beings within birth and death have all kinds of suffering, and wishing to benefit all the world, make this vow: 「未度者我當等度。」 tr. "Those not yet delivered I shall deliver equally."’

At that time some of the beings in the assembly had this thought: ‘If, as said above, rejoicing has merit, what difference is there between rejoicing in one who has first aroused the mind and rejoicing in one who has long aroused the mind?’

Śakra Devānām Indra, wishing to resolve the doubts of the assembly, therefore asked the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Rejoicing in the meritorious virtue of the bodhisattva who has first aroused the mind, how much merit does one obtain?’ As is set out at length in the sūtra.

This merit is immeasurable and boundless, because what is planted is an immeasurable and boundless field; people cannot know it by number, and so similes are spoken to make people understand, as is set out at length in the sūtra. Though the meritorious virtue of rejoicing is immeasurable and boundless, the nearer to the Buddha path the one in whom one rejoices, the greater the merit.

At this time Śakra, because of his joy, said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! All who hear of this merit and do not rejoice are Māra's people, who have come from the heaven of Māra.’ Why? Because, being in Māra's domain, they have accumulated evil minds and so do not rejoice.

Here the causes and conditions are spoken: 「隨喜心能破魔界。是故求佛道者，欲愛敬三尊不捨者，當以隨喜心迴向阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」 tr. "The mind of rejoicing can break Māra's realm. Therefore those who seek the Buddha path, who wish to love and revere the Three Honoured Ones and not abandon them, should dedicate the mind of rejoicing to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi."

The phrase 「不一不二相」 tr. "the mark of neither one nor two" means that he does not see that dharmas have any one fixed mark that does not belong to causes and conditions, and so it is said 「不一」 tr. "not one"; he does not discriminate between the mind of rejoicing and the mind of dedication, and this is called 「不二」 tr. "not two", because of ultimate emptiness.

The Buddha, having approved Śakra's meaning, further extols the merit of rejoicing: ‘Because this person constantly recollects the merits of the buddhas of the ten directions and rejoices, he quickly obtains the sight of the buddhas. Moreover, with a deep mind, he wishes to make all beings leave suffering and obtain happiness, and therefore he goes and comes within birth and death, and his six faculties never receive evil sense-objects. He is never apart from being born before the buddhas, because he does not cut off the seed, and practises seeing the buddhas.’

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: ‘Because this person rejoices in countless asaṃkhyeya bodhisattvas who have first aroused the mind, and so on up to immeasurable bodhisattvas bound to buddhahood in one more birth, he obtains the retribution spoken of above, quickly accomplishes the Buddha path, and delivers immeasurable asaṃkhyeya beings.’

Furthermore, Kauśika! This bodhisattva dedicates this merit as the real mark of all dharmas is. Within the real mark the mind is unfindable, and so it is said 「非心，亦不離心」 tr. "not mind, and also not apart from mind"; the meaning of 「不一不二」 tr. "neither one nor two" as said above is spoken again because the aspects of the matter are different.

Subhūti, having heard this, took this mark of the mind as empty and without existence and challenged the Buddha: ‘This mind is not mind; it is empty, without anything existent, like an illusion—how can it obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi?’

The Buddha asked Subhūti in return: ‘Do you see the fixed mark of this empty mind as like an illusion?’

Subhūti had this thought in his mind: ‘If the mind is empty and like an illusion, how can it be seen? If it can be seen, it is not empty.’ Therefore he answered: ‘No.’

The Buddha said: ‘If the mind is empty and without anything existent, do you see within it this idle discourse of 「若有若無」 tr. "whether existent or non-existent"?’

He answered: ‘It is not so.’

‘Apart from this mind that is empty, without anything existent, and like an illusion, do you see that there is some other dharma that can obtain the unsurpassed path?’

He answered: ‘I do not see it.’

Because it is not seen and is unfindable, where is there a dharma that is existent or non-existent? All dharmas, because they are ultimately separated and because they are ultimately empty, do not fall into existence and do not fall into non-existence; if a dharma does not fall within existence and non-existence, this is ultimately without anything existent, and it should not obtain the unsurpassed path. Because of these causes and conditions, prajñāpāramitā is of the mark of ultimate separation, because seeing existence and seeing non-existence both have faults. Dhyānapāramitā and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi are likewise of the mark of ultimate separation. If a dharma is ultimately separated, it cannot be seen, cannot be cultivated, cannot be severed, and cannot be realised; in practising this dharma there is further nothing to be attained, because of ultimate separation.

‘World-Honored One! Now prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated and anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is ultimately separated; how can ultimate separation obtain ultimate separation?’ If even one dharma is ultimately separated, there should still not be anything attained—how much less with two separations! It is as when one touches space with a finger: because space has no contact, the finger cannot touch it—how much less when both have no contact! It is also like space and nirvāṇa. Prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated and anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is ultimately separated; how can separation be used to obtain separation?

The Buddha, knowing that Subhūti spoke in accord with the real mark of all dharmas, approved his words: ‘Excellent! Excellent!’ At once he stated the causes and conditions: ‘Subhūti! If prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated and anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is ultimately separated, because of these causes and conditions it can be obtained.’

Why? If one dharma definitely had a mark and were not empty, it would be a permanent dharma, of the mark of non-arising, going from the future to the present and from the present to the past. If there were no real mark of arising, there would be no mark of ceasing; if there were no arising and ceasing, there would be no four truths; if there were no four truths, there would be no Dharma Jewel; because there would be no Dharma Jewel, there would also be no anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—because the Dharma Jewel is anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—if there were no Dharma Jewel, there would be no Buddha Jewel; if there were no Buddha-Dharma, there would be no Saṅgha Jewel; if there were no Three Jewels, there would be no dharmas at all—because there are faults and offences such as these. With the mark of ultimate separation, one penetrates without obstruction.

If ultimate separation is spoken of, know that it is also separated from emptiness; if it is not separated from emptiness, it is not called ultimate separation. Therefore the sūtra says: 「般若波羅蜜畢竟離故，能得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提；雖不離般若波羅蜜得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，亦不以二離而得二離。」 tr. "Because prajñāpāramitā is ultimately separated, anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi can be obtained; though it is not apart from prajñāpāramitā that anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is obtained, yet it is not by two separations that two separations are obtained." Because of ultimate emptiness, one should not challenge it.

Subhūti, knowing the very deep mark spoken by the Buddha, therefore said to the Buddha: ‘If the bodhisattva can practise in this way, this is practising the very deep meaning.’

The Buddha approved his words: ‘This bodhisattva is able to do what is hard—able to practise such a very deep meaning and yet not realise the two vehicles.’ Why? This bodhisattva, single-mindedly, with keen wisdom, enters deeply into emptiness and yet does not realise nirvāṇa; this is what is hard.

Subhūti said: ‘As I understand the meaning the Buddha speaks, this is not hard. Why? This person does not obtain this very deep meaning as having a fixed mark that can be realised, does not obtain prajñāpāramitā, and does not obtain one who realises; who then will obtain realisation by the very deep meaning? If this very deep meaning is not realised, who will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? This is called the bodhisattva's practice with nothing to be attained. Practising this path, one illuminates all dharmas.’

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha says 「難」 tr. "hard"; Subhūti says 「不難」 tr. "not hard". The meaning of master and disciple should be the same; why does each contradict the other?

The treatise-author answers:

The Buddha speaks by reason of worldly truth; Subhūti speaks by reason of the truth of the highest meaning. The Buddha says the bodhisattva obtains this very deep meaning; Subhūti says the bodhisattva also does not obtain this very deep meaning. The Buddha, on Subhūti's account, speaks for the sake of beings: ‘There are people who, hearing of a hard matter, arouse the mind, and so the hard matter is spoken of; there are people who, hearing of a hard matter, give up and retreat, and so it is said there is no hardness.’

This is called the bodhisattva's practice with nothing to be attained; abiding within this practice, he penetrates all dharmas without obstruction.

Subhūti said: ‘If the bodhisattva, hearing ultimate separation spoken of in this way—that there is no dharma to be realised, no one who takes realisation, and also no prajñā and no anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—at that time is not startled, does not sink, and penetrates without obstruction, this is called practising prajñāpāramitā.’ The one who practises prajñāpāramitā—this is called true practice, deep practice.

Why? This bodhisattva does not see prajñāpāramitā, nor does he see himself practising prajñāpāramitā; he does not see anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, nor does he see that there is this dharma by which anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi can be obtained; in none of this does he make any discrimination. This bodhisattva abides within the real mark of all dharmas, and so he does not make this discrimination, saying: 「二乘離我遠，佛道離我近。」 tr. "The two vehicles are far from me; the Buddha path is near to me."

Here the similes of space and the rest are spoken; these similes are for the sake of making clear the meaning of ultimate emptiness. Though prajñāpāramitā is empty, if there is something cultivated, it can accomplish its matter. And so on up to: like the wooden puppet, whatever matter it is made to do, it can accomplish it all.

Śāriputra asked Subhūti: ‘Is it only prajñā that is without discrimination, or are the perfections also without discrimination?’ If only prajñā were empty and without discrimination, the remaining perfections would have to have marks; in that case the bodhisattva path would have differences and not be equal. Again, in the first chapter it was said: 「行檀波羅蜜時，無施者、受者、亦無財物。」 tr. "When one practises dānapāramitā, there is no giver, no receiver, and also no goods." Why is it now said that there are differences? If the five matters are all empty, there is no discrimination, there are not six names, and there is also nothing to be cultivated and practised.

Subhūti said: ‘The five perfections are also empty and without discrimination.’ Those who have first aroused the mind and have not yet obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas have discrimination. It is like the four rivers, which before they have met the great sea have separate names, and once they have entered the great sea are without difference; the bodhisattva too is like this: within the truth of worldly convention there are differences; in the truth of the highest meaning there is no discrimination.

Śāriputra asked: ‘Form and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and so on up to the unconditioned nature—are these also without discrimination? If these dharmas are empty and without difference, why are there the differences of the six destinies? Why is there the discriminating of the srota-āpanna and so on up to the Buddha path?’

Subhūti answered Śāriputra: ‘Though all dharmas are ultimately empty and without discrimination, these beings, with a mad, disordered, and inverted mind, give rise to deeds of body, speech, and mind, and according to their deeds receive bodies and receive the retribution of their deeds.’ Greed and desire are the root; only because they are pressed by desire do they give rise to a clinging mind; dharmas have no fixed mark. The retribution of deeds is what is called the six destinies. Therefore it is known: emptiness and being without any discrimination are their real root; only because of inversion and unreality are there the differences of the six destinies.

Again, the worthies and sages such as the srota-āpanna are also born from the dharma of ultimate emptiness and non-discrimination, namely the dharma of severing the three fetters, which is called the fruit of the srota-āpanna. The three fetters are inversion; to be aware of inversion and remove it is called severing, and so the dharma of severing is empty and without discrimination. By reason of worldly truth, one is provisionally named a person, and because he obtains this dharma it is called the fruit of the srota-āpanna; therefore one should know that the person of the srota-āpanna and the fruit are both ultimately empty and without discrimination. And so on up to the Buddha and the Buddha path, likewise.

Here the causes and conditions are spoken: 「非但現在無分別，過去如恒河沙諸佛一切分別斷故，入無餘涅槃，無有少許法定相可分別。一切法畢竟空，入是如、法性、實際門故。」 tr. "Not only in the present is there no discrimination: the buddhas of the past, as many as the sands of the Ganges, because all discrimination was severed, entered nirvāṇa without remainder, and there is not the slightest dharma with a fixed mark that can be discriminated. This is because all dharmas are ultimately empty and enter the gate of this suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality." Therefore it is said 「因緣法甚深」 tr. "the dharma of causes and conditions is very deep", because one enters this gate of samādhi.

The bodhisattva should in this way practise the prajñāpāramitā of non-discrimination; because he practises the prajñāpāramitā of non-discrimination, he obtains the dharma of non-discrimination, namely anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

This chapter is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-fifth chapter, "Extolling", composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin; it is in the seventy-eighth to seventy-ninth fascicles.

Sūtra ①: Śāriputra Asks about the True and Real and What Is without True Reality—Subhūti Answers That One Practises a Dharma without True Reality; the Gods Think to Bow in Reverence; Delivering Beings Is Like Delivering Space, and This Indeed Is Hard; Hearing That All Dharmas Are Separated from Marks, the Mind Is Not Startled, Does Not Sink, Is Not Terrified, Is Not Afraid; the Buddha Asks Why It Does Not Sink, and Subhūti Answers: Because It Is without Anything Existent, Because It Is Separated, Because It Is Quiescent; the Gods Bow, the Buddhas of the Ten Directions Keep Him in Mind, and Māras as Many as the Sands of the Ganges Cannot Hinder Him

Śāriputra said to Subhūti: ‘When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, is he practising a true and real dharma? Or is he practising a dharma without true reality?’

Subhūti answered Śāriputra, saying: ‘When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he is practising a dharma without true reality. Why? Because this prajñāpāramitā is without true reality, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds is without true reality. When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, what is without true reality is still unfindable—how much less the true and real! And so on up to: when he practises the omniscience of all kinds, a dharma without true reality is still unfindable—how much less the true and real!’

At that time the gods of the desire realm and the form realm had this thought in their minds: ‘Whenever there is a good man or good woman who arouses the intent of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, who, according to the meaning spoken of in the deep prajñāpāramitā, practises the dharma of equality, does not realise the limit of reality, and does not fall to the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground, we should bow to him!’

Subhūti said to the gods: ‘That the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas within the dharma of equality do not realise the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground does not count as hard. The bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, with the great adornment of the oath, say: 「我當度無量無邊阿僧祇眾生。」 tr. "I shall deliver immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya beings." To know that beings are ultimately unfindable and yet still to deliver beings—this indeed counts as hard! Gods! The bodhisattva-mahāsattvas arouse the mind of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi and make this vow: 「我當度一切眾生。」 tr. "I shall deliver all beings." And yet beings are in truth unfindable; this person's wishing to deliver beings is like wishing to deliver space. Why? Because space is separated, know that beings too are separated; because space is empty, know that beings too are empty; space is without firmness, so know that beings too are without firmness; space is false and deceptive, so know that beings too are false and deceptive. Gods! For this reason, know that what the bodhisattva does is hard. For the benefit of beings who are without anything existent he makes the great adornment; this person binds himself by oath for the sake of beings, and wishes to fight together with space. After this bodhisattva has bound himself by oath, he also does not find beings, and yet binds himself by oath for the sake of beings. Why? Because beings are separated, know that the great oath too is separated; because beings are false and deceptive, know that the great oath too is false and deceptive. If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, hearing this Dharma, has a mind that is not startled and does not sink, know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva is practising prajñāpāramitā. Why? Form being separated is precisely beings being separated; feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness being separated is precisely beings being separated. Form being separated is precisely the six perfections being separated; feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness being separated is precisely the six perfections being separated. And so on up to: the omniscience of all kinds being separated is precisely the six perfections being separated. If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, hearing that all these dharmas are marked by separation, has a mind that is not startled, does not sink, is not terrified, and is not afraid, know that this bodhisattva-mahāsattva is practising prajñāpāramitā.’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘By what cause and condition does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's mind not sink within the deep prajñāpāramitā?’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Because prajñāpāramitā is without anything existent, it does not sink; because prajñāpāramitā is separated, it does not sink; because prajñāpāramitā is quiescent, it does not sink. World-Honored One! For this reason the bodhisattva's mind does not sink within the deep prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because this bodhisattva does not find one who sinks, does not find a matter of sinking, does not find a place of sinking; all these dharmas are unfindable. World-Honored One! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, hearing this Dharma, has a mind that is not startled, does not sink, is not terrified, and is not afraid, know that this bodhisattva is practising prajñāpāramitā. Why? Because one who sinks, a matter of sinking, and a place of sinking—these dharmas are all unfindable. When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā in this way, the gods, together with the gods of Śakra Devānām Indra, the gods of the Brahmā king, and the gods of the lords of the world, all bow to him.’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘It is not only Śakra Devānām Indra and the gods, the Brahmā king and the gods, and the lords of the world and the gods who bow in reverence to this bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā; beyond these and above them, the heaven of Light-Sound, the heaven of Universal Purity, the heaven of Abundant Fruit, and the Pure Abodes all bow to this bodhisattva-mahāsattva. Subhūti! The immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions who are present now also keep in mind this bodhisattva-mahāsattva who practises prajñāpāramitā. Know that this bodhisattva is as a Buddha. Subhūti! If the beings in worlds as many as the sands of the Ganges were all made to become Māras, and each one of these Māras in turn each conjured up Māras, as many Māras as the sands of the Ganges, all these Māras still could not hinder the bodhisattva who practises prajñāpāramitā.’

Treatise ①: Explaining the Gloss on True and Real and Not True and Real, and the Answer That One Practises What Is without True Reality; the Distinction between Hard and Easy Lies in Clinging and Not Clinging; the Simile of the Tamed Horse Seeing Its Shadow; the Twofold Fearlessness of the Emptiness of Beings and the Emptiness of Dharmas; the Four Rounds of Question and Answer—Why the Buddha Asks His Disciple, Why He Does Not Speak Himself, Why He Does Not Have the Great Bodhisattvas Speak, Why He Does Not Command Śāriputra and the Others; Retelling the Sūtra Text to Conclude the Causes and Effects of the Gods' Bowing and the Buddhas' Keeping in Mind

The treatise-author explains:

At that time Śāriputra, having heard the dharma of the mark of non-discrimination above, greatly rejoiced in his mind, and asked Subhūti: ‘If the bodhisattva practises prajñāpāramitā, is he practising a true and real dharma? Is he practising a dharma without true reality?’ What is called a true and real dharma is settled and certain and does not change; that is, it can be taken hold of and can be clung to. If it is not true and real, then it is false and deceptive, lying speech.

Subhūti constantly delights to practise deep emptiness, and his mind has no obstruction; therefore he answers: ‘One who practises prajñā is precisely practising what is without true reality. Why? Because prajñāpāramitā is empty, without a fixed mark, and without discrimination. And so on up to the omniscience of all kinds, which is also like this.’

When the bodhisattva practises such prajñāpāramitā, the false and deceptive conditioned dharmas that he formerly practised and clung to within birth and death are still unfindable—how much less could prajñāpāramitā, which he afterwards contemplates and which is born from false and deceptive causes and conditions, a dharma that is not something to be clung to, be findable! Therefore the bodhisattva contemplates all the world as not true and real, and also does not cling to this prajñāpāramitā. It is by reason of worldly truth that the true and real is spoken of; within the highest meaning the true and real is still unfindable—how much less the not true and real!

At that time the gods of the desire realm and the form realm joyfully said: ‘Whoever arouses the bodhisattva mind should all be bowed to in reverence! For he can do what is hard, and can practise the foremost deep meaning and not realise it.’ What is called the highest meaning is precisely the equal dharma; it is only spoken of by a different name.

Subhūti said to the gods: ‘That the bodhisattva does not realise the equal dharma does not count as hard; that the bodhisattva would deliver immeasurable beings, while beings are ultimately unfindable—this indeed counts as hard! Why? One who wishes to deliver beings is precisely wishing to deliver space. Because space is separated, beings too are separated; because space is false, deceptive, and unreal, beings too are false, deceptive, and unreal.’

The treatise-author asks:

Not realising the equal dharma, and still delivering beings when beings are ultimately empty—these two are alike ultimately empty; why is one said to be hard and the other not hard?

The treatise-author answers:

Beings, because they are false and deceptive provisional names, are a place that is clung to; the equal dharma, because it is unconditioned, is not a place that is clung to. Beings are born as provisional names from conditioned dharmas; only the unconditioned dharma is the highest meaning. To be able not to cling at the place of inverted clinging is hard; not to cling at the place where from the beginning there is no clinging does not count as hard.

Therefore this is said: 「眾生空故，大莊嚴亦空；若大莊嚴空而能發心為難。」 tr. "Because beings are empty, the great adornment too is empty; if the great adornment is empty and yet one can arouse the mind, that is hard."

If the bodhisattva hears this foremost meaning of equality—that delivering beings and the great adornment are both ultimately empty—his mind is not startled and does not sink. It is like a tamed horse which, seeing its own shadow, is not startled. Why? Because it knows of itself that the shadow comes out from its body. The bodhisattva is also like this: he knows ultimate emptiness, because it is born from the false dharmas of the conditioned coming together. When the bodhisattva hears this matter and is not startled and does not sink, this is precisely practising prajñāpāramitā.

Because form and the other dharmas are separated, beings too are separated. Separation is called emptiness. If beings were empty and dharmas were not empty, there would have to be terror and fear; if dharmas too are empty, there is no place for terror and fear to arise. If the bodhisattva, hearing that all these dharmas are marked by separation, has a mind that is not afraid, this too is called the bodhisattva practising prajñāpāramitā.

What was heard above is that because beings are empty he is not afraid; what is heard now is that because dharmas are empty he is not afraid. If on hearing of these two emptinesses he is not afraid, this indeed is truly practising prajñā.

The passage 「佛問須菩提，何以故菩薩心不沒」 tr. "The Buddha asks Subhūti why the bodhisattva's mind does not sink".

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha is a person of omniscience; why does he ask his disciple about the mind not being startled and not sinking?

The treatise-author answers:

Because the great assembly at the Dharma-gathering had doubts, and out of reverence and awe did not dare to ask; therefore the Buddha asks.

Furthermore, this foremost meaning of equality is very deep and hard to attain; in the deep place one ought by rights to sink, and yet he does not sink after all; therefore he tests Subhūti by asking.

Furthermore, the Buddha takes Subhūti as the master of the teaching, and according to the Dharma the listeners should ask and challenge.

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha is omniscient; why does he not himself act as the master of the teaching, but has Subhūti speak?

The treatise-author answers:

In the great assembly there are those who think that the Buddha's wisdom is immeasurable and boundless while our power of knowledge has limits and measure; even if their minds have doubts, they would not dare to ask. For the sake of these people he commands Subhūti to speak.

The treatise-author asks:

If so, why does he not have the great bodhisattvas speak?

The treatise-author answers:

The wisdom of the great bodhisattvas is also great and inconceivable, and because their majestic virtue is deep and weighty, people would also not dare to ask and challenge them.

Furthermore, someone says: the arhat, the pratyekabuddha, and the Buddha, because their ignorance bound to the three realms is exhausted forever without remainder, can teach the Dharma as it really is; the bodhisattvas, though they have widely gathered merit, because their outflows are not yet exhausted, are perhaps not to be believed; therefore he does not command them to speak.

The treatise-author asks:

If so, Śāriputra is foremost in wisdom, and there are the other great disciples; why does he not command them to speak?

The treatise-author answers:

This matter has already been answered before: namely, Subhūti delights in the practice of emptiness and is especially good at speaking of emptiness; because prajñāpāramitā for the most part speaks of emptiness, he therefore has Subhūti speak.

The treatise-author retells the sūtra text: Subhūti said to the Buddha that all dharmas are ultimately empty and without anything existent; because they are without anything existent, they are separated from their own marks; because they are separated from marks, they are constantly quiescent; because they are constantly quiescent, there is no recollection, imagining, and discrimination; therefore the bodhisattva should not be startled and should not sink—one who sinks, a place of sinking, and a dharma of sinking are all unfindable. If the bodhisattva hears this matter and is not startled and does not sink, this is precisely practising prajñāpāramitā.

The treatise-author further retells: after Subhūti had finished answering, he said to the Buddha that to be able to practise in this way is also called practising prajñāpāramitā.

The treatise-author cites the sūtra and explains it—from 「世尊！菩薩能如是行」 tr. "World-Honored One! The bodhisattva who can practise in this way" onward: those among all the gods, Śakra, and the lords of the world who bow in reverence to the bodhisattva are the earth spirits, the spirits in space, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, with Śakra as their chief; all of them together bow in reverence to this bodhisattva. The Brahmā king is the lord of the beings of the Brahmā world within the first dhyāna; what is called the lords of the world are the lords of the remaining gods of the desire realm. Beings for the most part believe in these gods, and therefore Subhūti says that they bow. Why? Because this bodhisattva abandons his own peace and happiness and wishes to benefit beings, whereas these three kinds of gods only seek peace and happiness for themselves.

The treatise-author further retells the Buddha's words to Subhūti: not only do these three kinds of gods bow, but the heaven of Light-Sound and the other gods who are pure and single-minded also all bow.

The gods of the desire realm, because their minds are much given to clinging to sexual desire, their reverence is not worth prizing; the gods of the first dhyāna have initial and sustained thought, scattered, and they too are not wondrous enough; the gods above them are pure in mind, and because the bodhisattva has great merit they bow—this indeed counts as rare.

The treatise-author cites the sūtra, saying: 「須菩提！菩薩若能如是行般若，為十方無量諸佛所念。」 tr. "Subhūti! If the bodhisattva can practise prajñā in this way, he is kept in mind by the immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions." The causes and conditions of the buddhas' keeping him in mind are as said before.

What the Buddha speaks of now is the fruit that this bodhisattva obtains from being kept in mind by the buddhas, namely: know that this bodhisattva is as a Buddha, because he will certainly reach the Buddha path and not retrogress. Why? Māras as many as the sands of the Ganges cannot break this bodhisattva, as the sūtra says at length.

Fascicle seventy-eight of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa ends here.

Fascicle Seventy-nine: The Chapter Title Repeated—the Remainder of the Commentary on "Extolling", the Sixty-fifth

From here we enter the seventy-ninth fascicle. At the head of the fascicle the chapter title is marked again—the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-fifth chapter, "Extolling", the remainder—and the attribution is given again: composed by the noble Nāgārjuna, translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin.

Sūtra ②: Accomplishing Two Dharmas, He Cannot Be Broken by Māra—Contemplating All Dharmas as Empty and Not Abandoning Any Being; What He Does Is as What He Says, and He Is Also Kept in Mind by the Buddhas; the Gods Draw Near and Enquire and Declare That Before Long He Will Become a Buddha; When the Buddhas of the Ten Directions Teach the Dharma They Extol the Bodhisattva's Name and Clan, Extolling Jewel Mark, Śikhin, and the Bodhisattvas of Akṣobhya Buddha's World; the Avaivartika and Those Who Have Not Yet Obtained the Acceptance of Non-arising yet Can Have Faith and Understanding Are All Praised; Abiding within Suchness, and Apart from Suchness There Is No Further Dharma to Be Found; Śakra Praises His Teaching of the Dharma as Unobstructed, Like Shooting Upward into Space

The Buddha went on to say: ‘Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva accomplishes two dharmas, Māra cannot break him. What are the two dharmas? He contemplates all dharmas as empty, and he does not abandon any being. Subhūti! When the bodhisattva accomplishes these two dharmas, Māra cannot break him.

‘Furthermore, Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva has another two dharmas which, when accomplished, Māra cannot break him. What are the two dharmas? What he does is as what he says, and he is also kept in mind by the buddhas. When the bodhisattva accomplishes these two dharmas, Māra cannot break him. Subhūti! When the bodhisattva practises in this way, these gods all come to the place where the bodhisattva is, draw near, enquire, exhort, and comfort him, and speak these words: 「善男子！汝疾得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不久。善男子！汝常當行是空、無相、無作行。何以故？善男子！汝行是行，無護眾生汝為作護，無依眾生為作依，無救眾生為作救，無究竟道眾生為作究竟道，無歸眾生為作歸，無洲眾生為作洲，冥者為作明，盲者為作眼。」 tr. "Good son! Before long you will quickly obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Good son! You should constantly practise this practice of emptiness, of the signless, and of non-action. Why? Good son! As you practise this practice, for beings without protection you will be a protection, for beings without support be a support, for beings without rescue be a rescue, for beings without the ultimate path be the ultimate path, for beings without refuge be a refuge, for beings without an island be an island, for those in darkness be a light, for the blind be eyes." Why? Because when this bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, the immeasurable asaṃkhyeya buddhas of the ten directions who are present now, when they teach the Dharma in the great assembly, themselves praise and extol the name and clan of this bodhisattva-mahāsattva, saying: 「某甲菩薩成就般若波羅蜜功德。」 tr. "The bodhisattva so-and-so has accomplished the merit of prajñāpāramitā." Subhūti! Just as, when I teach the Dharma today, I myself extol the bodhisattva Jewel Mark and the bodhisattva Śikhin. And there are bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who, in the world of Akṣobhya Buddha, practise prajñāpāramitā and purely cultivate pure conduct; I also extol the names and clans of these bodhisattvas. Subhūti! It is also as when the buddhas present now in the eastern direction teach the Dharma: among them there are bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who purely cultivate pure conduct, and the Buddha too rejoices and himself extols and praises these bodhisattvas; the southern, western, and northern directions, the four intermediate directions, above and below, are also like this. And there are bodhisattvas who, from the first arousing of intent, wish to fulfil the Buddha path, and so on up to obtaining the omniscience of all kinds; when the buddhas teach the Dharma, they also rejoice and themselves extol and praise these bodhisattvas. Why? Because what these bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practise is very hard: they practise without cutting off the seed of the Buddha.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Which bodhisattva-mahāsattvas do the buddhas, when they teach the Dharma, themselves praise and extol?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The avaivartika bodhisattvas the buddhas, when they teach the Dharma, themselves praise and extol.’

Subhūti said: ‘Which avaivartika bodhisattvas are praised by the Buddha?’

The Buddha said: ‘As Akṣobhya Buddha practised and trained when he was a bodhisattva, so too these bodhisattvas train; these avaivartika bodhisattvas the buddhas, when they teach the Dharma, joyfully praise.

‘Furthermore, Subhūti! There are bodhisattvas who practise prajñāpāramitā, who have faith in and understand that all dharmas are non-arising, and have not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising; who have faith in and understand that all dharmas are empty, and have not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising; who have faith in and understand that all dharmas are false and deceptive, unreal, and not firm, and have not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising. Subhūti! Such bodhisattva-mahāsattvas as these, when the Buddha teaches the Dharma, he joyfully himself praises and extols their names and clans. Subhūti! If there are bodhisattva-mahāsattvas whom the buddhas, when they teach the Dharma, joyfully themselves praise, these bodhisattvas eliminate the śrāvaka ground and the pratyekabuddha ground, and will receive the prediction of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! If there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva whom the buddhas, when they teach the Dharma, joyfully themselves praise, this bodhisattva will abide on the ground of the avaivartika; having abided on this ground, he will obtain sarvajñā.

‘Furthermore, Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva hears this deep prajñāpāramitā, and his mind is clear and keen, without doubt and without regret, and he has this thought: 「是事如佛所說。」 tr. "This matter is as the Buddha has said."—this bodhisattva will also, in the presence of Akṣobhya Buddha and the bodhisattvas, hear this prajñāpāramitā widely, and also have faith in and understand it; having faith and understanding, as the Buddha has said, he will abide on the ground of the avaivartika. Thus, Subhūti, merely hearing prajñāpāramitā one obtains great benefit—how much more having faith in and understanding it! Having faith and understanding, he abides as taught and practises as taught; having abided and practised as taught, he then abides within the omniscience of all kinds.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! If the Buddha says that the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding as taught and practising as taught, then abides in sarvajñā—if the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is a dharma with nothing to be attained, how does he abide in sarvajñā?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The bodhisattva-mahāsattva abides within the suchness of all dharmas, and so abides in sarvajñā.’

Subhūti said: ‘World-Honored One! Apart from suchness there is no further dharma to be found; who abides within suchness? Having abided within suchness, who will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? Who, abiding within suchness, will teach the Dharma? Suchness itself is still unfindable—how much less abiding in suchness and obtaining anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! Who abides within suchness and teaches the Dharma? There is no such principle!’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘As you have said: 「除如，更無法，誰住如中？住如中已，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？誰住如中當說法？如尚不可得，何況住如得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提！誰住如中而說法？無有是處！」 tr. "Apart from suchness there is no further dharma; who abides within suchness? Having abided within suchness, who will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? Who, abiding within suchness, will teach the Dharma? Suchness is still unfindable—how much less abiding in suchness and obtaining anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! Who abides within suchness and teaches the Dharma? There is no such principle!"’

The Buddha said: ‘Just so! Just so! Subhūti! Apart from suchness there is no further dharma to be found; who abides within suchness? Having abided within suchness, who will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? Who, abiding within suchness, will teach the Dharma? Suchness is still unfindable—how much less abiding within suchness and obtaining anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! Who abides within suchness and teaches the Dharma? Why? Because of this suchness, arising is unfindable, ceasing is unfindable, abiding-and-changing is unfindable; if the arising, ceasing, and abiding-and-changing of a dharma are unfindable, who within this will abide in suchness? Who, having abided in suchness, will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? Who will abide in suchness and teach the Dharma? There is no such principle!’

Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! What the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas do is very hard: within the deep prajñāpāramitā they wish to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? World-Honored One! There is no one who abides within suchness, nor is there anyone who will obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, nor is there anyone who teaches the Dharma. And yet the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, at this place, has a mind that is not startled and does not sink, is not terrified and is not afraid, has no doubt and has no regret.’

At that time Subhūti said to Śakra Devānām Indra: ‘As Kauśika has said: 「菩薩摩訶薩所為甚難，是甚深法中心不驚、不沒，不怖、不畏，不疑、不悔。」 tr. "What the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas do is very hard: within this very deep Dharma the mind is not startled and does not sink, is not terrified and is not afraid, has no doubt and has no regret." Kauśika! Within the emptiness of all dharmas, who is startled, who sinks? Who is terrified, who is afraid? Who doubts, who regrets?’

Then Śakra Devānām Indra said to Subhūti: ‘What Subhūti says is only for the matter of emptiness, with nothing that hangs or obstructs. As when one shoots upward into space, the arrow goes without obstruction; Subhūti's teaching of the Dharma without obstruction is also like this.’

Treatise ②: Explaining the Causes and Conditions by Which, through Two Dharmas, Māra Cannot Break Him; the Simile of the Sun and Moon Needing One Another; the Five Kinds of Vajra-holding Spirits and the Simile of Fish-roe Not Kept in Mind by the Mother; How the Gods Can Give the Prediction; the Simile of the Great General Defeating the Enemy; Why the Buddhas Praise the Good and Disparage the Evil; in Which Sūtra the Two Bodhisattvas Are Spoken Of; Why Samantabhadra and Avalokiteśvara Are Not Praised While the Two Bodhisattvas Are Extolled; the Doubt about General and Particular Extolling; the Three Kinds of Difference between the Three Gates and the Three Gates of Liberation; the Rarity of One Who Has Gone Out from the Compliant Acceptance of Dharmas and Has Not Yet Obtained the Acceptance of the Non-arising of Dharmas; Abiding within Suchness Is Abiding within Ultimate Emptiness; the Arrow Falls of Itself When Its Force Is Exhausted, Not Because Space Is Exhausted

The treatise-author explains:

The great assembly at the Dharma-gathering gave rise to doubt: ‘By what cause and condition does the bodhisattva obtain such power that Māra cannot break him?’

The Buddha answers: ‘Because of two kinds of causes and conditions, Māra cannot break him: first, he contemplates all dharmas as empty; second, he does not abandon any being.’

By the causes and conditions of the sun and the moon, the ten thousand things are moistened and grow. With only the moon and no sun, the ten thousand things would be wet and ruined; with only the sun and no moon, the ten thousand things would be scorched and spoiled. Because the sun and the moon come together, the ten thousand things ripen. The bodhisattva is also like this: he has two paths—first compassion, second emptiness. The mind of compassion pities beings and makes a vow wishing to deliver them; when the mind of emptiness comes, it extinguishes the mind of pity. If he only has the mind of pity and has no wisdom, then his mind sinks into the inversion of 「無眾生而有眾生」 tr. "there being beings where there are no beings"; if he only has the mind of emptiness and abandons the mind of pitying and delivering beings, then he falls into annihilation.

Therefore the Buddha speaks of using the two matters together: though he contemplates all as empty, he does not abandon beings; though he pities beings, he does not abandon the emptiness of all. He contemplates all dharmas as empty, and because emptiness too is empty he does not cling to emptiness; therefore it does not hinder pitying beings. He contemplates pitying beings, and yet does not cling to beings and does not take hold of the mark of beings; he only pities beings and leads them into emptiness; therefore, though he practises pity, it does not hinder emptiness. Though he practises emptiness, because he also does not take hold of the mark of emptiness, it does not hinder the mind of pity—as the sun and moon need one another.

The spirits and gods despise people who speak falsely; if the bodhisattva does not practise as he says, then the five kinds of vajra-holding spirits abandon him and no longer guard him, and evil ghosts find an opening. This person easily gives rise to evil minds; because of evil minds he gives rise to evil deeds; because he gives rise to evil deeds he falls into the evil destinies. A bodhisattva who is not kept in mind by the buddhas has his roots of goodness rot and be ruined—as fish-roe, when not kept in mind by the mother fish, rot and are ruined and do not come to life. Therefore it is said: 「所作如所言，亦為諸佛所念。得此二法故，不可破壞。」 tr. "What he does is as what he says, and he is also kept in mind by the buddhas. Because he obtains these two dharmas, he cannot be broken."

If the bodhisattva can truly practise prajñāpāramitā in this way, Māra cannot break him, his merit and wisdom increase, and the gods then come to draw near, enquire, comfort, and exhort him, speaking these words: 「善男子！汝疾得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不久。以是因緣故，常行空行。」 tr. "Good son! Before long you will quickly obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Because of this cause and condition, constantly practise the practice of emptiness."

The treatise-author asks:

The gods have not yet obtained omniscience; how can they give the bodhisattva the prediction?

The treatise-author answers:

The gods are long-lived; from the buddhas of the past they heard that people who practise in this way obtain the prediction, and now, seeing that the bodhisattva has such practice, they therefore speak thus, because on seeing the cause one knows there is the fruit. The gods see that this bodhisattva practises the seal of the three gates of liberation, and also practises the mind of kindness and compassion toward beings; therefore they say 「不久作佛」 tr. "before long he will become a Buddha".

The meaning of 「無守護眾生汝為作守護，無歸與作歸」 tr. "for beings without protection and guarding you will be a protection and guard; for those without refuge be a refuge" and the rest is as said before.

If the bodhisattva can practise the very deep prajñāpāramitā in this way, the immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions who are present now, when they teach the Dharma, extol and praise his name, just as I today extol the bodhisattva Jewel Mark, the bodhisattva Śikhin, and the bodhisattvas in the world of Akṣobhya Buddha. And as the buddhas of the ten directions, when they teach the Dharma, extol the bodhisattvas of wondrous practices. The bodhisattva who can, as taught, accord with the real mark of all dharmas—the buddhas of the ten directions, when they teach the Dharma, also take this bodhisattva as an example, speaking these words: 「某方某世界菩薩雖未作佛，能如是行甚深般若波羅蜜，功德希有故。」 tr. "The bodhisattva of such-and-such a world in such-and-such a direction, though he has not yet become a Buddha, can practise the very deep prajñāpāramitā in this way, because his merit is rare."

It is as a great king has a great general who does not spare his body or life and has the skilful means to defeat hostile enemies, and is constantly praised by the king; the bodhisattva is also like this: he contemplates ultimate emptiness, does not spare his own body, breaks the thieves of the afflictions, has skilful means and does not realise, teaches and transforms beings, and is praised by the buddhas.

Though the buddhas have a mind without clinging, do not discriminate wholesome and unwholesome dharmas, and look upon the arhats and those of the outside paths also without hate or love, yet for the sake of benefiting beings they praise good people, extol wholesome dharmas, and disparage the unwholesome. Why? Because they wish to make beings rely on and attach themselves to good people, their minds following wholesome dharmas, so as to have them go out from the world.

The treatise-author asks:

In which sūtra is it said that these two bodhisattvas are praised by the Buddha?

The treatise-author answers:

The Buddha's sūtras are measureless. After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, evil kings of wrong views appeared in the world, burned the scriptures, destroyed stūpas and monasteries, and killed the śramaṇas. After five hundred years, the semblance Dharma became impure; because the arhats and the bodhisattvas with supernormal powers were hard to meet, the deep sūtras were not all in Jambudvīpa; because those who practised and received them were few, the gods, nāgas, and spirits carried them away.

The treatise-author asks:

Such as the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva Great Power and Might, Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva Maitreya, and the others—why are they not praised, and only these two bodhisattvas are commended?

The treatise-author answers:

These two bodhisattvas have not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising, and yet can carry out a practice resembling the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising. There is certainly this matter, which all Māra's people cannot break; therefore the Buddha praises it as rare.

Furthermore, these two bodhisattvas have the pure practice of great vows and a deep and great mind of kindness and compassion; they do not hope to become a Buddha quickly, for the sake of delivering beings; because they have such merits as these, the Buddha commends them.

Furthermore, the merits of the bodhisattvas Samantabhadra, Avalokiteśvara, and the rest are extremely great, and everyone knows them; these two bodhisattvas people do not yet know, and therefore they are extolled.

The bodhisattvas of the world of Akṣobhya Buddha all take Akṣobhya Buddha as their model: from the first arousing of the mind onward he practised pure and unmixed practice; the bodhisattvas born there all take his practice as their model; therefore the bodhisattvas of the world of Akṣobhya Buddha are spoken of, and their virtue is commended. And just as the buddhas of the ten directions also extol the supremely wondrous bodhisattvas of the worlds, so too Śākyamuni Buddha extols two bodhisattvas.

Which are these? The bodhisattvas from the first arousing of intent up to the ten grounds: the Buddha praises what these bodhisattvas do as very hard, in that they are able not to cut off the seed of the Buddha.

Here Subhūti asks: 「何等菩薩，佛說法時，稱揚讚歎說其名字？」 tr. "Which bodhisattvas does the Buddha, when he teaches the Dharma, extol and praise, speaking their names?"

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha has already spoken of this before; why does Subhūti ask again?

The treatise-author answers:

At first the Buddha spoke of 「大菩薩」 tr. "the great bodhisattvas", and later he also spoke of 「一切菩薩，從初發意乃至十地」 tr. "all bodhisattvas, from the first arousing of intent up to the ten grounds"; therefore Subhūti doubted and asked the Buddha: 「佛讚歎何等菩薩，稱其名字？」 tr. "Which bodhisattvas does the Buddha praise, speaking their names?"

The Buddha answers: 「佛雖皆愛念一切菩薩，其中有德行勝者，稱揚其名字。」 tr. "Though the Buddha loves and keeps in mind all bodhisattvas, among them there are those whose virtuous conduct is superior, and he extols their names."

Which bodhisattvas are praised by the Buddha? As Akṣobhya Buddha, when he first aroused the mind, practised pure practice without resting and without ceasing, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—such bodhisattvas as these are praised by the Buddha.

Furthermore, there are bodhisattvas who have not yet obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas and have not yet entered the bodhisattva position, who, by the power of practising prajñāpāramitā, constantly consider and reckon, seek the real mark of all dharmas, can have faith and understanding, can accept, and penetrate the mark of non-arising of all dharmas, emptiness, falseness and deception, and not being firm. The bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who have such marks as these, the Buddha speaks their names and praises them. What is called false and deceptive, unreal, not firm—these are all the gates of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. What is called all dharmas are empty is the gate of emptiness. What is called all dharmas are non-arising is the real mark of all dharmas, the cessation of all contemplations.

Furthermore, false and deceptive, unreal, not firm, is the non-action gate of liberation; all dharmas are empty is the emptiness gate of liberation; all dharmas are non-arising is the signless gate of liberation.

Such as these are three kinds of difference.

This person has gone out from the compliant acceptance of dharmas and has not yet obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, has gone out from the dharma of ordinary people and has not yet entered the dharma of the sages, and yet can believe and accept the dharma of the sages, like a person who has obtained the dharma of the sages; therefore he is rare. Just as the avaivartika bodhisattva commended by the Buddha can sever the two grounds and receive the prediction, this person commended by the Buddha is also like this. A person with such marks as these, though he has not yet obtained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, because of the power of wisdom is named and praised by the buddhas.

Now, because the power of the faculty of faith is superior, the Buddha also names and praises him. Which is this? It is what is said: 「復次，須菩提！若菩薩摩訶薩聞是深般若，其心明利、不疑不悔，作是念：『是事如佛所說。』」 tr. "Furthermore, Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva hears this deep prajñā, and his mind is clear and keen, without doubt and without regret, and he has this thought: ‘This matter is as the Buddha has said.’"

The treatise-author asks:

This bodhisattva already has faith in and understands prajñāpāramitā; why must he further hear it from Akṣobhya Buddha and the bodhisattvas?

The treatise-author answers:

This person hears of the purity practised by Akṣobhya Buddha when he was a bodhisattva; having heard it, this person wishes to take as his model what Akṣobhya Buddha practised. Therefore the Buddha says: 「此人於是得信力、於彼得智慧力故，當住阿鞞跋致地。」 tr. "Because this person obtains the power of faith here and obtains the power of wisdom there, he will abide on the ground of the avaivartika." This person has not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising; because of the power of wisdom he obtains being like an avaivartika and is praised by the buddhas; because he has the power of faith he obtains being like an avaivartika and is praised by the buddhas.

If merely by hearing prajñā one obtains such benefit, how much more by believing and accepting it and practising as taught, gradually abiding within the omniscience of all kinds!

Subhūti asks the Buddha: 「一切法空相無所得，云何菩薩住薩婆若？」 tr. "All dharmas are of the mark of emptiness, with nothing to be attained; how does the bodhisattva abide in sarvajñā?"

The Buddha says: 「如中住。」 tr. "He abides within suchness." What is called suchness is precisely emptiness. The bodhisattva abiding within this ultimate emptiness is called abiding in sarvajñā.

Here Subhūti asks the Buddha: 「除如，更無法可得，誰住如中？」 tr. "Apart from suchness there is no further dharma to be found; who abides within suchness?"—and so on up to 「無有是處」 tr. "there is no such principle", as the sūtra says at length.

The Buddha approves what Subhūti has said, and states the causes and conditions by which suchness too is empty, namely: 「是如，生、滅、住異不可得，若法無三相，即是畢竟空，云何可住？若住此中得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提而說法，無有是處！」 tr. "Of this suchness, arising, ceasing, and abiding-and-changing are unfindable; if a dharma is without the three marks, it is precisely ultimate emptiness—how can one abide in it? That one should abide within this, obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and teach the Dharma—there is no such principle!"

Śakra Devānām Indra wished to take hold of a fixed mark of prajñā; hearing the Buddha and Subhūti say that even the signless is unfindable, he therefore said to the Buddha: 「希有！世尊！是般若甚深，是菩薩所為甚難，欲得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故？是如畢竟空，除如，更無菩薩住是如中得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，亦無定法名為佛，說法者所度眾生亦不離如，亦無拔出處涅槃，諸法常住如相故。菩薩聞是事，心不疑悔，是事為難！雖信一切法畢竟空，而欲求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，精進、不休不息，是為難。」 tr. "Rare, World-Honored One! This prajñā is very deep; what this bodhisattva does is very hard—he wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Why? This suchness is ultimately empty; apart from suchness there is no further bodhisattva who abides within this suchness and obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; nor is there a fixed dharma called the Buddha; the beings delivered by the one who teaches the Dharma are also not apart from suchness; nor is there a place of being drawn out, nirvāṇa; because all dharmas constantly abide in the mark of suchness. That the bodhisattva hears this matter and his mind has no doubt or regret—this matter is hard! That, though he believes all dharmas are ultimately empty, he yet wishes to seek anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, with vigour, without resting and without ceasing—this is hard."

Subhūti said to Śakra: 「若諸法畢竟空、無所有，疑從何生？何有難事？」 tr. "If all dharmas are ultimately empty and without anything existent, from where would doubt arise? What hard matter is there?"

Śakra rejoiced in his mind and had this thought: 「須菩提實是樂說空法；須菩提有所解說，皆說空事。雖說色等餘事，其義皆趣向空；若有難問，不能作礙，空亦空故。」 tr. "Subhūti truly delights to teach the dharma of emptiness; whatever Subhūti explains, he always speaks of the matter of emptiness. Though he speaks of form and other matters, their meaning all tends toward emptiness; if there are challenging questions, they cannot make an obstruction, because emptiness too is empty."

If there is someone who challenges and breaks emptiness, Subhūti has already broken emptiness beforehand, and within existence and non-existence alike there is nothing that hangs or obstructs him—as when one shoots upward into space. Space is precisely ultimate emptiness; the arrow is Subhūti's wisdom. The words he speaks are as an arrow in space is without obstruction, and when its force is exhausted it falls of itself, not because space is exhausted; Subhūti's teaching of the Dharma, the matter of its causes and conditions being accomplished, then stops, not because the Dharma is exhausted. If there is a person who, though he has a sharp arrow, shoots at a wall, it cannot pass through; though a person has sharp wisdom, if by wrong views he clings to existence, then he is obstructed and cannot get through. Therefore Subhūti speaks the Dharma that is without hindrance and without obstruction.

This chapter is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-sixth chapter, "Entrustment", composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin; it is in the seventy-ninth fascicle.

Sūtra ①: Śakra Doubts What He Has Said and the Buddha Approves His Words; Subhūti's Practice of Emptiness Compared with the Bodhisattva Does Not Reach One in a Hundred; the Eight Hundred Bhikṣus Make the Vow of the Unsurpassed Practice and the Buddha Gives Them the Prediction; the Buddha Earnestly Entrusts Prajñā and the Six Perfections to Ānanda; the Weighing of the Merit of Teaching One Bodhisattva; the Display of Transformations by the Supernormal Power of Travel and Its Withdrawal, All Dharmas Not Standing as Objects to the Eye; Prajñā Is without Measure and Inexhaustible; the Mark of the Tongue That Covers the Face Is Put Forth, Ordering Wide Proclamation and Distinction, and Prajñā Is the Gate of All Letters, the Wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas of the Three Times, and the Practitioner's Feet

At that time Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Speaking thus and answering thus, am I in accord with the Dharma? Am I answering rightly?’

The Buddha told Śakra Devānām Indra: ‘Kauśika! What you have said and what you have answered are really all in accord.’

Śakra Devānām Indra said: ‘Rare, World-Honored One! What Subhūti delights to teach is all for the sake of emptiness, for the sake of the signless, for the sake of non-action, for the sake of the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to for the sake of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.’

The Buddha told Śakra Devānām Indra: ‘When the bhikṣu Subhūti practises emptiness, dānapāramitā is unfindable, how much less one who practises dānapāramitā! And so on up to: prajñāpāramitā is unfindable, how much less one who practises prajñāpāramitā! The four foundations of mindfulness are unfindable, how much less one who cultivates the four foundations of mindfulness! And so on up to: the eightfold noble path is unfindable, how much less one who cultivates the eightfold noble path! Dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and concentration are unfindable, how much less one who cultivates dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and concentration! The Buddha's ten powers are unfindable, how much less one who cultivates the Buddha's ten powers! The four fearlessnesses are unfindable, how much less one who can give rise to the four fearlessnesses! The four unobstructed knowledges are unfindable, how much less one who can give rise to the four unobstructed knowledges! Great kindness and great compassion are unfindable, how much less one who practises great kindness and great compassion! The eighteen unshared dharmas are unfindable, how much less one who gives rise to the eighteen unshared dharmas! Anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is unfindable, how much less one who obtains anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! Omniscience is unfindable, how much less one who obtains omniscience! The Tathāgata is unfindable, how much less one who is to become a Tathāgata! The non-arising dharma is unfindable, how much less one who realises it by means of the non-arising dharma! The thirty-two marks are unfindable, how much less one who obtains the thirty-two marks! The eighty minor marks are unfindable, how much less one who obtains the eighty minor marks! Why? Kauśika! The bhikṣu Subhūti's is the practice of separation in all dharmas, the practice of nothing to be attained in all dharmas, the practice of emptiness in all dharmas, the practice of the signless in all dharmas, the practice of non-action in all dharmas. Kauśika! This is what the bhikṣu Subhūti practises; were one to compare it with the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's practice of prajñāpāramitā, it does not reach one in a hundred, nor one in a thousand, nor one in ten million koṭi, and so on up to its being beyond the reach of calculation and simile. Why? Except for what the Buddha practises, this bodhisattva-mahāsattva's practice of prajñāpāramitā is, among all the practices of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the most honoured, the most wondrous, the highest. For this reason, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to be the highest among all beings should practise this practice of prajñāpāramitā. Why? Kauśika! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practise prajñāpāramitā, they pass beyond the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha grounds, enter the bodhisattva's position, are able to fulfil the Buddha-dharmas, obtain the omniscience of all kinds, sever the habitual residues of all the afflictions, and become Buddhas.’

The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-three in this assembly scattered heavenly māndārava flowers over the Buddha and the Saṅgha. At this time eight hundred bhikṣus rose from their seats, scattered flowers over the Buddha, bared their right shoulders, joined their palms, set their right knees on the ground, and said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! We should practise this unsurpassed practice, which the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha cannot practise!’

At that time the Buddha, knowing the workings of the bhikṣus' minds, smiled. As is the way of the buddhas, lights of all kinds of colours—blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, and pale blue—came forth from his mouth, shone everywhere over the three-thousand great-thousand world, circled the Buddha three times, and re-entered at the crown of his head.

At that time Ānanda bared his right shoulder, set his right knee on the ground, and said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! By what cause and condition do you smile? The buddhas do not smile without cause and condition.’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘These eight hundred bhikṣus will in the Constellation Kalpa obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, with the Buddha-name Scattering Flowers, all with the same one name; their Saṅgha of bhikṣus, their worlds, and their lifespans will all be equal; each will pass a hundred thousand years, go forth, and become a Buddha; at that time heavenly flowers of five colours will constantly rain down over those worlds. For this reason, Ānanda, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to practise the highest practice should practise prajñāpāramitā.’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘If there are good men and good women who can practise this deep prajñāpāramitā, know that this bodhisattva, having ended his life among humans, is born here, or, having ended his life in the Tuṣita heaven, comes to be born here; whether among humans or in the Tuṣita heaven, he has widely heard this deep prajñāpāramitā. Ānanda! I see these bodhisattva-mahāsattvas able to practise this deep prajñāpāramitā. Ānanda! If there are good men and good women who hear this deep prajñāpāramitā, receive and uphold it, read it, recite it, draw near to it, rightly recollect it, and in turn teach people by means of prajñāpāramitā to practise the bodhisattva path, know that this bodhisattva has heard the deep prajñāpāramitā face to face from the Buddha, and so on up to drawing near to it; he has also planted roots of goodness in the presence of the buddhas. Good men and good women should think thus: 「我等非聲聞所種善根，亦不從聲聞所聞是深般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "We are not those whose roots of goodness were planted with the śrāvakas, nor did we hear this deep prajñāpāramitā from the śrāvakas." Ānanda! If there are good men and good women who receive and uphold this deep prajñāpāramitā, read it, recite it, draw near to it, and practise in accordance with the meaning and in accordance with the Dharma, know that these good men and good women are seeing the Buddha face to face. Ānanda! If there are good men and good women who hear this deep prajñāpāramitā, and whose faith is pure and cannot be thwarted or destroyed, know that these good men and good women have in the past made offerings to the buddhas, planted roots of goodness, and met with good friends.

‘Ānanda! Though planting roots of goodness in the field of merit of the buddhas is not false and deceptive, yet to obtain liberation as a śrāvaka, a pratyekabuddha, or a Buddha, one should deeply and clearly practise the six perfections and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds! Ānanda! If a bodhisattva deeply and clearly practises the six perfections and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds, that this person should abide on the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha path and not obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—there is no such principle! Therefore, Ānanda, I entrust prajñāpāramitā to you! Ānanda! If you receive and uphold all dharmas, with the exception of prajñāpāramitā, and forget or lose them, the fault is very small, and there is no great sin. Ānanda! If you receive and uphold the deep prajñāpāramitā and forget or lose a single phrase, the fault is very great! Ānanda! If you receive and uphold the deep prajñāpāramitā and afterwards still forget or lose it, the sin is very great indeed! For this reason, Ānanda, I entrust it to you! This deep prajñāpāramitā you should well receive and uphold, read and recite, and make thoroughly familiar!

‘Ānanda! If there are good men and good women who receive and uphold prajñāpāramitā, they are receiving and upholding the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present. Ānanda! If good men and good women now make offerings to me, revere, honour, and praise me, with flowers and incense, necklaces, powdered incense, scented unguents, clothing, banners and canopies, then they should receive and uphold prajñāpāramitā, read it, recite it, expound it, draw near to it, make offerings to it, revere, honour, and praise it, with flowers and incense and so on up to streamers and banners. Ānanda! To make offerings to prajñāpāramitā is to make offerings to me, and also to have already made offerings to the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present. If there are good men and good women who hear someone proclaim the deep prajñāpāramitā, and whose faith is pure, and who revere, love, and delight in it, then they have already had pure faith in, and revered, loved, and delighted in, the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present. Ānanda! If you love and delight in the Buddha and do not abandon the Buddha, then you should love and delight in prajñāpāramitā and not abandon it! Ānanda! Of the deep prajñāpāramitā, not even a single phrase should be allowed to be lost! Ānanda! The causes and conditions of my entrusting are very many; now I only speak of them briefly: as I am the World-Honored One, prajñāpāramitā too is the World-Honored One. For this reason, Ānanda, by all kinds of causes and conditions I entrust prajñāpāramitā to you. Ānanda! Now, in the midst of the assemblies of gods, humans, and asuras of all the world, I entrust it to you. Those who wish not to abandon the Buddha, not to abandon the Dharma, not to abandon the Saṅgha, not to abandon the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present, must by no means abandon prajñāpāramitā. Ānanda! This is the dharma of the disciples I teach and transform.

‘Ānanda! If good men and good women receive and uphold the deep prajñāpāramitā, read it, recite it, expound it, rightly recollect it, and further for others expound its meaning widely in all kinds of ways, revealing, proclaiming, and distinguishing it, making it easy for people to understand, these good men and good women will quickly obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi and quickly draw near to sarvajñā. Why? Because the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas is born from within prajñāpāramitā. Ānanda! The anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas of the past and the future is all born from prajñāpāramitā; the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas now present in the east, the south, the west, the north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below is also born from prajñāpāramitā. For this reason, Ānanda, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who wish to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi should train in the six perfections! Why? Ānanda! The six perfections are the mother of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, because they give birth to the bodhisattvas. Ānanda! If there are bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who train in these six perfections, they will all obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. For this reason I entrust the six perfections to you once again, doubly. Ānanda! These six perfections are the inexhaustible Dharma treasury of the buddhas. Ānanda! The buddhas of the ten directions now expounding the Dharma all come forth from within the Dharma treasury of the six perfections. The buddhas of the past also trained in the six perfections and obtained anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; the buddhas of the future also train in the six perfections and obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; the buddhas of the present also train in the six perfections and obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; the disciples of the buddhas of the past, the future, and the present also all train in the six perfections and attain passing into extinction—those who have already attained it, those who now attain it, and those who will attain passing into extinction.

‘Ānanda! If you expound the Dharma for the śrāvakas and bring the beings within the three-thousand great-thousand world all to obtain the realisation of the fruit of arhatship, this still does not count as my disciple's work; if you teach the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas with a single phrase in accord with prajñāpāramitā, that is my disciple's work, and I too rejoice; it surpasses teaching the beings within the three-thousand great-thousand world and bringing them to obtain the fruit of arhatship. Furthermore, Ānanda, suppose the beings within this three-thousand great-thousand world, neither before nor after, all at one time obtain the realisation of the fruit of arhatship; the merit of giving, the merit of keeping the precepts, and the merit of meditative concentration that these arhats practise—is this merit much or not?’

Ānanda said: ‘Very much, World-Honored One!’

The Buddha said: ‘Ānanda! This is still not equal to a disciple's proclaiming, for a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, the dharma in accord with prajñāpāramitā, even for a single day—that merit is greater! Leave aside a single day, and speak only of half a day; leave aside half a day, and speak only of the time of one meal; leave aside the time of one meal, and speak only of a moment—that merit is greater! Why? Because the roots of goodness of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva surpass all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva himself wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and also reveals, teaches, benefits, and gladdens others, bringing others to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Ānanda! That such a bodhisattva, practising the six perfections, practising the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to practising the omniscience of all kinds, and increasing his roots of goodness, should not obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—there is no such principle!’

When this "Prajñāpāramitā" chapter was being taught, the Buddha, amid the fourfold assembly and gods, humans, nāgas, ghosts and spirits, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and the rest, before the great assembly displayed transformations by the supernormal power of travel: the whole great assembly saw Akṣobhya Buddha, surrounded by the Saṅgha of bhikṣus, expounding the Dharma; that great assembly, like the waters of the great sea, were all arhats: their outflows already exhausted, without afflictions, all having obtained mastery, having obtained good liberation—the mind well liberated, wisdom well liberated; their minds tamed and gentle, like great elephants; what was to be done was done, they had attained their own benefit, had exhausted all the fetters of existence, and were liberated by right knowledge; within all minds and mental-factor dharmas they had obtained mastery; and also the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, accomplished in immeasurable merits.

At that time the Buddha withdrew the supernormal power of travel, and the whole great assembly no longer saw Akṣobhya Buddha, the śrāvakas, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, or their world; these did not stand as objects to the eye. Why? Because the Buddha had withdrawn the supernormal power of travel.

At that time the Buddha told Ānanda: ‘It is so, Ānanda! All dharmas do not stand as objects to the eye; dharma does not see dharma, dharma does not know dharma. It is so, Ānanda! As Akṣobhya Buddha, the disciples, the bodhisattvas, and the world do not stand as objects to the eye. It is so, Ānanda! All dharmas do not stand as objects to the eye; dharma does not know dharma, dharma does not see dharma. Why? Because all dharmas are without knowing, without seeing, without making, without moving, cannot be grasped, and are inconceivable, like a conjured person: without feeling, without awareness, without true reality. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who practises thus is practising prajñāpāramitā, and also does not cling to dharmas. Ānanda! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who trains thus is called training in prajñāpāramitā. Whoever wishes to obtain the perfections should train in prajñāpāramitā. Why? Training thus is called the foremost training, the highest training, the subtle and wondrous training. Training thus brings peace and happiness to and benefits all the world, and for those who have no rescue and protection acts as rescue and protection; this is what the buddhas train in. The buddhas, abiding within this training, can with the right hand lift the three-thousand great-thousand world and put it back in its original place, and none of the beings within it are aware of it. Why? Ānanda! The buddhas, training in this prajñāpāramitā, obtain unobstructed knowledge and vision within the dharmas of the past, the future, and the present. Ānanda! Prajñāpāramitā among all trainings is the most honoured, the foremost, the subtle and wondrous, the unsurpassed. Ānanda! If someone wishes to find the limit of prajñāpāramitā, that is wishing to find the limit of space. Why? Ānanda! Prajñāpāramitā is without measure; I have never spoken of the measure of prajñāpāramitā; it is the collection of names, the collection of phrases, the collection of letters that have measure; prajñāpāramitā is without measure.’

Ānanda said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Why is prajñāpāramitā without measure?’

The Buddha told Ānanda: ‘Because prajñāpāramitā is inexhaustible it is without measure; because prajñāpāramitā is separated it is without measure. Ānanda! The buddhas of the past all trained in prajñāpāramitā and attained deliverance, and yet prajñāpāramitā was still not exhausted; the buddhas of future ages also train in this prajñāpāramitā and attain deliverance, and yet this prajñāpāramitā is still not exhausted; the buddhas of the ten directions now present all train in this prajñāpāramitā and attain deliverance, and yet prajñāpāramitā is still not exhausted—it was not exhausted, is not exhausted, and will not be exhausted. Ānanda! To wish to exhaust prajñāpāramitā is to wish to exhaust space. Prajñāpāramitā cannot be exhausted: it was not exhausted, is not exhausted, and will not be exhausted; dhyānapāramitā and so on up to dānapāramitā cannot be exhausted: they were not exhausted, are not exhausted, and will not be exhausted; and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds, which is also like this. Why? Because all these dharmas are non-arising; if a dharma is non-arising, how could there be exhaustion?’

At that time the Buddha put forth the mark of the tongue that covers the face and told Ānanda: ‘From this day onward, in the midst of the fourfold assembly, widely expound, reveal, and distinguish prajñāpāramitā; you should make it clear and easy to understand. Why? Because within this deep prajñāpāramitā the marks of all dharmas are widely taught. Within it, those who seek to be śrāvakas, those who seek to be pratyekabuddhas, and those who seek to be Buddhas should all train within it; having trained, each attains accomplishment. Ānanda! This deep prajñāpāramitā is the gate of all letters. Practising this deep prajñāpāramitā, one can enter the dhāraṇī gate; training in this dhāraṇī gate, the bodhisattvas obtain all the eloquence of delighting in speech. Ānanda! Prajñāpāramitā is the wondrous Dharma of the buddhas of the three times. For this reason, Ānanda, I tell you clearly: if someone receives and upholds the deep prajñāpāramitā, reads it, recites it, and draws near to it, this person can then hold the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas of the three times. Ānanda! I say that prajñāpāramitā is the practitioner's feet. Because you hold this dhāraṇī of prajñāpāramitā, you can hold all dharmas.’

Treatise ①: Explaining Śakra's Three Reasons for Doubting Himself and the Buddha's Approval of What He Said; the Three Wisdoms and the Simile of Riding a Boat Downstream; the Lamp Lit That Grows Brighter, the Thirsty Man Drinking from a River, and the Space of a Pore Compared with the Space of the Ten Directions; the Vessel Has Measure, Not the Water; the Eight Hundred Bhikṣus Making Offering to the Buddha Alone; the Reason for Coming from the Two Places; the Simile of the Very Rich Elder Earnestly Entrusting the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel; Planting the Wish-Fulfilling Tree and the Vajra That Is Small; What the Five Eyes See Is False and Not Real; the Simile of Entrusting a Jar of Fragrant Oil to Sons and Younger Brothers; the Mark of the Tongue Is Not Displayed by the Power of the Supernormal Powers; the Difference between the Dhāraṇī of Letters and the Dhāraṇī of Hearing and Retaining; the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Changes Its Name According to the Colour of the Thing before It

The treatise-author asks:

Why does Śakra Devānām Indra himself doubt what he has said, saying 「我為隨順法、正答不？」 tr. "Am I in accord with the Dharma? Have I answered rightly or not?"

The treatise-author answers:

Śakra Devānām Indra is not a person of omniscience; though he has obtained the first path, the three poisons are not yet exhausted, and he may still err; so he weighs it for himself: 「我雖福德因緣為諸天主，雖得聖道味而未有一切智，一切漏未盡故，所說或能錯謬，不自覺知。」 tr. "Though by the causes and conditions of merit I am lord of the gods, and though I have obtained the taste of the noble path, I do not yet have omniscience; because not all my outflows are exhausted, what I say may contain errors of which I myself am not aware." Therefore he asks.

Furthermore, in the assembly there are many avaivartika bodhisattvas, arhats whose outflows are exhausted, and gods who have left desire behind; these, seeing Śakra Devānām Indra questioning and raising difficulties together with the Buddha and Subhūti without timidity of mind, have this thought: 「是釋提桓因漏尚未盡，何能問難，盡諸法邊？」 tr. "This Śakra Devānām Indra's outflows are not yet exhausted; how can he question and raise difficulties and exhaust the limits of dharmas?" Because of this matter Śakra Devānām Indra asks the Buddha.

Furthermore, Śakra Devānām Indra himself knows that the marks of dharmas he has spoken of are without error; he seeks the Buddha's approval so that those who listen will believe and accept it; therefore the Buddha then approved him.

The treatise-author asks:

Why does the Buddha approve what Śakra Devānām Indra said?

The treatise-author answers:

Though Śakra Devānām Indra is not a person of omniscience, he constantly hears from the Buddha and his power of recitation and reading is strong; therefore what he says is reasonable, and the Buddha approves it. The Buddha speaks of three kinds of wisdom: the wisdom of hearing, the wisdom of reflection, and the wisdom of cultivation. There are people who, because their wisdom of hearing and wisdom of reflection are clear, can question and raise difficulties with people of the wisdom of cultivation. It is like riding a boat downstream: without using one's own strength one goes faster even than travelling by land; as Ānanda, though not yet free of desire and not yet having obtained very deep meditative concentration, can debate with the Buddha and with the arhats whose outflows are exhausted and the rest, in accord with the Dharma and without error.

Śakra Devānām Indra said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Subhūti delights in teaching emptiness and is skilled in teaching emptiness; among all the disciples he is foremost. Whatever he says all tends toward emptiness, the signless, and non-action—namely the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; within these dharmas he always speaks of them in coming together with ultimate emptiness.’

The Buddha said to Śakra Devānām Indra: ‘Subhūti is one who practises ultimate emptiness, cultivating and gathering it life after life, not only in this present life. This person entered the path by the emptiness gate of liberation, and also by this gate teaches and transforms beings. When this person enters the deep dharma of emptiness, he does not even find a dharma, how much less one who practises this dharma!’ As is said in the sūtra: 「檀波羅蜜不可得，何況行檀者！乃至八十隨形好不可得，何況得八十種隨形好者！」 tr. "Dānapāramitā is unfindable, how much less one who practises dāna! And so on up to: the eighty minor marks are unfindable, how much less one who obtains the eighty kinds of minor marks!"

The practice of emptiness that Subhūti practises, compared with the bodhisattva's practice of emptiness, does not reach one in a hundred.

The treatise-author asks:

The emptiness of dharmas and the emptiness of beings—what else is there that is not exhausted, that it is said 「百分不及一」 tr. "does not reach one in a hundred"?

The treatise-author answers:

Here the Buddha himself says 「除佛，諸聲聞、辟支佛無有及菩薩」 tr. "except for the Buddha, none of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas reaches the bodhisattva": the real mark of all dharmas has all kinds of names—sometimes it is called emptiness, sometimes ultimate emptiness, sometimes prajñāpāramitā, sometimes it is named anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. The real mark of all dharmas spoken of here is called the practice of emptiness. As among all the śrāvaka disciples Subhūti's practice of emptiness is the most excellent, so, except for the Buddha, the bodhisattvas' practice of emptiness surpasses the two vehicles. Why? Because wisdom has the distinction of keen and dull, and what is entered is deep or shallow; though all alike are called obtaining the real mark of all dharmas, the person of keen faculties obtains it clearly and distinctly. It is like lighting a lamp in order to break the darkness: if there is further a great lamp, the brightness grows greater still; know that though the earlier lamp gave light, the faint darkness was not exhausted; if the faint darkness had been exhausted, the later lamp would be of no use. The one who practises emptiness is also like this: though alike obtaining the path, because wisdom is keen or dull, ignorance is either exhausted or not exhausted; only the Buddha's wisdom can exhaust all ignorance.

Furthermore, the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have no mind of kindness and compassion, no mind of delivering beings, no purifying of buddha-worlds, no vow of the immeasurable Buddha-dharmas, no turning of the Dharma wheel to deliver beings, and also no vow to enter nirvāṇa without remainder and so on up to delivering beings by the Dharma left behind, no mind of delivering beings in the three times—namely at the time of being a bodhisattva, at the time of becoming a Buddha, and at the time of passing into extinction; they are not made equal to the bodhisattva merely on account of the practice of emptiness.

Furthermore, the emptiness that the two vehicles obtain has parts and has measure; that of the buddhas and bodhisattvas is without parts and without measure. As a thirsty man drinking from a river takes no more than suffices himself, how can one say that, because alike they practise emptiness, there should be no difference? And again, as for the space of a pore wishing to compare itself with the space of the ten directions—there is no such principle! Therefore, compared with the buddhas and bodhisattvas, it does not reach one in ten million koṭi.

The Buddha, having finished distinguishing this practice of emptiness, told Śakra Devānām Indra: 「若欲於一切眾生最上，當行般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "If one wishes to be the highest among all beings, one should practise prajñāpāramitā."

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: 「菩薩學是般若波羅蜜空行，不取空相故，過於二地，得無生忍法，入菩薩位；入菩薩位故，具足佛法。」 tr. "Because the bodhisattva who trains in this practice of emptiness of prajñāpāramitā does not grasp the mark of emptiness, he passes beyond the two grounds, obtains the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising, and enters the bodhisattva's position; because he enters the bodhisattva's position, he fulfils the Buddha-dharmas." The Buddha-dharmas are precisely the bodhisattva path; because the bodhisattva path is fulfilled, he will obtain the omniscience of all kinds; because he obtains the omniscience of all kinds he is called Buddha, the one who has severed the habitual residues of all the afflictions. These matters all take the practice of emptiness as their root.

The treatise-author asks:

Nirvāṇa is immeasurable; why is it said 「二乘所得有量」 tr. "what the two vehicles obtain has measure"?

The treatise-author answers:

What is spoken of is 「智慧有分有量」 tr. "wisdom has parts and has measure"; it is not saying 「諸法法性有量」 tr. "the nature of dharmas of all dharmas has measure". Have you not heard the simile of the great water? It is the vessel that has measure, not the water that has measure.

Furthermore, measure and the immeasurable are dharmas that depend on each other. For ordinary people it is immeasurable; the Buddha can measure it all: so many parts are the srota-āpanna, and so on up to so many parts are the arhat, the pratyekabuddha, the bodhisattva, and the nature of dharmas that remains over and is ultimately exhausted to the end is the Buddha. The matters of the gods in the assembly at that time scattering heavenly māndārava flowers over the Buddha and so on are as said in the sūtra.

The treatise-author asks:

The offering of flowers was to the Buddha and the Saṅgha; why did these eight hundred bhikṣus take them to offer to the Buddha alone?

The treatise-author answers:

The flowers the gods scattered, which the bhikṣus each received according to their portion and which fell on their robes—seeing that their colour and fragrance were very wondrous, they therefore aroused the mind to offer them to the Buddha, and said: 「我從今日，當行是無上行，所謂畢竟空、無相、無作等，為度一切眾生故，如佛所說，二乘所不及。」 tr. "From this day on we shall practise this unsurpassed practice—namely ultimate emptiness, the signless, non-action, and so on—for the sake of delivering all beings, as the Buddha has said, which the two vehicles do not reach."

At that time the Buddha smiled. The meaning of the smile is as said in the "Gaṅgadevī" chapter.

These eight hundred bhikṣus are all good friends, alike in practice and equal in resolve; because life after life they cultivated and gathered merit together, they become Buddhas at one time, all with the same one name. Because they made offering to the Buddha with heavenly flowers of five colours, heavenly māndārava flowers of five colours constantly rain down in their worlds.

The Buddha, because of this matter, praises prajñā, saying thus: 「阿難！欲行最上菩薩道，當行般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "Ānanda! Whoever wishes to practise the highest bodhisattva path should practise prajñāpāramitā."

「阿難！若有善男子能行是深般若波羅蜜，當知是人人道中來，或兜率天上來。」 tr. "Ānanda! If there is a good man who can practise this deep prajñāpāramitā, know that this person comes from the human destiny, or comes from the Tuṣita heaven." The reason it is said so is this: in the three evil destinies sin and suffering are many, so they cannot practise the deep prajñā; the gods of the desire realm cling to the pure and wondrous five desires, their minds become wild and deluded, and they cannot practise it; the gods of the form realm cling deeply to the taste of meditative concentration, so they cannot practise it; the formless realm has no form, so they cannot practise it; in the destiny of ghosts and spirits, though the eye-faculty and the rest are clear and keen, the afflictions cover their minds, so they cannot single-mindedly practise the deep prajñā.

Within the human destiny, suffering is less than in the three evil destinies, and pleasure is not as great as the gods'; the eye and the other faculties are turbid and heavy, and the body has much of the earth element; therefore they can subdue the thought of suffering and pleasure and practise prajñā. In the Tuṣita heaven there is always a bodhisattva bound to buddhahood in one more birth; the gods there constantly hear prajñā expounded; though the five desires are many, the power of the Dharma is greater. For this reason it is said that they come from these two places.

Or they come from the buddha-worlds of other directions, or from a place in this world where prajñāpāramitā is present.

Furthermore: 「阿難！若有求佛道者，能問、能信、受持乃至正憶念，當知是人，佛常以佛眼見是諸人等；應當作是念：『我等便是面從佛受，從佛發心、種善根，不從二乘發。』阿難！若有人信心清淨、不可破壞者，當知是人先世供養無量諸佛、為善知識守護，故能受持。」 tr. "Ānanda! If there are those who seek the Buddha path, who can ask, can believe, receive and uphold, and so on up to rightly recollect, know that the Buddha constantly sees these people with the Buddha-eye; they should have this thought: ‘We have received it face to face from the Buddha, have aroused the mind and planted roots of goodness from the Buddha, and did not arouse it from the two vehicles.’ Ānanda! If there are people whose faith is pure and cannot be broken, know that these people in former lives made offerings to immeasurable buddhas and were guarded by good friends, and so they can receive and uphold it."

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha is also called a jewel, and also called the unsurpassed field of merit; if a person plants roots of goodness from the Buddha, he will certainly enter nirvāṇa by the dharma of the three vehicles, and it is not in vain. As the Lotus says: 「有人或以一華，或以少香供養於佛，乃至一稱南無佛，如是等人皆當作佛。」 tr. "If someone makes offering to the Buddha with even a single flower, or with a little incense, and so on up to once saying namo Buddha, such people will all become Buddhas." If so, then someone has this thought: 「但行五波羅蜜，欲作佛時乃觀空，何用常行般若波羅蜜，難知難得空行？」 tr. "Only practise the five perfections, and when about to become a Buddha, then contemplate emptiness; what use is there in always practising prajñāpāramitā, the practice of emptiness that is hard to know and hard to obtain?"

The treatise-author answers:

Because of this matter, the Buddha himself answers Ānanda: 「於佛福田中雖不虛誑，要得三乘入涅槃，應當了了行六波羅蜜，乃至一切種智了了行故，疾得佛道，不久受生死苦。般若有如是等利益功德故，應當行。」 tr. "Though in the field of merit of the Buddha it is not false and deceptive, to obtain entry into nirvāṇa by the three vehicles one should clearly practise the six perfections; and so on up to: because one clearly practises the omniscience of all kinds, one quickly obtains the Buddha path and does not long undergo the suffering of birth and death. Because prajñā has such benefits and merits as these, one should practise it."

「阿難！般若有如是功德利益故，我囑累汝。」 tr. "Ānanda! Because prajñā has such merits and benefits, I entrust it to you."

The treatise-author asks:

The Buddha craves nothing; and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds and the Buddha's unobstructed liberation—the pure and subtle dharmas of the buddhas—he does not crave even these; why does he earnestly entrust prajñāpāramitā to Ānanda, as though craving and begrudging it?

The treatise-author answers:

The buddhas appear in the world for the sake of benefiting beings; displaying the thirty-two marks, the eighty kinds of minor marks, immeasurable light, and transformations by the supernormal power of travel—all are for the sake of beings. Of the foremost matters that benefit beings, nothing surpasses prajñāpāramitā, because it can exhaust all suffering. This prajñāpāramitā depends on speech, letters, chapters, and phrases for its meaning to be obtained; therefore the Buddha earnestly entrusts the scrolls of the prajñā sūtra to Ānanda.

Furthermore, someone, seeing the Buddha earnestly entrust it, therefore says: 「佛大事辦，猶尚尊重般若，是法必尊、必妙！」 tr. "The Buddha's great work is done, and still he honours prajñā; this dharma must be honoured, must be wondrous!" It is as when a very rich elder, when his life is about to end, gives his many jewels to his son, and of the wish-fulfilling jewel in particular earnestly entrusts him: 「汝勿以此寶自無定色、質如虛空、微妙難識故而不守護！若失餘寶為可，此寶不可失也！」 tr. "Do not, because this jewel has of itself no fixed colour, has a substance like space, and is subtle and hard to recognise, fail to guard it! To lose the other jewels is permissible; this jewel must not be lost!" The very rich elder is the Buddha, who entrusts prajñāpāramitā to Ānanda: 「汝好受持守護，無令忘失！」 tr. "Receive and uphold it well and guard it; do not let it be forgotten or lost!"

Apart from prajñā, though there are the twelve divisions of the scriptures, if all were forgotten and lost, the fault would still be small; if a single phrase of prajñā is lost, the fault is exceedingly great! Why? Because this deep Dharma treasury of prajñā is the mother of the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, and can bring people quickly to the Buddha path. As the sūtra says 「三世諸佛皆從般若得」 tr. "the buddhas of the three times all obtain it from prajñā", and so on up to 「為聲聞人說法」 tr. "expounding the Dharma for the śrāvakas"; within this, all are matters of praising prajñā.

The treatise-author asks:

How can expounding the Dharma so that the beings of the three-thousand great-thousand world all obtain arhatship not equal teaching a bodhisattva with a single phrase of prajñā?

The treatise-author answers:

Though this matter has already been answered earlier, it should now be briefly spoken of again: though the beings within this three-thousand great-thousand world all obtain arhatship, they only deliver themselves and are not fit to become Buddhas; if one speaks a single phrase of prajñā, those who hear it can become Buddhas. It is as when someone plants many fruit trees: this does not equal one person planting a single wish-fulfilling tree, which can follow whatever people wish, so that all is obtained as wished.

Furthermore, in expounding the Dharma for the śrāvakas there is no mind of great kindness and compassion; in the dharma of the Great Vehicle, though a single phrase is little, there is great kindness and compassion. In the śrāvaka dharma all is for oneself; in the dharma of the Great Vehicle it is widely for beings. In the śrāvaka dharma there is no mind wishing to know all dharmas widely, only the wish quickly to be free of old age, sickness, and death; in the dharma of the Great Vehicle one wishes to know all dharmas clearly. The merit of the śrāvaka dharma has limit and measure; in the dharma of the Great Vehicle one wishes to exhaust all merits, without remainder. Such as these are the differences between the Great and the Small Vehicles. It is like a vajra: though small, it can surpass all jewels; one may not say that because it is little it does not equal the many. The merit of the arhats within the three-thousand great-thousand world, set beside teaching a bodhisattva with a single phrase of prajñā, for a day and so on up to a moment—that merit is very much greater!

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: 「是人自欲得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，亦教人令得；自行六波羅蜜諸功德，亦為人說。菩薩集二處功德，不得佛道，無有是處。」 tr. "This person himself wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and also teaches others and brings them to obtain it; he himself practises the merits of the six perfections, and also expounds them for others. That a bodhisattva who gathers the merits of these two places should not obtain the Buddha path—there is no such case."

At that time the Buddha, wishing to make this matter clear, brings in an event as evidence, and also wishes to show that all dharmas are empty and yet not to cling to this dharma of emptiness, entrusting it only out of pity for beings.

As Akṣobhya Buddha, the great assembly, and the adornments do not stand as objects to the eye, so too all dharmas do not stand as objects to the eye. What the fleshly eye and the divine eye see are all made dharmas, false, deceptive, and not real. The wisdom-eye, the Dharma-eye, and the Buddha-eye are all signless and unconditioned dharmas, and therefore cannot be seen; if they cannot be seen, then they also cannot be known. Non-action and the rest are also like this. The assembly of Akṣobhya Buddha that was seen is like an illusion, like a dream; to be able to contemplate dharmas in this way is called the bodhisattva's practising prajñā, and is called being without clinging.

What the Buddha entrusts is also without clinging; only out of great kindness and compassion does he praise this prajñā. Though all dharmas have the mark of the inconceivable, for the sake of benefiting beings he praises it, saying thus: 「阿難！如是學，為學般若；若欲得一切諸波羅蜜，當學般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "Ānanda! Training thus is training in prajñā; if one wishes to obtain all the perfections, one should train in prajñāpāramitā." Such as these are as widely said in the sūtra.

The Buddha praises prajñā as immeasurable: if the Buddha's wisdom cannot be exhausted, the merit of prajñā too cannot be exhausted. Why? Because prajñāpāramitā has the mark of the immeasurable. The words, speech, chapters, and phrases such as the collection of names, and the number of scrolls, have measure; as the chapters and phrases of the scrolls of the prajñāpāramitā sūtras such as the Smaller Sūtra, Emission of Light Prajñāpāramitā, and Praise of Light Prajñāpāramitā have limit and measure; but the meaning of prajñāpāramitā is immeasurable.

Ānanda asks: 「般若波羅蜜云何無量？」 tr. "How is prajñāpāramitā without measure?"

The Buddha answers: 「般若波羅蜜相自離。」 tr. "The mark of prajñāpāramitā is of itself separated." Because it is separated, from the very beginning it does not arise and does not gather; because it does not arise and does not gather, it is not exhausted and does not cease.

Here the Buddha himself states the causes and conditions: 「過去無量阿僧祇諸佛及弟子，用是般若波羅蜜照明十方，度無量眾生，皆共入無餘涅槃，般若波羅蜜故不盡；未來、現在亦如是。譬如有人欲盡虛空，虛空不可盡；般若波羅蜜等諸功德乃至一切種智亦如是，今不盡、已不盡、當不盡。」 tr. "The buddhas and disciples of immeasurable asaṃkhyeya of the past, by this prajñāpāramitā, illumined the ten directions and delivered immeasurable beings, and all together entered nirvāṇa without remainder, and prajñāpāramitā was still not exhausted; the future and the present are also like this. It is as if someone wished to exhaust space: space cannot be exhausted; prajñāpāramitā and the other merits, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds, are also like this: they are not exhausted now, were not exhausted, and will not be exhausted." There are people who know that the past is not exhausted yet think that the future and the present are exhaustible; therefore it is said 「三世不可盡」 tr. "inexhaustible in the three times". Why? All dharmas are originally non-arising; how could they come to be exhausted?

The Buddha knows that prajñā is truly inexhaustible; it is because names, words, speech, and the collection of phrases are exhaustible that he entrusts it. As a person entrusts a jar of fragrant oil to his sons and younger brothers: though it is not that he cherishes the jar, it is for the sake of receiving and holding the fragrant oil; that words and speech can hold the meaning is likewise; if the words and speech are lost, then the meaning cannot be obtained.

At that time the Buddha, in order to make people believe and accept prajñā, put forth the mark of the tongue to cover his face and told Ānanda: 「我今於四眾中囑累汝般若，汝當為眾生解說、顯示、分別，令易解。」 tr. "I now, in the midst of the fourfold assembly, entrust prajñā to you; you should for the sake of beings explain, display, and distinguish it, and make it easy to understand." The reason he displays the mark of the tongue is this: by the world's method of reading marks, a tongue that can cover the nose is the mark of not speaking falsely—how much more one that covers the face!

Therefore the Buddha reveals to beings—this body of mine, born of father and mother, has this mark of the tongue, and I wish by prajñāpāramitā to bring you to faith and understanding; because you have not yet obtained omniscience and cannot know everywhere, it is in order to make you give rise to faith, and it is not displayed by the power of the supernormal powers. The Buddha does not cling even to the very deep wondrous Dharma, wisdom, and meditative concentration, how much less would he, for the sake of the eight worldly dharmas or for the gain of offerings, make anything false and deceptive! Within all dharmas, like a bird flying in space, he has nothing that he touches or that obstructs him; only by reason of the original vow, the oath to deliver beings, and the mind of great compassion pitying all, does he earnestly entrust to you prajñāpāramitā, the foremost of benefits.

Furthermore: 「阿難！是行深般若波羅蜜者，能入一切文字陀羅尼。」 tr. "Ānanda! One who practises the deep prajñāpāramitā can enter all the dhāraṇīs of letters." By means of a single letter one enters ultimate emptiness; this is called the dhāraṇī of letters, as said earlier in the discussion of dhāraṇī. The dharmas of all letters are all obtained through prajñāpāramitā; the other dhāraṇīs, such as hearing and retaining, are also all obtained from training in prajñāpāramitā. After the bodhisattva has obtained the dhāraṇīs, he obtains all kinds of eloquence of delighting in speech, and for immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, expounding the meaning of a single phrase, cannot exhaust it. This is called the true Dharma of the buddhas of the three times; there is no other dharma.

Moreover, Ānanda! Prajñā is the wondrous Dharma of the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. It is like a city with only one gate: the people coming from the four directions have no other gate by which to enter.

「阿難！我今為汝了了說：『若有人受持般若，非但受持我法，是人受持三世諸佛阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』」 tr. "Ānanda! I now tell you clearly: ‘If someone receives and upholds prajñā, he not only receives and upholds my Dharma; this person receives and upholds the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas of the three times.’"

「阿難！是般若波羅蜜，我處處說，是行者足。」 tr. "Ānanda! This prajñāpāramitā, as I have said in place after place, is the practitioner's feet." The reason it is said so is this: the bodhisattva who obtains this prajñā can practise the bodhisattva path. 「阿難！汝得是般若波羅蜜陀羅尼故，能持一切佛所說法。」 tr. "Ānanda! Because you obtain this dhāraṇī of prajñāpāramitā, you can hold all the dharmas the Buddha has spoken."

The treatise-author asks:

It is by the power of the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining that one can hold them; why is it said 「得般若故，能持一切諸佛法」 tr. "because one obtains prajñā, one can hold all the dharmas of the buddhas"?

The treatise-author answers:

The dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining can hold dharmas that have number and measure, and the world has it too—as Susīma of the outside paths also obtained the dhāraṇī of hearing and retaining; though this person could obtain it for a time, after long he forgot and lost it. The dhāraṇī obtained from prajñā widely receives and upholds all dharmas and in the end never forgets or loses them. This is taken as the difference.

The treatise-author asks:

Prajñā is precisely a pāramitā; why is it named dhāraṇī?

The treatise-author answers:

The real mark of all dharmas is prajñā; it can benefit in all kinds of ways, and because beings love and keep it in mind, all kinds of names are made. As the Buddha has the ten epithets and other such words, prajñāpāramitā is also like this: that it can reach the limit of all wisdoms is called prajñāpāramitā; when the bodhisattva practises prajñā and has become a Buddha, its name changes to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; if it is in the mind of the Small Vehicle, it is named only the thirty-seven limbs of the path and the three gates of liberation; if a person wishes to hear and not forget, in this person's mind it is named dhāraṇī. Therefore the Buddha speaks the simile of the wish-fulfilling jewel: following the colour of the thing before it, it changes into that thing's name.

In this way the Buddha, in all kinds of ways, proclaims the great merit of prajñā.

Fascicle seventy-nine of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa ends here.

This chapter is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-seventh chapter, "Inexhaustible Skilful Means", composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin; it is in the eightieth fascicle.

Sūtra ①: Subhūti, Reflecting That Awakening Is Very Deep, Asks Whether Prajñā Is Inexhaustible, and the Buddha Answers That Space Is Inexhaustible; Because Form and So On up to the Omniscience of All Kinds Are Inexhaustible, Prajñā Should Arise, and Because the Emptiness of Delusion and So On up to the Emptiness of Old Age and Death, Sorrow, Grief, Suffering, and Vexation Is Inexhaustible, Prajñā Should Arise; the Twelve Links of Causes and Conditions Are a Dharma of the Bodhisattvas Alone, Able to Remove the Extremes and the Inversions, and When Sitting at the Seat of Awakening One Should Contemplate Thus; Contemplating Them by the Dharma of the Inexhaustibility of Space, One Does Not Fall to the Two Vehicles, and Turning Back and Not Turning Back Both Depend on the Power of Skilful Means; in Contemplating, One Does Not See Any of the Marks, and Does Not See Even Form and So On up to Awakening—This Is the Practice That Corresponds to Prajñāpāramitā; When One Practises the Prajñā with Nothing to Be Attained, the Evil Māra Is Grieved and Pained, as Though an Arrow Had Entered His Heart, as When a Person Has Newly Lost His Father and Mother, and All the Māras of the Three-Thousand Great-Thousand World Are Likewise and Cannot Find Their Opening; When Practising Prajñā One Fulfils the Six Perfections, All Giving, Upholding the Precepts, Patience, Vigour, Meditative Concentration, and Wisdom Being Dedicated to Sarvajñā

At that time Subhūti had this thought: ‘This anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas is very deep; I should ask the Buddha.’ Having had this thought, he said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Is this prajñāpāramitā inexhaustible?’

The Buddha said: ‘Because space is inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā is inexhaustible.’

‘World-Honored One! How should one give rise to prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘Because form is inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā should arise; because feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness are inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā should arise. Because dānapāramitā is inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā should arise; because śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, and prajñāpāramitā are inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā should arise; and so on up to: because the omniscience of all kinds is inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā should arise.

‘Again, Subhūti! Because the emptiness of delusion is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of constructions is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of consciousness is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of name-and-form is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of the six sense-bases is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of the six contacts is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of feeling is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of craving is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of grasping is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of existence is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of birth is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise; because the emptiness of old age and death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and vexation is inexhaustible, the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise. Thus, Subhūti, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's prajñāpāramitā should arise. Subhūti! These twelve links of causes and conditions are a dharma of the bodhisattvas alone, able to remove the extremes and the inversions. When sitting at the seat of awakening, one should contemplate thus, and will then obtain the omniscience of all kinds. Subhūti! If there is a bodhisattva-mahāsattva who practises prajñāpāramitā and contemplates the twelve links of causes and conditions by the dharma of the inexhaustibility of space, he does not fall to the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, and abides securely in anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Subhūti! Those who seek the bodhisattva path and turn back midway all do so because they have departed from the thought of prajñāpāramitā; these people do not know how to practise prajñāpāramitā, nor how to contemplate the twelve links of causes and conditions by the dharma of the inexhaustibility of space. Subhūti! Those who seek the bodhisattva path and turn back all turn back from anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi because they do not obtain this power of skilful means. Subhūti! Those bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who do not turn back from anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi are all so because they have obtained this power of skilful means. Subhūti! The bodhisattva-mahāsattva should contemplate prajñāpāramitā by the dharma of the inexhaustibility of space, and should give rise to prajñāpāramitā by the dharma of the inexhaustibility of space.

‘Thus, Subhūti, when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva contemplates the twelve links of causes and conditions, he does not see any dharma that arises without causes and conditions, he does not see any dharma that is permanent and does not cease; he does not see any dharma that has a self, a person, a life, a living one, a being, a knower, a seer; he does not see any dharma as impermanent, he does not see any dharma as suffering, he does not see any dharma as non-self, he does not see any dharma as quiescent or not quiescent. Thus, Subhūti, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who practises prajñāpāramitā should contemplate the twelve links of causes and conditions in this way. Subhūti! If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva can practise prajñāpāramitā in this way, at that time he does not see form as permanent or impermanent, as suffering or bliss, as self or non-self, as quiescent or not quiescent; feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness are likewise. Subhūti! At that time the bodhisattva-mahāsattva also does not see prajñāpāramitā, nor does he see that by this dharma prajñāpāramitā is seen; dhyānapāramitā, and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi: he also does not see anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, nor does he see that by this dharma anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is seen. Thus, Subhūti, because all dharmas are unfindable, this is the practice that corresponds to prajñāpāramitā.

‘When the bodhisattva practises the prajñāpāramitā with nothing to be attained, the evil Māra is grieved and pained, as though an arrow had entered his heart. It is as when a person has newly lost his father and mother; thus, Subhūti, when the evil Māra sees the bodhisattva practising the prajñāpāramitā with nothing to be attained, he is greatly grieved and pained, as though an arrow had entered his heart.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! Is it only one Māra who is grieved and pained, or are the Māras in the three-thousand great-thousand world all grieved and pained as well?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The evil Māras in the three-thousand great-thousand world are all grieved and pained, as though an arrow had entered their hearts, and each upon his own seat cannot be at ease. Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is able to practise prajñāpāramitā in this way, at that time none in all the world—gods and humans, asuras—can find an opening to cause him sorrow and vexation. Subhūti! For this reason, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who wishes to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi should practise this prajñāpāramitā! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he fulfils the cultivation of dānapāramitā, śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, and prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he fulfils the perfections.’

Subhūti said to the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, how does he fulfil dānapāramitā, śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, and prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘All the giving of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is dedicated to sarvajñā. Thus, Subhūti, when the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, he fulfils dānapāramitā. Subhūti! All the upholding of the precepts of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is dedicated to sarvajñā; this is fulfilling śīlapāramitā. All the patience of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is dedicated to sarvajñā; this is fulfilling kṣāntipāramitā. All the vigour of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is dedicated to sarvajñā; this is fulfilling vīryapāramitā. All the meditative concentration of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is dedicated to sarvajñā; this is fulfilling dhyānapāramitā. All the wisdom of the bodhisattva-mahāsattva is dedicated to sarvajñā; this is fulfilling prajñāpāramitā. Thus, Subhūti, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who practises prajñāpāramitā fulfils the six perfections.’

Treatise ①: Explaining That the Meaning of Prajñā Is Immeasurable While the Collections of Names, Letters, and Phrases Are Measured; That a Small Portion of Bodhi, and Grasping Suchness or Grasping Emptiness, Are All Wrong; That Space Has Only a Name; Breaking the Four Alternatives of the Arising of Form, and That the True Mark of Form Is the Mark of Prajñā; That, Leaving the Two Extremes, the Emptiness of the Twelve Links of Causes and Conditions Is Taught and Provisionally Named the Middle Way; That Contact-Thought Is Unfindable and the Real Mark of Delusion Is Wisdom; the Three Kinds of the Twelve Links of Causes and Conditions; That Old Age Has No Fixed Mark, and the Simile of the Cart; Breaking the Naming of the Mark of the Five Aggregates of Retribution as Old Age; That, Not Abiding Thought after Thought, There Is No Old Age; Not Clinging and Giving Rise to Great Compassion; To Whom the Three Contemplations Belong; Leaving the Extremes and the Inversions, and the Two Kinds of Afflictions; That the Third Contemplation Is Very Deep, Citing the Sūtra of the Simile of the City; Passing Beyond the Two Vehicles, and the Reason for Retreating and Not Retreating; Breaking Wrong Causes and Conditions—Atoms and the Nature of the World; That Because Dharmas Belong to Causes and Conditions They Are Non-Self; That Abiding Securely in Ultimate Emptiness Is Called the Prajñā with Nothing to Be Attained; the Māras Grieved and Pained, and the Simile of the Fisherman; the Reason the Six Perfections Are Fulfilled; the Two Kinds of People, of Soft Faculties and of Keen Faculties; Because the Power of Faith and the Power of Wisdom Are Equal, One Is Able to Dedicate to Sarvajñā

The treatise-author explains:

Subhūti has heard from the Buddha all kinds of marks of prajñāpāramitā—at first he heard 「畢竟空相」 tr. "the mark of ultimate emptiness"; in the middle he heard 「囑累」 tr. "entrustment", which seems to be something existent; later he again heard 「空」 tr. "emptiness" spoken of. What is called the meaning of prajñā is immeasurable, while the collections of names, letters, and phrases are measured.

At this time Subhūti had this thought: ‘The anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of the buddhas is very deep; I should ask the Buddha the reason why it is very deep.’

What the Buddha has spoken of awakening is only a small portion of bodhi, spoken only in order to break the inversions of beings, and not spoken in full. Why? Because there is no one able to receive it. If someone grasps the mark of 「如」 tr. "suchness", the Buddha says: 「如亦空，無生住滅故；若法無生住滅，是法即無。」 tr. "Suchness too is empty, because it is without arising, abiding, and ceasing; if a dharma is without arising, abiding, and ceasing, this dharma is nothing." The nature of dharmas and the limit of reality are likewise. If someone grasps ultimate emptiness, he too is said to be wrong. Why? If ultimate emptiness were a fixed mark that could be grasped, it would not be ultimate emptiness. For this reason it is said to be very deep, and I should ask the Buddha again.

Having had this thought, Subhūti—as the Buddha himself says: 「三世諸佛用般若波羅蜜得道，般若故不盡——已不盡、今不盡、當不盡。」 tr. "The buddhas of the three times attain the path by means of prajñāpāramitā; because of prajñā it is not exhausted—it has not been exhausted, it is not now exhausted, it will not be exhausted." For this reason, I now ask only about the meaning of 「不盡」 tr. "not exhausted".

The Buddha answers: 「如虛空不盡故，般若亦不盡。」 tr. "As space is not exhausted, so prajñā too is not exhausted." Like space, which has no dharma and has only a name, prajñāpāramitā is also thus. If prajñāpāramitā is inexhaustible because, like space, it is without anything existent, then how can the bodhisattva give rise to this prajñāpāramitā? What is called being able to give rise is: how does the bodhisattva give rise in his mind to being able to practise and being able to attain?

The Buddha answers: 「色無盡故，般若波羅蜜應生。」 tr. "Because form is inexhaustible, prajñāpāramitā should arise."

It is as the prior arising, the later arising, and the middle arising of form are all unfindable. Form as itself arisen form is unfindable; apart from form, arisen form is also unfindable. Arising is unfindable, and the arising of arising is also unfindable, as was said earlier in 「破生」 tr. "breaking arising". Because arising is unfindable, form too is unfindable; because form is unfindable, the arising of form is unfindable. Because these two dharmas are both unfindable, form is like an illusion, like a dream, and only deceives the human eye. If form had arising, it would certainly have exhaustion; because it is without arising, it is also without exhaustion.

The true mark of form is precisely the mark of prajñāpāramitā; therefore it is said: 「色不可盡，般若波羅蜜亦不可盡。」 tr. "Form is inexhaustible; prajñāpāramitā too is inexhaustible."

Feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness, dānapāramitā, and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds are also thus.

Again, the reason it is said that one should give rise to prajñā is that ignorance as space is inexhaustible. If a person contemplates only ultimate emptiness, he mostly falls into the extreme of annihilation; if he contemplates existence, he mostly falls into the extreme of permanence. In order to leave these two extremes, the emptiness of the twelve links of causes and conditions is spoken of. Why? If a dharma arises from the coming together of causes and conditions, this dharma has no fixed nature; if a dharma has no fixed nature, this is precisely the mark of ultimate emptiness and quiescence. Because it leaves the two extremes, it is provisionally named the middle way. Therefore it is said: 「十二因緣如虛空，無法故不盡。」 tr. "The twelve links of causes and conditions are like space: because there is no dharma, they are not exhausted." Delusion too arises from the coming together of causes and conditions, and therefore has no specific mark of its own; because it has no specific mark of its own, it is ultimately empty, like space.

Again, because it arises from causes and conditions, it is without reality, as is said in the sūtra: 「因眼緣色生觸念，觸念從癡生。」 tr. "In dependence on the eye and conditioned by form, contact-thought arises; contact-thought arises from delusion." Contact-thought is not in the eye, not in form, not within, not without, nor in between, nor does it come from the ten directions and the three times; the fixed mark of this dharma is unfindable. Why? Because all dharmas enter 「如」 tr. "suchness". If one obtains the fixed mark of this ignorance, this is precisely wisdom, and it is not called delusion. Therefore the mark of delusion and the mark of wisdom are without difference; the real mark of delusion is precisely wisdom, and to grasp and cling to the mark of wisdom is precisely delusion. Therefore the real mark of delusion is of ultimate purity, like space, without arising and without ceasing. Therefore it is said: 「得是觀故，迴向阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，即名般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "Because one obtains this contemplation, dedicating it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi is called prajñāpāramitā."

The treatise-author asks:

If there is no ignorance, then there are also no constructions and the rest; why then still speak of the twelve links of causes and conditions?

The treatise-author answers:

The twelve links of causes and conditions are spoken of in three kinds:

First, what the ordinary person sees with the fleshly eye: inverted, clinging to the mind of self, he gives rise to the afflictions and deeds, and goes and comes within birth and death.

Second, the worthies and sages distinguish dharmas with the Dharma-eye: seeing old age, sickness, and death, their minds give rise to weariness and turning away, and they wish to leave the world. Seeking out the causes and conditions of old age and death, they find it is because of birth. This birth in turn has the afflictions and deeds as its causes and conditions. Why? One who has no afflictions is not born. Therefore it is known that the afflictions are the cause of birth. The cause and condition of the afflictions is ignorance. Because of ignorance, what should be given up is instead taken, and what should be taken is instead given up. What should be given up? The afflictions that are the causes and conditions of old age, sickness, and the sufferings should be given up, yet because of the causes and conditions of the slight pleasure of inversion one grasps and clings to them. Upholding the precepts, meditative concentration, wisdom, and the root of all goodness—these are the causes and conditions of the bliss of nirvāṇa; these matters should be taken, and instead are given up. Within this there is no knower, no seer, no maker. Why? Because this dharma has no fixed mark and only arises in continuity from false and deceptive causes and conditions. The practitioner knows that this is false, deceptive, and unreal, and does not give rise to idle discourse; this is only extinguishing suffering and thereby entering nirvāṇa; it does not seek the marks of the sufferings through to the end.

Third, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas: because they are people of great knowledge with keen faculties, they only seek to go through to the end of the root-mark of the twelve links of causes and conditions, and do not sink themselves in sorrow and fear. When they seek, they do not find a fixed mark; the dharma of old age is ultimately empty, and is only provisionally named existent out of what is false and deceptive. Why? Those who distinguish the marks of dharmas say: 「老是心不相應行。」 tr. "Old age is a construction not associated with mind." This mark is unfindable. A white head and the rest are marks of form, not the mark of old age. Because these two matters are both unfindable, there is no mark of old age.

Again, what the people of the world call the marks of old age are: hair white, teeth falling out, face wrinkled, body bent, emaciated, strength thin, the faculties dark and blocked; such things as these are named the marks of old age. But this is not so! Why? White hair is not had only by the old. Again, there are those in the prime of their years whose hair is white, and those in old age whose hair is black. Emaciation, wrinkling, and bending are likewise. There are people who are old and whose faculties are bright and keen, and who are young and whose faculties are dark and blocked; again, there are those who have taken the medicine that restores the years, who, though old, are vigorous. Thus old age has no fixed mark. Because it has no fixed mark, dharmas come together and are provisionally named old age. Again, as wheels, axle, shafts, spokes, and the rest are borrowed and named a cart, this provisional name is not really existent.

Again, someone says thus: 「果報五眾故相名為老。」 tr. "The mark of the oldness of the five aggregates of retribution is named old age." This too is not so! Why? All conditioned dharmas arise and cease thought after thought and do not abide; if they do not abide there is no oldness, and without oldness there is no old age. If all conditioned dharmas had abiding, there would be no impermanence; if there were no impermanence, they would be permanent; if they were permanent, there would be no old age—how much less could there be old age within what is neither permanent nor impermanent, within ultimate emptiness!

Again, within the ultimate emptiness of dharmas even the mark of arising is unfindable, how much less is there old age!

By all kinds of causes and conditions such as these, the dharma of old age is sought and is unfindable; because it is unfindable, it is signless, like space, inexhaustible. As with old age, so on up to ignorance it is likewise. Breaking ignorance is as said above.

Because the bodhisattva contemplates the real mark of all dharmas as ultimately empty, without anything existent, with nothing to be attained, and does not cling to this matter either, amid beings he gives rise to great compassion: beings, because of folly and delusion, undergo sufferings and vexations within dharmas that are unreal, inverted, and false.

The first twelve links of causes and conditions are only for the sake of ordinary people, and within them one does not seek out right and wrong; the second twelve links of causes and conditions are what is contemplated by people of the two vehicles and by bodhisattvas who have not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising; the third twelve links of causes and conditions are what is contemplated by bodhisattvas from the obtaining of the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising and so on up to sitting at the seat of awakening.

Therefore it is said: 「無明虛空不可盡，乃至憂悲苦惱虛空不可盡故，菩薩行般若波羅蜜。」 tr. "Because ignorance as space is inexhaustible, and so on up to sorrow, grief, suffering, and vexation as space being inexhaustible, the bodhisattva practises prajñāpāramitā."

Contemplating the dharma of causes and conditions deeply in this way is what is called leaving the extremes and the inversions. The extremes means the extreme of permanence and the extreme of annihilation, the extreme of existence and the extreme of non-existence, the extreme of reality and the extreme of emptiness, the world's having an end, and the like—clinging to the extremes; the inversions means giving rise, within the impermanent, to permanence and the like—the afflictions of the inversions. When one contemplates this dharma of the twelve links of causes and conditions, the extremes and the inversions cease. The afflictions have two divisions: first, the people of the outside paths with wrong views are called the extremes; second, the afflictions of the remaining beings are called the inversions. When one contemplates the twelve links of causes and conditions, these two kinds of afflictions both cease.

This contemplation of the third twelve links of causes and conditions is very deep; only the bodhisattvas sitting at the seat of awakening can contemplate it; though earlier they could contemplate it, they could not yet fulfil it. As is said in the Sūtra of the Simile of the City, the Buddha says: ‘When I had not yet attained the path, I reflected thus: 「眾生可愍，深入嶮道，所謂數數生，數數老，數數死，往來世間，不知出處。」 tr. "Beings are to be pitied: they have gone deep into a perilous road—that is, being born again and again, growing old again and again, dying again and again, going and coming in the world, not knowing the way out." At that time I further had this thought: 「何因緣有老死？」 tr. "By what causes and conditions is there old age and death?" As I sought and examined in this way, I obtained real wisdom: old age and death and the rest have birth as their cause and condition.’ Therefore it is known: the third contemplation is obtained only on sitting at the seat of awakening, as is spoken of at length in the sūtra.

Again, contemplating such a dharma of causes and conditions further, one passes beyond the two vehicles and obtains the omniscience of all kinds. If there are those who retreat from the Buddha path, it is all because they do not obtain this very deep contemplation; if they obtain this contemplation, they do not retreat. Why? Entering deep into ultimate emptiness, one does not see the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha; because one does not see it, one does not abide in it.

Again, one who can contemplate the dharma of causes and conditions in this way does not see a single dharma that is fixed and autonomous, arising without causes and conditions; all dharmas are not autonomous, all belong to causes and conditions and arise. Some people, though they see that all dharmas arise from causes and conditions, hold that they arise from wrong causes and conditions. Wrong causes and conditions are atoms, the nature of the world, and the like. Therefore it is said: 「不見法無因緣生，亦不見法從常因緣微塵、世性生」 tr. "does not see a dharma arising without causes and conditions, nor see a dharma arising from permanent causes and conditions—atoms, the nature of the world". As space is permanent, and because it is permanent it has no arising, and space also does not act as a cause for things, for this reason no dharma arises from permanent causes and conditions.

Again, the bodhisattva thus contemplates all dharmas as belonging to causes and conditions and arising, not autonomous; because they are not autonomous, they are non-self, and so on up to there being no knower and no seer.

At that time the bodhisattva abides securely in the twelve links of causes and conditions of ultimate emptiness; he does not see all dharmas such as form as existent or non-existent and the like, nor does he see prajñā, nor see practising prajñā by means of this dharma; and so on up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, likewise. This is called the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā with nothing to be attained. Having obtained this prajñā with nothing to be attained, he then obtains, in all dharmas, the prajñā without any obstruction.

At that time the Māras are extremely grieved and pained. Why? Because this bodhisattva enters deep into the ultimate emptiness of the twelve links of causes and conditions and does not cling to Māra's net of the sixty-two wrong views of existence, non-existence, neither existence nor non-existence, and the rest, Māra's mind thinks: I now have no dharma by which to find an opening in this bodhisattva. It is as when a fisherman sees a fish go deep into the great water, where hook and net cannot reach, and he despairs and grieves. It is also like having newly lost father and mother.

Again, if the bodhisattva can practise the prajñāpāramitā with nothing to be attained in this way, he can fulfil dānapāramitā and the rest. Why? Because in practising such a dharma, the afflictions and the dharmas that obstruct prajñā are all broken and thinned, and the people of the Māras cannot find an opening, the perfections come to be fulfilled; though earlier he also practised the six perfections, he had not yet been able to obtain such fulfilment.

Subhūti asks: ‘World-Honored One! How can the bodhisattva practise such prajñāpāramitā, and fulfil dānapāramitā and the other perfections?’

The Buddha answers: when all the bodhisattva's giving is dedicated to sarvajñā. There are two kinds of people: those of soft faculties and those of keen faculties. People of soft faculties, whether they give little or much, all grasp at marks and dedicate it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. People of keen faculties break this grasping at marks, yet make idle discourse of the dharma of emptiness; their power of faith turns thin; they do not use sarvajñā, and only seek the real mark of all dharmas. These two kinds of people both cannot fulfil dānapāramitā: the first because the power of faith is much and the power of wisdom little, the second because the power of wisdom is much and the power of faith little.

The Buddha now says: 「信力、慧力等故，能迴向薩婆若。」 tr. "Because the power of faith and the power of wisdom are equal, one is able to dedicate to sarvajñā." Keeping sarvajñā in mind is the power of faith; dedicating in the manner of sarvajñā is the power of knowledge. And so on up to prajñāpāramitā, likewise.

This fascicle is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the sixty-eighth chapter, "The Six Perfections Contain One Another" (fascicle eighty).

Sūtra ①: Abiding in Dānapāramitā, Taking Up the Five Perfections of Morality, Patience, Vigour, Meditation, and Prajñā; Abiding in Śīlapāramitā, Taking Up the Five Perfections of Giving, Patience, Vigour, Meditation, and Prajñā—Ten Rounds of Question and Answer

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in dānapāramitā (giving) and take up śīlapāramitā (upholding the precepts)?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva gives, he dedicates this giving to sarvajñā (omniscience), and amid beings abides in kindly deeds of body, speech, and mind. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dānapāramitā and taking up śīlapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva abide in dānapāramitā and take up kṣāntipāramitā (patience)?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘When the bodhisattva gives, the receiver of the gift is hateful, reviles and insults him, and harms him with evil words; at this time the bodhisattva is patient and does not give rise to a mind of hatred. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dānapāramitā and taking up kṣāntipāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva abide in dānapāramitā and take up vīryapāramitā (vigour)?’

The Buddha said: ‘When the bodhisattva gives, the receiver of the gift is hateful, reviles and insults him, and harms him with evil words; the bodhisattva instead increases his giving, and has this thought in his mind: I should give, and should not begrudge anything. At once he gives rise to vigour of body and vigour of mind. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dānapāramitā and taking up vīryapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in dānapāramitā and take up dhyānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘When the bodhisattva gives, he dedicates it to sarvajñā, does not tend toward the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground, and only with a single mind keeps sarvajñā in mind. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dānapāramitā and taking up dhyānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in dānapāramitā and take up prajñāpāramitā (wisdom)?’

The Buddha said: ‘When the bodhisattva gives, he knows that giving is empty, like an illusion, and does not see that giving for the sake of beings has benefit or has no benefit. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dānapāramitā and taking up prajñāpāramitā.’

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in śīlapāramitā and take up dānapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, and prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The bodhisattva-mahāsattva abides within śīlapāramitā, and with body, speech, and mind gives rise to the merit of giving, which aids anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi (unsurpassed, right, and complete awakening); holding this meritorious virtue, he does not take up the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. Abiding within śīlapāramitā, he does not take the life of others, does not rob others of their wealth, does not engage in sexual misconduct; does not speak falsely, does not speak divisively, does not speak harshly, does not speak frivolously; is not greedy and envious, is not hateful, does not give rise to wrong views. All his giving—to the hungry he gives food, to the thirsty he gives drink, to those who need carriages he gives carriages, to those who need clothing he gives clothing, to those who need incense he gives incense, to those who need necklaces he gives necklaces; unguents, bedding, dwellings, lamps and candles, and the things needed to sustain life—he gives them all. Holding this giving, he shares it in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Dedicating thus, he does not fall to the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. Subhūti! This is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abiding in śīlapāramitā and taking up dānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in śīlapāramitā and take up kṣāntipāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva-mahāsattva abides within śīlapāramitā; if beings come and cut him apart joint by joint, the bodhisattva does not give rise to a mind of hatred amid this, not even a single thought of it, and moreover he speaks thus: I obtain a great benefit; beings come and take my limbs and joints to use, and I have not a single thought of hatred. This is the bodhisattva abiding within śīlapāramitā and taking up kṣāntipāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in śīlapāramitā and take up vīryapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘If the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, with vigour of body and vigour of mind, constantly does not give up, having this thought: All beings are within birth and death; I should pull them out and set them on the ground of ambrosia. This is the bodhisattva abiding within śīlapāramitā and taking up vīryapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in śīlapāramitā and take up dhyānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva enters the first dhyāna, and the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, and the fourth dhyāna, and does not crave and cling to the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground, having this thought: I should abide within dhyānapāramitā and deliver all beings from birth and death. This is the bodhisattva abiding in śīlapāramitā and taking up dhyānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abide in śīlapāramitā and take up prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva abides within śīlapāramitā, and there is not one dharma to be seen: whether made dharmas, or conditioned dharmas, or numbered dharmas, or marked dharmas, whether existent or non-existent; he sees only that all dharmas do not go beyond the mark of suchness. Because of the power of prajñāpāramitā and of upāya-kauśalya (skilful means), he does not fall to the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. This is the bodhisattva abiding in śīlapāramitā and taking up prajñāpāramitā.’

What follows is the treatise's explanation.

Treatise ①: Taking Up the Question of the Previous Chapter; the Two General Principles of the Power of Skilful Means and of the Continuity of the Causes and Conditions of Conditioned Dharmas; Explaining Round by Round Abiding in Giving and Taking Up the Five, Abiding in Morality and Taking Up the Five; Two Questions and Answers—Why Patience Speaks Only of Cutting and Severing the Body, and How One Who Has Not Cut Off the Fetters Is Not Hateful; Two Questions and Answers—Why the Signless Is Spoken of within the Mark of the Conditioned, and That Apart from Existence There Is No Non-existence

The treatise-author explains:

At the end of the previous chapter it was said: ‘When the bodhisattva practises prajñāpāramitā, how does he fulfil the six perfections?’ and the Buddha answered it point by point. In this chapter, what Subhūti asks is: ‘How does the bodhisattva practise one perfection and contain the five perfections?’

Someone asks:

The six perfections each have different practising marks; how can one, by practising one perfection, contain the five perfections?

The answer:

Because the bodhisattva has the power of skilful means, by practising one perfection he is able to contain the five perfections.

Furthermore, conditioned dharmas are a continuity of causes, conditions, and retribution that is not cut off, and so they can accomplish one another; wholesome dharmas arise with wholesome dharmas as their causes and conditions. These six perfections are all wholesome dharmas, and so practising one contains the five; one of them is taken as the master, and the other perfections each also have a share within it.

There is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who deeply practises dānapāramitā, abiding within dānapāramitā; when he gives to beings he obtains a mind of kindness, and from the mind of kindness he can give rise to kindly deeds of body and speech. At this time the bodhisattva has taken up śīlapāramitā. Why? Kindly deeds are the three kinds of wholesome paths, the root of śīlapāramitā, namely non-greed, non-hatred, and right view. These three kinds of kindly deeds can give rise to the three kinds of bodily deeds and the four kinds of verbal deeds. Kindness is a wholesome deed; it is called kindness because it is for the sake of benefiting beings.

‘Takes up kṣāntipāramitā’ means: the bodhisattva gives for the sake of all wisdom, yet the receiver of the gift is hateful. If the donor proclaims: ‘I can give away everything.’ and the receiver cannot have his wishes satisfied, he then says: ‘Who told you to invite me, and then not go along with my wishes?’

‘Hatred’ is an evil deed of mind, ‘reviling’ is an evil deed of speech, ‘beating and harming’ is an evil deed of body. Hatred has three grades, upper, middle, and lower: the upper is harming and killing, the middle is reviling and cursing, the lower is hatred arising in the mind.

At this time the bodhisattva does not give rise to these three kinds of evil deeds. Because the deed of mind is the root, only the deed of mind is spoken of. The bodhisattva has this thought: This is my own fault; I invited that person and yet could not satisfy him; it is because my merit is thin that I cannot give to him fully; if I give rise to hatred, I lose both the wealth and the merit, and so I should not be hateful.

‘Takes up vīryapāramitā’ means: if, when the bodhisattva gives, the receiver beats him and harms him, his mind does not sink and does not give up. What giving is, is as explained before. For the sake of giving, body and mind apply themselves diligently with vigour, having this thought: Because in former lives I did not exert myself to give, today I cannot satisfy the receiver; I should only give diligently, and should not reckon over the other small matters.

‘Takes up dhyānapāramitā’ means: the bodhisattva gives without seeking happiness and merit in this life, nor seeking in a later life to be a wheel-turning sage king, a king of the gods, or a king of humans, nor seeking the pleasure of worldly meditative concentration; for the sake of beings he does not seek even the pleasure of nirvāṇa; he only gathers these intentions into the omniscience of all kinds, not letting them be scattered.

‘Takes up prajñāpāramitā’ means: when the bodhisattva gives, he constantly contemplates all conditioned, made dharmas as false and deceptive and not firm, like an illusion, like a dream.

When he gives to beings, he does not see that there is benefit or that there is no benefit. Why? The wealth given is not necessarily a cause and condition of happiness: some obtain food and die of a swollen belly; some obtain wealth and are instead harmed by robbers; and there are also those who, because of obtaining wealth, give rise to a mind of stinginess and greed and on account of it fall into the path of the hungry ghosts. Moreover, this wealth is of the mark of the conditioned; thought by thought it arises and ceases and is impermanent, and this is precisely a cause and condition that gives rise to suffering.

Furthermore, this wealth enters the ultimate emptiness of the real mark of all dharmas, where benefit and no benefit are not discriminated; and so the bodhisattva does not seek any share of repaid kindness from the receiver, nor does he hope for retribution for the giving he practises. Were he to seek a return, and the other not repay, resentment would arise. The bodhisattva has this thought: All dharmas are ultimately empty, and so I have not given anything; if I am to seek retribution, I should seek the anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi of ultimate emptiness, just like the mark of giving. Therefore it is said that he does not see that there is benefit, because of ultimate emptiness; nor does he see that there is no benefit.

In this way, on the side of dānapāramitā, he has taken up the five perfections.

The bodhisattva takes śīlapāramitā as the master; all his wholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind—giving, much learning, reflection, upholding the precepts, and so forth—aid anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Because the power of upholding the precepts is great, they are collectively named śīlapāramitā. Why? Within the desire realm, upholding the precepts is supreme; as for the rest—giving, the wisdom of hearing, the wisdom of reflection, the wisdom of cultivation, and so forth—because the mind in the desire realm is scattered, the power obtained is slight. As the Abhidharma says: ‘The dharmas of emergence are named the precepts bound to the desire realm, and the pure meditative concentrations bound to the form realm and the formless realm, and also the dharmas of training, the dharmas beyond training, and nirvāṇa.’

With these dharmas of upholding the precepts and so forth, the bodhisattva does not tend toward the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground, but abides only within śīlapāramitā. He does not take the life of beings, and so on up to not giving rise to wrong views; abiding in these precepts that aid the path, he fulfils the precepts of the ten wholesome paths. Abiding within these two kinds of precepts, the bodhisattva gives to beings: to those who need food he gives food. The meaning of food and so forth is as explained in the very first chapter. He dedicates all this merit to the Buddha path and does not tend toward the two vehicles. Why? The bodhisattva has two kinds of breaking the precepts: first, the ten unwholesome paths; second, tending toward the śrāvaka ground and the pratyekabuddha ground. What runs contrary to these two is the two kinds of upholding the precepts.

‘Takes up kṣāntipāramitā’ means: the bodhisattva abides in śīlapāramitā and wishes to fulfil the perfection of patience; if beings come and cut him apart joint by joint and take him away, he does not give rise to even a single thought of a mind of hatred—how much less give rise to the evil deeds of body and speech!

Someone asks:

Patience means being able to endure every kind of injury and seizure; why is only the cutting and severing of the body spoken of?

The answer:

What is craved and clung to is either inner or outer: the inner refers to one's own head, eyes, marrow and brain, and so forth; the outer refers to wife and children, precious jewels, and so forth. Though both are alike places of craving and clinging, the craving and clinging towards the inner body is the deepest.

Furthermore, though some people die in pursuit of wealth, that too is still for the sake of their own body.

Again, people mostly cherish their own bodies, and only sometimes cherish wealth; those who cherish wealth are few, and so it is not spoken of.

Furthermore, this person does not cherish even his own body—how much less other things! Therefore only the great cause and condition is spoken of; one should know that the small is already contained in it.

Someone asks:

This one who, as it is said, does not give rise to even a single thought of hatred—is this a transformation body? Or a body born of father and mother? If it is a transformation body, then it is not remarkable; if it is a body born of father and mother, how can a person who has not yet cut off the fetters of the afflictions not give rise to a single thought of hatred?

The answer:

Someone says: This is a body born with the afflictions and deeds as its causes and conditions. Because this bodhisattva, through immeasurable kalpas, has cultivated a mind of kindness for the sake of beings, even when he suffers being cut and severed he does not give rise to a mind of hatred. It is as a kind mother raising an infant: though her body is soiled by its excrement and urine, because of her deep love she does not give rise to hatred, and she also pities the infant's not-knowing. The bodhisattva is also like this towards beings: those who have not yet obtained the noble path are all like little children; I, being a bodhisattva, should give rise to a mind of kindness, should be like a father and mother; even if beings do evil to me, I should not be hateful. Why? Beings are not their own masters; it is because they are driven by the afflictions.

Furthermore, the bodhisattva, from immeasurable kalpas onward, has constantly cultivated the dharma of ultimate emptiness; he does not see that there is a person who cuts and severs or a person who reviles, nor does he see that there is a good person or an evil person: all are like an illusion, like a dream; those who give rise to hatred are all deluded, and if I were to retaliate against them, I would be no different from them.

Furthermore, the bodhisattva has this thought: Not to be hateful in a place where I ought to be hateful—this is a great benefit.

‘Takes up vīryapāramitā’ means: those who abide in śīlapāramitā are mostly those who have gone forth, and occasionally also householders. All those who have gone forth obtain the immeasurable restraints of the precepts, fulfil the forty kinds of wholesome paths, enter deeply into the real mark of all dharmas, and pass beyond the śrāvaka ground and the pratyekabuddha ground. These three kinds of precepts are named śīlapāramitā. Householders do not have the immeasurable restraints of the precepts, and so cannot fully abide in śīlapāramitā.

The bodhisattva has this thought: I have now given up worldly pleasures and entered the path; I may not stop only at upholding the precepts. Upholding the precepts is the dwelling-place of the other merits; if one obtains only the dwelling-place and does not obtain the other merits, the benefit obtained is very slight; it is as when a person on an island of jewels takes only a crystal bead: the benefit he obtains is thin. Therefore the bodhisattva, for the sake of fulfilling the five perfections, applies himself diligently with vigour of body and mind. What is called vigour of body is to obtain wealth in accordance with the Dharma and use it to give, and so forth; what is called vigour of mind is, when stinginess and greed and the various evil minds come to destroy the six perfections, not letting them gain entry.

Having obtained these two kinds of vigour, he should have this thought: All beings are sunk in birth and death; I should rescue them and pull them out, and set them on the ground of ambrosia. The śrāvaka delivers only himself, and still should not be lazy—how much less the bodhisattva, who delivers himself and is also for the sake of all beings: how could he be lazy! For this reason I should not be lazy and let it lapse; even if my body is weary and suffering, my mind should not stop. Why? This dharma of the Great Vehicle, if it is not put to use, will fall to ruin.

‘Takes up dhyānapāramitā’ means: the bodhisattva abides in śīlapāramitā, and perhaps, because he has not yet obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising, the winds of the various afflictions shake the tree of his vow and would ruin his śīlapāramitā. At that time he should seek the pleasure of meditative concentration and remove the pleasures of the five desires; when the pleasures of the five desires are removed, the virtue of the precepts is pure. Though the afflictions are not yet cut off, because they have been subdued they cannot arise to disturb him; it is like a poisonous snake whose poison, because of the power of spell-craft, cannot sting a person. What is called meditation is the various meditative concentrations: the four dhyānas, the four formless absorptions, the four immeasurable minds, and so forth.

When the bodhisattva has obtained meditation, though his mind is soft, because he abides in śīlapāramitā he also does not take up the śrāvaka ground or the pratyekabuddha ground. This bodhisattva has only this thought: I should practise dhyānapāramitā, not for the nirvāṇa of the Small Vehicle, nor for retribution, but only for the sake of delivering all beings, and speak the real mark of all dharmas.

This true and real wisdom is born from meditative concentration; such a mind is not shaken by initial and sustained thought, nor muddied by greedy desire and hatred; binding the mind to one place, pure and soft, it can give rise to true and real wisdom. It is as when water becomes clear and still, and reflects distinctly. The bodhisattva abides in śīlapāramitā and obtains this meditation; because he obtains meditation his mind is pure; because his mind is pure he knows dharmas as they really are. Conditioned dharmas arise from the coming together of causes and conditions, false and deceptive and unreal; the bodhisattva contemplates with the wisdom-eye and does not see these conditioned dharmas as true and real. Conditioned dharmas have various names, namely made dharmas, the conditioned, numbered dharmas, marked dharmas, or existent, or non-existent. Because there is the conditioned, one can speak of the unconditioned; the mark of the conditioned is unfindable even so—how much less the unconditioned!

Someone asks:

Conditioned dharmas have marks, and unconditioned dharmas are signless; why now, within the mark of the conditioned, is the signless spoken of?

The answer:

The unconditioned is of two kinds: first, the signless, quiescent, without idle discourse, like nirvāṇa; second, the ‘non-existence’ established relatively, which arises because of ‘existence’. It is as when there is no horse in the temple hall: one can give rise to a mind of ‘non-existence’; this mind of ‘non-existence’ is a cause and condition for giving rise to the various afflictions—how could it be an unconditioned dharma?

This bodhisattva does not see such dharmas as existence and non-existence; he sees only the suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality of all dharmas.

Someone asks:

You said before, ‘apart from existence there is no non-existence’; how now does he again see suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality?

The answer:

He does not see conditioned dharmas as permanent, happy, self, pure, and so forth; since these false and deceptive dharmas are non-existent, that is the true reality of all dharmas. Because he sees the dharma of non-arising, he is able to leave the dharmas of arising; this dharma of non-arising has no fixed real mark that can be grasped and clung to; it only enables people to leave the false and deceptive dharmas of arising, and so it is named non-arising.

If he obtains such wisdom, then because of the power of skilful means, his original vow, and his mind of compassion, he does not take up the realisation of the two vehicles, right up to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

This is named the bodhisattva abiding in śīlapāramitā and taking up the five perfections.

Fascicle eighty of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa ends here.

This fascicle is titled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa's commentary on the remainder of the sixty-eighth chapter, the "Six Perfections" chapter—continuing from the previous fascicle—composed by the noble Nāgārjuna and translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the land of Kucha under the Later Qin.

Sūtra ②: Abiding in Kṣāntipāramitā, Taking Up the Other Five Perfections

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā (patience), take up dānapāramitā (giving)?’

The Buddha said: ‘From the first arousing of the mind until he sits at the seat of awakening, in the interval, if all beings come and with hatred revile and curse him, or cut him apart joint by joint, the bodhisattva abides in patience and has this thought: I should give to all beings, and should not fail to give; to these beings, if they need food I give food, if they need drink I give drink, and so on up to everything needed to sustain life—I give it all to them. He holds this merit in common with all beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. When this bodhisattva dedicates, he does not give rise to two kinds of mind—who is the one who dedicates? To where is it dedicated? This is the bodhisattva abiding in kṣāntipāramitā and taking up dānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, take up śīlapāramitā (upholding the precepts)?’

The Buddha said: ‘From the first arousing of the mind until he sits at the seat of awakening, in the interval, the bodhisattva never takes the life of another and does not take what others have not given, and so on up to not giving rise to wrong views; nor does he covet the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha. He holds this merit in common with all beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. When this bodhisattva dedicates, three kinds of mind do not arise—who dedicates to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi? With what dharma is it dedicated? To where is it dedicated? This is the bodhisattva abiding in kṣāntipāramitā and taking up śīlapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, take up vīryapāramitā (vigour)?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, gives rise to vigour and has this thought: I should go one yojana, or ten yojana, or hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭi of yojana, passing through one world, and so on up to passing through hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭi of worlds, even if only to teach one person and cause him to receive and uphold the five precepts—how much more to cause him to obtain the fruit of the srota-āpanna and so on up to the fruit of the arhat, the pratyekabuddha path, anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi! He holds this merit in common with all beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. This is the bodhisattva abiding in kṣāntipāramitā and taking up vīryapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, take up dhyānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, departs from desire, departs from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, enters the first dhyāna, and so on up to entering the fourth dhyāna. The pure mind and the mental-factor dharmas within these meditative concentrations he dedicates, all of them, to sarvajñā (omniscience). When he dedicates, this bodhisattva's dhyānas and the limbs of dhyāna are all unfindable. This is the bodhisattva abiding in kṣāntipāramitā and taking up dhyānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, take up prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in kṣāntipāramitā, contemplates dharmas as either the mark of separation, or the mark of quiescence, or the mark of inexhaustibility, yet does not take realisation by the mark of quiescence, and so on up to sitting at the seat of awakening and obtaining the omniscience of all kinds; rising from the seat of awakening, he then turns the wheel of the Dharma. This is the bodhisattva abiding in kṣāntipāramitā and taking up prajñāpāramitā—because of neither taking nor giving up.’

Sūtra ② (continued): Abiding in Vīryapāramitā, Taking Up the Other Five Perfections

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, take up dānapāramitā?’

The Buddha told Subhūti: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, with vigour of body and vigour of mind, not lazy, not resting, has this thought: I must certainly obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and should not fail to obtain it. For the sake of benefiting beings, this bodhisattva goes one yojana, or hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭi of yojana, or passes through one world, or passes through ten worlds, or passes through hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭi of worlds, abiding in vīryapāramitā; even if he cannot obtain one person to teach and cause to enter the Buddha path, or the śrāvaka path, or the pratyekabuddha path, or obtains only one person to teach and cause to practise the ten wholesome paths, he is still vigorous and not lazy, and with the gift of Dharma and the gift of wealth causes him to be fulfilled. He holds this merit in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and does not dedicate it to the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha. This is the bodhisattva abiding in vīryapāramitā and taking up dānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, take up śīlapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, from the first arousing of intent until he sits at the seat of awakening, himself does not kill, does not teach others to kill, praises the dharma of not killing, and joyfully praises those who do not kill; and so on up to: himself is far from wrong views, teaches others to be far from wrong views, praises the dharma of holding no wrong views, and joyfully praises those who do not give rise to wrong views. Because of the causes and conditions of abiding in śīlapāramitā, this bodhisattva does not seek the rewards of merit of the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm, and does not seek the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha. He holds this merit in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and does not give rise to three kinds of mind—he does not see that there is one who dedicates, does not see that there is a dharma of dedicating, does not see that there is a place to which it is dedicated. This is the bodhisattva abiding in vīryapāramitā and taking up śīlapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, take up kṣāntipāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, from the first arousing of intent until he sits at the seat of awakening, in the interval, if a human or a non-human comes and cuts him apart joint by joint, the bodhisattva has this thought: Who is it that cuts me? Who is it that severs me? Who is it that robs me? And he further has this thought: I greatly obtain the good benefit; it is for the sake of beings that I took this body, and beings come back of themselves to take it for use. At this time the bodhisattva rightly recollects the real mark of all dharmas. He holds this merit in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and does not tend toward the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha. This is the bodhisattva abiding in vīryapāramitā and taking up kṣāntipāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, take up dhyānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, departs from desire, departs from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, enters the first dhyāna, the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, the fourth dhyāna, enters kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and so on up to entering the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. He holds these meditative concentrations, immeasurable minds, and formless absorptions, yet does not receive their retribution, but is born where he can benefit beings, and with the six perfections brings beings to accomplishment—namely dānapāramitā and so on up to prajñāpāramitā; from one buddha-land to another buddha-land he draws near to the buddhas and makes offerings to them, planting roots of goodness. This is the bodhisattva abiding in vīryapāramitā and taking up dhyānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, take up prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in vīryapāramitā, does not see the dharma of dānapāramitā, does not see the mark of dānapāramitā; and so on up to: does not see the dharma of dhyānapāramitā, does not see the mark of dhyānapāramitā; the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the omniscience of all kinds—he neither sees their dharma nor sees their mark. He does not see any dharma; it is not a dharma, and it is also not what is not a dharma; within all dharmas he clings to nothing. What this bodhisattva does is as what he says. This is the bodhisattva abiding in vīryapāramitā and taking up prajñāpāramitā.’

Sūtra ② (continued): Abiding in Dhyānapāramitā, Taking Up the Other Five Perfections

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, take up dānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, departs from desires, departs from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, enters the first dhyāna, the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, the fourth dhyāna, enters kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and so on up to entering the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; abiding within dhyānapāramitā, his mind not scattered, he practises two kinds of giving to bestow on beings: the gift of Dharma and the gift of wealth; he himself practises the two kinds of giving, also teaches others to practise the two kinds of giving, praises the dharma of the two kinds of giving, and joyfully praises those who practise the two kinds of giving. He holds this merit in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and does not tend toward the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dhyānapāramitā and taking up dānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, take up śīlapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, does not give rise to a mind of lust, of hatred, or of delusion, does not give rise to a mind of vexing and harming others, and cultivates only the mind associated with omniscience. He holds this merit in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and does not tend toward the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dhyānapāramitā and taking up śīlapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, take up kṣāntipāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, contemplates form as like a mass of foam, contemplates feeling as like a bubble on water, contemplates perception as like a mirage (the shimmering haze that from afar looks like water), contemplates constructions as like a plantain tree, contemplates consciousness as like an illusion; when he contemplates thus, he sees that the five aggregates have no mark of firmness, and has this thought: Who is it that cuts me? Who is it that severs me? Who is feeling, who is perception, who is constructions, who is consciousness? Who is it that reviles? Who is it that is reviled? Who gives rise to hatred? This is the bodhisattva abiding in dhyānapāramitā and taking up kṣāntipāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, take up vīryapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, departs from desire, departs from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, enters the first dhyāna, the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, the fourth dhyāna; upon these dhyānas and the limbs of dhyāna he grasps at marks and gives rise to the various supernormal powers—walking on water as though walking on the ground, entering the earth as though entering water, as was said before. With the divine ear he hears two kinds of sound: either of gods or of humans. He knows the minds of others: whether the collected mind or the distracted mind, and so on up to the surpassable mind and the unsurpassable mind. He recollects various former lives, as was said before. With the divine eye, pure and surpassing the fleshly eye, he sees beings and so on up to their receiving retribution according to their deeds, as was said before. Abiding within these five supernormal powers, the bodhisattva goes from one buddha-world to another buddha-world, draws near to the buddhas and makes offerings to them, plants roots of goodness, brings beings to accomplishment, and purifies buddha-worlds. He holds this merit in common with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dhyānapāramitā and taking up vīryapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, take up prajñāpāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in dhyānapāramitā, does not find form, does not find feeling, perception, constructions, or consciousness; does not find dānapāramitā, śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, does not find prajñāpāramitā; does not find the four foundations of mindfulness, and so on up to not finding the omniscience of all kinds; does not find the conditioned nature, does not find the unconditioned nature. Because he does not find, he does not make; because he does not make, it does not arise; because it does not arise, it does not cease. Why? Whether buddhas appear in the world or no buddha appears in the world, this suchness, the mark of dharmas, and the nature of dharmas abide constantly, neither arising nor ceasing. He constantly practises with a single mind associated with sarvajñā. This is the bodhisattva abiding in dhyānapāramitā and taking up prajñāpāramitā.’

Sūtra ② (continued): Abiding in Prajñāpāramitā, Taking Up the Other Five Perfections

Subhūti addressed the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, take up dānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā: inner emptiness, and inner emptiness is unfindable; outer emptiness, and outer emptiness is unfindable; inner-and-outer emptiness, and inner-and-outer emptiness is unfindable; the emptiness of emptiness, and the emptiness of emptiness is unfindable; and so on up to the emptiness of all dharmas, and the emptiness of all dharmas is unfindable. The bodhisattva abides within these fourteen emptinesses, and does not find the mark of form to be empty or not empty, does not find the marks of feeling, perception, constructions, and consciousness to be empty or not empty, does not find the four foundations of mindfulness to be empty or not empty, and so on up to not finding anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi to be empty or not empty, does not find the conditioned nature and the unconditioned nature to be empty or not empty. When this bodhisattva-mahāsattva abides thus within prajñāpāramitā, whatever he gives—whether food and drink, clothing, or the various things that sustain life—he contemplates this giving as empty. What is empty? The giver, the receiver, and the wealth are all empty; he does not let a mind of stinginess, greed, and clinging arise. Why? When the bodhisattva-mahāsattva practises prajñāpāramitā, from the first arousing of intent until he sits at the seat of awakening, he has no false thinking and discrimination. Just as when the buddhas obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi they have no mind of stingy clinging, so too the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, when he practises prajñāpāramitā, has no mind of stingy clinging. What this bodhisattva honours is prajñāpāramitā. This is the bodhisattva abiding in prajñāpāramitā and taking up dānapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, take up śīlapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, does not give rise to the mind of the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. Why? For this bodhisattva the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha is unfindable, and the mind that tends toward the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha is also unfindable. This bodhisattva-mahāsattva, from the first arousing of intent until he sits at the seat of awakening, in the interval, himself does not kill, does not teach others to kill, praises the dharma of not killing, and joyfully praises those who do not kill; and so on up to: himself does not give rise to wrong views, does not teach others to give rise to wrong views, praises the dharma of holding no wrong views, and joyfully praises those who do not give rise to wrong views. With such upholding of the precepts there is not one dharma to be taken—he does not take even the ground of the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, how much less the other dharmas! This is the bodhisattva abiding in prajñāpāramitā and taking up śīlapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, take up kṣāntipāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, gives rise to acceptance in accord with the Dharma, and has this thought: Within this Dharma there is not one dharma that either rises or ceases, either is born or dies, either receives reviling or receives harsh speech, either is cut or is severed, either is broken, or bound, or beaten, or killed. This bodhisattva, from the first arousing of intent until he sits at the seat of awakening, if all beings come and revile him with harsh speech, and with knives, staves, tiles, and stones cut, sever, and injure him, his mind is unmoved, and he has this thought: How strange! Within these dharmas there is not one dharma that receives reviling, harsh speech, cutting and severing, or injury, and yet beings are undergoing suffering and vexation! This is the bodhisattva abiding in prajñāpāramitā and taking up kṣāntipāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, take up vīryapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, teaches the Dharma for beings, causing them to practise dānapāramitā, śīlapāramitā, kṣāntipāramitā, vīryapāramitā, dhyānapāramitā, and prajñāpāramitā, teaching them to practise the four foundations of mindfulness and so on up to the eightfold noble path, causing them to obtain the fruit of the srota-āpanna, the fruit of the sakṛdāgāmin, the fruit of the anāgāmin, the fruit of the arhat, and the pratyekabuddha path, causing them to obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Yet he himself does not abide in the conditioned nature, nor does he abide in the unconditioned nature. This is the bodhisattva abiding in prajñāpāramitā and taking up vīryapāramitā.’

‘World-Honored One! How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, take up dhyānapāramitā?’

The Buddha said: ‘The bodhisattva, abiding in prajñāpāramitā, apart from the samādhi of the buddhas, enters all the other samādhi—whether the samādhi of the śrāvakas, or the samādhi of the pratyekabuddhas, or the samādhi of the bodhisattvas—he practises them all and enters them all. This bodhisattva, abiding within the samādhi, enters and leaves the eight liberations in reverse and forward order. Which are the eight? With the mark of form within, he contemplates form outside: this is the first liberation; without the mark of form within, he contemplates form outside: the second liberation; the pure liberation, realised in the body: the third liberation; passing beyond all marks of form, extinguishing the marks of resistance, because of not thinking of the various marks, he enters the sphere of immeasurable space: the fourth liberation; passing beyond the whole sphere of space, he enters the sphere of boundless consciousness: the fifth liberation; passing beyond the whole sphere of consciousness, he enters the sphere of nothing whatsoever: the sixth liberation; passing beyond the whole sphere of nothing whatsoever, he enters the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception: the seventh liberation; passing beyond the whole sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters the sphere of the cessation of feeling and perception: the eighth liberation. Upon these eight liberations, he enters and leaves the nine successive absorptions in reverse and forward order. Which are the nine? Departing from desires, departing from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, he enters the first dhyāna; and so on up to passing beyond the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception and entering the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception. This is called the nine successive absorptions, entered and left in reverse and forward order.

‘This bodhisattva, relying on the eight liberations and the nine successive absorptions, enters the samādhi of the lion's rousing. What is called the samādhi of the lion's rousing? Subhūti! The bodhisattva departs from desire, departs from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, enters the first dhyāna; and so on up to entering the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he turns back and enters the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; rising from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and so on up to turning back and entering the first dhyāna. This bodhisattva, relying on the samādhi of the lion's rousing, enters the leaping samādhi. What is called the leaping samādhi? Subhūti! The bodhisattva departs from desire, departs from all evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, with joy and bliss born of separation, enters the first dhyāna; rising from the first dhyāna, and so on up to entering the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; rising from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception. Rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he turns back and enters the first dhyāna; rising from the first dhyāna, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he turns back and enters the second dhyāna; rising from the second dhyāna, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the third dhyāna; rising from the third dhyāna, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the fourth dhyāna; rising from the fourth dhyāna, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the sphere of space; rising from the sphere of space, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the sphere of consciousness; rising from the sphere of consciousness, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the sphere of nothing whatsoever; rising from the sphere of nothing whatsoever, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; rising from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception; rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he enters the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception. Rising from the absorption of the cessation of feeling and perception, he turns back and enters the scattered mind. Rising from the scattered mind, he enters the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; rising from the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he turns back and abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the sphere of nothing whatsoever; rising from the sphere of nothing whatsoever, he abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the sphere of consciousness; rising from the sphere of consciousness, he abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the sphere of space; rising from the sphere of space, he abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the fourth dhyāna; rising from within the fourth dhyāna, he abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the third dhyāna; rising from within the third dhyāna, he abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the second dhyāna; rising from within the second dhyāna, he abides in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, he enters the first dhyāna; rising from within the first dhyāna, he abides in the scattered mind. This is the bodhisattva-mahāsattva abiding in the leaping samādhi and obtaining the mark of the equality of dharmas. This is the bodhisattva abiding in prajñāpāramitā and taking up dhyānapāramitā.’

The General Answer: Why Only One Perfection Is the Master—What Is Fitting in the Sequence of the Causes and Conditions of Practice

The treatise-author asks:

Why is only one perfection taken as the master?

The treatise-author answers:

The sequence of the causes and conditions of practice should by its nature be so.

There are two kinds of bodhisattvas: the householder and the one who has gone forth. The householder bodhisattva, because of the causes and conditions of merit, is very rich; because he is very rich, he takes this as a cause and condition for seeking the Buddha path. When such a person practises the perfections, it is fitting that he first practise giving. Why? Since he already has wealth, and also knows sin and merit, and moreover has a mind of kindness and compassion towards beings, it is fitting that he first practise giving; following this sequence of causes and conditions, he then practises the other perfections. The bodhisattva who has gone forth, because he has no wealth, in the sequence fittingly upholds the precepts, is patient, and practises meditative concentration. It is precisely because something is fitting in the sequence that it is called 「主」 tr. "the master". Apart from the gift of wealth, the other perfections are all fitting for one who has gone forth to practise.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Patience and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Giving

The bodhisattva takes kṣāntipāramitā as the master and makes this vow: ‘If someone comes and cuts off and severs my body, I should not give rise to a mind of hatred; now I practise the bodhisattva path, and I should fulfil the perfections.’ Among the perfections, dānapāramitā stands first; and within giving, nothing is more prized and cherished than one's own body; to be able to give one's own body to others, without begrudging and without hatred—this is being able, with the fulfilled perfection of patience, to take up giving. The bodhisattva abides securely in patience and gives beings clothing, food and drink, and every kind of thing, giving them everything; yet the receiver turns round and reviles, beats, and harms the bodhisattva, destroying his giving and his patience. The bodhisattva has this thought: ‘I should not, for the sake of this false and deceptive body, ruin the path of the perfections; I should give, I should not give rise to an evil mind, and I should not, because of small evil causes and conditions, give rise to a mind that abandons and falls back.’ While his life is not yet exhausted, this bodhisattva ceaselessly increases the mind of giving; when his life comes to an end, because of the power of the two perfections of giving and patience, he is at once born in a good place and continues to practise giving.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Patience and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Morality—Four Rounds of Question and Answer Distinguishing Patience from Morality

As for the passage 「取尸羅波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up śīlapāramitā".

The treatise-author asks:

When one abides securely in patience one does no evil, and this in itself is morality; why is it further said separately, 「住忍取戒波羅蜜」 tr. "abiding in patience, takes up the perfection of morality"? It should rather be abiding securely in morality and taking up patience!

The treatise-author answers:

What is spoken of here is the marks of each; arising one from another in sequence is not spoken of. Although patience and morality come together and are practised jointly, each has its own mark; if it were by the graded dharmas, morality should come first and patience after. 「戒」 tr. "Morality" refers to not taking the life of another; 「忍」 tr. "patience" refers to not begrudging one's own life; therefore within patience the mark of morality must be spoken of separately.

Furthermore, 「忍」 tr. "patience" refers to gathering in one's own mind and not giving rise to hatred. Upholding the precepts is of two kinds: first, not vexing and harming beings; second, upholding them for one's own sake, because it is the root from which meditative concentration arises. There are bodhisattvas who practise patience but have not yet received and upheld the dharma of the precepts; they are patient only because they fear the retribution of sin, and are not yet able to pity beings deeply. Such a person either hears it from a teacher or reflects on his own: ‘Upholding the precepts is a cause and condition of the Buddha path, and it does not disturb or vex beings; now that I am already able to be patient, doing this thing is easy.’ This is what is called saying 「忍辱能取尸羅波羅蜜」 tr. "patience can take up śīlapāramitā".

Furthermore, patience is a mental-factor dharma; upholding the precepts is a dharma of form. Upholding the precepts is called arising in the mind, being spoken by the mouth, receiving and upholding; patience only arises in the mind and is not a dharma of receiving and upholding.

Furthermore, the purity of bodily deeds and verbal deeds is called upholding the precepts; the purity of mental deeds is called patience.

The treatise-author asks:

Dhyānapāramitā and the perfection of wisdom are likewise dharmas of the purity of the mind; why is only patience spoken of here?

The treatise-author answers:

The two, meditation and wisdom, are great in power, and so they are not spoken of; when upholding the precepts, the mind is not yet able to be pure, and patience is needed to guard this mind.

This sūtra itself states the causes and conditions: ‘There are bodhisattvas who have great merit, have wisdom, and are of keen faculties, who in the presence of a Buddha of the present arouse the mind and practise the perfections, and so from life to life they increase, and so on up to realising anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and in between they do not fall into evil places.’ It is precisely for the sake of such bodhisattvas that it is said: ‘From the first arousing of the mind and so on up to sitting at the seat of awakening, he does not give rise to a mind of hatred and take the life of beings, nor does he cling to the two vehicles.’ These are all brought about by the merit of the two perfections of giving and patience.

Apart from the three kinds of mind, he dedicates to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. The so-called three minds are: no person, no dharma, and no place to which one dedicates; there is no mind of self and no inverted mind.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Patience and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Vigour, Taking Up Meditation, Taking Up Prajñā

As for the passage 「取毘梨耶波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up vīryapāramitā", it means: whether accumulating merit for himself or delivering beings, he arouses the mind and is not lazy until he accomplishes the matter; if he meets causes and conditions that obstruct the path, his mind does not sink and does not retrogress; he is able to endure every kind of suffering and does not regard long diligent toil as a hard thing. As the sūtra says: ‘This bodhisattva even passes over a thousand myriad yojanas, and even if he does not find a single person whom he can cause to enter the real Dharma and obtain nirvāṇa, his mind at this time is not sorrowful; if he finds one person whom he can cause to receive and uphold the five precepts and so forth, at that time his mind is glad.’ He does not have this thought: ‘I have passed over so many immeasurable lands and only then found this one person—truly this is cause for sorrow and suffering.’ Why? The mark of one person is precisely the mark of all persons, and the mark of all persons is precisely the mark of one person, because the marks of dharmas are not two.

As for the passage 「取禪波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up dhyānapāramitā", it means: because of the power of patience, this bodhisattva's mind is tamed and soft; because his mind is tamed and soft, he easily obtains meditative concentration; within meditative concentration he obtains every kind of pure mind and mental-factor dharma, such as kindness and compassion, and with this non-clinging mind he dedicates them all to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

As for the passage 「取般若波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up prajñāpāramitā", it means: the bodhisattva abides securely in the acceptance of beings, endures all the evil things beings inflict, and practises great kindness and great compassion, and so obtains great merit; because he obtains great merit, the mind becomes soft; because the mind is soft, he easily obtains the acceptance of dharmas, which is that all dharmas are ultimately non-arising; abiding securely in this acceptance of dharmas, he contemplates the mark of emptiness, the mark of separation, the mark of inexhaustibility, and the mark of quiescence of all dharmas, like the mark of nirvāṇa. At this time he turns round and further increases the acceptance of beings: within such ultimate emptiness, who is the one who reviles? Who is the one who harms? At this time, because he has fulfilled the two acceptances, the acceptance of beings and the acceptance of dharmas, he does not see three things: the dharma that is endured, the person who endures, and the place where it is endured. Because in this way he makes no idle discourse about any dharma, he is able to see all dharmas as empty, of the mark of quiescence, like nirvāṇa. By his original vow he seeks the Buddha path; because he does not cling to this dharma of ultimate emptiness, and so on up to the time before he has sat at the seat of awakening, he does not realise the limit of reality; after sitting at the seat of awakening, he fulfils the dharmas of the Buddha; he obtains the Buddha path, turns the wheel of the Dharma, and benefits beings at will—all this is the power of prajñāpāramitā.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Vigour and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Giving, and Explaining Why the Two Gifts Alone Are Said to Arise from Vigour

As for the passage 「住毘梨耶波羅蜜取檀波羅蜜」 tr. "abiding in vīryapāramitā, takes up dānapāramitā", it means: the bodhisattva at first enters the perfections through the gate of vigour and diligently cultivates the five perfections, with vigour of body and vigour of mind, without resting and without ceasing. Vigour has no separate substance. Abiding securely within this vigour, he does not fear even the suffering of the Avīci Niraya—how much less other sufferings! The bodhisattva also knows that all dharmas are ultimately empty; coming out from ultimate emptiness, because of the mind of kindness and compassion, he again gives rise to every kind of wholesome deed and does not take nirvāṇa—this is the power of vigour. The bodhisattva, abiding securely in vigour, should have this thought: ‘Going on for a long, long time, I shall surely obtain anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi; it is not that I shall fail to obtain it.’ This person passes over one yojana and so on up to a hundred thousand yojanas, bestowing on beings the two things, the gift of wealth and the gift of Dharma; and so on up to passing over hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭi of lands, even if he does not find a single person who enters the three vehicles, the bodhisattva does not regret in his mind and does not sink, and does not have this thought: ‘I have passed over so many buddha-lands and cannot find a single person to deliver; how could I possibly deliver all people?’ Passing over a hundred thousand lands, he may find one person whom he can cause to practise the ten wholesome paths, but who cannot midway enter the three vehicles; nor, because this one person has not obtained the real mark, does he harbour contempt and regret in his mind. He further has this thought: ‘Now I shall for the time being cause this person to practise the ten wholesome paths, and then little by little deliver him with the dharmas of the three vehicles.’ Having taught the ten wholesome paths, he further satisfies beings with the two gifts, the gift of wealth and the gift of Dharma, and holding this merit he dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. With vigour of body and vigour of mind he passes over countless lands and expounds the Dharma for beings.

The treatise-author asks:

All giving requires vigour; why is it said here only that these two gifts, of wealth and of Dharma, arise from vigour?

The treatise-author answers:

Although all giving arises from vigour, here it is because it arises from the greater share of the power of vigour. As the sūtra says: ‘Passing over a hundred thousand lands, he satisfies beings with the two gifts of wealth and Dharma.’

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Vigour and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Morality, Taking Up Patience

As for the passage 「取尸羅波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up śīlapāramitā", it means: the bodhisattva straightforwardly practises the ten wholesome paths, and this is called śīlapāramitā; or it arises from the perfection of patience and the other perfections. If the bodhisattva, from the first arousing of the mind and so on up to sitting at the seat of awakening, abandons the ten unwholesome paths and practises the forty kinds of wholesome paths, without resting and without ceasing, this is called the power of the perfection of vigour. There are people who cannot practise even one kind—how much less four kinds! Also, because of śīlapāramitā, he is not born in the three realms and does not receive the two vehicles. Beings, because of a mind of laziness and affliction, are born within the three realms; because they loathe birth and death, they give up the Buddha path and grasp and cling to the Small Vehicle—these are all marks of laziness; therefore it is said that this bodhisattva does not crave the three realms and does not realise the two vehicles.

As for the passage 「取羼提波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up kṣāntipāramitā", it means: from the first arousing of the mind and so on up to sitting at the seat of awakening, if a human or a non-human comes, cuts and severs his body and carries it off, at that time the bodhisattva, because he has broken the inversion of self and is skilled at accumulating ultimate emptiness, has this thought: ‘Within this there is no one who cuts and no one who severs; these things are all what ordinary people falsely and deceptively see; I obtain a great benefit; when I know the real mark of all dharmas I am able to enter nirvāṇa, and it is only out of pity for beings that I receive this body; beings come of themselves and take it away, and I should not begrudge it.’ At that time he deeply enters the real mark of all dharmas—within this there is no fixed mark; it is beings themselves who give rise to fear. He shares this merit with beings and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Within this, if someone reviles, beats, and harms him and he is able to endure it, this is 「忍」 tr. "patience"; being glad and not retrogressing, this is 「精進」 tr. "vigour". Of these two dharmas, either patience arises from vigour or vigour arises from patience; here it is 「今從精進生忍辱」 tr. "now patience arises from vigour".

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Vigour and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Meditation—Among Five Kinds of Obtaining Meditative Concentration, Only One Kind Is Named Arising from Vigour

As for the passage 「取禪波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up dhyānapāramitā". There are people who obtain meditative concentration of itself, as at the time when the kalpa is exhausted; or there are those who obtain it on falling back, or who obtain it by birth; or who, dying in a higher ground and being born in a lower ground, obtain it. In such cases, although meditative concentration is obtained, it does not arise from vigour. Some, because of great giving, break the five hindrances such as stinginess and greed, and at once obtain meditative concentration; or some, because they uphold the precepts purely and cultivate and accumulate patience, obtain meditative concentration through a slight mind of weariness and detachment; or some, because of the power of great wisdom, understand that the desire realm is impermanent, false and deceptive, and impure, and at once obtain meditative concentration; although meditative concentration too is false and deceptive, it is after all superior to the desire realm. In such cases, although there is vigour within them too, because meditation is obtained by further relying on other dharmas, it is not called arising from vigour. There are people who do not take the five dharmas as the master, but only exert themselves with vigour day and night, whether walking or sitting in meditation, constantly fighting with their own minds; with the five powers of faith and the rest they deeply rein in the five hindrances, and if the mind gallops off and scatters, they gather it in and make it return, as though fighting with a thief, even to the point of sweating. When such a person obtains meditative concentration, only then does it arise from vigour. Or there are bodhisattvas of dull faculties, covered by the sinful deeds of former lives, deeply attached to worldly pleasures, galloping and unrestrained and hard to subdue; only when such a person adds deep vigour does he obtain meditative concentration. It is like a person with merit who sits at ease with nothing to do, and blessings and emoluments come of themselves; a person of thin merit toils, sets up every kind of skilful means, and wins only by fighting. What the person with merit obtains of itself is called 「福德自至」 tr. "merit arrives of itself"; what is obtained by skilful means and fighting is called 「精進而得」 tr. "obtained by vigour". In this way, although there is vigour everywhere, the name is received according to where it is the greater share.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Vigour and Taking Up the Five: Taking Up Prajñā

As for the passage 「取般若波羅蜜」 tr. "takes up prajñāpāramitā", it means: the bodhisattva, because of the power of vigour, obtains dhyānapāramitā; because he obtains dhyānapāramitā, the power of the bodhisattva's supernormal powers arises. By the causes and conditions of these two things, with the power of supernormal powers he reaches everywhere in the ten directions, wishing to fulfil the merit not yet fulfilled, and wishing also to teach and transform all beings. Apart from the prajñā that arises from the other four perfections, the rest of wisdom mostly arises from vigour, and so it is said that abiding in vigour is the master and it takes up wisdom. Prajñāpāramitā is of two kinds: first, contemplating the real mark of all dharmas, and within all dharmas seeing neither the mark of a dharma nor the mark of what is not a dharma; second, practising as it is taught. Because people have a lazy mind, they cannot practise these two things; because of the power of vigour, one is able to practise these two things fully.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Meditation and Taking Up the Five

As for the passage 「住禪波羅蜜為主，取五波羅蜜」 tr. "abiding in dhyānapāramitā as the master, takes up the five perfections", it means: the bodhisattva abides securely within dhyānapāramitā; his mind is tamed, soft, and immovable, and he is able to contemplate the real mark of all dharmas; it is like a lamp lit in a closed room, whose light shines clear and bright—this is called 「住禪波羅蜜生智慧」 tr. "abiding in dhyānapāramitā gives rise to wisdom". At that time he does not vex or harm any being, and moreover pities them—this is called 「甚深清淨持戒、忍辱」 tr. "very deep and pure upholding of the precepts and patience". With the power of supernormal powers he conjures wealth and fulfils giving; he also sends conjured persons to expound the Dharma for all beings. Again, the bodhisattva rises from meditative concentration and with a pure and soft mind expounds the Dharma for beings—this is called 「布施」 tr. "giving". Through the power of meditative concentration he gives rise to supernormal powers, reaches everywhere in the ten directions, and guides and benefits all without laziness and without rest—this is called 「精進」 tr. "vigour". Again, because meditative concentration makes the other four perfections increase, this is called 「禪定生精進」 tr. "meditative concentration gives rise to vigour". The rest of the meaning is as the sūtra explains at length.

The Treatise Explains Abiding in Prajñā and Taking Up the Five: Five Rounds of Question and Answer—Why the Last Four of the Eighteen Emptinesses Are Not Spoken Of, Like the Buddhas without a Mind of Greedy Clinging, Compliant Acceptance, the Leaping Samādhi

As for the passage 「住般若波羅蜜為主，取五波羅蜜」 tr. "abiding in prajñāpāramitā as the master, takes up the five perfections", it is as the Buddha himself explains at length in the sūtra.

The treatise-author asks:

Although the Buddha has explained it at length, there are still things within it that leave one puzzled, and now I should ask: among the eighteen emptinesses, why are the last four emptinesses not spoken of?

The treatise-author answers:

The fourteenth is named the emptiness of all dharmas; what is called 「一切」 tr. "all" means that of all dharmas there is none that is not exhausted, and so the last four are not spoken of.

The treatise-author asks:

If so, then only fourteen emptinesses should be spoken of; why then are there eighteen?

The treatise-author answers:

There, the emptiness of the marks of all dharmas is distinguished, and all emptinesses are gathered together into the eighteen emptinesses; here, it is spoken for the practitioner. The practitioner may practise one emptiness, two emptinesses, and so on up to fourteen emptinesses, according to how much he originally clung. Only if there is someone who deeply clings to wrong views are the other four emptinesses used to counteract them. Why? Existent dharmas, non-existent dharmas, and the like are the wrong views of those of the outside paths; this bodhisattva cultivates kindness and compassion, and because the mind becomes soft, he does not give rise to such views of existence and views of non-existence.

Furthermore, because the bodhisattva perfumes his mind with the fourteen emptinesses, he is clear and distinct regarding existence and non-existence and makes no error; therefore the last four emptinesses are not spoken of.

The treatise-author asks:

Why is it said 「菩薩如諸佛無貪著心」 tr. "the bodhisattva, like the buddhas, is without a mind of greedy clinging"? What meaning is there in saying this?

The treatise-author answers:

The Buddha has cut off the afflictions and their habitual residues so that they do not arise; the bodhisattva, by the power of prajñā, subdues them so that they do not arise. Now, in order to praise the power of prajñā, it is said that although the fetters are not yet entirely cut off, this is no different from the Buddha's having cut them off; this is to let people know the preciousness of prajñā—all this is the power of prajñā.

He arouses the mind and has this thought: ‘Within this there is no dharma whatever that arises or ceases, nor is there anyone who receives reviling, cutting and severing, and such things.’

The treatise-author asks:

This is the acceptance of non-arising; why then is it said to be compliant acceptance?

The treatise-author answers:

What is spoken of here is breaking the being that is a provisional name, in which the five aggregates come together; he is not yet able to break dharmas, and so the sūtra says ‘there is none that arises and none that ceases, there is none who receives reviling’. Again, this person has broken the self, and although he contemplates the emptiness of dharmas, he is not yet able to enter deeply, because he still has love that clings to dharmas. Just as a person who has obtained the dharma of the acceptance of non-arising still has a mind of kindness and pity for beings, so within compliant acceptance there is likewise the thought of the emptiness of dharmas. Of these two dharmas: first, being unfindable with respect to beings is called the acceptance of beings; second, being unfindable with respect to dharmas is called the acceptance of dharmas. The acceptance of dharmas does not obstruct the acceptance of beings, and the acceptance of beings does not obstruct the acceptance of dharmas; they are distinguished only by depth and shallowness.

The treatise-author asks:

In the leaping samādhi one may not leap over two grounds, and moreover one cannot enter the absorption of cessation from a scattered mind; why is it said thus here?

The treatise-author answers:

The dharmas of the Great Vehicle and of the Small Vehicle are not the same. Not leaping over two grounds is what is said within the dharmas of the Small Vehicle; the bodhisattva, because he has immeasurable merit and wisdom and has moreover deeply entered the power of meditative concentration, is able to leap at will. It is like a person leaping with human strength: it is no more than about ten feet or so; if one leaps with the strength of a god, there is no difficulty of breadth and distance.

Again, what is in the Abhidharma is all spoken for ordinary persons and śrāvakas. The bodhisattva is not like this: because of the power of wisdom, he enters the samādhi of the lion's rousing and is able to obtain great mastery over dharmas; because of the power of prajñā, he is able freely and at will to proclaim dharmas in accord with beings.

Again, there are bodhisattvas who much practise prajñāpāramitā, understand the real mark of all dharmas, and abide securely in the immovable dharma; none of the gods and humans of all the world can challenge him or make him waver.

The Treatise Explains Prajñā Giving Rise to Giving: Giving to the Buddhas and Giving to Beings Are Equal and without Difference; the Gift of Dharma Is Likewise; Rejoicing and Dedication; Every Kind of Good Mind

If he obtains wealth, he gives to two kinds of beings: either he gives to the Buddha, or he gives to beings. Because beings are empty, his mind is equal: he does not prize and cling to the buddhas, nor does he slight and despise beings. If he gives to the poor and lowly, then because he slights them the merit is small; if he gives to the buddhas, then because of greedy clinging the merit is also not complete. Whether he gives gold, silver, and precious things, or even grass and trees, because dharmas are empty, these too are equal and without difference. He cuts off every kind of false thought that discriminates one and different and so forth, enters the gate of the dharma of non-duality, and gives—this is called the gift of wealth.

The gift of Dharma is likewise: he does not covet and prize the one who has wisdom and can receive the Dharma, nor does he slight the one who has no wisdom and does not understand the Dharma. Why? Because the dharmas of the Buddha are immeasurable, unspeakable, and inconceivable. Whether he speaks of shallow dharmas such as giving, or speaks of the twelve links of causes and conditions, emptiness, the signless, and non-action—every kind of very deep dharma such as emptiness, the signless, and non-action—the two are equal and without difference. Why? Because these dharmas all equally enter the dharma of quiescence, without idle discourse.

Every kind such as these is called 「般若生布施」 tr. "prajñā gives rise to giving".

Furthermore, this bodhisattva rejoices in the three kinds of merit cultivated by the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times and by their disciples, shares it all with all beings, and dedicates it to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi. Because of the power of wisdom, there is nothing he does not give, and he is able to give beings a share of merit.

Again, there are bodhisattvas who, when giving, give rise to every kind of good mind, pull out the root of stinginess and greed, and give. Because he gives with a mind of kindness, he extinguishes all hatred; because he is glad on seeing the receiver obtain happiness, he extinguishes the mind of jealousy; because he gives to the receiver with a respectful mind, he breaks arrogance; because he clearly believes and knows the retribution of giving, he breaks doubt and ignorance; because he does not take the giver and the receiver as fixed and real, he breaks the other wrong views such as existence and non-existence. He contemplates the receiver as a Buddha, contemplates the thing given as like the mark of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and contemplates his own body as from the very beginning ultimately empty. If he gives in this way, because it is not false and deceptive, it reaches straight to anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

Every kind of mark such as these is called 「般若波羅蜜生檀波羅蜜」 tr. "prajñāpāramitā gives rise to dānapāramitā".

The Treatise Explains Prajñā Giving Rise to Morality, to Patience, to Vigour, and to Meditation

Furthermore, because the bodhisattva deeply enters pure prajñāpāramitā, it is not that there are no beings and yet he is able to receive and uphold the precepts of the ten wholesome paths and the rest; it is in order to break the inversion of killing that there is the precept of not killing; it is not that within the real mark there is this precept.

Furthermore, some people uphold the precept of not killing for the beings within a hundred yojanas; some uphold the precept of not killing for the beings of one Jambudvīpa; these are all upholding the precepts for a limited number of beings. Or some uphold the precepts for one day, or receive the five precepts or the ten precepts; these are all limited upholding of the precepts. The bodhisattva who practises prajñā upholds the precepts for all beings of immeasurable lands, not only for one life or two lives, but abides like suchness, space, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality; because of the mark of ultimate emptiness, he does not grasp at this mark of the precepts, does not loathe the breaking of the precepts, and does not cling to upholding the precepts. This is called 「菩薩般若波羅蜜生具足無分別戒」 tr. "the bodhisattva's prajñāpāramitā gives rise to the fulfilled precepts of non-discrimination".

Patience is of two kinds: first, the acceptance of beings; second, the acceptance of dharmas. Because the bodhisattva deeply enters prajñāpāramitā, he obtains the acceptance of all dharmas, is able to believe and receive the immeasurable dharmas of the Buddha, and has in his mind no discrimination of right and wrong. A mark such as this is called 「般若波羅蜜中生忍辱」 tr. "patience arises within prajñāpāramitā".

Again, there are bodhisattvas who, because they diligently practise vigour and have fulfilled the five perfections, practise prajñāpāramitā, obtain the real mark of all dharmas, and extinguish the three deeds: the body does nothing, the mouth says nothing, the mind thinks nothing. It is like a person who in a dream is sinking in the great ocean and uses hands and feet seeking to cross; after waking, the mind of the dream at once ceases. This is called 「從般若波羅蜜中生第一精進」 tr. "the foremost vigour arises from within prajñāpāramitā". As the Sūtra of Holding the Mind says: ‘Because I obtained this vigour, I received the prediction in the presence of Dīpaṃkara Buddha.’

The Buddha says: although apart from wisdom there is no meditative concentration, meditative concentration is for the greater share obtained by the power of wisdom, and so it is said that meditative concentration arises from wisdom. As the Buddha says in the Pratyekabuddha Sūtra, there was a king who saw two bulls fight to the death for the sake of lust, and he at once awakened of himself: ‘I, for the sake of wealth and beauty, make war on other countries—how is this any different from that!’ Thereupon he abandoned the five desires, obtained meditative concentration, and became a pratyekabuddha. The bodhisattva is also like this: by causes and conditions great or small he is able to loathe the five desires, and he weighs it thus: ‘The pleasure of the five desires and the pleasure of meditative concentration are far apart; how could I, for the small share of pleasure of the five desires, give up the pleasure of meditative concentration? The pleasure of meditative concentration is of pure merit, and one feels pleasure throughout the body.’ In this way, meditative concentration arises from discriminating wisdom.

The meaning of meditative concentration is as the sūtra says.

Furthermore, this bodhisattva, through immeasurable kalpas, plants roots of goodness for the sake of the Buddha path; because he is apart from desire, he obtains mastery over the meditative concentrations and deeply enters suchness, the nature of dharmas, and the limit of reality; and further, because of the power of vigour, skilful means, and kindness and compassion, he comes out from the very deep dharma and turns back to cultivate merit again.

Fulfilling the Six Perfections within a Single Thought, One: Abiding in Giving, the Six Perfections Are Practised Together

This person subdues his mind, and within a single thought is able to practise the six perfections; that is to say: when the bodhisattva gives, he relinquishes wealth in accordance with the Dharma—this is dānapāramitā; abiding securely in the ten wholesome paths, he gives and does not tend toward the two vehicles—this is śīlapāramitā; if stinginess and greed and every kind of affliction, and the people of Māra, come, they cannot shake his mind—this is called kṣāntipāramitā; when giving, with vigour of body and vigour of mind, without resting and without ceasing—this is called the perfection of vigour; gathering the mind upon the giving, not letting it be scattered, without doubt and without regret, facing straight toward anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi—this is called dhyānapāramitā; when giving, the giver, the receiver, and the wealth are all unfindable, and he does not, as wrong views do, grasp at marks and falsely see a fixed mark; rather, like the buddhas and the worthies and sages, he contemplates the mark of the thing given, the mark of the receiver and the giver, and the mark of the place to which he dedicates. When giving the Dharma it is likewise—this is called prajñāpāramitā.

Fulfilling the Six Perfections within a Single Thought, Two: Abiding in Upholding the Precepts, the Six Perfections Are Practised Together

The bodhisattva receives all the precepts in full, and with a wholesome mind gives rise to right speech, right deeds, and the three kinds of restraint: the restraint of the precepts, the restraint of meditative concentration, and the restraint without outflows; abiding securely in these precepts, he gives fearlessness to all beings—this is called dānapāramitā.

When lust, hatred, and every kind of affliction wish to break the precepts, he is able to subdue them and able to endure them. Furthermore, when someone comes and reviles, beats, and harms him, because he fears breaking the precepts he endures it and does not retaliate; and again, when pressed by every kind of suffering such as hunger and thirst, cold and heat, for the sake of upholding the precepts he is able to endure all such things—this is called kṣāntipāramitā.

Distinguishing every kind of mark of the precepts—the light and the heavy, those with remainder and those without remainder, the root and the branch of the causes and conditions, whether prohibited or permitted, and so forth—this is vigour of mind; being able to practise according to the dharma of the precepts, and, when there is an offence, humbling the mind, repenting, and removing it—this is called vigour of body. With such upholding of the precepts and vigour, he does not seek the retribution of a king of the gods or a king of humans, and so on up to not seeking the nirvāṇa of the Small Vehicle; only because the precepts are the dwelling-place of the bodhisattva path, upholding the precepts is able to cultivate and accumulate the five perfections—this is called the perfection of vigour.

If the bodhisattva upholds the precepts purely, he is not apart from meditative concentration. Why? Upholding the precepts purely can break the power of the afflictions, and then the mind is tamed. It is like old age robbing the strength of the prime of life: when death comes, one is easily destroyed. Because the practitioner does not obtain meditative concentration, he recollects the five desires and gives rise to the five hindrances, which encroach upon his upholding of the precepts. Therefore, in order to make the precepts firm and secure, he seeks the pleasure of meditative concentration. What is called meditative concentration is gathering all mind and mental-factor dharmas so that they come together in one place; this is named meditative concentration. The practitioner is able to remove the evil bodily and verbal deeds, the deeds that break the precepts; next he removes the three kinds of evil initial and sustained thought; then he removes the three kinds of subtle initial and sustained thought, namely the thought of one's land, the thought of one's kin and village, and the thought of not dying. When these have been removed in this way, he at once obtains meditative concentration—this is called dhyānapāramitā.

When upholding the precepts, knowing that the precepts can give rise to such fruits and retributions of merit in this life and in later lives—this is called wisdom. Furthermore, the precepts that can be loved, the person who upholds the precepts, and the person who breaks the precepts—these three things are unfindable—this is called wisdom. There are three kinds of people: the lower person breaks the precepts, the middle person clings to the precepts, the upper person does not cling to the precepts. This bodhisattva reflects: ‘If I loathe the breaking of the precepts and the one who breaks the precepts, and love and cling to the precepts and the one who upholds the precepts, and so give rise to love and resentment, I shall still receive the causes and conditions of sinful deeds; it is like a great elephant which, after bathing, again sprinkles itself with earth; therefore I should not give rise to loathing or to love. Furthermore, all dharmas belong to causes and conditions, and none is sovereign; all wholesome dharmas arise because of evil; if they arise because of evil, how could one cling to them? Evil is the cause of good; how could one loathe it?’ Reflecting thus, he straightaway enters the real mark of all dharmas: he contemplates that upholding the precepts and breaking the precepts both arise from causes and conditions; because they arise from causes and conditions they are without self-nature; because they are without self-nature they are ultimately empty; because they are ultimately empty he does not cling—this is called prajñāpāramitā.

Fulfilling the Six Perfections within a Single Thought, Three: Abiding in Patience, the Six Perfections Are Practised Together

When the bodhisattva practises patience, he has this thought: ‘If beings come to cut and sever my body, I shall give it on the spot, so that beings do not incur the sin of robbery.’ Or, while cultivating patience, he expounds the Dharma on the basis of patience, distinguishes by every kind of cause and condition the world and nirvāṇa, and causes beings to abide securely in the six perfections. Obtaining the acceptance of beings, he is able to give his body—this is called the gift of wealth; obtaining the acceptance of dharmas, he deeply enters dharmas and proclaims them for beings—this is the gift of Dharma. These two gifts arise from the two acceptances, and so it is called dānapāramitā.

When the bodhisattva practises patience, he does not begrudge even his body and life, for the sake of patience—how much less would he vex and harm beings and break the precepts! Therefore, because of patience he upholds the precepts, pities all beings, and wishes to deliver them. Upholding the precepts is called the dwelling-place where all wholesome dharmas are established. This is called śīlapāramitā.

The bodhisattva, within patience, with body and mind diligently practises the other four perfections—this is called vigour.

Within patience, the mind is tamed and soft, does not cling to the five desires, and is gathered in one place; toward all beings I am able to be patient like the great earth—this is called dhyānapāramitā.

The bodhisattva knows that the retribution of patience is the adornment of his body with the marks and minor signs, and so forth. The bodhisattva cultivating patience is able to screen off the afflictions, able to endure the faults and evils of beings, able to accept all very deep dharmas, and at the last obtains the real mark of all dharmas; at this time the practitioner obtains in his mind this acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas—this is prajñāpāramitā.

Fulfilling the Six Perfections within a Single Thought, Four: Abiding in Vigour, the Six Perfections Are Practised Together

The bodhisattva abides securely in vigour and gives rise to the perfections; although vigour is the root of all good, and apart from vigour no wholesome dharma can be obtained, because it is by the greater share of the power of vigour that the other five perfections arise, it is called arising from vigour.

The bodhisattva constantly practises the three kinds of giving and has never given them up or stopped: the gift of wealth, the gift of Dharma, and the gift of fearlessness—this is called dānapāramitā. The bodhisattva well cultivates the right deeds of bodily and verbal deeds, tends straight toward the Buddha path, and does not crave the two vehicles—this is called śīlapāramitā. When he diligently practises vigour, someone comes to destroy the bodhisattva's path, and he is able to endure it, immovable—this is called kṣāntipāramitā. Although the bodhisattva cultivates every kind of other dharma, his mind is not scattered, and with a single mind he keeps sarvajñā in mind—this is called dhyānapāramitā. Vigour is of two kinds: first, that of the moving mark, the body practising diligently and the mind practising diligently; second, that which extinguishes all idle discourse, the body unmoving and the mind unmoving. Although the bodhisattva diligently practises the vigour of the moving mark, he is also not apart from the unmoving vigour, and the unmoving vigour does not depart from prajñāpāramitā.

Fulfilling the Six Perfections within a Single Thought, Five: Abiding in Meditative Concentration, the Six Perfections Are Practised Together

The bodhisattva enters meditative concentration and, because of the power of the mind of kindness and compassion, gives fearlessness to all beings; or, because of the power of meditative concentration, he conjures precious things like Mount Sumeru that fill every place, rains down every kind of flower, incense, and the like as offerings to the buddhas, and gives clothing, food and drink, and so forth to poor beings; or within meditative concentration he expounds the Dharma for the beings of the ten directions. This is called dānapāramitā. Herein, the wholesome deeds of body and speech practised in accord with meditative concentration, and being far from the mind of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha—this is called śīlapāramitā. The bodhisattva enters meditative concentration and obtains a pure and soft pleasure, and is able not to cling to the taste of meditation; because of the power of meditative concentration, he is able to enter deeply into the emptiness of dharmas and able to accept such a dharma, his mind without doubt and without regret—this is called kṣāntipāramitā. The bodhisattva, at the time of patience, wishes to give rise to every kind of samādhi—the leaping samādhi, the samādhi of the lion's rousing, and the other immeasurable samādhis of the bodhisattvas—without resting and without ceasing; this is called the perfection of vigour. The bodhisattva, because of the power of meditative concentration, has a pure and immovable mind and is able to enter the real mark of all dharmas, and the real mark of all dharmas is prajñāpāramitā.

Fulfilling the Six Perfections within a Single Thought, Six: Abiding in Prajñā, the Six Perfections Are Practised Together—Fulfilled within a Single Mind, at a Single Time

The bodhisattva practising prajñāpāramitā is able to contemplate the mark of the three kinds of giving as like anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi, and extinguishes every kind of idle discourse such as neither existent nor non-existent—this is called the dānapāramitā within the immeasurable, inexhaustible prajñā. Bodily and verbal deeds proceed in accord with prajñā; because he obtains prajñā, he is able to uphold the precepts firmly and purely—this is called śīlapāramitā. Abiding securely in the mind of prajñā, the acceptance of beings and the acceptance of dharmas become ever deeper and ever purer—this is called kṣāntipāramitā. The bodhisattva who practises prajñā is pure in body and mind and obtains the unmoving vigour, and contemplates the vigour of the moving mark as like an illusion, like a dream; because he obtains the unmoving vigour, he does not enter nirvāṇa—this is called the perfection of vigour. Because the bodhisattva practises this unobstructed prajñā, although he constantly enters meditative concentration, because he obtains the power of prajñāpāramitā, he does not rise from meditative concentration and yet is able to deliver beings—this is called dhyānapāramitā. Every kind such as these is the bodhisattva, because his wisdom is keen, 「一心中一時能具足六波羅蜜」 tr. "within a single mind, at a single time, being able to fulfil the six perfections".

Fascicle eighty-one of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa ends here.