摩訶止觀 白話全本 · 冊3

1. First Fix the Object to Be Contemplated

The first object to contemplate is the object of aggregates, sense fields, and elements—that is, the five aggregates, twelve sense fields, and eighteen elements. “Aggregate” carries the meaning of covering wholesome Dharmas, a name derived from the causal side; it also means accumulation, because layer upon layer of birth and death accumulates, a name derived from the resultant side. A “sense field” is an entry and is also called a gate of revolving transmigration. An “element” is a differentiated boundary and is also called a nature with its own division.

The Vibhāṣā explains how these three categories expand and contract. For someone chiefly deluded concerning mind, mind is expanded into the four aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, while form is contracted into one aggregate; hence the five aggregates. For someone chiefly deluded concerning form, form is expanded into the five faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body and the five objects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch, making ten sense fields; the small portion of the Dharma sense field belonging to form is also counted. Mind is the mental sense field together with the small portion of the Dharma sense field belonging to mind; hence the twelve sense fields. For someone deluded concerning both form and mind, they are expanded into the eighteen elements.

One Abhidharma school says the five aggregates arise simultaneously: consciousness is mind as ruler, and the other four aggregates are mental factors arising in dependence on mind. Because this school expounds its meaning through the gate of existence, it holds that mind-ruler and mental factors support one another and arise at the same time. The treatise masters instead say that consciousness first discriminates, feeling subsequently receives, perception then takes up the mark, formations thereupon initiate oppositional or concordant activity, and form is finally produced through formative action. Because this school expounds its meaning through the gate of emptiness, it holds that the five aggregates produce one another in sequence. Viewed through producer and produced, the order goes from subtle to coarse, placing consciousness first; viewed through practice, it goes from coarse to subtle, placing form first. However the order is established, mental factors cannot be used to separate out mind-ruler. According to the four establishments of mindfulness, mind-ruler is placed in the middle; that is merely an expedient arrangement for speech, not another fixed and unchanging sequence.

The five aggregates can further be divided into nine kinds. Form and mind in one lifetime are the five aggregates of recompense. Ordinary neutral perception and feeling are the indeterminate five aggregates. The arising of delusion of views and the arising of delusion of craving form two kinds of defiled five aggregates. The activation of bodily and verbal karma divides into the five aggregates of wholesome karma and the five aggregates of unwholesome karma. Transformational manifestation is the five aggregates of craftsmanship. The form and mind of people at the stages of the five wholesome roots are the five aggregates of preparatory means. The form and mind of those who have realized the four fruits are the uncontaminated five aggregates. These nine kinds of five aggregates differ in every way, yet their source is mind.

The Saddharma-smṛty-upasthāna uses a painter’s hand as a simile. The hand paints what it calls five colors, listing black, blue-green, red, yellow, white, and very white—six items in all. The painter’s hand symbolizes mind. Black symbolizes the five aggregates of hell beings; blue-green, those of hungry ghosts; red, those of animals; yellow, those of asuras; white, those of humans; and very white, those of gods. These six kinds of aggregates extend only within the three realms. The Buddhāvataṃsaka, however, says that mind is like a skillful painter, able to paint the various five aggregates: not only within the three realms, but throughout all worlds beyond them, there is nothing not constructed from mind.

Even the form and mind of the world cannot be exhaustively investigated, much less can Dharmas beyond the world be known by the mind of an ordinary person. The eyes of ordinary people are screened by cataracts; when they cannot see what is near, how could they see what is far away? After wandering through immeasurable kalpas, they have not clearly seen even one corner within the three realms, much less the boundary beyond them. This is like a thirsty deer chasing a mirage or a mad dog biting at thunder: how could either gain the true principle? Even if one has some understanding of the Small Vehicle, it is ultimately not the great path. Thus the Mahāsaṃnipāta says that those attached to permanence claim delusion is severed in a different thought, while those attached to annihilation claim it is severed in one thought. Both fall into two extremes and fail to accord with the Middle Way.

How much more so after the Buddha’s passing, when the faculties of later people gradually grew dull. Merely through attachment to names and marks, they raised disputes, each declaring itself right and the other wrong, until all fell into deviant views. Nāgārjuna therefore refuted claims that the five aggregates are one or different, simultaneous or before and after. The aggregates are wholly like mirages, illusions, echoes, and transformations, utterly unobtainable; how could one still cling to whether mind-ruler and mental factors ultimately arise at the same or different times? Nevertheless, all aggregates and sense fields within and beyond the three realms truly do arise from mind. The Buddha told the monks that one Dharma can encompass all Dharmas, and that one Dharma is mind. A treatise likewise says that all worlds contain only name and form; if one wishes to contemplate them as they truly are, one should contemplate name and form. Since mind is the root of delusion, contemplating delusion requires cutting down its root, just as cauterizing an illness requires accurately locating the point. We now leave a fathom and take a foot, then leave the foot and take an inch: for the moment setting aside form and the other three aggregates, we contemplate the aggregate of consciousness alone. This aggregate of consciousness is mind.

2. The Ten Dharma Gates That Contemplate

Contemplation of mind fully contains ten Dharma gates. First, contemplate the inconceivable object. Second, arouse a compassionate mind. Third, skillfully establish calming and contemplation. Fourth, pervasively break through all Dharmas. Fifth, discern passage and obstruction. Sixth, cultivate the factors of the path. Seventh, use counteractive Dharmas to aid the opening of the path. Eighth, know the stages of practice. Ninth, be capable of patient endurance. Tenth, give rise to no attachment to any Dharma.

Having oneself penetrated the wondrous object, one vows compassionately to rescue others. One next fills the vow with practice; once vow and practice are skillful, the breaking of Dharmas becomes all-pervasive. While pervasively breaking through all Dharmas, one precisely distinguishes passages from obstructions. This sets the factors of the path in motion and then uses aids to the path to help open the correct path. One can distinguish for oneself and others the stages along that path. One patiently endures honor and insult from within and without. Finally, one does not cling even to attachment to the Dharma of the Middle Way. The practitioner can thereby enter the bodhisattva stage swiftly.

These ten Dharmas are like Viśvakarman constructing the Supreme Hall: its structure is neither sparse nor dense, and each seam admits only a single thread. The whole hall towers in majestic vastness through the heavens, beyond the estimation or imitation of clumsy craftsmen. They are also like a skillful painter who first fixes the outlines and then depicts a lifelike image. With subtle and spirited bone-method, its vital energy moves and soars; how could a person capable only of filling in colors add anything to it? These ten levels of contemplation are wondrously and skillfully gathered and bound both horizontally and vertically. At the beginning they distinguish true from false objects; in the middle they make principal and auxiliary practices enhance one another; at the end they patiently endure without attachment. Their purport is complete, their Dharma gates skillful, and their embrace comprehensive and entire. They establish standards for those first arousing the mind and escort practitioners to wisdom of all modes. This is beyond a dhyāna master who merely certifies inwardly in darkness or a Dharma master who only recites words. It is precisely the Dharma the Tathāgata sought with hardship over accumulated kalpas and wondrously awakened to at the seat of the path, as well as the purport requested three times by Śāriputra and opened by the Buddha in three teachings, including teaching by Dharma and by simile.

3. First Explain the Conceivable Ten Dharma Realms

The first Dharma is to contemplate mind as the inconceivable object. Because this object is difficult to explain, the conceivable object is taught first so that the inconceivable becomes easier to reveal. Among conceivable Dharmas, the Small Vehicle also says that mind produces all Dharmas, referring to causes and results in the six paths and transmigration in the three realms. When one rejects the ordinary and aspires to the noble, one abandons lower realms and escapes upward, finally reducing the body to ash and extinguishing mental knowing. This still falls under the constructed four truths and remains conceivable.

The Great Vehicle also says that mind produces all Dharmas, but here it speaks of the ten Dharma realms. When mind is contemplated as truly existent, there is good and evil within it. Evil has superior, middling, and inferior grades, the causes and results of the three evil paths of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. Good likewise has three grades, the causes and results of asuras, humans, and gods. One next contemplates all six grades as impermanent, arising and ceasing, while the mind contemplating them cannot remain from thought to thought. Contemplator and contemplated both arise from causes and conditions; what arises from causes and conditions is empty. These are the causal and resultant Dharmas of the Two Vehicles, śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

If contemplation of emptiness and existence falls into two extremes—sinking into emptiness or becoming stuck in existence—the bodhisattva thereby arouses great compassion and enters provisional existence to transform beings. There is in reality no fixed body, yet a provisional body is expediently manifested. There is in reality no emptiness to grasp, yet the meaning of emptiness is expediently taught to guide beings. These are the causal and resultant Dharmas of bodhisattvas. One then contemplates all Dharmas that deliver and are delivered as the true mark of the Middle Way, ultimately pure: which is wholesome, and which unwholesome? Who exists, and who does not? Who delivers anyone, and who remains undelivered? All Dharmas are entirely thus. These are the causal and resultant Dharmas of the Buddha realm.

These ten Dharmas penetrate more deeply at each level, and all emerge from mind. Although encompassed by the Great Vehicle’s immeasurable four truths, they remain a conceivable object rather than the object actually contemplated by calming-and-contemplation here.

4. The Ten Dharma Realms and Three Kinds of World

The inconceivable object is as the Buddhāvataṃsaka teaches: mind is like a skillful painter, constructing the various five aggregates; throughout all worlds, there is nothing not constructed from mind. The “various five aggregates” here are the respective five aggregates of the ten Dharma realms just explained.

“Dharma realm” has three meanings. First, the number ten is what depends and Dharma realm is that upon which it depends; because dependent and basis are named together, they are called the ten Dharma realms. Second, each of these ten Dharmas has its own cause and its own result, unmixed with the others; hence ten Dharma realms. Third, the intrinsic substance of every one of these ten Dharmas is entirely Dharma realm, and so they are also called the “ten-times realm”〔and so forth〕.

All ten Dharma realms are generally called aggregates, sense fields, and elements, but their actual contents differ. The three evil paths of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals are contaminated and unwholesome aggregates, sense fields, and elements. The three good paths of asuras, humans, and gods are contaminated and wholesome aggregates, sense fields, and elements. The Two Vehicles of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas have uncontaminated aggregates, sense fields, and elements. Bodhisattvas have aggregates, sense fields, and elements that are both contaminated and uncontaminated. Buddhas have aggregates, sense fields, and elements that are neither contaminated nor uncontaminated. The Great Treatise says that the unsurpassed among Dharmas is nirvāṇa, which is neither contaminated nor uncontaminated. The Sūtra of Immeasurable Meanings says that a buddha has no great aggregates, sense fields, and elements, meaning none belonging to the first nine Dharma realms. To say now that the Buddha has aggregates, sense fields, and elements means the permanent and abiding ones of nirvāṇa. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that by extinguishing impermanent form one obtains permanent form, and feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are likewise. The accumulation of permanence and bliss accords with the meaning of accumulation; the universal covering of loving-kindness and compassion accords with the meaning of aggregate as covering. Because the ten kinds of aggregates and elements differ, this is called the world of the five aggregates.

When the five aggregates are gathered, they are generally called a being, yet beings also differ. The gathering of the five aggregates in the three evil paths forms beings burdened by offenses and suffering. The gathering of human and divine aggregates forms beings enjoying happiness. The gathering of uncontaminated aggregates forms truly noble beings. The gathering of the aggregates of loving-kindness and compassion forms great bodhisattva beings. The gathering of permanently abiding aggregates forms the highest and ultimate being. The Great Treatise says that the Buddha is unsurpassed among beings; how could the Buddha be regarded as the same as lowly ordinary beings? The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that beginning with the kalala stage, each succeeding stage has a different name, and the name remains different all the way through old age. Likewise, a plant has one name when sprouting and a different name through the time it bears fruit. Such differences already appear in the ten stages of a single lifetime; how could the beings of the ten Dharma realms lack differences? This is therefore called the world of beings.

The places inhabited by the ten classes of beings are generally called the world of lands. Hell beings live upon red-hot iron ground. Animals live upon the earth, in water, or in the air. Asuras live beside or beneath the ocean. Humans live upon the earth, and gods in palaces. Bodhisattvas practicing the six perfections live upon the earth like humans. If bodhisattvas of the Shared Teaching have not exhausted delusion, they live among humans and gods in the human and celestial realms; once delusion is exhausted, they inhabit the Land of Expedient Means. If bodhisattvas of the Distinct and Perfect Teachings have not exhausted delusion, they live together with humans, gods, and beings in the Land of Expedient Means; once delusion is exhausted, they inhabit the Land of True Recompense. The Tathāgata abides in the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light. The Humane Kings Sūtra says that the three worthies and ten sages dwell in the land of recompense, while only the Buddha alone inhabits the Pure Land. Because these lands differ, this is called the world of lands. Each of the ten Dharma realms thus possesses the five aggregates, beings, and lands, making thirty kinds of world, all constructed from mind.

5. General Explanation of the Ten Suchnesses

Each of the ten kinds of five aggregates possesses ten Dharmas: suchness-mark, suchness-nature, suchness-substance, suchness-power, suchness-function, suchness-cause, suchness-condition, suchness-result, suchness-recompense, and the suchness of the ultimate equality of beginning and end. They will first be explained generally and then by class.

“Mark” is spoken from what can be seen externally and distinguished after observation. The Great Treatise says that because it is easily known, it is called a mark; for example, because water and fire have different appearances, they are easy to distinguish. Or a person’s complexion displays various signs of fortune and misfortune, allowing the inner to be known by observing the outer. Formerly the marks of Sun Quan and Liu Bei were manifest, while Cao Cao’s were hidden; on seeing them, a physiognomist raised his voice and wept, saying the realm would be divided into three and the people suffer poison. If marks truly exist, dull people nevertheless cannot know them; if marks do not exist at all, skilled physiognomists nevertheless penetrate them. One should therefore follow those skilled at reading marks and trust that the external marks of the human face fully possess all marks. Mind is likewise and fully possesses every mark. The marks of ordinary beings are hidden and unmanifest, while Maitreya’s are manifest. The Tathāgata knows them skillfully and can therefore predict events both near and far. Those unskilled in contemplating mind do not believe that mind possesses all marks. One should follow those who contemplate in accord with reality and trust that mind possesses them all.

“Nature” is spoken from the interior and has three meanings. First, being unchanging is called nature. The “unmoving nature” taught in the Sūtra of the Nonpractice of All Dharmas means being unchanging. Second, nature is also natural division, meaning that different kinds have their own boundaries: their parts differ from one another, and each part is unchanging. Third, nature is real nature, and real nature is principial nature: it is ultimately real, with nothing beyond it, and is another name for buddha-nature. Unmoving nature supports the meaning of emptiness, kind-nature supports the meaning of provisionality, and real nature supports the meaning of the Middle.

The inner nature now under discussion is unchanging, like fire-nature within bamboo. Though fire-nature cannot be seen, it cannot be said not to exist; as soon as a fire-maker uses dry grass to draw it out, the fire can burn through everything. Mind is likewise: it possesses the natures of every one of the five aggregates. Although those natures cannot be seen, they cannot be said not to exist. Contemplating with the wisdom-eye, one knows that mind possesses every nature.

Some views in the world are truly laughable: on the basis of fragmentary hearing, people classify scriptures of the Perfect Teaching. When the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says the Buddha knows that beings possess buddha-nature, they judge it to be ultimately permanent and abiding; when the Lotus Sutra says the Buddha knows the suchness-nature of all Dharmas, they judge it impermanent. Does knowing less somehow count as permanent, while knowing more becomes impermanent? The Lotus Sutra also says the Buddha knows that all Dharmas are entirely of one kind and one nature. That statement says little as well, so why is it still judged impermanent?

Other Dharma masters classify the ten suchnesses of the Lotus Sutra by saying that the first five belong to ordinary beings and are provisional, while the latter five belong to noble ones and are real. Under such a classification, ordinary beings would lack the real and could never become noble, while noble ones would lack the provisional and therefore would not be perfectly and universally enlightened. This arbitrary pronouncement both slanders the Buddha and belittles ordinary beings. When the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says all beings without exception possess buddha-nature, they classify it as permanent; when the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says all beings are themselves the mark of awakening, they classify it as impermanent. If buddha-nature and the mark of awakening differed, perhaps one could be permanent and the other impermanent. If they do not differ, this classification is gravely mistaken. When a skilled physiognomist sees a sovereign’s mark and a sovereign’s nature, both foretell that the person will eventually ascend the imperial throne. Why, then, would buddha-nature and the mark of awakening differ?

“Substance” is the principal material, hence it is called substance. All five aggregates in the ten Dharma realms take form and mind as their substantial material.

“Power” is the strength capable of assuming and exercising a function. A king’s wrestler, for example, originally has a thousand and myriad skills but appears wholly powerless while ill; as soon as the illness is cured, his power can function. Mind is likewise: it originally possesses every kind of power and function, but the illness of affliction prevents them from operating. By contemplating in accord with reality, one knows that mind possesses every power.

“Function” is active construction and the establishment of things. Apart from mind there is nothing else capable of functioning, and so one knows that mind possesses every function.

“Cause” is what can bring about a result and is also called karma. Every karma in the ten Dharma realms is initiated from mind. Whenever mind is present, the various karmas are fully present, hence suchness-cause.

“Condition” is an assisting condition through which something occurs. Every circumstance assisting karma to ripen is called a condition. Ignorance, craving, and the like can moisten karmic seeds; mind is therefore condition.

“Result” is what is actually obtained from a cause. A habituated cause continues beforehand, and its habituated result is actually obtained afterward, hence suchness-result.

“Recompense” is the response to causal karma. In relation to the recompense of a later life, both habituated cause and habituated result can generally be called causes. They draw forth later recompense, and that later recompense responds to the preceding cause, hence suchness-recompense.

“Ultimate equality of beginning and end” means that mark is the beginning and recompense the end. Beginning and end both arise from causes and conditions; because they arise from causes and conditions, they are empty. Beginning and end are equally empty: this is their equality according to emptiness. Next, mark is only a provisionally established name and recompense only a provisionally established name; both exist through provisional designation. This is their equality according to provisional naming. Next, beginning and end can indicate one another: by observing the initial mark, one can know the later recompense; by seeing the later recompense, one can know the original mark. Seeing someone give, one knows that person will later be wealthy; seeing someone wealthy, one can know that person previously gave. Beginning and end mutually exist: this is equality according to provisionality. Again, mark originally lacks mark, yet manifests mark from marklessness, and is therefore neither mark nor no-mark. Recompense originally lacks recompense, yet forms recompense from no-recompense, and is therefore neither recompense nor no-recompense. Every Dharma enters the limit of reality: this is equality according to the Middle Way.

6. Classifying the Ten Suchnesses into Four Groups

Next comes explanation by class, gathering the ten Dharma realms into four groups.

The three evil paths take manifest suffering as their mark, fixed membership in an evil class as their nature, the breaking down of form and mind as their substance, climbing mountains of knives and entering boiling cauldrons as their power, initiating the ten unwholesome acts as their function, contaminated unwholesome karma as their cause, craving and grasping as their conditions, an unwholesome habituated result as their result, falling into the three evil destinations as their recompense, and beginning and end being formed entirely from delusion as their ultimate equality.

The three good paths take manifest happiness as their mark, fixed membership in a wholesome class as their nature, form and mind rising upward beyond the evil paths as their substance, experiencing happiness as their power, observing the five precepts and ten wholesome acts as their function, pure karma as their cause, wholesome craving and grasping as their conditions, a wholesome habituated result as their result, and birth among humans or gods as their recompense. Their ultimate equality should be understood according to provisional naming, because the initial mark and later recompense mutually exist.

The Two Vehicles of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas take nirvāṇa as their mark, liberation as their nature, the fivefold Dharma body of precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation as their substance, freedom from bondage as their power, the factors of the path as their function, the practice of uncontaminated wisdom as their cause, one practice aiding the accomplishment of another as their condition, and the four fruits as their result. Because they will no longer be born in the field of later existence, they have no later recompense〔and so forth〕.

The group of bodhisattvas and buddhas takes the conditioning cause as its mark, the revealing cause as its nature, the correct cause as its substance, the four great vows as its power, the six perfections and myriad practices as its function, the adornment of wisdom as its cause, the adornment of merit as its condition, complete awakening as its result, and great nirvāṇa as its recompense〔and so forth〕.

Cause and condition further have contrary and concordant sides. When following birth and death within the three realms, contaminated karma is cause and craving, grasping, and the like are conditions. When reversing birth and death within the three realms, uncontaminated correct wisdom is cause and the mutual assistance of various practices is condition; cause and condition together diminish birth and death and break delusion. When following transformational birth and death beyond the three realms, uncontaminated wisdom is again cause and ignorance and the like are conditions. When reversing birth and death beyond the three realms, wisdom of the Middle Way is cause and the myriad practices are conditions; cause and condition together diminish transformational birth and death. Since cause and condition have these contrary and concordant aspects, those of the remaining items can be inferred by analogy.

According to the śrāvaka meaning, only nine items are established, with no tenth recompense. According to the Great Vehicle teaching of the three buddha bodies, a buddha again has a recompense body. According to the meaning of exhausting delusion, there is no later recompense. Whether nine or ten are listed should be weighed and understood according to the respective meaning.

The world of beings is only a provisional name and has no independent substance of its own. It merely gathers such real Dharmas as the five aggregates and expediently designates them “beings.” One may therefore distinguish the mark, nature, substance, and power through ultimate equality of beings in the evil paths〔and so forth〕; those of beings in the good paths; those of uncontaminated beings; and those of beings in the Dharma realms of bodhisattvas and buddhas. All can be understood according to the preceding pattern.

The world of lands also fully possesses the ten Dharmas: the mark, nature, substance, power, and so forth of evil lands〔and so forth〕. Wholesome lands, uncontaminated lands, and the lands of buddhas and bodhisattvas likewise each have mark, nature, substance, power, and so forth〔and so forth〕.

7. The Three Thousand Are in One Moment of Mind

One mind fully possesses ten Dharma realms, and each Dharma realm in turn possesses all ten, making one hundred Dharma realms. Each Dharma realm possesses the three kinds of world—the five aggregates, beings, and lands—and each of these has ten suchnesses, so one realm contains thirty kinds of world. The hundred Dharma realms thus contain three thousand kinds of world. The three thousand are in one moment of mind. If there were no mind whatsoever, that would be the end of it; but whenever the slightest trace of mind is present, the three thousand are fully present.

This does not mean that one mind exists first and all Dharmas appear afterward, nor that all Dharmas exist first and one mind appears afterward. Consider the eight marks of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing as they move things. If the thing existed first and the moving mark arrived later, the original thing should not be moved. If the moving mark existed first and the thing arrived later, the moving mark would have no thing to move. Neither priority nor posteriority can be established. One can speak of a moving mark only in relation to the thing, and only in relation to the moving mark can one speak of the thing’s movement.

Mind is likewise. To say that one mind produces all Dharmas successively would make them a vertical sequence. To say that mind contains all Dharmas at the same time would make them a horizontal array. Neither vertical nor horizontal can be established. One can say only that mind is all Dharmas and all Dharmas are mind. Thus it is neither vertical nor horizontal, neither one nor different. Mysterious, wondrous, profound, and utterly transcendent, it cannot be known by discriminating consciousness or expressed in words. This is what it means to call it the inconceivable object〔and so forth〕.

8. Inquiring through the Four Natures into How the Three Thousand Are Present

Question: When mind arises, it necessarily depends upon assisting conditions. Do the three thousand Dharmas ultimately belong to mind itself, to the assisting conditions, to mind and conditions together, or to something apart from mind and conditions? If mind possesses them, its arising should not require assisting conditions. If conditions possess them, the conditions already possess them themselves and have nothing to do with mind. If mind and conditions possess them together, each is wholly without them before they meet, so how could they suddenly become present when the two meet? If they are present apart from mind and conditions, then once separated from mind and conditions, how could one suddenly say that mind possesses them? If none of these four alternatives can be obtained, how can it be said that mind possesses the three thousand Dharmas?

Answer: The Dilun masters say that all understanding and delusion, truth and falsity, depend upon Dharma-nature and are sustained by it. Dharma-nature sustains truth and falsity, while truth and falsity depend upon Dharma-nature. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha school instead says that Dharma-nature is neither stained by delusion nor purified by true wisdom and is therefore not the support. The support is the ālaya, here also called “non-disappearing ignorance”: ālaya-consciousness has been constantly present without beginning and never disappears, and it holds and sustains all seeds. According to the Dilun masters, mind possesses all Dharmas; according to the Shelun masters, conditions possess all Dharmas. Each school establishes its account from only one side.

If Dharma-nature produces all Dharmas, Dharma-nature is originally neither mind nor condition. Although it is not mind, all Dharmas can nevertheless be produced from mind. Then although it is also not condition, all Dharmas should likewise be produced from condition; why say only that Dharma-nature supports truth and falsity? If Dharma-nature is not the support and only ālaya is, this establishes ālaya as support outside Dharma-nature, unrelated to Dharma-nature. If Dharma-nature is not separate from ālaya, then ālaya’s serving as support is itself Dharma-nature’s serving as support; how could one say that only ālaya is the support?

Such fixed attachments also contradict scripture. A scripture says that all Dharmas are neither internal, external, nor in between, and are not eternally self-existent. They also contradict Nāgārjuna’s statement that Dharmas arise neither from themselves, from another, from self and other together, nor without a cause.

Examine this further through a simile. Does a dream occur in dependence on mind, in dependence on sleep, through the conjunction of sleep and mind, or apart from mind and sleep? If dependence on mind were sufficient for a dream, one should dream while not asleep. If dependence on sleep were sufficient, a corpse—which appears to be sleeping—should also dream. If the conjunction of sleep and mind produced dreams, why does a sleeping person sometimes not dream? Moreover, if sleep and mind each had a dream, perhaps bringing them together could produce a dream; but since neither has a dream separately, their conjunction should have none. If a dream existed apart from mind and sleep, empty space, which is apart from both, should dream forever.

When a dream cannot be obtained through any of the four alternatives, how does a sleeping person nevertheless dream of everything? In the simile, mind symbolizes Dharma-nature and sleep symbolizes ālaya. How could one cling exclusively to either Dharma-nature or ālaya and say it can produce all Dharmas? Know that when mind is sought through the four alternatives, mind is unobtainable; when the three thousand Dharmas are sought, they too are unobtainable.

Since the arising of the three thousand Dharmas through the horizontal four alternatives is wholly unobtainable, should one say instead that they arise through the ceasing of one thought of mind? The ceasing of mind cannot produce even one Dharma, so how could it produce three thousand? If the three thousand Dharmas arose from mind as both ceasing and not ceasing, ceasing and not ceasing have opposing natures, like water and fire, and cannot be established simultaneously; how could they produce three thousand Dharmas? If they arose from mind as neither ceasing nor not ceasing, neither ceasing nor not ceasing is either producer or produced; how could producer and produced be established to produce three thousand Dharmas? Seeking through both vertical and horizontal, the three thousand Dharmas are unobtainable. Seeking through neither vertical nor horizontal, they are also unobtainable. Here the road of words is cut off and the place of the mind’s activity becomes quiescent; it is therefore called the inconceivable object.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that arising-arising is inexpressible, arising-not-arising is inexpressible, not-arising-arising is inexpressible, and not-arising-not-arising is also inexpressible. This is its meaning. Know that within the ultimate truth even one Dharma is unobtainable, much less three thousand; yet within the conventional truth, one mind fully possesses immeasurable Dharmas, much less merely three thousand.

9. Inexpressible, Yet Expressible Because Causes and Conditions Are Present

The Buddha asked the woman Dharmadattā, “Does ignorance exist internally?” She answered no. The Buddha asked, “Does it exist externally?” She answered no. “Does it exist both internally and externally?” She answered no. “Does it exist as neither internal nor external?” Again she answered no. Yet the Buddha said that it exists precisely in this way. Nāgārjuna says that Dharmas arise neither from themselves, from another, from self and other together, nor without a cause. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra proceeds from arising-arising being inexpressible through not-arising-not-arising being inexpressible, then says that because causes and conditions are present, they can nevertheless be expressed. The causes and conditions here are those of the four siddhāntas. Although all four alternatives are secluded, quiescent, and markless, out of compassionate care for beings a bodhisattva still teaches within what originally lacks name and form by provisionally establishing names and forms.

10. The Four Alternatives of the Worldly Siddhānta

Sometimes, according to the worldly siddhānta, mind is said to possess all Dharmas so that listeners delight—for example, the three realms have no separate Dharma and are constructed only by one mind. This is the alternative of arising from mind. Sometimes assisting conditions are said to produce all Dharmas so that listeners delight—for example, the five desires make people fall into evil paths, while a spiritual friend is the great cause and condition that transforms and guides beings so they can see the Buddha. This is the alternative of arising from conditions. Sometimes cause and condition together are said to produce all Dharmas so that listeners delight—for example, mercury combined with pure gold can coat images of every form. This is the alternative of joint arising. Sometimes the alternative of arising apart is stated as causelessness and being so of itself, so that listeners delight—for example, the twelve links of dependent origination are made neither by the Buddha nor by gods, humans, or asuras; their nature is originally so. These four alternatives together form the worldly siddhānta and explain how mind produces the three thousand and all Dharmas.

11. The Four Alternatives of the Individually Adapted Siddhānta

What is the individually adapted siddhānta? First it is said that mind produces all Dharmas. For example, the Buddha-Dharma is like the ocean, and only faith can enter it; faith is the source of the path and mother of merit, and all wholesome Dharmas arise from faith. It is also said that if only you arouse the mind of awakening, this itself is leaving home and possessing the precepts in full. The listener thereby gives rise to faith. This is the alternative of arising from mind.

Sometimes conditions are said to produce all Dharmas. For example, had someone not encountered the Buddha, that person would have fallen into hell and suffered for immeasurable kalpas; because the person saw the Buddha, rootless faith was gained, like sandalwood growing from the eraṇḍa. The listener thereby gives rise to faith. This is the alternative of arising from conditions.

Sometimes the conjunction of cause and condition is said to produce all Dharmas. For example, when the water of mind becomes limpid, the precious jewel’s form naturally appears; through the power of roots of loving-kindness, such a matter can be seen. The listener thereby gives rise to faith. This is the alternative of joint arising.

Sometimes the alternative apart from the four alternatives is taught as nonattachment. For example, wisdom is not gained through contemplation inwardly, nor through contemplation outwardly, through not being gained through internal-and-external contemplation together. If the mind abides in attachment, not even the slight faith of the brahmin Śreṇika can be attained, much less the abandonment of deviant views and entry into the correct path. The listener thereby gives rise to faith. This is the alternative of arising apart. These are the four alternatives of the individually adapted siddhānta, through which it is explained that mind produces the three thousand and all Dharmas.

12. Four Alternatives Each for the Counteractive and Ultimate Siddhāntas

What is the counteractive siddhānta? First, mind is said to counteract all evil. For example, when one attains one-pointed mind, the myriad deviations are all extinguished. This is counteraction by mind. Second, assisting conditions are said to counteract all evil. For example, through hearing the unsurpassed radiance of great wisdom, the mind becomes settled like the earth and cannot be moved. This is counteraction by conditions. Third, cause and condition together are said to counteract all evil. For example, one part of wisdom arises from one’s own reflection and one part is gained from a teacher. This is joint counteraction. Fourth, counteraction apart is taught. For example, when the Buddha sat at the seat of awakening, no Dharma whatsoever could be attained; yet like deceiving a small child with an empty fist, he expediently enticed and delivered all beings. This is counteraction apart. These are the four alternatives of the counteractive siddhānta, explaining that mind can break all evil.

What is the ultimate siddhānta? First, mind is said to see principle. For example, mind opens and intention understands, and suddenly one attains the path. This is seeing principle through mind. Second, assisting conditions are said to enable a person to see principle. For example, merely hearing the wondrous Dharma for a moment, one attains complete awakening. This is seeing principle through conditions. Third, the path is attained through cause and condition together. For example, as soon as a swift horse sees the whip’s shadow, it takes the right road. This is seeing principle jointly. Fourth, seeing principle apart is taught. For example, nonattainment is itself attainment already, and this attainment is precisely nonattainment. This is seeing principle apart. These are the four alternatives by which the ultimate siddhānta sees principle. If even the ultimate meaning can be expressed through four alternatives, how could it be impossible to say that mind produces the three thousand Dharmas?

13. Speaking without Speech: Three Truths in One Mind

The Buddha’s purport is ultimately pure and does not fall on the side of arising from cause, condition, both, or neither; the conventional truth is itself the ultimate truth. From another side, all four alternatives can be taught: arising from cause is valid, arising from condition is valid, joint arising is valid, and arising apart is valid. It is like explaining the whiteness of milk to a blind person: one person speaks of a shell, another of rice flour, another of snow, and another of a white crane. After hearing these explanations, the blind person understands milk’s color. This is the conventional truth itself being the ultimate truth.

Know that one speaks all day while all day speaking nothing, and all day speaks nothing while all day speaking. All day one negates the two extremes and all day illuminates them. Breaking is itself establishing, and establishing is itself breaking. Scriptures and treatises are all like this.

Vasubandhu and Nāgārjuna were inwardly clear in illumination and outwardly accorded with the capacities of their time, expediently establishing their accounts through one gate each. Later teachers understood them narrowly, and students clung to them carelessly. They consequently argued like people hurling arrows and stones, each defending one side and departing gravely from the noble path. When this meaning is understood, all four alternatives are inexpressible and all can be expressed.

Speaking in accord with preparatory means, one may say that ignorance models itself on Dharma-nature and produces all Dharmas, as sleep models itself on mind and manifests every event in a dream. When mind and conditions join, the three kinds of world—the five aggregates, beings, and lands—and the three thousand kinds of mark, nature, and so forth all arise from mind. Although one nature appears slight, it cannot be said nonexistent. Although ignorance appears abundant, it cannot be said truly existent. Why? When many is spoken of by pointing to one, many is not fixedly many. When one is spoken of by pointing to many, one is not a constricted one. This mind is therefore called the inconceivable object.

If one understands that one mind is all minds, all minds are one mind, yet they are neither one nor all, one can also understand that one aggregate is all aggregates, all aggregates are one aggregate, yet they are neither one nor all; one sense field is all sense fields, all sense fields are one sense field, yet they are neither one nor all; one element is all elements, all elements are one element, yet they are neither one nor all; one being is all beings, all beings are one being, yet they are neither one nor all; one land is all lands, all lands are one land, yet they are neither one nor all; one mark is all marks, all marks are one mark, yet they are neither one nor all; and ultimately, one ultimate is all ultimates, all ultimates are one ultimate, yet they are neither one nor all. Proceeding throughout all Dharmas in this way, every one is the inconceivable object.

When Dharma-nature and ignorance combine and there are all Dharmas such as aggregates, sense fields, and elements, this is the conventional truth. When all elements and sense fields are one Dharma realm, this is the true truth. Neither one nor all is the ultimate truth of the Middle Way. Proceeding throughout all Dharmas in this way, no Dharma fails to be the inconceivable three truths〔and so forth〕.

When one Dharma is all Dharmas, these are Dharmas arisen from causes and conditions and therefore provisional names: this is contemplation of provisionality. When all Dharmas are one Dharma, they are what is called empty: this is contemplation of emptiness. When they are neither one nor all, this is contemplation of the Middle Way.

One emptiness is all emptiness; neither provisionality nor the Middle fails to be empty. This is contemplation of total emptiness. One provisionality is all provisionality; neither emptiness nor the Middle fails to be provisional. This is contemplation of total provisionality. One Middle is all Middle; neither emptiness nor provisionality fails to be Middle. This is contemplation of the total Middle. These are what the treatise calls the inconceivable three contemplations in one mind taught in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Proceeding throughout all Dharmas, every case is likewise.

If all Dharmas arisen from causes and conditions are expediently in accord with beings’ emotional attachments, this is the provisional wisdom of the varieties of the path. If all Dharmas are one Dharma, which is what is called empty, this is the wisdom of all Dharmas that accords with wisdom. If they are neither one nor all, which is also called the meaning of the Middle Way, this is wisdom of all modes, neither provisional nor real. Extending the preceding pattern, one provisional is all provisionals, one real is all reals, yet all are neither provisional nor real. Proceeding throughout everything, these are the inconceivable three wisdoms.

Accord with beings’ emotional attachments is speech following others’ intent. Accord with wisdom is speech following one’s own intent. Being neither provisional nor real is speech following neither one’s own nor another’s intent. Proceeding throughout all Dharmas, no Dharma fails to be an inconceivable teaching gate such as the gradual, sudden, or indeterminate teaching.

To understand the sudden is to understand mind. When mind itself is unobtainable, how could there separately be a destination or nondestination? To understand the gradual is to understand that all Dharmas entirely proceed toward mind. To understand the indeterminate is to understand that every destination does not exceed this mind. Although these names differ, their meaning is the same. As a standard for practitioners, they are generally called three Dharmas. In relation to the object and principle illuminated, they are called the three truths. In relation to the contemplative practices aroused, they are called the three contemplations. When contemplative practice is accomplished, they are called the three wisdoms. When teaching others, they are called the three modes of speech. In relation to final return, they are called the three destinations. Once this meaning of class-wide correspondence is gained, everything can become a Dharma gate. The flavors of Dharma are many; do not object to their abundance〔and so forth〕.

14. The Wish-Fulfilling Pearl, Three Poisons, and Three Kinds of Dream

Consider a wish-fulfilling pearl, a supreme treasure of the heavens. Though only the size of a mustard or millet seed, it has immense power. Pure and wondrous objects of the five desires and dazzling arrays of the seven treasures are neither stored in the pearl beforehand nor enter it from outside. The pearl does not plan before and after, select great or small quantities, or distinguish coarse from refined. Yet in response to what is sought, it rains down fullness in abundance or economy, while the pearl itself neither increases nor is exhausted. If a material Dharma can function in this way, how much more can the spiritual subtlety of mind fully possess all Dharmas?

Or consider the three poisons of craving, anger, and delusion as they confuse thought. The arising of one deluded thought brings with it the view of self, extreme views, sharp and dull agents, the eighty-eight agents, and onward through the eighty-four thousand afflictions. If these afflictions truly existed beforehand, why would they suddenly have to await assisting conditions before arising? If they were originally wholly nonexistent, they should not suddenly appear when conditions are encountered. They cannot be fixed as existent or nonexistent. To fix them as existent is a deviant view; to fix them as nonexistent is delusion. Know that they exist without truly existing and, while not truly existent, manifest existence according to conditions. If deluded mind itself is so, how much more so the inconceivable one mind?

Or consider someone who sees hundreds, thousands, and myriads of events in a dream, then suddenly wakes and finds not one of them present; how much less could hundreds, thousands, and myriads actually exist? Before falling asleep, the person neither dreams nor wakes from a dream, so one cannot speak of many or one. Through the power of sleep, events seem many within the dream; through the power of waking, they are afterward said to be few. Zhuang Zhou dreamed that he became a butterfly, flying lightly as if a hundred years passed; on waking, he knew he was not a butterfly and had not truly accumulated a hundred years. Ignorance models itself on Dharma-nature and one mind appears as all minds, like sinking into sleep. Penetrating that ignorance is itself Dharma-nature and all minds return to one mind is like waking from a dream〔and so forth〕.

Or consider a practitioner of peaceful practices who, in a single sleep, dreams of beginning with the first arousal of the mind and proceeding through becoming a buddha, sitting at the seat of awakening, turning the Dharma wheel, delivering beings, and entering nirvāṇa. On suddenly waking, the practitioner knows this entire course was only one dream. To trust the three similes of the wish-fulfilling pearl, the three poisons, and dream is to trust that one mind cannot be expressed in language or measured by discriminating consciousness.

What Dharma could this inconceivable object fail to encompass? What wisdom could fail to arise from it? From vows made in relation to this object through the tenth gate, freedom from attachment to Dharmas, what vow could fail to be complete, and what practice could fail to be fulfilled? When taught, they are explained one by one according to the preceding sequence. In actual practice, every mind is simultaneously present within one mind〔and so forth〕.

Seeing All Suffering through One Suffering

Second, arouse the true and correct mind of awakening. Having deeply recognized the inconceivable object, one knows that one suffering is all suffering. One feels compassion for the suffering one has undergone in the past: through giving rise to delusion, drowning in coarse objects of form and sound, and indulging body, speech, and mind in unwholesome actions, one has repeatedly revolved through evil destinations. Enclosed by every kind of burning affliction, body and mind both suffer, and one continuously harms oneself. Even now one is wrapped in the cocoon woven by craving and burned by the lamp of delusion. Across hundreds, thousands, and myriads of kalpas, how immense this suffering has been!

Even when one wishes to leave the three evil paths and seeks the five precepts and ten wholesome acts, cultivating merit with a mind that grasps marks is like exchanging goods in a marketplace: one kind of suffering and pleasure is merely traded for another, while karmic offenses increase. It is like a fish swimming into the mouth of a trap or a moth flying into a lamp. Cleverly imagining oneself to be calculating correctly, one instead becomes more lost and more distant at every step, like drinking saltwater when thirsty. Dragon whiskers wrapped around the body bind more painfully in water; ox hide tied to the body contracts more tightly in the sun. It is also like a blind person entering a thorn forest or drowning in a circling torrent; grasping a blade in one hand and a torch in the other, how could the suffering be fully told? It is like touching a tiger’s tail or approaching a snake’s head, making one tremble in terror. Thinking of oneself in this way, one knows that others are the same.

Compassionate Vows: Delivering Beings and Severing Afflictions

Suppose someone flees an enemy country and follows a narrow, dangerous road, undergoing every hardship, nearly dying and coming back to life. At last this person reaches a poor village, but accepts employment for one day, sleeps that night in a grass hut, and refuses to go farther, taking pleasure instead in lowly work. Neither trusting that a road remains ahead nor knowing the true place of return—how pitiable and strange! Reflecting on oneself and others, pain catches in the throat like a bone, and one aches for both self and others. Great compassion then arises and establishes two vows: “Beings are boundless; I vow to deliver them. Afflictions are numberless; I vow to sever them.”

Although knowing that beings are like empty space, one still vows to deliver those space-like beings. Although knowing that afflictions have no possession, one still vows to sever those possessionless afflictions. Although knowing that beings are exceedingly numerous, one still delivers those exceedingly numerous beings. Although knowing that afflictions have no bottom or boundary, one still severs those bottomless afflictions. Although knowing that the thusness of beings and the thusness of the Buddha are nondual, one still delivers beings who share the Buddha’s thusness. Although knowing that afflictions are themselves the true mark, one still severs afflictions that are themselves the true mark.

Why speak this way? If one removes only one side, the cause of suffering, without removing suffering as result, the vow is mixed with the poison of partial attachment; emptiness must therefore be contemplated. If one becomes partial to contemplating emptiness, one sees no beings who can be delivered and becomes what is called a person attached to emptiness, whom the buddhas cannot transform. If one sees only beings everywhere who can be delivered, one falls into compassion governed by craving and views, not the path of liberation〔and so forth〕.

Because it is now neither mixed with poison nor false, it is called “true.” Because it is partial neither to emptiness nor existence, it is called “correct.” It is like a bird flying through the sky that ultimately does not abide in the sky, while the trace of its flight can be found nowhere. Knowing emptiness yet still delivering beings, and delivering beings yet still knowing emptiness, the vows are said to struggle together with empty space. This is the meaning of “truly and correctly arousing the mind of awakening.”

Loving-Kindness Vows: Knowing Dharma Gates and Accomplishing the Buddha-Path

Having further recognized the inconceivable mind, one knows that one mind of happiness is every mind of happiness. Although beings and I sought happiness in the past, we did not know its true cause, like holding rubble and taking it for a wish-fulfilling jewel or pointing to a firefly and calling it the sun or moon. Only now does understanding begin. Great loving-kindness consequently arises and establishes two more vows: “Dharma gates are immeasurable; I vow to know them. The unsurpassed Buddha-path—I vow to accomplish it.”

Although knowing that all Dharma gates are eternally quiescent like empty space, one still vows to cultivate those eternally quiescent gates. Although knowing that awakening has no possession, one still seeks awakening within possessionlessness. Although knowing Dharma gates to be like space and without possession, one still vows to adorn space like a colored painting. Although knowing that the Buddha-path is not an attainment that can be accomplished, one remains like a person planting a tree in empty space and causing it to flower and bear fruit. Although knowing Dharma gates and buddhahood to be neither truly existent things that can be cultivated nor things that can be left uncultivated, one nevertheless cultivates. Though neither realization nor attainment truly exists, one realizes and attains through having nothing realized or attained.

This is neither false nor mixed with poison and is therefore called “true.” It is partial neither to emptiness nor to compassion governed by craving and views and is therefore called “correct.” These vows of loving-kindness and compassion and the object-wisdom of the inconceivable arise neither before nor after but simultaneously together. Loving-kindness and compassion are wisdom; wisdom is loving-kindness and compassion. One neither grasps the object engaged nor gives rise to a thought that engages it, yet universally covers and protects all. One naturally removes beings’ suffering and spontaneously gives them happiness. This differs from poisoned vows, from seeing only the side of emptiness, and from compassion governed by craving and views. This is the meaning of “truly and correctly arousing awakening in the mind.” Compassion for oneself and for beings is as explained above; by applying it to contemplation of one’s own mind, it can be understood.

General Settling: Settling Calming-and-Contemplation in Dharma-Nature

Third, skillfully settling the mind means skillfully using calming-and-contemplation to make the mind abide in Dharma-nature. The inconceivable object has already been deeply penetrated, its meaning profound, wondrous, and subtle. Loving-kindness and compassion have already been exercised broadly, covering this vast object. Practice must now give substance to the vows, and that practice is calming-and-contemplation.

Ignorance and delusive confusion originally never depart from Dharma-nature. Because of delusion, Dharma-nature appears as ignorance, giving rise to the various inversions and distinctions of wholesome and unwholesome. It is like water freezing into solid ice when cold arrives, or like sleep arriving and mind transforming into the many objects of dream.

One should now see the intrinsic substance of every inversion as Dharma-nature, while the two can be called neither wholly identical nor separately divided. Although inversion appears to arise and cease like a wheel of fire seen when a torch is spun, the practitioner does not grasp its marks of arising and ceasing but trusts only that the intrinsic substance of this mind is Dharma-nature. Arising is the arising of Dharma-nature; ceasing is the ceasing of Dharma-nature. On examination, there is originally no arising or ceasing; delusive thought merely calls them arising and ceasing. Point to every one of these delusive thoughts as Dharma-nature; focus Dharma-nature upon Dharma-nature, recollect Dharma-nature with Dharma-nature. It is constantly Dharma-nature, without an instant that is not Dharma-nature. Once this embodied penetration is accomplished, delusive thought is unobtainable and Dharma-nature cannot be grasped. Returning in this way to the original source, the entire Dharma realm becomes quiescent together. This is called “calming.” When such calming is accomplished, all the preceding currents of transmigration cease.

Contemplation means contemplating the mind of ignorance. Upward through Dharma-nature, it is originally all empty; downward through every wholesome and unwholesome delusive thought, all are likewise empty space, neither two nor different. It is like the great fire at the end of an eon burning from the earth up to the first dhyāna: amid the raging flames, nowhere is not fire. It is also like the manifestation of Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva, in which everything is empty, or the manifestation when Ocean-Wisdom Bodhisattva first arrived, in which everything is water. Even when only the subtlest thought arises, the object thought and the mind thinking it are both empty in their intrinsic substance; even emptiness is unobtainable. Again, as explained above, fire and wood cause firewood to burn, and it burns naturally. The Dharma realm is penetratively bright and clear, everything becoming great illumination. This is called “contemplation.”

Calming and Contemplation Settle as One Substance

Calming is simply wisdom, and wisdom is simply calming. Unmoving calming is unmoving wisdom, and unmoving wisdom is unmoving calming. When unmoving wisdom illuminates Dharma-nature, contemplative wisdom is settled and therefore calming is settled. When the mind does not move and accords with Dharma-nature, calming is settled and therefore contemplation is settled. There is no difference between them.

What should be done if neither calming nor contemplation can settle the mind? The human spirit is dark, swift, floating, indistinct, and unsettled, arising and ceasing at great speed and difficult to hold. It suddenly departs and suddenly returns, not easily restrained. Though one wishes to gather it through calming, it races like leaping flame. Though one wishes to inspect it with contemplation, it becomes darker than black lacquer. With painful effort, distraction and delusion only double. Darkness and distraction are powerful enemies, while one’s contemplative strength is weak; the two lock together like a snipe and clam. One can neither advance nor retreat. At such a time one must resolve to offer body and life to the path, not sparing one’s bones and never turning back. Vow to settle the mind skillfully, turning preparatory means until calming and contemplation correspond and the stage of contemplative practice is accomplished.

Teaching Another to Settle the Mind: Noble and Ordinary Teachers

Settling the mind has two kinds: first, teaching others; second, one’s own practice. Teaching others again has two kinds: first, the noble teacher; second, the ordinary teacher.

A noble teacher has the power of the wisdom-eye and understands every Dharma-medicine; the power of the Dharma-eye and can recognize beings’ illnesses and obstructions; and the power of transformation and can administer medicine according to illness, enabling people to take and practice it in accord with Dharma. Upagupta, for example, knew that a disciple should awaken through faith and made him climb a tree; knew another should awaken through food and made him consume milk and curds; and knew another should awaken through rebuke and conjured a female form. Every time, he enabled the disciple to open into clear understanding without the slightest mistake. He neither forces transformation before the occasion is ripe nor misses an occasion that has ripened; one utterance makes the person awaken and enter.

After the Buddha’s passing, such teachers are exceedingly difficult to encounter. How could a blind turtle happen upon the hole in a floating yoke? How could a falling mustard seed happen to pass over a needle’s point? Difficult! Difficult! Second is the ordinary teacher. Although ordinary teachers lack the three powers above, they can still teach and transform. A good physician, for example, precisely distinguishes medicines and illnesses, knows how to inspect complexion, listen to sounds, and examine the pulse, and administers a fitting medicine so the illness is cured. Yet if the patient’s lifespan is exhausted, even that physician cannot restore the dead to life. A physician unable to read the pulse can still ask about the symptoms and prescribe according to the patient’s account, possibly removing and curing the illness. Śāriputra already possessed noble virtue yet once misjudged faculties. How much more so an ordinary person still bound by afflictions who claims to be a guide capable of curing illness?

Faith-Practice and Dharma-Practice: First Examine the Faculties

Noble teachers are set aside here; the discussion concerns how an ordinary teacher teaches another to settle the mind. Students are of two kinds: first, faith-practitioners; second, Dharma-practitioners. A Sarvāstivāda lineage says that both are at the stage of the path of seeing: those entering the path through hearing are called “faith-practitioners,” and those entering through reflection are called “Dharma-practitioners.” The Dharmaguptaka lineage instead says: “They occupy a stage of preparatory means. Those who see Dharma less by themselves and rely more on the power of hearing, and who must later hear Dharma in order to awaken, are called faith-practitioners. Those who rely less on hearing and see Dharma more by themselves, and who must later reflect in order to awaken, are called Dharma-practitioners.”

If the markless mind on the path of seeing is extremely sharp and accords with truth as soon as it arises, how could faith-practice and Dharma-practice be distinguished within it? Yet the Abhidharma masters speak according to the stage at which practice is accomplished, while the treatise masters speak according to faculties. Each side has a basis and should not negate the other.

The teacher now traces the matter back to its distant source. Some people have repeatedly heard and studied over many kalpas; others have repeatedly sat in dhyāna over many kalpas. These become seeds of faith-practice or Dharma-practice. After being perfumed life after life, they form respective faculties through which awakening occurs by hearing or reflection. In terms of sharpness and dullness, Dharma-practitioners can be called sharp because they can contemplate Dharma inwardly for themselves, and faith-practitioners dull because they must hear Dharma through another’s words. The account can also be reversed: faith-practitioners are sharp because they awaken upon hearing once, while Dharma-practitioners are dull because they must investigate each Dharma. Both types can also be sharp or dull in different ways: a faith-practitioner’s wisdom of hearing is sharp while cultivated wisdom is dull; a Dharma-practitioner’s cultivated wisdom is sharp while wisdom of hearing is dull.

Having determined the present person’s sharp or dull faculties, how should the teacher settle that person’s mind? The teacher should ask, “Toward which do your aspirations incline: meditative concentration or wisdom?” If the person says, “I heard the Buddha teach that a spiritual friend is like the moon’s form and light, gradually growing full and manifest, or like climbing a stairway, rising one step at a time. Skillful exposition of Dharma can transform the mind; attainment of the path depends entirely on causes and conditions. My mind admires and longs for it like a calf following its mother,” the teacher knows this is a faith-practitioner. If the person says, “I heard the Buddha teach that if a bright mirror’s substance remains unmoving, images clearly appear; if pure water has no waves, fish and stones are naturally visible. I aspire to relinquish unwholesome thoughts as one casts off a heavy load,” the teacher knows this is a Dharma-practitioner. Once the faculties are known, eight modes of settling can be applied within one person.

Teaching Calming to a Faith-Practitioner: Four Siddhāntas

First, settle the mind through calming according to inclination. The teacher should admonish and encourage: Good person! For immeasurable kalpas you have drunk the poison of madness and scattered mind, pursuing the five sensory objects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch, rising and sinking in the three realms. You are like soft, light tūla cotton whirled about by a violent wind, or beans ceaselessly rising and sinking in a boiling cauldron. You pass from suffering into affliction and from affliction back into suffering. Why not calm this mind, penetrate its root, and make thought single? Once thought becomes single, what undertaking could not be accomplished? If suffering and its accumulation return to one, they no longer revolve. If ignorance calms into one, it no longer conditions formations and therefore never reaches old age and death. Once a great tree is felled, old karma ends and new karma is not made. If the six obscurations return to one, one can reach the farther shore; only this is most peaceful and joyful. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and various similes, the teacher praises calming broadly and causes delight to arise in the student’s mind. This is called “settling the mind through calming according to inclination.”

Second, settle the mind through calming according to suitability. The teacher further says: Good person! Suppose the sky has been dry for a long time, rivers and ponds have entirely dried up, myriad grasses and trees are scorched, and the hundred grains have withered. Sāgara Dragon King builds cloud banks for seven days and sends rain down in the four directions. The earth is thoroughly moistened, every seed sprouts, every root and stalk grows, every branch and leaf flourishes, and every flower and fruit opens. People are the same. Through laxity and carelessness, wholesome Dharmas that should arise cannot arise, while those already arisen retreat and disappear. The river of meditative concentration dries up; the trees of the path’s factors wither; myriad wholesome qualities are scorched and the hundred merits damaged; flowers of cultivated causes and fruits of the path cannot ripen. If one can abide in a quiet forest, gathering oneself into one mind so the inner does not race outward and external objects do not enter, a cloud of serene concentration rises and the arising of various meditative concentrations becomes rain. The forest of merit; preparatory stages such as warmth and summit; eye, wisdom, illumination, and awakening; the forbearances of faith, accord, nonarising, and quiescent cessation; and ultimately unsurpassed awakening can all be attained one by one. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises calming broadly and causes wholesome roots to arise. This is called “settling the mind through calming according to suitability.”

Third, settle the mind through calming as counteraction. The teacher further says: Good person! Scattered mind is the worst of evils. It is like a drunken elephant without an iron hook to subdue it, trampling flower ponds; or like a camel controlled by a pierced nose that still overturns the load on its back. It is faster than lightning and more poisonous than a snake’s tongue. Like five overlapping screens of smoke, cloud, dust, mist, and the like, it hides the bright sun layer by layer. Eyelashes are near and the sky far, yet when screened, a person sees neither. If one cultivates concentration, it is like a lamp in a sealed chamber breaking great darkness, or a golden scalpel opening an eye membrane so space and forms become clearly visible and one, two, and three fingers can all be seen. Heavy rain subdues billowing dust; great concentration pacifies mad scattering. Calming breaks distraction, and falsity then ceases. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises calming broadly and breaks through torpor and distraction. This is called “settling the mind through calming as counteraction.”

Fourth, settle the mind through calming according to the ultimate meaning. The teacher further says: Good person! If mind abides in concentration, it can know the marks of worldly Dharmas that arise and cease and also the marks of world-transcending Dharmas that neither arise nor cease. Even after attaining the path, the Tathāgata delighted in meditative concentration; how much more should an ordinary person? One who possesses concentration is like someone who sees a flash of lightning at night, immediately sees the road, and thereby sees the path. Such a person can break innumerable billions of layers of profound dark evil and ultimately accomplish wisdom of all modes. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises calming broadly and enables the student to accord with thusness. This is called “settling the mind through calming according to the ultimate meaning.”

Teaching Contemplation to a Faith-Practitioner: Four Siddhāntas

First, settle the mind through contemplation according to inclination. If the person says, “When I hear the Dharma of quiescent cessation, my mind cannot receive it at all; when I hear discerning explanations, I can listen without weariness,” the teacher should explain: The blazing fires of the three evil paths, the heavy whippings endured by camels and donkeys, and the hunger and thirst tormenting hungry ghosts are not the greatest suffering. The truly great suffering is delusive darkness, not hearing Dharma and not distinguishing direction. Extensive hearing and discernment are joy. Seeing Dharma and giving rise to Dharma-joy are joy. Attacking evil with good is joy. The arhat without attachment is called supremely joyful. Hear the joy of ambrosia from one of extensive learning; contemplate according to the teaching; know what is and is not the path; avoid pits and ravines; proceed straight ahead without turning back. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises contemplation broadly and causes delight to arise in the student’s mind. This is called “settling the mind through contemplation according to inclination.”

Second, settle the mind through contemplation according to suitability. The teacher further says: Good person! Moonlight opens lotus flowers, while sunlight raises people to their work. A merchant must follow the caravan leader; a colored painting requires glue. If an earthen brick is not fired, it cannot be used even for a moment. Without a guide, a blind person cannot advance one step. Practice without contemplative wisdom is the same. Wisdom of all modes takes contemplation as its root and is adorned by immeasurable merit. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises contemplation broadly and causes merit to arise. This is called “settling the mind through contemplation according to suitability.”

Third, settle the mind through contemplation as counteraction. The teacher further says: Good person! A wise person can recognize an enemy, so the enemy cannot inflict harm. A general with strategy can break a powerful foe. Without wind, what could sweep clouds away? Without clouds, what could screen the heat? Without water, what could extinguish fire? Without fire, what could dispel darkness? What can surpass wisdom—the ax that splits wood, the knife that cuts bonds? With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises contemplation broadly and causes the student to break unwholesome Dharmas. This is called “settling the mind through contemplation as counteraction.”

Fourth, settle the mind through contemplation according to the ultimate meaning. The teacher further says: Good person! The seven treasures in a well and jars and basins in a dark room must await the sun’s illumination. Only after the sun rises does everything appear clearly. One must use the wisdom-eye to contemplate in order to know the true mark of all dharmas. Among all Dharmas, enter through equal contemplation; the perfection of wisdom is the most brilliantly illuminating. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises contemplation broadly and enables the student to gain awakened understanding. This is called “settling the mind through contemplation according to the ultimate meaning.” These eight modes are the methods of settling taught to faith-practitioners.

Teaching Calming to a Dharma-Practitioner: Four Siddhāntas

First, settle the mind through calming according to inclination. If the person says, “I delight in calming this mind, becoming silent and still more silent, diminishing and still more diminished until finally reaching the unconditioned. I do not delight in discrimination. If mind races outward following words, even sitting is futile,” these are faculties of Dharma-practice and calming should be taught: Do not seek outwardly; simply guard the one within. The flow of cognitive engagement and awakened thought all arises from deluded mind. A wheel of fire is seen only when a torch is spun; as soon as the hand stops, the wheel ceases. Surging waves are stirred by wind; once wind becomes still, the water clears. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: “What is cognitive engagement? It means engaging with the three realms. What is calming cognitive engagement? It is the mind’s nonattainment.” The Auspicious Response Sūtra says: “When a person attains one-pointed mind, the myriad falsities are all extinguished.” Nāgārjuna says: “The real Dharma is not inverted; reflective and perceptual contemplation has been removed, and verbal Dharmas are all extinguished. Immeasurable offenses are removed, and the pure mind remains constantly single; such a revered and wondrous person can see prajñā.”

Even a secluded mountain forest is a place praised by immortals; how much more is nirvāṇa, clear and quiescent, revered by worthies and nobles. The Scripture of the Buddha’s Words says: “When a monk lives in a settlement and exerts body and speech, all buddhas are concerned for him. When a monk lives in the mountains, ceases activity, and lies at ease, all buddhas rejoice.” How much more so when one sits cross-legged, gathers both hands, closes the mouth and stops speech, and reflects on the mark of quiescent cessation. When mind’s origin returns into calming, the Dharma realm becomes quiescent together. Is this not the most essential path? Only this gate is most precious; nothing else compares. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and various similes, the teacher praises calming broadly and causes delight to arise. This is called “settling the mind through calming according to inclination.”

Second, settle the mind through calming according to suitability. If the person says, “When I contemplate the marks of Dharmas, confusion and disturbance only increase and wholesome Dharmas fail to become clear,” calming should be taught: Calming is the level and upright good field of the Dharma realm; what Dharma could it lack? Upward relinquishment of cognitive engagement is giving. The nature of calming contains no evil and is therefore keeping precepts. Its nature is unmoving and is therefore patient endurance. Calming is uninterrupted and unmixed and is therefore diligence. It is decisively unmoving and is therefore meditative concentration. The Dharma of calming is unobtainable, and the person who calms is unobtainable; this is wisdom. Through calming, one enters what is neither calming nor noncalming; this is preparatory means. One calming being all calming is vow. Calming attachment to calming and calming the grasping of views concerning calming is power. This calming is like the Buddha’s calming, neither two nor different; this is knowledge. Calming fully possesses all Dharmas and is the secret treasury. One need only abide in calming; why cultivate Dharmas separately? With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher causes wholesome roots to arise. This is “settling the mind through calming according to suitability.”

Third, settle the mind through calming as counteraction. If the person says, “When I contemplate Dharma-marks, distraction and torpor still cannot be removed,” the great power of calming should be taught. Calming is like a concentration chamber built with solid walls, into which the eight winds and unwholesome thoughts cannot intrude. It is like pure water that washes away craving and the eight inversions, which are like morning dew drying when the sun appears. Calming is great loving-kindness, equally caring for enemy and intimate and capable of breaking anger and rage. Calming is a great illumination spell that can dispel delusion and doubt. Calming is itself the Buddha and can break Dharmas that obstruct the path. It is like agada medicine, universally curing every illness, or a skillful good physician whose spell-power revives the withered dead. With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher causes the student to break unwholesome Dharmas. This is called “settling the mind through calming as counteraction.”

Fourth, settle the mind through calming according to the ultimate meaning. If the person says, “I cannot awaken through contemplation,” calming should be taught: Calming is embodied penetration of true principle, illuminating while constantly quiescent. Calming accords with causes and conditions, quiescent while constantly illuminating. Calming is the calming that is no calming, simultaneously stopping and illuminating both extremes. Calming is the mother of buddhas; calming is the father of buddhas. The father is the mother and the mother the father. Calming is the Buddha’s teacher, body, eye, marks and excellences, treasury, and dwelling. What does it not possess, and what can it not remove? With skillful preparatory means, various causes and conditions, and similes, the teacher praises calming broadly. This is called “settling the mind through calming according to the ultimate meaning.”

Teaching Contemplation to a Dharma-Practitioner and the Shifting of Faculties

First, settle the mind through contemplation according to inclination. If the person says, “The form of calming is silent and quiescent and not what I love,” contemplation should be taught, searching and investigating principle. Among the seven factors of awakening is investigation of Dharmas; within the eightfold correct path is correct view; among the six perfections is prajñā. Contemplative wisdom serves as master and guide within every Dharma gate, all the way through buddhahood. Correct awakening, great awakening, and universal awakening are different names for contemplative wisdom. Know that it is supremely honored and wondrous. Praising contemplation broadly in this way is “settling the mind through contemplation according to inclination.”

Second, settle the mind through contemplation according to suitability. Diligent cultivation of contemplation can produce faith, precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation. It enables one to know illness and recognize medicine, lets the path of transformation circulate widely, and gathers every wholesome quality universally. Nothing surpasses contemplation. This is “settling the mind through contemplation according to suitability.”

Third, settle the mind through contemplation as counteraction. Contemplation can break darkness, illuminate the road, eliminate enemies, and obtain treasure. It can topple the mountain of deviant views and drain the ocean of craving; all are powers of contemplation. This is “settling the mind through contemplation as counteraction.”

Fourth, settle the mind through contemplation according to the ultimate meaning. When Dharmas are observed through contemplation, contemplator and contemplated are both unobtainable. Thought within the mind becomes spacious and clear, and what has been dim is about to open into understanding. At this time one should diligently cultivate contemplation alone in order to open, reveal, awaken, and enter. This is “settling the mind through contemplation according to the ultimate meaning.” These eight modes are the methods of settling taught to Dharma-practitioners.

Furthermore, people’s faculties are not fixed and sometimes shift. The Sarvāstivādins say dull faculties can turn sharp. The Satyasiddhi Śāstra says repeated practice makes the faculties sharp. These speak of sharpness and dullness across the period from beginning through completion of practice and cannot distinguish changes within the same moment. What is explained now is that beings’ mental activities are unfixed: they can become dull for a moment and sharp again a moment later, naturally so, neither involving a long-term transformation of faculties nor necessarily produced by repeated practice. Some cannot penetrate by contemplating for themselves but awaken immediately upon hearing. Others fail to understand after long hearing but decide the matter clearly after reflecting briefly.

It is therefore still necessary to explain how the mind is settled when faculties shift. If a Dharma-practitioner shifts into a faith-practitioner, the teacher follows the new faculty and administers eight siddhānta modes of settling. If a faith-practitioner shifts into a Dharma-practitioner, the teacher likewise follows the new faculty and administers eight siddhānta modes. Once this meaning is understood, one can freely teach broadly or briefly. Shifting and not shifting together make thirty-two ways of teaching another to settle the mind.

Eight Modes Each for Faith-Practice and Dharma-Practice in Self-Practice

In settling the mind through one’s own practice, one should first contemplate what this mind actually inclines toward. Wishing to calm delusive thought and make reflective thought quiescent is inclination toward Dharma-practice. Delighting in hearing and wishing thereby to penetrate directly to the root of ignorance is inclination toward faith-practice.

First come the eight modes of Dharma-practice in self-practice. If one delights in quiescence, contemplate that delusive thoughts emerge from mind; calm this mind, and all delusions become quiescent. This is calming according to inclination. If one wishes to illuminate and know, one must know the root of mind. The root of mind is nondual, and all Dharmas are also like empty space. This is contemplation according to inclination. If the mind discriminates broadly concerning self and Dharmas yet exceedingly subtle wholesome Dharmas such as faith and diligence cannot arise, one should concentrate the spirit and calm, not allowing the mind to move. Various wholesome merits arise from quiescence. This is calming according to suitability. If concentrated calming makes one even more sunken and quiescent, wholly unable to enter a stage of forbearance, one should compare and weigh, stirring this mind so it arises. This is contemplation according to suitability.

If thought after thought never stops and races wantonly like a blood-sweating horse, calming should counteract its galloping. If silent darkness accords with sleep, contemplation should be cultivated to break every dull obstruction. If one has long cultivated calming without anything opening, cultivate contemplation: contemplate all Dharmas as unobstructed and undifferentiated, making mind gradually close-fitting, clear, and sharp until Dharmas progressively feel like empty space. If one has long cultivated contemplation yet dark obstruction remains, change to calming: still the various engaged thoughts so that contemplator and contemplated, grasped object and self-grasping become quiescent together, and the wisdom of emptiness is about to arise. These are the eight modes of Dharma-practice in self-practice, skillfully arranged in sequence so the mind settles〔and so forth〕.

Next come the eight modes of faith-practice in self-practice. If one wishes to hear of quiescent concentration like Mount Sumeru, unafraid of shaking by the eight winds, one should hear about calming. This is calming according to inclination. If one wishes to hear how sharp contemplation breaks affliction like the sun dispelling darkness, one should hear about contemplation. This is contemplation according to inclination. If one hears too much contemplation, like sunlight scorching a tender shoot, one should change to hearing calming so the water of concentration moistens it. This is calming according to suitability. If hearing concentration causes one to stagnate too long, like a tender shoot rotting without growing, one should change to hearing contemplation so wind and sun stimulate it and wholesome Dharmas appear. This is contemplation according to suitability.

If the mind sometimes races through cognitive engagement and thought and cannot abide for even one moment, one should hear calming to counteract the scattered mind. If the mind sinks into dimness as if sitting in fog, one should hear contemplation to break heavy sleep. If hearing calming makes the mind spacious and clear, one should concentrate on continuing to hear calming. If hearing contemplation makes it bright and open, one should concentrate on continuing to hear contemplation. These are the eight modes of skillfully settling the mind in faith-practice for oneself.

If a Dharma-practice mind shifts to faith-practice, or a faith-practice mind shifts to Dharma-practice, skillfully investigate according to what is fitting at that moment. Self-practice has thirty-two modes and teaching others also has thirty-two, making sixty-four ways of settling the mind.

Hearing and Reflection Support Each Other

Furthermore, faith-practice and Dharma-practice cannot stand isolated; hearing and reflection must support each other. Take a Dharma-practitioner. On hearing the one sentence, “The essential nature is quiescent and limpid; all delusive thoughts in dream are dispelled,” the person returns, sits, reflects, and gives rise to delight. Someone else hears calming and then adds reflection, giving rise to meditative concentration; hears calming and immediately reflects, breaking every delusive thought; or hears calming and adds reflection, so the mind becomes bright and is about to awaken and enter. Another hears contemplation and adds reflection, giving rise to great delight; or hears contemplation and adds reflection, becoming able to generate good, break evil, and approach awakened entry. The remainder can be known by analogy. Because hearing is lesser and reflection greater, this is called Dharma-practice; it is not wholly without hearing Dharma.

A faith-practitioner sits upright and reflects on quiescent cessation, but joy and exhilaration have not yet arisen. After rising from the seat and hearing about calming, joy arises and feels sweet and happy. Sitting upright and recollecting wholesome Dharmas, wholesome Dharmas fail to arise; after rising and hearing calming, faith, precepts, and diligence grow twofold. Sitting upright and counteracting unwholesome Dharmas, the unwholesome Dharmas cannot be dispelled; after rising and hearing calming, distraction and disturbance are broken. Sitting upright and contemplating true principle, the real path fails to open; after rising and hearing calming, one suddenly seems to awaken to quiescent cessation. This is faith-practice: reflection while seated is less and hearing greater, but reflection is not wholly absent.

The foregoing treated cases inclined toward a single faculty; the present discussion treats faculties in which hearing and reflection support each other. Mutual support further divides into shifting and not shifting and also has thirty-two ways of settling the mind. Mutual support in teaching others has thirty-two as well, making sixty-four. Combined with the preceding sixty-four, there are 128 ways of settling the mind.

Harmonizing Calming and Contemplation and Breaking Two Partial Attachments

The ground of mind is difficult to settle and always wishes to turn from suffering and follow happiness. One therefore follows each person’s wishes and settles the person in accordance with the faculties. To sustain life, for example, one may drink water or eat food, both regulating the body and preserving life. Sustaining the Dharma body is the same, with calming as drink and contemplation as food. Medicine also has two kinds, pills and powders, used to remove cold and heat. To treat the illness of ignorance, calming is the pill and contemplation the powder. Or consider the operation of yin and yang: yang brings wind and sun, yin cloud and rain. Excessive rain rots a tender shoot; excessive sun scorches it. Yin is like meditative concentration and yang like wisdom. When either wisdom or meditative concentration is excessive, buddha-nature cannot be seen. The eight modes of calming and contemplation harmonize each other; what matters most is grasping their purport.

One type of dhyāna master forbids contemplation and permits only exclusive calming, citing a verse: “Reflection upon reflection is merely self-reflection; reflection upon reflection is merely self-suffering. Calming reflection is the path; while reflection remains, one ultimately cannot see.” Another type forbids calming and permits only contemplation, citing a verse: “Calming upon calming is merely self-calming, with no basis at all in the dark. Calming again and again is the path; contemplating again and again accords with true principle.” Each teacher entered through one gate but then used the benefit personally gained to teach everyone. Students fail to see the true purport of that benefit. If they take only milk exclusively, even whey is difficult to obtain, much less ghee.

If only one-sided understanding were permitted, why would the Buddha have made so many different explanations? The sky is not forever clear, a physician does not use only powdered medicine, and people do not always eat only dry rice. Even worldly affairs are not so, much less world-transcending Dharma. Here, shifting according to faculties and illnesses makes sixty-four modes across self-practice and teaching others. Correlated further with three rounds of calming-and-contemplation, these become 384. Adding the sixty-four modes correlated with the original calming-and-contemplation of one mind makes 512.

The first three siddhāntas are worldly methods of settling the mind, like treatment by a worldly physician: even after the illness is cured, it may recur. The ultimate siddhānta is world-transcending settling of the mind, treated by the Tathāgata; the illness ultimately does not recur. Worldly and world-transcending Dharmas accomplish and illuminate one another. Apart from the three truths, there is nowhere for mind to settle; apart from calming-and-contemplation, there is no method that settles it. If mind has settled in true principle, one sentence of Dharma is sufficient. If it still cannot settle, skillfully apply preparatory means until it does.

A net with only one mesh cannot catch a bird, yet when the bird is actually caught, it is caught through only one mesh of the full net. Beings’ mental activities differ: many people may share one kind of mental activity, while one person may display many over time. When establishing a method for one person, it can be provided as broadly as for many; when establishing methods for many, each individual must still be considered. The many meshes of the Dharma-net must therefore be established broadly to catch the birds of various mental activities.

Mohe Zhiguan, Fascicle Five, First Part

If Dharma-Nature Is Pure, Why Speak of Breaking?

Fourth is pervasively breaking through Dharmas. Dharma-nature is originally pure, neither gathered nor dispersed. Language finds no road here and mental activity nowhere to proceed, so it can be called neither breakable nor unbreakable. Why, then, speak of breaking? Beings are mostly inverted and rarely free from inversion. Removing inversion so people are no longer inverted is called “pervasively breaking through Dharmas.” If the preceding chapter’s skillful settling has already developed concentration and wisdom, further breaking is unnecessary. If it still does not correspond, one should use wisdom possessing concentration to cleanse inversion completely; hence “breaking.”

Breaking Dharmas must rely on a gate. Scriptures teach different gates. Some take writing as gate, such as the forty-two letter gates in Great Perfection of Wisdom. Some take contemplative practice, such as the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom saying bodhisattvas cultivate three samādhis while engaging the true mark of all dharmas. Some take wisdom, such as the wisdom gate in the Lotus Sutra. Some take principle, as Great Perfection of Wisdom says the unborn Dharma neither comes nor goes and is precisely the Buddha. The gate of teaching communicates with contemplation, contemplation with wisdom, and wisdom with principle. If one asks where the gate of principle communicates, every gate of teaching, contemplation, and wisdom is established in dependence on principle. If what depends is called a gate, how could the principle depended upon not be one? Although principle has no other destination to reach, it ultimately communicates everywhere and is therefore the wondrous gate. For the moment, the gates of practice, wisdom, and principle are set aside and only the gate of teaching explained.

The four gates of the Tripiṭaka Teaching first break afflictions of views and then afflictions of thought, though the two can also be broken together〔and so forth〕. The four gates of the Shared Teaching likewise break views first and thought afterward or together, but they break only the four-abode delusions and cannot be called pervasive. The four gates of the Distinct Teaching sequentially sever the five-abode delusions and are pervasive vertically but not horizontally; they too are not used here. In the present inconceivable contemplation, one object is all objects and one mind all minds. All Dharmas horizontally and vertically proceed toward mind; when attachment in mind is broken, all are broken, hence pervasive. Gates unable to break pervasively need not be discussed here. All four Perfect gates can do so: existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, and neither existence nor nonexistence. For now, the other three are set aside and practice begins through the empty and birthless gate.

The birthless gate enables calming-and-contemplation to reach the causal and resultant stages, while calming-and-contemplation reveals and develops birthlessness so the gate becomes bright and widely propagated. Calming-and-contemplation is practice; the birthless gate is teaching. Cultivating in reliance on teaching and communicating with forbearance concerning the nonarising of Dharmas completes the causal stage. In the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, thirty-two bodhisattvas each explain a gate for entering nonduality. All are bodhisattvas entering a stage through a gate, with nonarising foremost. The Great Perfection of Wisdom teaching of the a-letter gate—that all Dharmas are originally unborn—demonstrates that the birthless gate can bring calming-and-contemplation to the causal stage.

How does calming-and-contemplation in turn make the birthless gate shine? A Dharma does not reveal itself and must be propagated by people. If people can truly practice in reliance upon it, the Dharma gate develops and the birthless teaching becomes unobstructed horizontally and vertically, communicating wherever it touches; only then is its meaning as gate established. A worldly dwelling, for example, has a gate through which people enter and leave and places they can reach, so the doorway appears honored and useful. When the simile is understood, what it symbolizes becomes clear.

The birthless gate also communicates with the result. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra explains great nirvāṇa as nonarising and says the two Dharmas of concentration and wisdom can bring great benefit through awakening. Great Perfection of Wisdom says the unborn Dharma neither comes nor goes and is precisely the Buddha. The Lotus Sutra says the Buddha abides in the Great Vehicle, adorned by the attained Dharma and the powers of concentration and wisdom, thereby delivering beings. These three scriptures make the meaning of the resultant stage clear. Calming-and-contemplation reveals the result because the result cannot reveal itself and must be fulfilled through practice. When the result is complete, everything is complete. It stands majestic and vast like the bright moon among stars, illuminating ten jeweled mountains and reflecting in the four seas. Buddhahood is likewise: unsurpassed, its merits exceed the ten grounds and it can draw in four kinds of faculties. The Buddha’s bowing to a stūpa of bodily bones in the Suvarṇaprabhāsottama Sūtra expresses this meaning.

One Breath and One Spit: How the Birthless Gate Embraces Horizontally and Vertically

The birthless gate’s vertical embrace of cause and result has been made clear; its horizontal embrace comes next. Great Perfection of Wisdom says that hearing the birthless gate enables understanding of every meaning. The initial letter a embraces the other forty-one letters, the forty-one embrace a, and the letters between mutually embrace one another. This is complete horizontal and vertical embrace. Because the meaning is difficult to see, the Buddha Treasury Sūtra is next cited to show the image, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra to explain the principle, and only then is it explained how the birthless gate breaks Dharmas pervasively.

The Buddha Treasury Sūtra says that when the eon-ending fire arises, a bodhisattva extinguishes it with one spit and forms the world with one breath. This is not extinguishing first and forming afterward; within one spitting, it is immediately extinguished and formed. The scripture speaks of great outward function, which inwardly corresponds to the birthless gate: one breaking breaks all, one establishing establishes all, and breaking and establishing need not be divided into thoughts before and after. Without this inner virtue, there would be no such great outward function; outward function is used to reveal inner virtue. In contemplating mind, the nearing end of one lifetime resembles an eon’s end. The three poisons are like three disasters, with fire first. Calming stops it, like one spit extinguishing fire; illuminating contemplation observes it, like one breath forming the world〔and so forth〕.

From the phrase “hearing what is not heard,” the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra opens many meanings and first lists four alternatives: not-arising-arising, not-arising-not-arising, arising-not-arising, and arising-arising. Through the birthless gate these four embrace cause and result in self-practice and the agent and object of teaching others, omitting nothing.

First is not-arising-arising. The scripture says abiding in the conventional truth and first emerging from the womb is called not-arising-arising. Here the conventional truth means ignorance and Dharma-nature jointly producing all Dharmas, separately differentiated, and thus receiving the name. Settling calming-and-contemplation in the conventional truth means taking it as the inconceivable object; because contemplative practice has been accomplished, this is called abiding. Abiding allows one to be carried in the noble embryo. First opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision and gaining forbearance concerning nonarising is called emerging from the noble embryo. No longer seeing the conventional truth of ignorance is called not-arising; gaining the Buddha’s knowledge and vision is called arising. Great Perfection of Wisdom says Dharmas do not arise yet prajñā arises; this is the same meaning. It is self-practice reaching forbearance concerning nonarising and completing the causal meaning.

Second is not-arising-not-arising. The scripture says not-arising-not-arising is called great nirvāṇa because the mark of arising has been exhausted and it is attained through cultivation of the path. The result is realized through causal practice, hence attained through cultivating the path. When the virtue of severance is complete, ignorance no longer arises; when the virtue of wisdom is complete, the arising of prajñā no longer arises separately. Hence not-arising-not-arising. This is self-practice’s forbearance of quiescent cessation, completing the resultant meaning. Cause and result in self-practice are complete, like simultaneous extinguishing and establishing in one breath and one spit.

Third is arising-not-arising. The scripture first says that when the conventional truth dies it is called arising-not-arising. Ignorance is the root of the conventional truth. Because ignorance is broken, the conventional dies, hence arising-not-arising. The preceding alternative engages principle above, accomplishing the virtue of wisdom, and is called not-arising-arising. This alternative breaks delusion below, accomplishing the virtue of severance, and is called arising-not-arising. Their uses of “not-arising” share a name but point to very different matters and principles. In the preceding alternative, development of wisdom is called arising; here activation of binding karma is called arising. The same character “arising” can mean bondage or liberation. One must not lose the purport through confusion over identical names but distinguish them repeatedly. The preceding alternative is like a breath within a spit; this one like a spit within a breath. Breath and spit are simultaneous, not before and after.

The scripture further explains the same alternative, saying bodhisattvas in the fourth abode are called arising-not-arising because they can receive birth freely. The first explanation of arising-not-arising described the extinction of delusion in self-practice; the repeated explanation describes the arising of transformative function. When bodhisattvas sever the four-abode delusions, they break birth produced by binding karma and can therefore receive birth freely; how much more those who sever the five-abode delusions. The inferior is used to reveal the superior and make the path of transformation still clearer. After severing delusion, people of the Two Vehicles sink into emptiness and cannot do this, so bodhisattvas are specifically named. Extinguishing delusion reveals the spit; arising to transform others reveals the breath.

Fourth is arising-arising. The scripture says all contaminated Dharmas arise thought after thought. This describes the object faced by transformative function. Why does a bodhisattva manifest birth despite nonarising? Because contaminated beings continue without interruption. The bodhisattva thereby gives rise to great compassion, manifests free receipt of birth, and delivers them. At this point the birthless gate fully embraces cause and result in self-practice and agent and object in teaching others.

For the bodhisattvas of the fourth abode, the treatise follows the Bodhisattvabhūmi Sūtra in gathering the abode of first arousal through the tenth ground into six abodes: lineage; understanding-and-practice; pure mind; traces of path-practice; certainty; and ultimate. In the lineage abode, once those with lineage accomplish it, they do not retreat but repeatedly advance and enter the count of six abodes. Those without lineage may be born in good destinations but repeatedly advance and retreat and are not included. Understanding-and-practice is the preparatory stage before the first ground. Pure mind is entry into the first ground, gaining a world-transcending mind and leaving the ordinary obstruction of the mark of self. Traces of path-practice is the second through seventh grounds, abiding in cultivation of the path. Certainty is the eighth and ninth grounds, when recompense-practice has been gained and no retreat occurs. Ultimate is the tenth ground, when practices of learning are exhausted and complete.

The scripture’s fourth abode called arising-not-arising points precisely to the abode of traces of path-practice. From the second ground onward is the stage of entering provisionality to transform others, manifesting birth everywhere without truly receiving birth through karma. The treatise borrows stages of the Distinct Teaching to reveal the Perfect meaning. A person of the Perfect Teaching can benefit others and freely manifest birth upon first emerging from the noble embryo; understood this way, the explanation does not violate the Perfect meaning.

Six Inexpressibles and Expressibility through Ten Causes and Conditions

The scripture further lists six statements: not-arising-arising is inexpressible; arising-arising is inexpressible; arising-not-arising is inexpressible; not-arising-not-arising is inexpressible; arising is inexpressible; and not-arising is inexpressible. These reveal how the birthless gate breaks Dharmas pervasively. The first four break conceivable delusion; the last two break inconceivable delusion.

Although conceivable delusions are many, they do not exceed those within and beyond the realms. Delusions beyond the realms arise in dependence on substance and are called not-arising-arising. Delusions within the realms are branches and tips and are called arising-arising. These confused delusions and karmas are the objects transformed; because these objects exist, bodhisattvas manifest free birth. When the transformed object is unobtainable, where could a transforming agent remain? Agent and object disappear together, so not-arising-arising and arising-arising are both inexpressible.

Although conceivable understandings are many, they likewise do not exceed those within and beyond the realms. Understanding within the realms dispels only birth and death in sections and is called arising-not-arising. Understanding beyond the realms also dispels transformational birth and death and is called not-arising-not-arising. Varied causes and results in self-practice are taught only because understandings differ in shallowness and depth. Yet if principle is not even a fixed one, how could the varieties truly exist? They are now uniformly broken with a spit, so both kinds of understanding are inexpressible.

Breaking inconceivable delusion points only to ignorance. Because of ignorance there is arising, and through arising ignorance is revealed. Ignorance is unobtainable and arising unobtainable; both are broken, so arising is unobtainable. Breaking inconceivable understanding points to perfect understanding. Although perfect understanding distinguishes cause and result from beginning to end, principle is neither partial nor perfect and has no fixed beginning or end. Where could cause and result truly exist? Both are broken, so not-arising is unobtainable. The six statements make the birthless gate’s pervasive breaking very clear.

The Buddha explains them one by one. First, why is not-arising-arising inexpressible? Because not-arising is named arising. Not-arising means Dharma-nature; arising means ignorance. Although people of the Two Vehicles realize nonarising, they still receive Dharma-nature’s arising, so not-arising is again named arising. This is precisely delusion beyond the realms attached to substance. Naming not-arising “arising” is inversion, yet inversion in its intrinsic substance never departs from noninversion. The place of mental activity ceases and the road of language is cut off; it is therefore inexpressible.

Second, why is arising-arising inexpressible? Because arising-arising produces arising and arising-arising produces nonarising. The first arising-arising is a great arising producing a small arising and refers to all contaminated Dharmas moved by the eight marks within the realms. The latter arising-arising producing nonarising means that Dharmas arisen from causes and conditions are empty and Middle in their intrinsic substance. The place of mental activity therefore ceases and the road of language is cut off.

Third, why is arising-not-arising inexpressible? Arising is named arising, yet arising does not arise from itself; therefore it is inexpressible. This arising is prajñā arising though Dharmas do not arise. “Arising does not arise from itself” states only the first alternative. In full, arising comes neither from another, from both, nor without a cause. When prajñā arises, the conventional truth has died and karmic birth no longer occurs. A bodhisattva still enters the three realms, but birth is for conditions, not through karma. Whether the arising of prajñā or freely received birth, both are beyond language and therefore inexpressible.

Fourth, why is not-arising-not-arising inexpressible? Because it is realized through cultivating the path. What cultivation attains is the ultimate result, which even the ten grounds below cannot know; how could language exhaust it? This reveals it as understanding beyond the realms.

Fifth, arising is inexpressible because arising originally does not exist. Arising-arising within the realms and not-arising-arising beyond them are both called arising and ultimately are the arising of ignorance. Arising must depend on conditions. Conditioned arising is empty and Middle; the place of mental activity ceases and the road of language is cut off.

Sixth, not-arising is inexpressible because it has something realized. Inconceivable understanding, understanding within the realms, and understanding beyond them are all gained through cultivating the path. What is attained reaches principle, and principle transcends mind and mouth; it is therefore inexpressible. The six statements pervasively break every delusion and understanding, further revealing the birthless gate’s pervasive breaking.

According to the Buddha Treasury Sūtra’s simile, the first four alternatives both blow and spit, while the latter two conclude the preceding blowing and spitting. Within the six statements themselves, the emphasis is pervasive breaking. The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says that from the night of attaining the path through the night of nirvāṇa, the Buddha did not speak one character. He speaks in this way because of two Dharmas: self-Dharma and originally abiding Dharma. Self-Dharma is what the Buddha realized and what I likewise realize, without increase or decrease, free from language, delusive thought, writing, and the two destinations. Freedom from language and delusive thought is inconceivability; freedom from writing is freedom from provisional names; freedom from the two destinations is freedom from speaker and spoken, thinker and thought, name and named.

Originally abiding Dharma is the ancient noble path and the constant abiding of the Dharma realm. A road leading into a city, for example, is provided for people to travel and was not made by the traveler. A person follows the road into the city, yet the city was not made by the person arriving. A man sees a level great road, follows it into the city, and enjoys happiness as wished. The constant-abiding Dharma realm realized by this Buddha and past buddhas is likewise, and therefore not one character was spoken between the two nights.

Self-Dharma and originally abiding Dharma are decisive Dharmas and do not change through speech or discrimination. Originally abiding Dharma is according with principle; self-Dharma is realizing the real. This shares the meaning of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra’s four inexpressibles. Arising-arising being inexpressible concludes originally abiding Dharma as inexpressible: arising accords with causes and conditions and arises, while the original Dharma remains inexpressible. Arising-not-arising being inexpressible concludes one’s own Dharma of severance as inexpressible. Not-arising-arising being inexpressible concludes one’s own Dharma of wisdom as inexpressible. Not-arising-not-arising being inexpressible concludes ultimate self-realization as inexpressible. Finally, arising being inexpressible summarizes originally abiding Dharma; not-arising being inexpressible summarizes self-realized Dharma.

After the inexpressible, the scripture says ten Dharmas of causes and conditions serve as causes for arising and can therefore be expressed. This is pervasive establishment through the birthless gate, like one breath forming everything. The ten causes and conditions run from the link of ignorance through the link of existence and are used to establish Dharmas. Establishment has three meanings: establishing beings, establishing faculties and conditions, and establishing voiced teaching.

To establish beings: the two past causes of ignorance and formations bring about the five present results of consciousness, name-and-form, six sense fields, contact, and feeling. Their conjunction through causes and conditions establishes the five aggregates and provisionally names a being. To establish faculties and conditions: in the past, beings may have practiced analysis of Dharmas, embodiment of Dharmas, gradual practice, or sudden practice. The practice becomes karma and is moistened by ignorance, bringing about the five results in this life. On the recompense of these five aggregates, original habituation then arises, separately giving rise to four forms of craving, grasping, and existence—analytical, embodied, gradual, and perfect-and-sudden. Their arising forms four kinds of faculties and conditions.

To establish voiced teaching: analytical craving, grasping, and existence bring about the Tripiṭaka Teaching. This is arising-arising being inexpressible, and because ten causes and conditions serve as causes for arising-arising, arising-arising can be taught. Embodied-Dharma craving, grasping, and existence bring about the Shared Teaching. This is arising-not-arising being inexpressible and therefore expressible as arising-not-arising. Gradual craving, grasping, and existence bring about the Distinct Teaching. This is not-arising-arising being inexpressible and therefore expressible as not-arising-arising. Perfect-and-sudden craving, grasping, and existence bring about the Perfect Teaching. This is not-arising-not-arising being inexpressible and therefore expressible as not-arising-not-arising.

Once beings are established, every cause and result of delusion and every object transformed are established. Once faculties and teaching are established, every cause and result of understanding and practice and every transforming agent are established. This is the birthless gate’s one establishment establishing all, hearing the a-letter gate and understanding every meaning, and one breath forming everything. The Bodhisattvabhūmi Sūtra’s four maturations are then used: śrāvaka lineage, pratyekabuddha lineage, buddha lineage, and bodhisattva lineage correspond to four faculties; those without these four lineages are matured in good destinations. Buddha lineage corresponds to Perfect faculties and bodhisattva lineage to Distinct faculties. Whether or not a buddha is present, the bodhisattva seed can successively sever the obstruction of afflictions and obstruction of knowledge, hence it is classified as a Distinct faculty. Śrāvaka lineage has two kinds: separate wholesome roots correspond to Tripiṭaka faculties; retreating from the Great and taking the Small corresponds to Shared faculties. The four maturations are thereby integrated into four faculties and conditions.

Someone asks: if the six statements are one breaking breaking all and the ten conditions one establishment establishing all, while the first four alternatives both break and establish, should there also be a fourth mode that neither breaks nor establishes? Answer: at the beginning of fascicle nineteen, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says ten meritorious matters are inconceivable and make hearers startled, then speaks of neither difficult nor easy, internal nor external, mark nor nonmark, square nor round, pointed nor slanted. This is the textual meaning of neither breaking nor establishing.

Another asks: if the birthless gate embraces all Dharmas, are there then no other gates? Answer: the birthless gate embraces the other gates, and the other gates embrace the birthless gate. According to the virtue of wisdom, there are gates of arising, nonarising, both arising and nonarising, and neither arising nor nonarising. Each again has four gates, making sixteen. According to the virtue of severance, there are gates of ceasing, nonceasing, both ceasing and nonceasing, and neither ceasing nor nonceasing. Each again has four, making sixteen; together the two groups make thirty-two gates.

The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra uses moonlight increasing on the fifteenth day as a simile for the virtue of wisdom and decreasing after the sixteenth as a simile for the virtue of severance. The moon’s substance originally neither increases nor decreases; increase is spoken according to the bright fortnight and decrease according to the dark. The true mark has no actual wisdom or severance. Wisdom is spoken according to illumination and severance according to quiescence. The birthless gate’s embracing all Dharmas and reaching the highest is vertical embrace; embracing all Dharmas broadly and universally is horizontal embrace.

Someone further asks: since it is called the birthless gate, object, delusion, wisdom, and severance should all be called birthless. Why suddenly speak of not-arising-arising, arising-arising, and freedom in birth? Answer: these terms still help reveal the birthless gate. The arising of forbearance concerning nonarising is called not-arising-arising. The beings transformed are called arising-arising. Bodhisattva application is called freedom in birth. It remains the birthless gate: according to the spit it is nonarising, while according to the breath it is not-arising-arising and the others, more fully revealing how one gate embraces Dharmas universally. This completes the explanation of “gate” through the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra〔and so forth〕.

Three Modes of Pervasive Breaking and the Three Contemplations in One Mind

The proper explanation of pervasive breaking follows and has three kinds. First, following the birthless gate from beginning to end and exhausting source and bottom is vertically pervasively breaking through Dharmas. Second, passing through every Dharma gate and exhausting source and bottom in each from beginning to end is horizontally pervasively breaking through Dharmas. Third, horizontal and vertical being nondual while likewise exhausting source and bottom from beginning to end is neither-horizontal-nor-vertical pervasive breaking. Vertical describes height and horizontal breadth. Bring the vertical into the horizontal and no horizontal place lacks height; bring the horizontal into the vertical and no vertical place lacks breadth. The great cart is both high and broad. Horizontal and vertical being nondual, it is neither horizontal nor vertical; Dharma is originally equal, without high or low.

Pervasive breaking through the birthless gate further divides into three: entering emptiness through provisionality; entering provisionality through emptiness; and taking the first two contemplations as preparatory means to enter the ultimate truth of the Middle Way. The three contemplations are actually in one mind. Only because the wondrous Dharma is difficult to understand are three names used to reveal one. The Great Treatise says: “The three wisdoms are actually in one mind; in order to explain them to people and make understanding easy, they are separately assigned to three people.” The Buddhāvataṃsaka sometimes teaches dull faculties to cultivate through kalpas and sharp faculties to accomplish correct awakening upon first arousing the mind. The Lotus Sutra directly says to abandon preparatory means and teach only the unsurpassed path. Here the Distinct Teaching’s sequence is borrowed to reveal the Perfect Teaching’s total mark, using sequence to explain the nonsequential.

Entering emptiness through provisionality further divides into the provisionality of views, provisionality of thought, and analysis of four gates. Entering emptiness through provisional views first clarifies provisional views and afterward the contemplation of emptiness.

How the Affliction of Views Becomes a Fourfold Net

The affliction of views arises in dependence on true substance and can obscure it, like a shimmering mirage arising in dependence on space and disturbing one’s sight of space, or like a dream arising through sleep and making the sleeper confused. Until dream ceases, the sleeper cannot wake; until the affliction of views is removed, true substance cannot appear. In fact, true seeing is seeing principle, and seeing reality itself is not delusion. This delusion is called the affliction of views because it can be severed when principle is seen; its name is derived from understanding. It has four classes: four single views, four compound views, fully endowed four views, and a wordless view.

The four single views are attachment to existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, and neither existence nor nonexistence. Take only the view of existence. Attachment to an existent self, believing that self and existence coexist, constantly gives rise to a self-mind corresponding with self; this is the view of self. Taking a self produces extreme views. When self-view and extreme views destroy worldly and world-transcending cause and result, they form deviant view. Taking this as a road expected to lead to nirvāṇa is grasping precepts. Deciding this view alone is real, all others are false speech, and refusing them is grasping views. Agreement with one’s own Dharma produces craving; disagreement produces anger. Thinking “I understand and others do not” produces conceit. Failure to know the suffering and accumulation within the view of existence is delusion; indecision is doubt.

These ten agents extend through the four truths of the desire realm. Under the truth of suffering are all ten. Under accumulation are seven, excluding self-view, extreme views, and grasping precepts. Under the path are eight, excluding self-view and extreme views. Under cessation are seven, excluding self-view, extreme views, and grasping precepts. Together they make thirty-two. The form realm has twenty-eight under its four truths, and the formless realm likewise twenty-eight, each excluding anger. The three realms total eighty-eight agents.

The view of nonexistence, view of both existence and nonexistence, and view of neither existence nor nonexistence each likewise possesses eighty-eight agents. Passing through the sixty-two views, every view again possesses eighty-eight agents. Waves of inversion surge without number; the net of deviant views grows ever denser and obscures true principle. The treatise further considers the six faculties facing agreeable, disagreeable, and neutral objects and passes each through categories of defilement and purity. One faculty has three; each of the three has six; six faculties make thirty-six, and three times make 108. These are then passed through the sixty-two views and eighty-eight agents, every item possessing 108. Thus one raising of mind or movement of thought is vast without boundary, dark and blind without the slightest awareness〔and so forth〕.

Some teachers of the time held that existence and both-existence-and-nonexistence alone are views, while nonexistence and neither-existence-nor-nonexistence are not. This violates both scripture and their own position. Scripture says that relying on the views produces the complete sixty-two; under their account, the number could never be reached. The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā breaks self-nature and other-nature. If existence is self-nature, the nonexistence stated in relation to existence is other-nature. Both existence and nonexistence are natures; how could nonexistence not be a view? This nonexistence is also not the nonexistence that realizes principle and therefore certainly remains a view.

Through past-eon past-views and future-eon future-views, non-Buddhists need only give rise to one slight thought of calculation to decide that their speech is real and all others false. They thereby increase assertions and negations, intensify the poison of self, and construct birth and death like someone seizing a head and pulling out hair. Although Dīghanakha said he accepted no Dharma, he still accepted nonacceptance. Not knowing suffering and accumulation, he fell into two defeats when the Buddha asked one question. If someone as brilliant as Dīghanakha did not escape views, how could a coarser attachment be mistakenly judged correct? These all belong to the four single views.

The four compound views are: existence-existence and existence-nonexistence; nonexistence-existence and nonexistence-nonexistence; both-existence-and-nonexistence-existence and both-existence-and-nonexistence-nonexistence; neither-existence-nor-nonexistence-existence and neither-existence-nor-nonexistence-nonexistence. Every view possesses eighty-eight agents. Passing through the sixty-two views, each again possesses eighty-eight agents and 108 afflictions as above.

The fully endowed four views place four alternatives within every sentence. The view of existence contains existence-existence, existence-nonexistence, existence-both-existence-and-nonexistence, and existence-neither-existence-nor-nonexistence. The view of nonexistence contains nonexistence-existence, nonexistence-nonexistence, nonexistence-both-existence-and-nonexistence, and nonexistence-neither-existence-nor-nonexistence. The view of both existence and nonexistence contains both-existence-and-nonexistence-existence, both-existence-and-nonexistence-nonexistence, both-existence-and-nonexistence-both-existence-and-nonexistence, and both-existence-and-nonexistence-neither-existence-nor-nonexistence. The view of neither existence nor nonexistence contains neither-existence-nor-nonexistence-existence, neither-existence-nor-nonexistence-nonexistence, neither-existence-nor-nonexistence-both-existence-and-nonexistence, and neither-existence-nor-nonexistence-neither-existence-nor-nonexistence. Every alternative possesses eighty-eight agents; every one of the sixty-two views again possesses eighty-eight agents and 108 afflictions.

A wordless view establishes a separate wordlessness outside the four single alternatives, another outside the four compound alternatives, and another outside the fully endowed alternatives. Every wordless view likewise produces eighty-eight agents, sixty-two views, 108 afflictions, and the rest. These have first been explained according to non-Buddhists. Views can also arise in relation to the Buddha-Dharma. Each of the Tripiṭaka, Shared, Distinct, and Perfect Teachings has four gates, and every gate can produce one view. Outside each set of four gates a wordless view can arise, and every view likewise produces the eighty-eight agents, sixty-two views, 108 afflictions, and the rest.

Why Views Are Also Called the Three Provisionalities

The affliction of views is not only named from the liberating understanding capable of seeing principle; in its own substance it can directly be called provisional. Provisional means false and inverted. The preceding classes can therefore also be called four single provisionalities, four compound provisionalities, and fully endowed four provisionalities, each with its wordless provisionality. The sixteen gates of the Buddha-Dharma also produce sixteen provisionalities. Every provisionality further contains three: formed by causes, continuity, and relation.

Speaking of mind, a Dharma-object facing the mental faculty and producing one thought is provisionality formed by causes. Preceding and following thoughts continuing in uninterrupted sequence are provisionality of continuity. Knowing this mind to exist in relation to other states without mind is provisionality of relation. Formation by causes simultaneously concerns external object and internal faculty. Continuity concerns only the internal faculty’s thoughts before and after. Relation, vertically, is relation to the nonexistence of cessation and, horizontally, to the absence of mind in the three unconditioned Dharmas.

Kaishan says, “The third provisionality arises because of the first two and may further exceed them.” The treatise explains: when the third arises, it arises because of the first two and therefore includes them; before the earlier provisionalities have been removed, the third also arises and therefore exceeds them. This explains the three provisionalities in relation to mind.

In relation to the body of form, past formative karma relying on parents to obtain this body is provisionality formed by causes. The body continuing before and after from the womb to white hair is continuity. This body established in relation to what is not body is relation. Dependent recompense also has three provisionalities. Four subtle elements conjoining to form a pillar is formation by causes. The pillar changing with the seasons yet continuing uninterrupted is continuity. The pillar established in relation to what is not a pillar, as well as long, short, large, and small, is relation. These are the three provisionalities of the Tripiṭaka scriptures as taught according to phenomena; detailed explanations follow the various treatise masters.

The names of the three provisionalities are not limited to the Small Vehicle; the Great Vehicle also uses them. Dharmas arise attached to ignorance, like illusions and transformations, with names alone and no obtainable reality. If even the four subtle elements that form a pillar in a mirror are unobtainable, how much more the illusory pillar they form? If the pillar is unobtainable, where could continuity through the seasons or relational illusory length and shortness remain? Extending from what is easy to see to what is difficult opens ten similes. Form is empty in its intrinsic substance, not empty only after form has ceased; this is the meaning. These are the Great Vehicle’s three provisionalities according to principle.

The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom further explains three kinds of existence. First, relational existence: long is established through short and short through long; this and that are likewise. One thing lies east, but viewed from another side is west. The object itself has not changed yet east and west differ, so the name exists without a reality. Second, nominal existence: curds are provisionally named from the conjunction of the four conditions form, scent, taste, and touch. Though curds exist, their existence differs from that of the causal and conditional components. Though absent, they differ from the absence of rabbit horns and turtle hair. Curds exist as a provisional name only through the conjunction of conditions. Again, subtle form, scent, taste, and touch produce hair-parts; hair-parts produce felted fiber; fiber produces cloth; cloth produces clothing. All are nominal existences. Third, Dharma-existence: the conjunction of the four subtle elements form, scent, taste, and touch is called Dharma-existence.

Another passage in the treatise explains three provisional designations—Dharma, reception, and name. How do these correspond with the three provisionalities? Setting distinct meanings aside for the moment, they can be integrated generally: Dharma-provisional designation is like formation by causes, reception-provisional designation like continuity, and name-provisional designation like relation. Dharmas such as the five aggregates are Dharma-provisional designation. The conjunction of five aggregates named a being, like the conjunction of roots, trunk, branches, and leaves producing the name tree, is reception-provisional designation. Using a name to take the marks of two Dharmas and speak of them is name-provisional designation. The Sūtra of the Original Acts that Adorn the Bodhisattva also has a passage on three provisionalities. Great Perfection of Wisdom says thought arises with conditions and does not arise without them, revealing formation by causes. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says moments of recitation cease yet one proceeds from one Āgama to another, and moments of eating cease yet one proceeds from initial hunger to later fullness, revealing continuity. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says Dharmas do not stand in relation and one thought does not abide, revealing relation.

The three provisionalities are used in both Small and Great Vehicles. Each of the four views produced by the four Tripiṭaka gates has three provisionalities, sixty-two views, 108 afflictions, and the rest〔and so forth〕. The Shared, Distinct, and Perfect Teachings likewise each have four views produced by four gates, and every view similarly possesses three provisionalities, sixty-two views, 108 afflictions, and the rest. The Tathāgata’s teaching gates originally reveal the uncontested Dharma. Those able to digest them gain ambrosia; for those unable, they become poison. Even true speech can become false through the arising of a view concerning speech. Views and provisionalities can therefore arise within four gates and sixteen gates〔and so forth〕.

Abbreviated Contemplation: Mirage and Space, Dream and Sleep

The contemplation that breaks provisionality follows and has three parts: contemplation breaking provisionality, distinguishing gains and losses, and clarifying stages. Contemplation breaking provisionality further divides into breaking the single, compound, fully endowed, and wordless. Breaking the single is first explained briefly and then extensively.

In the brief explanation, whenever one thought arises, it falls into one of the four single views. Every view possesses the three provisionalities, is false and unreal, and carries the eighty-eight agents and various evils. The practitioner should embody this penetration: shimmering movement depends on a mirage, and the mirage on empty space. Empty space itself has no dependence, and not even a real space can be obtained; where then are movement or mirage? Or consider a dream in sleep containing hundreds and thousands of sorrows and joys. On waking, beginning and end are quiescent and ultimately pure. Settling in this way is called calming.

Next contemplate ignorance as itself Dharma-nature, the two neither dual nor different. Dharma-nature is originally pure, neither arising nor ceasing; the deluded mind of ignorance is likewise pure in its intrinsic substance. Who then arises and who ceases? To say this mind arises and ceases horizontally imposes arising and ceasing upon Dharma-nature. Dharma-nature does not arise; who gives rise to sorrow? Dharma-nature does not cease; who gives rise to joy? Without sorrow and joy, who distinguishes this as Dharma-nature and that as ignorance? Contemplator and contemplated are both like empty space. Contemplating in this way, ultimately pure, is called entering emptiness through provisionality. A person of sharp faith-practice awakens upon hearing; a person of sharp Dharma-practice gains understanding after reflection.

People of dull faculties not only fail to awaken through hearing and reflection but increase various faults. The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā says: “In the future age, people’s faculties will grow dull. They will commit evils and fail to know the causes and conditions within them. Ultimate emptiness is therefore taught, and for this reason contemplative methods are broadly established and explained in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.” The treatise says the present is also so. For dull faculties, single and compound views must be broken extensively through wordlessness, uniformly using the four alternatives of arising from self, another, both, or no cause to cleanse attachment completely.

Extensively Breaking Provisionality Formed by Causes: Where Does One Thought Arise From?

The arising of one thought possesses the three provisionalities. First examine formation by causes. Does this thought arise from mind itself, from an external object, from faculty and object together, or apart from faculty and object?

If mind produces itself, take the preceding thought as faculty and following thought as consciousness and ask whether faculty produces mind or consciousness produces mind. If faculty can produce consciousness, ask again whether faculty already has consciousness and produces consciousness, or lacks consciousness and produces it. If faculty already has consciousness, faculty and consciousness stand together without producer or produced. If a faculty without consciousness can produce it, everything lacking consciousness should produce consciousness, which is not so. If one says the faculty lacks consciousness but possesses consciousness-nature, is this nature existent or nonexistent? If it exists already, consciousness is already in the faculty; why call it a nature? If the faculty lacks consciousness-nature, it cannot produce consciousness.

One must also ask whether consciousness-nature and consciousness are one or different. If one, the nature is consciousness and there is still no producer or produced. If different, it becomes arising from another rather than mind producing itself. Sought in this way, mind ultimately does not arise from itself. If one turns to saying an external object stimulates inner mind and mind therefore arises from another, the external object must be examined separately.

Does an external object produce mind while itself being mind, or while not being mind? If the object is itself mind, it cannot be called object or stand outside the mental faculty; this remains self-arising. Two minds would also stand together without agent or object. If the object is not mind, how can it produce mind? If one says the object has a producing-nature and can therefore produce mind, ask whether this nature exists or not. If it exists, nature and object stand together without agent or object. If absent, absence cannot produce. Mind therefore ultimately does not arise from an object.

If faculty and object conjoin to produce mind, ask whether each possesses mind separately and produces it through conjunction, or each lacks mind and produces it through conjunction. If each possesses mind, conjunction produces two minds and falls into self-nature and other-nature. If each lacks mind, conjunction still has no mind. Consider mirror and face. If each has an image, conjunction should produce two; if each lacks an image, conjunction cannot produce one. If one says mirror and face become one and only then produce the image, they never actually unite; if they did, no image would remain. If one says the image arises while they are separate, each should have an image on its own side, which is not so. Examine the conjunction and separation of faculty and object likewise. If one separately says that faculty and object each have mind-nature and their conjunction produces mind, mind-nature must still be examined as existent or nonexistent and broken point by point as above〔and so forth〕.

If faculty and object each remain separate and produce mind, this is arising without causes and conditions. Ask whether this separation truly exists or not. If separation exists, arising still depends on one condition and cannot be called separate. If separation is absent, how can absence produce? If one says separation has a producing-nature, an existent nature still means arising from a condition, while a nonexistent nature cannot produce. Sought in this way, mind ultimately does not arise from separation.

When arising is unobtainable through all four alternatives, Dharmas arise neither from themselves, from another, from both, nor without a cause. The real nature of provisionality formed by causes has been thinned and broken, leaving only the name “mind arises.” The name is neither internal, external, nor in between and does not constantly abide by itself. Once the name does not abide, a nonabiding cannot be grasped separately. Although mind has a name, the name is empty in its intrinsic substance. Seeking real nature through four alternatives and not seeing it is the conventional truth breaking nature and is called nature-emptiness. Seeking the name through four alternatives and not seeing it is the true truth breaking provisionality and is called mark-emptiness. Nature and mark both empty form the total contemplation of entering emptiness through provisionality.

This can be unfolded through the eighteen emptinesses. Failing to find mind in the faculty is internal emptiness. Failing to find it in the object is external emptiness. Failing to find it in their conjunction is internal-and-external emptiness. Failing to find it apart from faculty and object is emptiness of emptiness. Failing to find four natures of arising is nature-emptiness. Failing to find provisional names through four alternatives is mark-emptiness. Failing to find divisions in the ten directions within the object is great emptiness. Failing to find the reason for highest and last is emptiness of ultimate meaning. Failing to obtain causes and conditions through four alternatives is conditioned emptiness. Because the unconditioned is explained in dependence on the conditioned, when conditioned is unobtainable, unconditioned is likewise unobtainable; this is unconditioned emptiness. Failing to find the mind’s initial arising through four alternatives is beginningless emptiness. Failing to find its cessation is dispersal-emptiness. Failing to find arising and ceasing, and even failing to find a mind of nonarising and nonceasing, is ultimate emptiness. The three realms have no separate Dharma and are constructed only by one mind; now failing to find mind is all-emptiness. Contemplating mind as no mind and emptiness as no emptiness is nonattainment-emptiness. Failing to find the three provisionalities of the view of existence is emptiness of existent Dharmas. Failing to find those of the view of nonexistence is emptiness of nonexistent Dharmas. Failing to find those of both-existence-and-nonexistence is emptiness of neither Dharma nor non-Dharma. Together these make eighteen contemplations entering emptiness through provisionality.

Provisionality of Continuity: How Does a Preceding Thought Connect to the Next?

If breaking formation by causes still does not produce awakening, turn to examine continuity. Someone may say: even if mind’s arising cannot be obtained by seeking formation by causes through four alternatives, thoughts visibly arise and cease before one’s eyes and continue without interruption; how can they be called unborn? Ask again: does the following thought arise after the preceding thought ceases, while it does not cease, while it both ceases and does not cease, or while it neither ceases nor does not cease?

First, if the preceding thought does not cease and the following thought arises, a thought produces another thought by itself. Two arisings stand simultaneously, leaving no producer or produced. If one says the preceding thought has an arising-nature that can produce the following, ask whether this nature exists or not. If it exists already, it is a ready-made Dharma and no longer merely nature. If absent, it cannot produce.

Second, if the preceding thought ceases and the following arises, noncessation-arising has already been judged self-nature; now arising through cessation, with noncessation in relation to cessation, becomes other-nature. Ask whether arising is present in cessation and arises, or absent and arises. If present, it is merely arising producing arising; arising and cessation contradict each other, so it cannot be called arising through cessation. If no arising is present in cessation, how can absence arise? If an arising-nature is separately established within cessation, break it as above.

Third, if the preceding thought both ceases and does not cease and the following arises, cessation already belongs to the cessation alternative and nonceasing to the nonceasing alternative. Joining opposites to produce is joint arising. Yet how can contradictory Dharmas jointly produce? If each has arising, there is the error of two arisings. If neither has arising, their conjunction does not arise. If one says cessation and nonceasing contain a separate arising-nature, a definitely existent nature means one should no longer say both cessation and nonceasing, while a definitely nonexistent nature cannot establish them. This alternative cannot escape the two errors of annihilation and permanence and remains joint arising.

Fourth, if the preceding thought neither ceases nor does not cease and the following arises, ask whether this neither-ceasing-nor-nonceasing exists. If it does, there is a cause and it cannot be called causeless. If absent, causelessness cannot produce. If an arising-nature is said to exist within no cause, that nature is itself a cause; how can it be called causeless? Without arising-nature, absence still cannot produce.

Seeking continuity through four alternatives, mind remains unobtainable. With no four real natures, attachment to continuous mind becomes thin and only the name mind remains. This name abides neither internally, externally, nor between and does not constantly exist by itself. Continuity lacking real nature is the conventional truth breaking nature and is called nature-emptiness. Even the provisional name of continuity being unobtainable is the true truth breaking provisionality and is called mark-emptiness. Nature and mark both empty can again be unfolded into eighteen emptinesses as above. This is contemplation entering emptiness through provisionality of continuity.

Provisionality of Relation: Can Mind Truly Be Established by Awaiting No-Mind?

If one still cannot enter after continuity is broken, one may think that mind exists precisely in relation to no-mind; relational delusion then arises. It differs from the first two provisionalities. Formation by causes takes the conjunction of faculty and object. Continuity vertically takes only thoughts before and after in the mental faculty, and the cessation opposed to arising is a particular cessation, so its range is narrow. Relation stands against general cessation and has a wider range. Although the three unconditioned Dharmas are not all cessation, each can be called nonarising. Someone therefore establishes the arising of mind in relation to the nonarising of empty space, forming provisionality of relation.

This delusion arises because of the first two and therefore includes them; while the first two remain, it also exceeds them in arising and therefore surpasses them. Structurally, a nonarising Dharma-object facing the mental faculty and producing mind also includes formation by causes. The preceding provisional mind continuing into the present also includes continuity. The first two provisionalities never produced delusion in relation to general cessation; the present one does and therefore further exceeds them. This borrows inherited names to reveal provisionality of relation; the explanation itself does not wholly agree with the old account.

Now examine this mind: does it arise in relation to nonarising, arising, both arising and nonarising, or neither arising nor nonarising?

First, if mind arises in relation to nonarising, ask whether this nonarising exists or not. If an available nonarising truly exists, it has become a kind of existence and this is really relation to existence. Existence standing against existence falls into self-arising. If nonarising does not exist at all, absence provides nothing to stand against. If one says mind arises precisely by standing against this absence, mind should arise wherever anything is absent. With absence standing against existence, absence becomes other and falls into arising from another. If one says that though nonarising is absent it possesses an arising-nature, ask whether this nature has arisen or not. If arisen, it is a ready-made arising rather than a nature; if unarisen, it cannot produce.

Second, if mind arises in relation to arising, this is arising standing against arising, like long standing against long; no relation can be established. If the account changes to say mind’s arising appears through arising standing against nonarising, as long appears through short, two errors arise at once: if each side exists, two arisings stand together; if neither exists, both are wholly unobtainable.

Third, if mind arises in relation to both arising and nonarising, this joins the first two alternatives and retains the shared errors: if each exists, two arisings result; if neither exists, no arising can occur. Arising and nonarising contradict each other and cannot jointly produce one mind. If an arising-nature exists separately within them, it must still be examined through existence, nonexistence, identity, and difference and cannot stand.

Fourth, if mind arises in relation to neither arising nor nonarising, even arising through causes and conditions is unobtainable, much less without causes and conditions. Ask whether this causelessness exists or not. If it exists, it remains relation to existence. If absent, it remains relation to absence and cannot be called causeless. If a separate nature is established, and the nature exists, ask again whether it is arising or nonarising. If already arising, it is no longer nature; if not arising, it cannot produce.

Seeking provisionality of relation through four alternatives, mind’s arising is likewise unobtainable. Real nature unobtainable, attachment thins and only a name remains; yet arising of the name is not real arising in its intrinsic substance. The name is neither internal, external, nor between and does not constantly exist by itself; ultimately it has no possession. Seeking nature and not finding it is the conventional truth breaking nature and is called nature-emptiness. Seeking the name and not finding it is the true truth breaking provisionality and is called mark-emptiness. Seeking the five aggregates, twelve sense fields, and eighteen elements within nature and mark and not finding them is emptiness of Dharmas. Seeking person, self, knower, and seer and not finding them is emptiness of beings. This can again be unfolded into eighteen emptinesses. Entering emptiness through provisionality of relation develops the wisdom-eye and sees the ultimate meaning.

Not only are the three provisionalities of one view of existence removed; every affliction of views is thereby purified and correct wisdom appears. This is called the birthless gate communicating with calming-and-contemplation and calming-and-contemplation accomplishing the birthless gate. If awakening still does not occur, calming-and-contemplation must be skillfully used to break provisional views, making faith-practice and Dharma-practice shift into a path of preparatory means that suppresses the view of existence and immeasurable afflictions. Once delusion is suppressed, this is called wholesome contaminated five aggregates. When the view of existence no longer arises, one may turn into a view of nonexistence, which must be broken at the next level.

Three Kinds of Faculties and the Illness of the View of Nonexistence

Whether hearing or reflection succeeds in breaking views varies with faculties. A person of superior faculties hears contemplation of arising, immediately knows arising as nonarising, breaks attachment, and awakens. A person of middling faculties has lighter attachment and, though the real has not arisen, can suppress views and form the wholesome contaminated five aggregates of preparatory means. A person of inferior faculties is deeply attached; on hearing that arising cannot be found, this person instead treats nonarising as truly existent and produces a new view of nonarising. The view of nonexistence must therefore be broken both generally and particularly.

In general breaking, Great Perfection of Wisdom says: “Even consciousness knowing nonarising is unobtainable, much less consciousness knowing arising.” It also says: “Even consciousness knowing arising is unobtainable, much less consciousness knowing nonarising.” Arising and nonarising are both unobtainable; the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra also broadly breaks the view of nonarising. The principle of nonarising cannot be known by discriminating consciousness, so how could a calculation of emotional consciousness be taken for it? Abandoning existence and attaching to nonexistence is like a measuring-worm bending between two ends or a monkey leaping from one branch to another, still moving back and forth within delusive views. It should not be grasped as true.

In particular breaking, the practitioner uses calming-and-contemplation to break the provisionalities of formation by causes, continuity, and relation in the view of existence. Nature and mark are temporarily unseen, and the practitioner enters concentration indistinctly. Inner and outer do not appear, before and after do not appear, and there is no relational contrast. The person may abide quiescently in concentration or suddenly feel that body and mind have wholly vanished and everything is pure. A mind-object of nonexistence then appears. Believing that birthless calming-and-contemplation has been attained and concentration and wisdom accomplished, the person becomes attached. Once attached to this empty thought, even the buddhas cannot transform the person.

Why can they not transform this person? Through contemplation of mind, only one part subtle concentration and one part empty understanding have arisen. This remains an empty Dharma-object corresponding with mind and has nothing to do with true nonarising. Non-Buddhists and Buddhist disciples can both contemplate emptiness. The difference is that non-Buddhists become attached to the wisdom contemplating emptiness and take the newly arisen empty object for nirvāṇa. Once there is a contemplator, self-view forms. From self-view arise the ten sharp and dull agents through all eighty-eight, while birth and death remain vast. All these faults arise through attachment to the empty object, obstruct the true, lose the path, and prevent entry into nirvāṇa.

When a Buddhist disciple contemplates nonarising and an empty mind arises, the disciple immediately knows it to be craving. Whatever Dharma arises and is craved is ignorance; ignorance in turn produces self-view and the other eighty-eight agents, each possessing three provisionalities. Such a disciple never mistakes it for true nonarising. The three provisionalities of this empty mind are as follows. Once the three provisionalities of the existence-view are suppressed, a nonarising Dharma-object facing the mental faculty produces one thought of empty mind: formation by causes. After the mind of arising ceases, the mind of nonarising arises in succession: continuity. The suddenly manifest nonarising stands in relation to the preceding arising: relation.

The nonarising mind is then examined through four alternatives: does it arise from the mental faculty itself, from a Dharma-object as other, through faculty and object together, or apart from them? In examining the mental faculty, ask again whether faculty or consciousness produces it. If faculty has consciousness, there is no agent and object; if it lacks consciousness, absence cannot produce. If a consciousness-nature is separately posited, existence/nonexistence and identity/difference must still be asked, and none can stand. In examining the Dharma-object, if the object has mind there is no agent and object, while if it lacks mind it cannot produce. If object and mind are one, there is again no agent or object; if different, a different Dharma cannot produce. Joint arising has both errors at once, while arising apart fails because even conditioned arising is unobtainable, much less arising without a cause〔and so forth〕.

The nonarising mind therefore arises neither from self, another, both, nor separation. It has no four natures and is called nature-empty. Although there is no real mind, the character “mind” remains as a provisional name; because the name is neither inside nor outside, it is mark-empty. The eighteen emptinesses can then be opened as above. This still enters the ultimate meaning from provisionality into emptiness. Once the provisionality of the nonexistence-view is broken, earlier and later obstructions can be removed and correct wisdom arise. If they are not yet removed, cultivate calming-and-contemplation diligently, shifting faith-practice and Dharma-practice into a path of preparatory means that suppresses suffering and accumulation and the eighty-eight agents within aggregates, sense fields, and elements. Through diligent cultivation, the three provisionalities of the nonexistence-view cease to arise, yet one may turn into the view of both existence and nonexistence, which must also be examined and broken〔and so forth〕.

Both Existence and Nonexistence, and Neither Existence nor Nonexistence, Remain Views

Having skillfully used calming-and-contemplation to suppress the nonexistence-view so its provisionalities do not arise, the practitioner advances one part in concentration and wisdom and may suddenly give rise to a mind of both existence and nonexistence. The thought is: if mind were wholly nonexistent, who would know nonarising? Nonarising is nonexistence, while the knower is existence. When this mind arises, the person receives and attaches to the view of both, believing it real and refusing to release it, yet not knowing its faults. Dīghanakha likewise believed himself to possess the path while actually remaining within suffering and accumulation; once the Buddha pointed it out, he awakened. If the indication is heard, the attached mind can quickly loosen.

How is it indicated? The five kinds of reception in prajñā are all nonreception. The practitioner presently receives a Dharma-object of both existence and nonexistence and therefore still has the aggregate of feeling. Mind engaging its configuration is perception; applying this Dharma is formations; discriminating it is consciousness. Four aggregates are clearly present. Feeling, perception, and the others become defiled and exist in dependence on the aggregate of form. The mental faculty receiving the Dharma-object of both produces the eighteen elements; interaction between faculty and object produces the twelve sense fields. This is suffering.

Again, believing “I can practice, receive, and know this Dharma” gives rise to the provisionally named self and therefore self-view. Self-view produces extreme views. Denying cause and result is deviant view. Taking this as the path is grasping precepts. Taking it as nirvāṇa is grasping views. Opposition produces anger and compliance pleasure. Thinking “I understand” and looking down on others produces conceit. Not knowing suffering and accumulation is delusion. Great doubt then arises. The ten agents pass through the three realms and fully possess eighty-eight, opposing the real path and following birth and death, all produced from the mind of the both-view. This view-mind also possesses formation by causes, continuity, and relation.

It is broken by examining self, other, both, and separation one by one. The three provisionalities, four alternatives, aggregates, and sense fields have no real nature and are called nature-empty. They possess names alone and the names are also empty, called mark-empty. After nature and mark are empty, the eighteen emptinesses are opened and one enters the ultimate meaning, with correct wisdom appearing. If entry still does not occur, skillfully use the four siddhāntas so faith-practice and Dharma-practice shift, skillfully cultivate calming-and-contemplation, suppress the view, and form wholesome contaminated Dharmas of preparatory means. Once the both-view is suppressed, one may turn to neither existence nor nonexistence.

The view of neither arises after the practitioner suppresses the both-view and suddenly produces a mind detached from existence and nonexistence. The thought is: if mind were fixedly existent, it could not become nonexistent; if fixedly nonexistent, it could not become existent. How could it be both? Because it is not fixedly existent, it is nonexistence-of-existence; because not fixedly nonexistent, nonexistence-of-nonexistence. The first is described as nonarising and the second as nonceasing. Believing this to transcend existence and nonexistence, the person calls it the Middle Way and says it agrees with the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā: the preceding existence-view corresponds to conditionally arisen Dharmas, the nonexistence-view to emptiness, the both-view to provisionality, and the present neither-view to the Middle.

Yet firmly grasping this mind as real produces immeasurable faults. Taking false speech as true has already produced a view concerning speech and is not reality. If reality is permanence, bliss, self, and purity, this mind nevertheless arises and ceases and is therefore not permanent. Because it is received and attached to, it is not bliss. Because it lacks mastery, it is not self. Because stained by views, it is not pure.

The self-mind produces self-view. Self-view moves between existence and nonexistence like a measuring-worm and becomes extreme view. Taking the neither-view as the Middle Way and believing it communicates with birth and death calls the nonpath the path and becomes grasping precepts. Taking it as nirvāṇa while possessing aggregates, sense fields, and elements together with sharp and dull agents becomes grasping views. One also takes it as correct Dharma, destroys worldly cause and result by calling them nonexistence-of-existence, and destroys world-transcending cause and result by calling them nonexistence-of-nonexistence. If it accords not even with worldly correct view and deportment, how could it accord with the world-transcending path? Taking the incorrect as correct is deviant view. Others’ agreement and praise produce craving; opposition and criticism produce anger. Failure to know which part of this mind is poisonous herb and which king of medicines is delusion. Elevating oneself over others is conceit. Great doubt later arises. Even briefly there are ten faults; extensively they cannot be exhausted, and each possesses the three provisionalities〔and so forth〕.

Breaking this view still uses the preceding four-alternative calming-and-contemplation to pursue and examine it〔and so forth〕. Pointing out the five aggregates possessed by views reveals suffering. Pointing out the ten agents reveals accumulation. Breaking through calming-and-contemplation reveals the path. Suppression or severance of the views reveals cessation. Though deviant non-Buddhist understanding and partial attachments within the Buddha-Dharma contain immeasurable faults, the four truths can break them all and turn ordinary into noble. Even the four truths first taught by the Tathāgata in the Āgamas have this power; how much more the remaining three Great Vehicle versions of the four truths? When the neither-view breaks, all delusions break with it, correct wisdom arises, and one enters emptiness through provisionality and sees the ultimate meaning.

If entry still does not occur, the practitioner uses calming-and-contemplation, shifts between faith and Dharma, and the four adaptive preparatory means to suppress afflictions of views, making the attached mind gradually thin, abiding on the path of preparatory means, and forming wholesome contaminated Dharmas. When the neither-view no longer arises, one may turn into a wordless view, which must still be broken〔and so forth〕.

The treatise repeatedly explains faults of views section after section in order earnestly to remind practitioners to recognize poisonous herb and king of medicines within contemplation of mind. If this is truly understood, the poison of views will not be mistaken for Dharma-medicine. Though the sections are numerous, each round has its own object and does not confuse them. Only those who understand can discuss the path together; one who remains blankly blind cannot even distinguish the color of milk.

Wordlessness Does Not Mean One Has Left the Net

When preceding views have been broken slightly, the practitioner may advance in concentration and wisdom and mind and object suddenly become bright and still. Another understanding then arises: existence brings birth and death; all four alternatives are provisional and unreal; true principle lies beyond language, and only transcendence of the four alternatives is nonarising. Believing oneself outside the four alternatives, the person has not actually left them.

Outside the four alternatives are broadly three classes: outside the single, compound, and fully endowed alternatives. If one says only that principle lies beyond language, at most the single four have been left. The second alternative of compound views remains, as does the first alternative of fully endowed views. The net of views is this tight and exceedingly hard to escape. Like demons and goblins being everywhere, each compound and fully endowed view possesses three provisionalities and suffering and accumulation. Contemplation breaking provisionality must be cultivated section by section as above. If the factors of the path can be cultivated within the views, one can awaken section by section, enter emptiness from provisionality, and see the ultimate meaning. If not awakened, first suppress every single, compound, and fully endowed view, form wholesome contaminated five aggregates, and temporarily stop the views; meditative concentration and understanding may then develop.

Another person says the single, compound, and fully endowed alternatives have all been left; the road of speech is cut off, the place of mental activity ceases, and indistinct purity is the birthless and wordless path. Yet this remains an inexpressible wordless view unrelated to the correct path. Although the mouth calls it wordless, speech has not ended, because “absolute” is stated in dependence on “nonabsolute.” The absolute is still established by relation; arising through relation, it cannot be called absolute. It is like trying to flee empty space: wherever one travels, space cannot be escaped.

Every preceding section actually contains horizontal and vertical breaking. Unfolding within one view of existence is horizontal. The four views accumulating layer after layer is vertical. Formation by causes is predominantly horizontal; continuity predominantly vertical; relation both horizontal and vertical; general breaking neither horizontal nor vertical. The preceding discussion has primarily followed horizontal breaking; proper vertical breaking begins below.

Examining the Four Views Vertically through All Teachings and Stages

If the attached mind is existent, existence is arising. Ask what kind of arising it is. Is it the arising of the five methods for calming mind, general establishment of mindfulness, distinct establishments, warmth, summit, forbearance, or highest worldly Dharma? The arising of true illumination in forbearance concerning suffering-Dharma? The arising of renewed consideration and reflection? Of the semblance-path on the ground of dry wisdom? Of seeing the truths on the ground of eight persons or seeing? Of playful spiritual powers and vows supporting residual habit? Of semblance-understanding on the suppressive path of the three worthies? Of true understanding among the ten sages? Of the semblance-path of the iron wheel? Of the true path of the bronze wheel? Or of mastery throughout the Dharma realm? Test the attached mind against these actual arisings of teachings and stages: it accords with none even in the smallest part. If it is still not called a view, what would be?

If mind is attached to as unborn, ask what kind of nonarising it is: nonarising of afflictions of views, of thought, of residual habits, of dust-and-sand delusion, of ignorance, of karma, of recompense, of practice, or of principle? People hear only “unborn” and call it Buddha, often understanding only the Dharma Buddha. Yet the three buddhas can be correlated with Dharma in multiple ways. Nonarising of principle is the Dharma Buddha; nonarising of ignorance, the Recompense Buddha; nonarising of dust-and-sand, views, and thought, the Response Buddha. Or nonarising of ignorance is the Dharma Buddha, nonarising of views and thought the Recompense Buddha, and nonarising of dust-and-sand the Response Buddha. Or nonarising in the stage of karmic practice is the Response Buddha, nonarising of knowledge-karma the Recompense Buddha, and nonarising of principle the Dharma Buddha. Speaking from cause, the Response Buddha arises through the conditioning cause, the Recompense Buddha through the revealing cause, and the Dharma Buddha through the correct cause. The arising of the three buddhas is unborn in its intrinsic substance, and nonarising does not depart from the arising of the three buddhas.

Hearing the a-letter gate should produce understanding of every meaning. How could it be limited to one? Like using a sharp mattock to dig through earth to the vajra layer, hearing one “unborn” should produce universal understanding of every nonarising throughout the Dharma realm. Testing the attached mind against these modes of nonarising, it again accords with none in the smallest part and is therefore a view.

Some criticize the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā for saying only nonarising and nonceasing without realizing profound principle. Afflictions are arising and their movement through the three marks is ceasing; negating only this arising and ceasing, they say, enters emptiness at most and lacks the meaning of the Middle Way. Others explain nonarising and nonceasing as not-not-arising and not-not-ceasing to reveal the Middle Way. Although they intend to support the Middle, they damage the wording and lose its meaning.

Nāgārjuna’s wording both communicates with the Shared and contains the Distinct. “Nonarising” means not arising in the twenty-five existences. “Nonceasing” means not being moved to extinction through the three marks. This breaks twenty kinds of self-view and accomplishes stream-entry through no-more-learning, containing meanings of both Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings. If arising and ceasing are gathered on the side of birth and death and nirvāṇa’s quiescence on the other, simultaneously negating both sides also contains the Distinct meaning. If arising and ceasing are both Dharmas arisen from causes and conditions, they are precisely empty, provisional, and Middle. Precisely empty, they do not arise; precisely provisional, they do not cease; nonarising and nonceasing are the Middle Way, revealing the Perfect meaning. One sentence according to its wording therefore embraces Tripiṭaka and Shared, contains Distinct, and reveals Perfect; all four meanings are clear. Arbitrarily changing the sound is like a stutterer forcing one syllable of “phoenix” into repetition. Adding characters in writing is like placing extra strokes on the original graph and imagining one has helped; in fact one meaning is taken and three gates lost. It is like growing a hanging wart or superfluous appendage on the body: an attempted completion becomes a deficiency.

The treatise next briefly opens ten kinds of nonarising and not-not-arising.

First, all Dharmas can be destroyed and all words transformed; one falls into neither existence nor nonexistence, leaves alternatives and ends speech, and allows no Dharma into mind. This is one kind of nonarising. Even nonarising does not arise and is called not-not-arising. Yet although ordinary discriminating consciousness calls itself unborn, it actually still arises, like the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Nonperception calling itself thoughtless while accomplishing exceedingly subtle perception. This is the not-not-arising of non-Buddhists with deviant views.

Second, the Vātsīputrīyas calculate that self lies in the fifth inexpressible treasury. This is one kind of nonarising; even this nonarising does not arise and is called not-not-arising.

Third, people of the Two Vehicles in the Tripiṭaka Teaching sever views and thought in the three realms: one not-not-view and one not-not-thought, called not-not-arising. Residual habit still arises.

Fourth, a Tripiṭaka buddha exhausts both the direct agents and residual habits: one not-not-direct and one not-not-habit. This is analytical-Dharma not-not-arising.

Fifth, people of the Two Vehicles in the Shared Teaching embody that afflictions of views are originally unborn and those of thought originally unborn; this is called not-not-arising. The treatise also cites the Questions of Brahmā Viśeṣacintin Sūtra saying realization is gained within nonarising and nonactivity. Yet although the Two Vehicles embody views and thought, residual habit still arises.

Sixth, when a Shared-Teaching buddha sits at the seat of awakening, direct agents and residual habits are both exhausted; this too is not-not-arising, though only through not-not-arising of birth and death in sections.

Seventh, a person in the causal stages of the Distinct Teaching severs shared and distinct delusions: one not-not-shared and one not-not-distinct. One grade and one part, two grades and two parts become not-not-arising while higher parts still arise.

Eighth, a buddha of the Distinct Teaching exhausts the higher parts of the agents and is called not-not-arising; this remains the not-not-arising of expedient provisional teaching.

Ninth, a person in the causal stages of the Perfect Teaching is one not-not-shared and one not-not-distinct. Although named not-not-arising, the person remains on causal ground and higher-ground practice, wisdom, recompense, and other arisings remain.

Tenth, at wondrous awakening wisdom is full and no longer arises; ignorance is ultimately exhausted and delusion no longer arises; practice, wisdom, and recompense are ultimately not-not-arising. One can also say true principle reaching the ultimate is one not-not-arising, and perfect principle reaching the ultimate another. Principle has originally never arisen from the beginning, and now no separate nonarising arises.

Speaking of nonarising alone can encompass all Dharmas, and speaking of not-not-arising can likewise encompass them. The key is how far the attached nonarising reaches and how far its not-not-arising reaches. If one cannot even recognize the non-Buddhist’s not-not-arising, how could one recognize the final one? One must not abide in a self-satisfied view of nonarising but examine and break it urgently.

In vertically breaking the view of both existence and nonexistence, likewise ask item by item what kind of both-arising-and-nonarising it is. Is it afflictions of views not arising while true wisdom arises? Afflictions of thought not arising while true wisdom arises? Residual habits not arising while true wisdom arises? Dust-and-sand delusion not arising while universal function arises? Ignorance not arising while the Middle Way arises? Inner karma not arising while outward karma arises? Inner recompense not arising while outward recompense arises? Small practice not arising while great practice arises? Partial principle not arising while perfect principle arises? If it is none of these, how could the attachment fail to be a view?

In vertically breaking the view of neither existence nor nonexistence, likewise ask what kind of neither-arising-nor-nonarising it is. Is it gained through the analytical severance of permanence and annihilation? Through embodied-Dharma severance? Through the dual flow of path and contemplation on the eighth ground? Through the first ground’s breaking birth and death and gaining nirvāṇa? Through the result after the tenth ground? Through the first abode’s double negation of the two extremes? Through the ten practices’ advancement in the Middle Way? Through the ten dedications? The ten grounds? Or the ultimate ground of wondrous awakening? If it accords with none, the attached neither-arising-nor-nonarising remains only a view.

How Many Kinds of Wordlessness, and How Many Levels of the Four Alternatives?

Wordlessness too has many kinds. Being outside the single four alternatives, outside the compound four alternatives, and outside the fully endowed four alternatives are all called wordlessness. A brahmin’s observance of silence is wordlessness. Dīghanakha’s refusal to accept any Dharma is wordlessness. The Vātsīputrīyas say that self exists as conventional truth yet lies within the inexpressible treasury; this too is wordlessness. Realization of the true in the Tripiṭaka Teaching is inexpressible, and each of its four gates has one kind of inexpressibility. The three vehicles in the Shared Teaching all sever afflictions through a path without speech, and its four gates likewise have inexpressibility. The Distinct Teaching contemplates the permanent principle as without words or speech, and its four gates likewise have inexpressibility. The Perfect Teaching cannot be disclosed; Vimalakīrti’s silence and Mañjuśrī’s affirmation likewise belong to four gates of inexpressibility.

With so many kinds of inexpressibility, which one does the practitioner’s calculation actually claim? If it does not even equal the Vātsīputrīya position that assigns the inexpressible only to conventional truth and does not reckon it as nirvāṇa, it can still less compare with the four Tripiṭaka gates’ inexpressibility. The Vātsīputrīya position itself remains a view, so the practitioner’s attachment is of course also a view; on account of it, immeasurable afflictions arise extensively.

The treatise then breaks wordlessness again through ten kinds of four alternatives: the direct four alternatives, the endless four alternatives, the stage-concluding four alternatives, the collecting-and-restating four alternatives, the awakening-gaining four alternatives, the classifying four alternatives, the provisional-and-real four alternatives, the opening-and-revealing four alternatives, the intent-losing four alternatives, and the intent-gaining four alternatives.

The direct four alternatives are the ordinary and noble common course of directly stating existence, nonexistence, both, and neither. In the endless four alternatives, each of the four opens again into four and unfolds without end, as the preceding forty-eight iterations show〔and so forth〕. The stage-concluding four alternatives judge right and wrong according to their scope and level: if attachment to the single, compound, fully endowed, and other alternatives remains without perishing, these are an ordinary person’s four alternatives; when there is no meaning of alternatives yet their meaning can be used as skillful means, these are a noble one’s four alternatives. The collecting-and-restating four gather the ordinary person’s four alternatives and restate them as the alternative of existence, the Two Vehicles as nonexistence, bodhisattvas as both existence and nonexistence, and the Buddha as neither existence nor nonexistence.

In the awakening-gaining four alternatives, whichever alternative one follows into awakening becomes an entrance, so each of the four can become a gate. The classifying four assign the Dharma awakened to through each gate among the various Dharma gates. In the provisional-and-real four, three sets of four alternatives among the Dharmas are provisional and one set is real. The opening-and-revealing four open every provisional set of four into the one real set; once they enter the real, all four alternatives are inexpressible, and the Buddha’s teaching of the four alternatives reaches its limit here. The intent-losing four arise when one grasps the Buddha’s four alternatives and disputes over them, with faults identical to those of ordinary people. In the intent-gaining four, bodhisattvas see the faults of losing the intent and compose various Small- and Great-Vehicle treatises to elucidate the Buddha’s provisional and real four alternatives, break attachments, and dispel delusion. Once deluded attachment has been broken, the work of composing treatises also ceases.

If one still refuses to relinquish the view of wordlessness, one must answer which level of these four alternatives one has actually left. The preceding passage broke the four alternatives horizontally; here the attachment outside the four alternatives is broken vertically.

Buddhist Inexpressibility Cannot Be Conflated with Daoist Language and Names

The treatise next rebukes the many “demonic monks” of its time. They abandoned their precepts and returned to lay life, then, fearing conscription for labor, crossed over to become Daoist priests and boasted of Zhuangzi and Laozi for fame and profit. They placed Buddhist meanings upon non-Buddhist classics, pressed the high down to the low, pushed the honored into the base, and broadly called them equal. They equated “A way that can be spoken is not the constant Way; a name that can be named is not the constant name” with the Buddhist inexpressible, like insects eating wood and accidentally leaving the shape of written characters. Tested against the various kinds of arising, nonarising, four alternatives, and inexpressibility listed above, this account does not reach even the inexpressibility outside the single four alternatives, much less that outside the compound or fully endowed alternatives, the Vātsīputrīyas’ inexpressibility, or the inexpressibility of the Tripiṭaka, Shared, Distinct, and Perfect Teachings. Principle and teaching already fail to align; when suffering and accumulation and the factors of the path are applied as tests, the faults and differences become still clearer.

The treatise then compares, item by item and according to Buddhist and Daoist narratives current in its time, their origins and traces, bodily marks, teaching, deportment, and relinquishment of status for homelessness. Regarding origins: the Buddha appeared life after life in India’s legitimate royal houses and in the lineage of wheel-turning kings, whereas Zhuangzi and Laozi were merely officials of small frontier states in China, one an archivist beneath the pillar and the other an attendant in the lacquer garden of Song. How could the two sides be equal? Regarding bodily marks: the Buddha’s body was adorned and surrounded by thirty-two marks and eighty excellences. In this comparison, the treatise says that Zhuangzi and Laozi remained like ordinary people, whose short and unattractive forms incur contempt. It also cites scriptures generally describing the people of Jambudvīpa as shaped like ghosts, asking how an ordinary body could equal the Buddha’s body.

Next comes teaching and transformation. When the Buddha taught Dharma, he emitted light and shook the earth; gods and humans all assembled, joined their palms, and listened. He taught according to capacities, with fluent Brahmā voice and inexhaustible eloquence; no sentence was uttered in vain, and all who listened could gain the path. Laozi lived in the Zhou dynasty, yet neither the ruler above nor the ministers below knew his way, and he never transformed even one person with a single admonition. Riding a worn plank cart westward toward the pass, he taught Yin Xi only in private and offered no public teaching. Zhuangzi wrote in ink on bamboo slips, arranging and revising every sentence with laborious difficulty; he composed the Inner Chapters and Outer Chapters to gain recognition, yet no assembly listened together and no hearer gained the path. The treatise therefore says their inequalities are many and a deviant teaching must not encroach upon the correct Dharma.

Next come deportment and relinquishment of status. When the Buddha walked, Śakra stood to his right, Brahmā to his left, vajra-bearers led ahead, and the fourfold assembly followed behind as he traveled through the air. Laozi himself drove a thin-plank cart drawn by a blue ox and went west of the pass to farm; Zhuangzi served another by guarding lacquer trees. The Buddha was certain to become a wheel-turning noble king, awaited by all within the four seas with only the arrival of the divine treasures remaining, yet suddenly relinquished royal status, left home, and became a buddha. Laozi remained attached to his minor office east of the pass, then farmed west of it and begrudged a few acres of land; preoccupied with public and private matters, he could not relinquish them. Through these itemized questions, the treatise asks how the two could be equal.

If one believes without discrimination that all wordlessness is the same, the view of wordlessness will come to possess the three provisionalities, suffering and accumulation will be established, and birth and death will stand plainly present, like embracing a torch and burning oneself. This view is still broken by examining each of the preceding four alternatives〔and so forth〕.

An opponent might also use Daoist wordlessness to refute the Middle Treatise’s nonarising and nonceasing, saying that nonarising and nonceasing form the fourth alternative while wordlessness transcends all four. At first hearing this may seem so, but it is not. When the Middle Treatise speaks of nonarising, it means that the mind of views does not arise; because it does not arise, it does not cease, and the two are therefore stated together as nonarising and nonceasing. Yet the mind holding the view of wordlessness gives rise to craving, views, doubt, and conceit. How could a view still within arising and ceasing break nonarising and nonceasing?

If another view of nonarising and nonceasing then arises, it should be tested through six alternatives: wordlessness breaks nonarising and nonceasing; nonarising and nonceasing break wordlessness; wordlessness cultivates nonarising and nonceasing; nonarising and nonceasing cultivate wordlessness; wordlessness is itself nonarising and nonceasing; nonarising and nonceasing are themselves wordlessness〔and so forth〕. Before ordinary people enter the noble path, the slightest calculation is a view. As soon as a view arises, the three provisionalities, suffering and accumulation, and afflictions follow; Fish-King and Shellfish-Mother and the host of agents are fully present. Binding karma spreads rampant and birth and death become vast. Even what one person passes through has no boundary; how much more what many people pass through? Afflictions of views are therefore exceedingly fearsome and must be diligently subdued with calming-and-contemplation.

Calming-and-Contemplation Pursues Views until Awakening Is Gained

As soon as one single view arises, pursue its substance with four-alternative calming-and-contemplation and break it. If it evades the single and enters the compound, evades the compound and enters the fully endowed, or evades the fully endowed and enters wordlessness, then however far it flees, calming-and-contemplation pursues without release, constantly quiescent and constantly illuminating, treating it without pause. Like a vajra blade, it cuts through wherever it turns and takes awakening as its limit.

Through such contemplation, even before the true has arisen, the various views are subdued and form the five aggregates of preparatory means; once one enters emptiness, every view is exhausted. The afflictions of views broken at the first fruit are like draining a great body of water forty li across, an immense labor. To keep listeners from doubting, the teaching briefly says that only the three fetters of self-view, grasping precepts, and doubt are severed, as if a few drops remained. In fact, although the afflictions of thought are not yet exhausted, no affliction of views remains. Speaking from the extensive side of afflictions of views, this too can be called breaking through Dharmas pervasively.

Someone asks: entry into emptiness through provisionality has already broken immeasurable views; what do the latter two contemplations still break? Answer: contemplation entering emptiness breaks views and thought, which in summary means only breaking existence. Entering provisionality from emptiness breaks only attachment to nonexistence. Contemplation of the Middle doubly negates the extremes of existence and nonexistence and directly reveals the Middle Way. The Great Treatise therefore says, “The two views of existence and nonexistence are entirely extinguished without remainder; I bow to the Dharma honored by the Buddha.” Immeasurable vertical and horizontal views do not even qualify as objects broken by the second contemplation; how could they be mistaken for true Dharma?

Another asks: if birth and death are gathered under existence and the Two Vehicles under nonexistence, then because views of existence are immeasurably extensive, views of nonexistence should be equally immeasurable. Answer: ordinary people calculate falsely and become attached to every object they meet, so views of existence are particularly numerous. People of the Two Vehicles have already severed views and thought and no longer produce all kinds of calculations horizontally; they realize emptiness alone. The Great Vehicle breaks their stagnation in emptiness and collectively calls it the view of emptiness.

Four Patterns of Gain and Loss: Medicine May Cure an Old Illness Yet Become a New One

The second topic distinguishes gain and loss. Someone asks: when calming-and-contemplation pursues views in this way, what gains and losses result? Answer: four alternatives can be distinguished. First, old delusion is not removed and new delusion arises. Second, old delusion is removed and new delusion arises. Third, old delusion is not removed and new delusion does not arise. Fourth, old delusion is removed and new delusion also does not arise.

The first resembles taking medicine without curing the old illness while the medicine itself produces a new one. Calming-and-contemplation was originally used to treat delusion concerning birth and death, yet craving does not cease at all, and all kinds of views further arise from calming-and-contemplation, denying cause and result and stopping at no act. This is old delusion remaining while new delusion arises.

The second resembles curing the original illness only for the medicine itself to become an illness. While cultivating calming-and-contemplation, one may cease dull afflictions such as craving food and clothing, bear cold hardship, cutting blades, and fragrant anointing without aversion or craving, and remain even-minded through gaining or losing possessions. Yet the mind attached to views is extremely fierce, charging and destroying like a thirsty horse fighting to protect water, even denying cause and result. This is old delusion removed while new delusion arises. The first two kinds resemble non-Buddhists, who produce craving where there is craving and anger where there is anger. If the study of calming-and-contemplation falls into this, it too is no different from the non-Buddhists.

The third resembles the old illness remaining uncured while the medicine causes no further harm. A Buddhist disciple uses calming-and-contemplation as a path of preparatory means and deeply knows the causes and conditions of views, craving, and ignorance. As soon as mind stirs slightly, the disciple immediately recognizes the three provisionalities within it; following the thought, calming-and-contemplation breaks nature and mark. Although craving and anger remain, attachment to views has been emptied, and the sixty-two views and the rest are subdued and do not arise. This is called old delusion not yet removed while new delusion does not arise, the condition of a person on the path of preparatory means.

The fourth resembles the old illness being cured and the medicine stopping with it. If the three provisionalities and four contemplations can examine and challenge each thought, one embodies and penetrates every falsity, with nature and mark both empty; the true may suddenly arise and principle be seen. Then not only is the old illness removed forever and the new illness prevented from arising, but through the path of seeing the truths one enters a noble station〔and so forth〕.

At Which Stages Are Views Subdued and Broken?

The third topic clarifies the stages at which views are broken. When this method is cultivated according to the Tripiṭaka Teaching, clearly recognizing the four truths and skillfully using contemplative wisdom subdues the views. This occurs at general establishment of mindfulness and the distinct establishments, where the four inversions of permanence, pleasure, self, and purity are directly subdued. When the four inversions no longer arise, warmth develops, followed by the preparatory stages of summit, forbearance, and highest worldly Dharma. Breaking the views, giving rise to the true, and becoming noble is the first fruit.

In the Shared Teaching, subduing views occurs on the ground of dry wisdom; when the water of principle slightly moistens the mind, this becomes the ground of nature; breaking views then occurs on the grounds of eight persons and seeing. In the Distinct Teaching, subduing views is the iron-wheel station of the ten faiths, and breaking them is the bronze-wheel station of the ten abodes. In the Perfect Teaching, subduing views is the station of disciples in the five grades, and breaking them is the station of purification of the six faculties.

All four teachings possess the names subduing and severing, yet the contemplative wisdom they use is entirely different. The Tripiṭaka Teaching contemplates the conceivable true truth and subdues and severs with analytical-Dharma contemplative wisdom. The Shared Teaching also contemplates the conceivable true truth but subdues and severs with embodied-Dharma contemplative wisdom. Although the Distinct Teaching knows the Middle Way, it still subdues and severs with sequential contemplative wisdom. The Perfect Teaching takes the Middle Way itself and subdues and severs with the contemplative wisdom of one mind. Their meanings must not be conflated merely because their names are the same.

Someone asks: once provisional views have been subdued and one has entered a worthy station, although old delusion is not wholly cured, new delusion should not arise. Why then do objects of various views still appear during the cultivation of calming-and-contemplation? Answer: these are habits from former lives being triggered. Views from former habituation still belong to old delusion, just as a medicine’s power agitates an old illness after it is taken. Once the old illness has been stirred, it will soon be cured; the medicine has not produced a separate new illness.

Another asks: why not directly state only the Distinct- and Perfect-Teaching stages of entering emptiness and breaking provisionality? Why also state the stages of the Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings? Answer: the preceding discussion spoke of arousal through practice, arousal without practice, and the interweaving of the ten objects. The various stages are therefore listed so practitioners can recognize whether the Dharmas that arise are shallow or deep, and also so they can distinguish the stages of the half-word and full-word teachings. Half-word Dharmas such as the Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings’ entry into emptiness are all supporting-path skillful means for the Distinct and Perfect Teachings, like a great carriage accompanied by many servants and guards. Outside skillful means there is no separate, isolated reality; the full-word teaching can employ the half-word itself. The Two Vehicles’ wisdom and severance can therefore also become skillful means for a bodhisattva’s forbearance concerning nonarising.

Finally, calming-and-contemplation gathers and concludes entry into emptiness through the provisionality of views. When the turning wheel of views ceases, once one receives and enters principle one never retreats and remains forever quiescent: this is called calming. Penetrating that views have no real nature, that nature is empty and mark is empty: this is called contemplation. Seeing the principle of the true truth is called nonarising. Since principle does not arise, neither does it cease; this nonarising and nonceasing is called forbearance concerning nonarising. One may also say that afflictions of views no longer arising is nonarising of cause, while no longer receiving recompense in the three evil paths is nonarising of result. Since cause and result neither arise nor cease, this too is called forbearance concerning nonarising. Thus the birthless gate communicates with calming-and-contemplation, and calming-and-contemplation accomplishes the birthless gate. Entry into emptiness through provisionality has now pervasively completed the breaking of afflictions of views.

Fascicle six〔first part〕 of the Mohe Zhiguan was taught by the Tiantai master Zhiyi in the Sui dynasty and recorded by his disciple Guanding.

1. What Is the Provisionality of Thought?

Second, the treatise explains how embodied-Dharma contemplation illuminates the provisionality of the afflictions of thought and enters emptiness, thereby making the breaking through Dharmas pervasive. This part has three topics: first, explaining the provisionality of thought; second, explaining embodied contemplation; and third, explaining the stages reached through severing thought.

The provisionality of thought means craving, anger, delusion, and conceit. These delusions are called dull agents and also the correct three poisons. Distinguished across the three realms, they can be counted as ten; explained through the nine grounds of the three realms, each ground has nine grades, making eighty-one. All eighty-one grades of the afflictions of thought can moisten karmic causes and make beings receive birth in the three realms. A person who realizes the first fruit must still return among humans and gods as many as seven times because the afflictions of thought have not been exhausted, just as a lamp’s flame flares more strongly when about to go out. Although a stream-enterer still has desire, the person does not commit sexual misconduct with someone who is not their spouse. Although anger remains, the person does not deliberately harm living beings while tilling earth. Although delusion remains, the person no longer grasps person or Dharma as possessing a real and unchanging intrinsic nature. The power of the path-accompanying precepts protects spontaneously, so these are called correct afflictions. They differ from the afflictions of views, which lack any standard and attach themselves to an object as soon as contact occurs.

Why are they called afflictions of thought? The name is established from the understanding that can sever them. When true truth is first seen, contemplative understanding remains shallow and phenomenal obstructions persist. Only through repeatedly examining and considering true principle are these afflictions removed; hence they are called afflictions of thought.

The Abhidharma numerical exegetes say that delusion in the desire realm is called craving and that in the two higher realms attachment. Followers of the Satyasiddhi Treatise object that the higher realms contain craving for the savor of dhyāna while the lower realm contains attachment pursuing objects of desire; both names, attachment and craving, can extend throughout lower and higher realms, so why assign them partially? If craving is heavy below and light above, does lighter craving cease to be craving? Yet this objection too makes one generalization cover everything. The Buddha sometimes teaches distinctions according to different causes and conditions. Provisionally established names have no fixed, unchanging boundary; how can they be generalized in one way? Once a name enables one to recognize an affliction, it should be broken quickly. Why struggle over whether it should ultimately be called craving or attachment? It resembles removing excrement and filth: the first concern is simply removing the impurity, not urgently distinguishing its names. The key to entering the path is skillful means; names and marks only assist from the side. Anyone wishing to know the two schools’ full arguments can consult the Abhidharma and Satyasiddhi treatises. What is explained here is contemplation of emptiness and contemplation of provisionality.

2. Embodied Contemplation and the First Grade of Desire-Realm Delusion

Second, the treatise explains embodied contemplation. In the gate of arising and ceasing, one first severs the afflictions of views through wisdom that analyzes Dharmas, then repeatedly considers true principle through the same analytical wisdom to sever the afflictions of thought. In the gate of nonarising and nonceasing, one initially breaks the afflictions of views and enters emptiness through wisdom that embodies and penetrates Dharmas, then repeatedly considers through that same embodied-Dharma contemplation to sever the afflictions of thought. There is no separate road.

First consider how to embody and penetrate the provisionality of craving and enter emptiness. Desire-realm delusion has nine grades. When each grade arises, it possesses the three provisionalities of formation by causes, continuity, and relation. For example, a woman can elicit six kinds of desire: desire for color; desire for appearance; desire for deportment and posture; desire for verbal sound; desire for smooth touch; and desire for the mark of a person. Each can be distinguished further〔and so forth〕. When these six objects of desire contact a practitioner, they can defile the eye, ear, and other faculties, disturb the blood and pulses within, and make the mark of craving appear outwardly. Stream-enterers have not yet completely severed this kind of delusion; how much less ordinary people? Even after Nanda had cultivated the path, residual habits remained. When he saw a woman among a crowd and first spoke with her, the residual habit was stirred; how much more for someone in whom the direct agents remain? The Lotus Sūtra says that when teaching Dharma to a woman, one does not take from her body a mark capable of producing perceptions of desire.

Once such a mark is taken, an external object moves the mental faculty and produces a mind of desire; this is provisionality formed by causes. After desire arises, thought continues after thought without interruption and eventually culminates in sexual action; this is provisionality of continuity. Because the state of having a mind of desire differs from the state of lacking one, desire is revealed through relation to no desire; this is provisionality of relation. All three provisionalities are false and unreal and must never be calculated as true principle.

One should contemplate: does this mind of desire arise from the faculty, from an external object, jointly from faculty and object, or apart from faculty and object without a cause? If it arises from the faculty, the mind of desire should arise by itself before any external object is encountered. If it arises from the external object, how could another thing be involved with my mind of desire? If faculty and object produce it together, faculty and object should each produce a mind, making two minds of desire. If it arises without a cause, causeless arising is itself untenable. Pursued through these four alternatives, the mind of desire has no obtainable place from which it comes. Since it has no source, it has no obtainable place to which it goes. Desire itself is unobtainable, the four alternatives are likewise unobtainable, and there is neither coming nor going—ultimately empty and quiescent.

When a person of sharp faculties contemplates in this way, the first grade of provisional thought is removed and one part of true principle becomes clear. If contemplative practice has not yet accorded, use the four siddhāntas so the gates of faith-practice and Dharma-practice repeatedly shift into one another; skillfully harmonize calming and contemplation, and they can accord. One grade of the afflictions of thought is severed and one part of true principle disclosed〔and so forth〕.

If a person of dull faculties examines the first grade of desire-delusion within provisionality formed by causes without yet removing it, turn to examining provisionality of continuity. Does the later thought arise after the preceding thought has ceased, has not ceased, both has and has not ceased, or neither has nor has not ceased? If it arises from cessation, a Dharma already ceased cannot arise again. If it arises from nonceasing, since it has not ceased there is no further arising to speak of. If it arises from both cessation and nonceasing, their natures contradict each other. If it arises apart from these conditions, that too cannot stand. Examined through the four alternatives, desire is unobtainable and the alternatives themselves are unobtainable. Contemplating in this way, one should enter the contemplative gate and accomplish emptiness of beings and emptiness of Dharmas. If entry still does not occur, cultivate skillfully through the four siddhāntas. If cultivation again does not bring entry, turn to provisionality of relation and contemplate through the preceding four alternatives; the principle follows the earlier example.

As with the first grade of desire-delusion, so too with the remaining eight. As with breaking the nine grades of craving, so too with the respective nine grades of anger, delusion, and conceit; they can all be understood by analogy and are not restated alternative by alternative. Appearance of nine grades of true principle is nonarising of principle. Exhaustion of nine grades of delusive cause is nonarising of cause. Desire-realm recompense no longer arising is nonarising of result. Because it does not arise, it does not cease; this is forbearance concerning nonarising〔and so forth〕.

3. Why Are There More Than Nine Grades in the Desire Realm?

Someone asks: are desire-realm afflictions definitely limited to nine grades?

Answer: according to the Satyasiddhi Treatise, the unobstructed path suppresses delusion and the path of liberation severs it, so only nine grades are discussed. According to Abhidharma, the two preparatory and progressive paths suppress delusion, the unobstructed path severs it, and the path of liberation realizes the place where delusion no longer exists. Many scriptures use the latter system, which is provisionally followed here.

When contemplation is entered through the provisionality of views, the uncontaminated mind is swift and severs the afflictions of views in one contemplative practice, so no grade-by-grade sequence need be explained. The path of cultivation that severs thought proceeds more deliberately, allowing preparatory work first and skillful cultivation that repeatedly shifts faith-practice and Dharma-practice into progressive grades. If advancement occurs again and again, the actual grades must be numerous; how could there be only nine? “Nine” is only a broad division.

4. Thirty-Six Grades in the Four Grounds of the Form Realm

Next, the nine grades of thought-delusion in each form-realm ground can be broken through worldly wisdom or uncontaminated wisdom. An arhat liberated through wisdom alone lacks worldly meditative concentration and can become one beyond training using uncontaminated wisdom alone. A stream-enterer without meditative concentration who continues cultivating and repeatedly considers true principle likewise uses uncontaminated wisdom. An arhat liberated in both ways can use either uncontaminated or worldly wisdom. For convenience of explanation, the present passage provisionally follows the worldly wisdom used by someone who has attained dhyāna.

When first learning dhyāna, breaking phenomenal obstruction develops desire-realm concentration; breaking nature obstruction develops form-realm concentration. Hence when phenomenal obstruction is broken, the not-yet-arrived concentration develops; when nature obstruction is broken, the root dhyāna develops. Once nature obstruction is removed, the Dharma of the first dhyāna arises: the eight contacts touch the body and the merits of the five factors appear. This is the mark of the first dhyāna. Attachment to its savor is called craving. Considering one’s attainment superior to those who have not attained it is called conceit. Failing to know that meditative concentration itself still belongs to suffering and accumulation is called delusion. Craving, conceit, and delusion each have nine grades, and every grade possesses the three provisionalities.

The eight contacts, which are Dharmas of form, touching the desire-realm mental faculty and the rest are provisionality formed by causes. Discriminating what is contacted as contemplation and the uninterrupted continuity of mental thought are provisionality of continuity. This mind in which dhyāna has developed standing in relation to a mind in which it has not is provisionality of relation. Without contemplative breaking, one receives birth according to dhyāna karma; how could this be called nonarising? Now use the four alternatives of faculty, object, conjunction, and separation to cultivate calming-and-contemplation skillfully and accomplish the preparatory and progressive paths. Severing one grade of delusion is called the unobstructed path; realizing the place where that grade no longer exists is called the path of liberation. Removing one part of delusion makes cause, result, and the rest all reveal nonarising; this is called entering emptiness through provisionality. Provisionalities of continuity and relation are likewise contemplated through four alternatives and enter emptiness. As with breaking the first grade, so with the remaining eight. As with craving, so with the respective nine grades of conceit and delusion.

Within the first dhyāna, breaking phenomenal obstruction alone develops the intermediate dhyāna. If death occurs then, one still cannot be born in the second dhyāna, just as the first dhyāna cannot be reached while desire-realm nature obstruction remains. Now break the first dhyāna’s nature obstruction, and the second dhyāna arises together with joy, possessing the four factors of pliancy, joy, bliss, and the rest. Here there are likewise savor-attached craving, conceit that compares oneself with others, and delusion that does not recognize suffering and accumulation, each with nine grades and each grade again possessing three provisionalities. The Dharma-object of inner purity conjoining with the mental faculty is formation by causes. The successive arising of the mind of inner purity is continuity. Inner purity existing in relation to its absence is relation. Without contemplative pursuit, one receives birth according to dhyāna. Now cultivate calming-and-contemplation, form the preparatory and progressive paths, sever delusion through the unobstructed path, realize the true through liberation, and enter phenomenal and principial nonarising. If entry has not yet occurred, further contemplate continuity and relation; the remaining eight grades and delusion, conceit, and the others are likewise.

Taking the second dhyāna as basis, there are again phenomenal and nature obstructions. Removal of phenomenal obstruction develops the intermediate dhyāna; removal of nature obstruction develops the third dhyāna together with bliss. Its dhyāna-bliss is deep and wondrous: noble ones relinquish it easily, but ordinary people with difficulty. Here attachment, conceit, and delusion each have nine grades, and every grade possesses the three provisionalities. Blissful contact facing the mental faculty is formation by causes; continuity of the mind of bliss is continuity; bliss existing in relation to no bliss is relation. Without contemplation, one receives birth according to dhyāna. Now use the contemplative wisdom of the four alternatives to break it, pass through preparation, progression, unobstructedness, and liberation, and accomplish phenomenal and principial nonarising. If it has not yet been removed, further cultivate continuity and relation; the remaining eight grades and the respective nine grades of delusion and conceit are likewise.

Taking the third dhyāna as basis, there are likewise phenomenal and nature obstructions. If nature obstruction is broken, the equanimous feeling of the fourth dhyāna arises with it. Attachment, conceit, and delusion still remain, each with nine grades, and the three provisionalities are unchanged. The Dharma of this dhyāna facing the mental faculty is formation by causes, with continuity and relation as the other two provisionalities. Without contemplation, one still receives birth according to dhyāna. Now apply calming-and-contemplation, pass through preparation, progression, unobstructedness, and liberation, and accomplish phenomenal and principial nonarising. If it has not yet been removed, further contemplate continuity and relation; the remaining eight grades and delusion, conceit, and the others are likewise.

As for the Heaven without Perception, a practitioner preserves the body of form while extinguishing mental perception and is therefore called without perception. Ordinary emotion supposes that perception is truly absent there, but the mental perception that appropriates nonperception remains fully present. This resembles merely severing phenomenal obstruction while nature obstruction remains and ultimately does not transcend the form realm; it is therefore called a non-Buddhist heaven. Since the mind of views was already removed during the preceding breaking of the afflictions of views, one should in principle not receive birth there. Yet a particular cause and condition may make this concentration arise in mind. It then still possesses the three provisionalities and the rest and must be broken through contemplation of the four alternatives; continuity and relation are contemplated according to the earlier examples.

As for the five heavens of nonreturners, noble ones temper the fourth dhyāna again, using an uncontaminated mind to perfuse the contaminated concentration so that form-realm concentration becomes increasingly bright and pure and its recompense increasingly excellent. When the superior concentration arises, it too possesses nine grades each of craving, conceit, and delusion, every grade containing the three provisionalities. It must still be embodied and penetrated through contemplation of the four alternatives and pass through the unobstructed path and liberation to accomplish phenomenal and principial nonarising. If it has not yet been removed, further cultivate continuity and relation; the remaining eight grades and delusion and conceit are likewise. At this point all thirty-six grades—nine in each of the four form-realm grounds—have been contemplated as unborn.

5. Thirty-Six Grades in the Four Grounds of the Formless Realm

Next break the nine grades of thought-delusion in each formless-realm ground. To extinguish the three kinds of form—visible and resistant, invisible and resistant, and invisible and nonresistant—first break phenomenal obstruction and develop the not-yet-arrived concentration, then break nature obstruction and enter the station of boundless space. The concentration of space likewise possesses attachment, conceit, and delusion. Contemplate it through the four alternatives, pass through preparation and progression, and accomplish phenomenal and principial nonarising. If delusion has not yet been removed, further cultivate continuity and relation; the remaining eight grades and delusion, conceit, and the others are contemplated by analogy.

When cultivating the station of space, one initially takes empty space as the object. If space is conditioned on excessively, the concentrated mind disperses. Relinquishing the object of space and instead conditioning the mind that knows it brings attainment of the concentration of boundless consciousness, corresponding with mind. This concentration too possesses the delusions of attachment, conceit, and the rest. It is still contemplated through the four alternatives, passes through preparation, progression, and the rest, and accomplishes phenomenal and principial nonarising; all remaining cases follow the preceding example.

When cultivating the station of consciousness, one first conditions abundant and extensive consciousness. If the object of consciousness becomes excessive, the concentrated mind likewise disperses. One therefore relinquishes abundant consciousness and turns to condition nothingness. If this meant conditioning only a slight amount of consciousness, how could it be called the station of nothingness? One would still be using slight consciousness; how could it be called the station of nonuse? Here one enters concentration by conditioning nothingness. This Dharma corresponding with mind likewise possesses the three provisionalities and is likewise contemplated through the four alternatives. The remaining cases can be understood by analogy.

The preceding station of consciousness resembles a swelling, and the station of nothingness a sore. Above both is a still more excellent concentration called the station of neither perception nor nonperception. The Abhidharma Vibhāṣā Treatise explains that it is not the nonperception of the Heaven without Perception and not the perception of the preceding three formless concentrations; hence neither perception nor nonperception. One teacher says that the Heaven without Perception belongs to the form realm and is a different realm, so it should not still be used to explain the name of a formless concentration. The name should be explained within the same formless realm: the preceding concentration of nothingness already removed existent perception, and this concentration now also removes nonperception. Because both extremes of perception and nonperception are relinquished, it is called neither perception nor nonperception. The treatise records both explanations side by side.

The Great Treatise says that among the four formless states, one is always contaminated and the remaining three require distinction. The first three may be either contaminated or uncontaminated because they can develop world-transcending wisdom and so may also be called uncontaminated. The station of neither perception nor nonperception cannot itself develop uncontaminated wisdom and belongs exclusively to the contaminated. Teaching gates accord with faculties, sometimes concealing one side and sometimes revealing one, and therefore explain it this way. Yet how should one understand a person who actually develops uncontaminated wisdom within this concentration? The present passage provisionally follows what the teaching gate states〔and so forth〕.

Although this concentration lacks coarse afflictions, it still accomplishes ten subtle Dharmas—feeling, perception, formations, contact, intention, desire, understanding, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom—as taught in the Sequential Dharma Gate of Dhyāna Pāramitā. One should therefore know that this concentration too possesses the three provisionalities. Here it is broken exclusively through uncontaminated wisdom, passing through preparation, progression, unobstructedness, and liberation and accomplishing phenomenal and principial nonarising. All nine grades are so, according to the preceding example.

When worldly wisdom severs the afflictions of thought, this is called exhaustion-knowledge; when uncontaminated wisdom severs them, nonarising-knowledge. This is called embodied contemplation of thought: completely breaking the eighty-one grades of the afflictions of thought—nine grades in each of the nine grounds throughout the three realms—is called pervasive breaking through Dharmas.

6. Tripiṭaka-Teaching Stages for Severing the Afflictions of Thought

Third, the treatise explains the stages of entering emptiness through breaking the provisionality of thought. It has four topics: Tripiṭaka-Teaching stages for severing thought; Shared-Teaching stages for severing thought; naming the stages shared by the three vehicles in the Shared Teaching through borrowed Distinct-Teaching names; and naming Shared-Teaching bodhisattva stages through borrowed Distinct-Teaching names.

First, the Tripiṭaka Teaching. The Satyasiddhi Treatise says that the sixteen minds belong directly to the station of the first fruit; other schools say that the sixteenth mind already belongs to the path of cultivation. The latter account is provisionally followed here. Beginning with severance of the first desire-realm grade and proceeding through the fifth, all are called the path to once-returning. If one leaps over the usual sequence and severs through the fifth grade at once, this is called family-to-family. Severing through and exhausting the sixth grade is the fruit of once-returning; leaping directly to exhaustion of the sixth is called one-going-and-returning. Severing the seventh and eighth grades is the path to nonreturning; leaping directly through the eighth is called one-seed. Exhausting the ninth is the fruit of nonreturning, after which one never again receives birth in the desire realm.

Next, beginning with severance of the first grade of the first dhyāna and continuing through the eighth grade at the station of neither perception nor nonperception—a total of seventy-one grades—all are called the path to arhatship; the stages of the six kinds of nonreturner are included within this passage. At the ninth unobstructed path, the ninth grade of delusion at neither perception nor nonperception is exhausted. The ninth path of liberation realizes absence of delusion and is called the fruit of arhatship.

With the afflictions of thought in the three realms exhausted, gaining exhaustion-knowledge and nonarising-knowledge is called nonarising of afflictions. Realizing eighty-one parts of true emptiness is called nonarising of principle. Full possession of true wisdom is called nonarising of wisdom. No longer receiving the recompense of birth and death is called nonarising of recompense. A pratyekabuddha further encroaches upon and removes a small portion of residual habit beyond a śrāvaka; this is their difference. This is an abbreviated judgment of stages according to analyzing provisional Dharmas and severing the afflictions of thought.

7. The Ten Grounds Shared by the Three Vehicles in the Shared Teaching

Second, the treatise explains the stages jointly passed through by the three vehicles when embodied-Dharma contemplation severs thought in the Shared Teaching. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra says that the grounds of dry wisdom and nature through the sixth ground are shared with śrāvakas; the seventh with pratyekabuddhas; the eighth and ninth with bodhisattvas; and that the bodhisattva ground then turns into the tenth, called the buddha ground. Although called shared grounds, they still contain higher and lower. The Great Treatise says that the three kinds of person jointly sever the direct agents and jointly enter nirvāṇa with and without remainder, hence “shared.” Yet just as burning wood leaves charcoal or ash, degrees still differ.

The ground of dry wisdom is precisely the station of the three worthies: first, the five methods for calming mind; second, the distinct establishments of mindfulness; and third, general establishment of mindfulness. All three belong to the outer ordinary and are therefore called the ground of dry wisdom.

The ground of nature is the station of the four wholesome roots. Through the power of the preceding general establishment of mindfulness, the practitioner produces wholesome contaminated five aggregates called warmth. The beginning, middle, and later minds are then made to advance, entering in sequence summit, forbearance, and highest worldly Dharma. All four belong to the inner ordinary and are therefore called the ground of nature. The grounds of dry wisdom and nature jointly suppress the afflictions of views.

The eight persons of the ground of eight persons are the eight forbearances. Because the practitioner turns from highest worldly Dharma into the uninterrupted samādhi, it is called eight persons. On the ground of seeing, one personally sees true truth and exhausts the eighty-eight agents of views in the three realms; hence the ground of seeing. The ground of thinning removes six grades of desire-realm thought-delusion; hence thinning. The ground of freedom from desire completely removes all nine desire-realm grades; hence freedom from desire. The ground of completed work exhausts the seventy-two grades of thought-delusion in the form and formless realms, like fire burning wood into charcoal; hence completed work.

A pratyekabuddha’s merit and wisdom are deeper and sharper and can encroach upon residual habit, like burning wood further into ash. A bodhisattva’s merit and wisdom are deep and sharp; path-contemplation and teaching others proceed together. Such a bodhisattva can sever residual habit and ignorance concerning Dharmas of form and mind, gain the Dharma-eye and knowledge of kinds of paths, sport in spiritual powers, purify buddha lands, and learn a buddha’s ten powers, fearlessnesses, and other Dharmas. Residual habit approaches exhaustion, like only a little ash remaining. At the buddha ground, great merit supports wisdom; one gains wisdom corresponding in one thought, and residual habit is forever exhausted, like the fire at an eon’s end leaving neither charcoal nor ash. These are the stages that sever the afflictions of thought within the ten grounds shared by the three vehicles.

8. Marking Shared-Teaching Common Stages through Borrowed Distinct-Teaching Names

Third, Distinct-Teaching names are borrowed to name the stages shared by the three vehicles in the Shared Teaching. Earlier accounts include the view that the third ground severs views and another that the fourth does; one that the sixth ground exhausts thought and another that the seventh does. Test these accounts. Saying that both third and fourth grounds sever the afflictions of views fails to understand Shared-Teaching meaning. Within shared stages, the three vehicles jointly enter uninterrupted samādhi and sever views within one contemplation, neither emerging from nor reentering concentration. How could third and fourth grounds separately sever views? If the third ground alone severs views, the fourth should begin severing thought. If the fourth alone severs views, the third should not yet have severed them. If two grounds sever views, does contemplation emerge and reenter, or not? Without emerging and reentering there would be no two grounds; with emergence and reentry it would not be the stage of severing views. One teacher cites scripture in reply but does not understand the scripture’s intent.

The correct account is that the scripture borrows the longer names and meanings of Distinct-Teaching stages to reveal the Shared Teaching’s brief entry into contemplation. The process of severing views is longer in the Distinct Teaching, so third and fourth grounds can be stated. In the Shared Teaching, it is brief and does not leave a single contemplation. Names may be borrowed from the Distinct Teaching, but principle must follow the Shared. Explained without emerging from and reentering contemplation, “third ground” refers to the beginning of severing views and “fourth ground” to its completion; neither leaves contemplation. It resembles the sixteenth mind, sometimes judged part of the path of seeing and sometimes the path of cultivation.

The specific borrowed names are as follows. The three worthies among the outer ordinary are originally the ground of dry wisdom and are borrowedly named the ten faiths. The four wholesome roots among the inner ordinary are originally the ground of nature and are borrowedly named the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications. The grounds of eight persons and seeing correspond to a stream-enterer and are borrowedly named the first, Joy, ground. The ground of thinning corresponds to a once-returner. Since once-returning has both path and fruit, the path is established as the Stainless ground and the fruit as the Luminous ground. The ground of freedom from desire corresponds to a nonreturner. Since nonreturning likewise has path and fruit, the path is established as the Blazing-Wisdom ground and the fruit as the Difficult-to-Conquer ground. The ground of completed work corresponds to an arhat. Since arhatship likewise has path and fruit, the path is established as the Manifest ground and the fruit as the Far-Reaching ground. The pratyekabuddha station is established as the Immovable ground, and the bodhisattva ground as the Good-Wisdom ground. Either the final thought of the bodhisattva ground or the buddha ground may be established as the Dharma-Cloud ground. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra says that a bodhisattva of the tenth ground is like a buddha, allowing this explanation.

When these Distinct-Teaching ground names judge the three vehicles’ Shared stages, the first ground severs the afflictions of views. The second severs one or two grades of desire-realm thought-delusion. The third severs six grades. The fourth severs the seventh and eighth. The fifth exhausts the ninth. The sixth severs through the seventy-first grade in the two higher realms. The seventh exhausts the seventy-second. Above the eighth, encroachment upon residual habit, severance of ignorance, and the rest can all be understood by analogy with the preceding grounds shared by the three vehicles〔and so forth〕.

9. Establishing Separate Shared-Teaching Bodhisattva Stages through Borrowed Distinct-Teaching Names

Fourth, Distinct-Teaching names are borrowed to name the Shared-Teaching bodhisattva’s own stages. The ground of dry wisdom is outer ordinary; the ground of nature is inner ordinary. In the three-ground account, the ground of eight persons is the first ground, the first fifteen minds are the second, and the sixteenth mind is the third; all three sever the afflictions of views without leaving contemplation. In the four-ground account, the four forbearances are the first ground, four wisdoms the second, four comparative forbearances the third, and four comparative wisdoms the fourth; all four likewise sever the afflictions of views without leaving contemplation. How could this be the same as earlier teachers’ account of emerging and reentering while severing views across two grounds〔and so forth〕?

Next, the ground of thinning becomes the fifth ground and severs six grades of desire-realm thought. The ground of freedom from desire becomes the sixth and severs all nine desire-realm grades. The ground of completed work becomes the seventh and exhausts the afflictions of thought in the form and formless realms. The pratyekabuddha ground becomes the eighth, extending through the buddha ground, with residual habit and ignorance severed according to the preceding example〔and so forth〕.

One earlier account says the sixth ground exhausts thought and equals an arhat; another follows the Benevolent Kings Sūtra in saying the seventh ground equals an arhat. Yet because the sixth is named freedom from desire, it merely leaves the nine grades of desire-realm thought and can equal only a nonreturner. Even if the fruit of nonreturning is included within the path to arhatship, the ninth grade at the station of neither perception nor nonperception remains unsevered; it still cannot be said to equal an arhat. If the seventh ground is the ground of completed work, from the fruit it can equal arhatship. If the path is included within the fruit, then beginning with the first grade of the first dhyāna one already belongs to the seventh ground and can at that time be called completed work.

For ease of explanation, one may establish the meaning through the ten perfections. The sixth, prajñā pāramitā, exhausts delusion through wisdom entering emptiness and equals arhatship. The seventh, skillful-means pāramitā, emerges from emptiness into provisionality through prajñā to teach others; names are more conveniently established this way. If the seventh ground is taken to equal arhatship, then among the grounds correlated with the four paths and four fruits, the seventh directly equals the fourth fruit. These are all only initial correlations. Scriptures and treatises differ, so they must be weighed and cannot be fixed carelessly〔and so forth〕.

Someone asks: the principle of the three vehicles jointly severing delusion is already clear; on what basis are separate bodhisattva grounds opened?

Answer: the Great Treatise judges three points at which the wick is scorched, and three kinds of bodhisattva severance can therefore be distinguished. The ground of dry wisdom merely suppresses delusion yet can still be called the first flame. Why could the ground of eight persons, where delusion is truly severed, not be taken as the first flame〔and so forth〕? The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra further says that a tenth-ground bodhisattva is like a buddha. Since it speaks of the final ground neighboring the ultimate buddha station, how could there be no intermediate grounds and no initial one? Inferred this way, what fault is there in separately opening ten bodhisattva grounds? Without ten grounds, the scripture should not say that a bodhisattva from the first through the tenth ground cultivates the appropriate Dharma for treating each ground〔and so forth〕.

The Great Treatise also names the ground of dry wisdom suppressive forbearance in bodhisattva Dharma; the ground of nature pliant forbearance; the ground of eight persons forbearance concerning nonarising; the ground of seeing the result of forbearance concerning nonarising; the ground of thinning purity free of desire; the ground of freedom from desire sporting in spiritual powers. The ground of completed work is called buddha ground in śrāvaka Dharma but still called forbearance concerning nonarising in bodhisattva Dharma. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra likewise says that a stream-enterer’s wisdom and severance are a bodhisattva’s forbearance concerning nonarising and that even a pratyekabuddha’s wisdom and severance are a bodhisattva’s forbearance concerning nonarising. Since the treatise separately speaks in terms of bodhisattvas, what fault is there in establishing bodhisattva stages according to it?

Someone further asks: since the desire realm likewise severs only nine grades, why are more fruit-stages established within it?

Answer: it resembles a perilous place with many dangers, where many city walls must be built so travelers can rest. Desire-realm delusions bring many dangers, so many fruit-stages are established to give practitioners rest.

It is asked again: if so, since dispersion in the desire realm is abundant, why are more meditative concentrations not established?

Answer: the desire realm is not a ground of concentration, so dhyāna cannot be established there. Uncontaminated wisdom takes all realms as its objects, so fruits can be established.

It is asked again: since the three vehicles’ wisdom and what they sever are equal, why do the Two Vehicles speak of wisdom and severance while bodhisattvas speak of Dharma-forbearance?

Answer: first, forbearance is cause and wisdom result, so the first fifteen minds are called forbearances and the sixteenth wisdom. Second, the Two Vehicles take realization as their task and are appropriately named according to wisdom and severance. Relative to a buddha, bodhisattvas remain on causal ground and receive only the name forbearance. Third, whenever bodhisattvas sever one grade of thought-delusion, they gain one part of freedom in receiving birth; hence with each grade they die and with each grade are born. Because bodhisattvas can endure the toil of birth and death without entering nirvāṇa, this is called forbearance.

10. Distinct- and Perfect-Teaching Stages for Breaking Thought, and Similarities and Differences in Wisdom and Severance

According to the Distinct Teaching, one first breaks the afflictions of views and directly enters the first abode. From the second through seventh abodes one breaks the provisionality of thought. If the grades are to be correlated in detail with the abodes, follow the preceding account. The eighth, ninth, and tenth abodes directly encroach upon residual habit. The ten practices properly belong to emerging into provisionality and no longer to the preceding breaking of thought and entry into emptiness〔and so forth〕.

According to the Perfect Teaching, one first breaks the provisionality of views and directly enters the first faith. From the second through seventh faiths one breaks the provisionality of thought. If the grades are to be correlated in detail with the faiths, follow the preceding account. From the eighth through tenth faiths residual habits are exhausted. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says that at the first arousal of mind the direct agents and residual habits are both exhausted at once without remainder. What is exhausted here are the direct agents and residual habits within the three realms; those beyond the three realms are not yet exhausted. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra also says that after first arousing the mind one surpasses the Sage; this is precisely the level of meaning intended.

Why can one surpass? Direct agents and residual habits within the three realms are exhausted simultaneously, and one can manifest the eight marks of buddhahood, so in resultant function one already equals a buddha. At the same time one perfectly cultivates the three contemplations of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle, so in contemplative wisdom there is also a meaning of surpassing.

If so, should a śrāvaka likewise be able to surpass a bodhisattva? A śrāvaka within the Buddha-path can indeed surpass a bodhisattva at a lower stage.

Compare the four teachings further. All the preceding stages are called breaking provisionality, but the principle taken as object and the wisdom used differ. After Two-Vehicle practitioners in the Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings break provisionality, the function of conventional truth ceases; they cannot emerge from emptiness into provisionality or receive birth freely. After Shared-Teaching bodhisattvas break provisionality, the function of conventional truth ceases yet they can still emerge into provisionality and receive birth freely; only after the causes and conditions for teaching beings have ended do they reduce the body to ash and realize emptiness. After Distinct-Teaching practitioners break provisionality, they too can emerge into provisionality and receive birth freely; to reveal the Middle Way, they ultimately do not abide in emptiness. When Perfect-Teaching practitioners break provisionality, seeing the true is simultaneously entry into provisionality and the Middle, and ignorance is perfectly subdued.

To say that the Two Vehicles and bodhisattvas have the same wisdom and sever the same things but differ only in teaching others is an internal comparison within the Shared Teaching. To say they have different wisdom but sever the same things compares Distinct- and Perfect-Teaching bodhisattvas with Two-Vehicle practitioners in the Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings.

11. Leaping over Fruits Does Not Mean Leaving Even One Grade of Delusion Unsevered

Someone asks: entry into emptiness through breaking the provisionality of thought requires breaking nine grades in each of nine grounds across the three realms, eighty-one in all. Why is there also a meaning of leaping over fruits?

Answer: according to sequential distinctions within teaching gates, the preceding number of grades indeed exists. Actual practitioners, however, do not necessarily enter in the same grade-by-grade order. In the Tripiṭaka Teaching, after the sixteen minds some can leap in one thought to the fruit of nonreturning and some even to arhatship. How could they still pass repeatedly through the preceding sequence grade by grade? Although the grades are not traversed sequentially, their delusions are nevertheless exhausted and their concentrations all develop〔and so forth〕. Likewise, when a Tripiṭaka buddha’s one thought corresponds, afflictions of views and thought are suddenly exhausted and the Buddha’s virtues appear together. Because the faculties are sharp, no gradual progression through the grades is required. Sharp faculties can leap over their sequence, but the number of grades itself cannot be abolished, for the rule of the buddhas’ teaching gates is naturally so.

It is further asked: if sharp faculties can leap, Śāriputra possessed the sharpest wisdom; why did he not leap?

Answer: the Small-Vehicle teaching must guide people of dull faculties, who require rest according to the sequence of grades, so it does not speak of leaping. Although Śāriputra had great wisdom, he had to serve as general in turning the Dharma wheel and distinguish the grades for the assembly; he therefore passed through seven days—another account says fifteen—and did not leap. Ānanda had to become the Buddha’s attendant and therefore did not leap, not because he lacked the power of wisdom. Shared-Teaching bodhisattvas have sharp wisdom, so in principle some Two-Vehicle practitioners in that teaching should also be able to leap. Yet bodhisattvas must bear beings and lead the assembly; they must make broad distinctions and are therefore not discussed in terms of leaping. The Distinct and Perfect Teachings likewise include cases of not leaping for the sake of teaching others. Whether one leaps or not, the provisionality of thought is ultimately broken pervasively.

There are four kinds of leaping over fruits: leaping through prior severance, small leaping, great leaping, and very great leaping.

Leaping through prior severance has three forms. Someone who gained the concentration of neither perception nor nonperception while still an ordinary person now develops uncontaminated wisdom and, when the sixteenth mind is complete, realizes nonreturning. Someone who as an ordinary person gained the first, second, third, or fourth dhyāna now likewise realizes nonreturning when the sixteenth mind is complete. Someone who as an ordinary person used worldly wisdom to sever a number of the desire realm’s nine grades now, when the sixteenth mind is complete, leaps according to the earlier severance and realizes the corresponding fruit. All are called leaping through prior severance.

An ordinary person who has not yet attained dhyāna may, when the sixteenth mind is complete, remove along with it a number of desire-realm grades—perhaps three or perhaps two—and become family-to-family, one-seed, or the like. This is small leaping. An ordinary person may hear Dharma and, upon hearing the Buddha say “Welcome,” become an arhat; this is great leaping. As with a buddha’s one corresponding thought, when direct agents and residual habits are exhausted together, this is very great leaping.

People of the Perfect Teaching have the sharpest faculties, rely upon real meaning, and originally possess no fixed grade sequence, so they are most capable of leaping. The Sūtra of the Original Acts that Adorn the Bodhisattva speaks of suddenly awakening as Tathāgata, and the Lotus Sūtra of accomplishing correct awakening in one instant; from this standpoint there is leaping. If vows of loving-kindness and compassion are weighty and one does not swiftly take the ultimate fruit because beings must be delivered, this is not leaping. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says that even after accomplishing buddhahood and delivering beings, one still practices the bodhisattva path; this is both leaping and not leaping. In terms of the principle of the true mark, there is neither leaping nor not leaping. Transformative function arises pervasively according to beings’ faculties, while spontaneous correspondence with principle remains constantly quiescent and unmoving〔and so forth〕.

12. Why Analyze the Four Gates Once More?

Third comes analysis of the four gates. The afflictions of views and thought obstruct the principles revealed in the Shared and Distinct Teachings. Breaking obstruction and disclosing true principle require gates capable of communication. The Tripiṭaka, Shared, Distinct, and Perfect Teachings each possess a gate of existence, emptiness, both existence and nonexistence, and neither existence nor nonexistence; they are distinguished in order below.

13. The Tripiṭaka Teaching’s Gate of Existence

Abhidharma says that self, person, and being resemble turtle’s hair and hare’s horns and are unobtainable when pursued, but that real Dharmas of form and mind exist. Beings deluded concerning these real Dharmas produce the afflictions of views and thought without basis. Views and thought are originally impermanent and never stop from thought to thought; real Dharmas likewise shift at every moment and arise and cease part by part. Contemplating in this way can break the single, compound, fully endowed, and other kinds of views, and can also break all eighty-one grades of the afflictions of thought in the three realms, revealing cause, result, delusion, wisdom, and the rest as unborn. This is the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s meaning of breaking Dharmas through the gate of existence.

When teaching first opened at Deer Park, the five persons beginning with Kauṇḍinya first gained purity. Aśvajit taught the truths of suffering, accumulation, and cessation; Śāriputra thereby broke views and realized arhatship seven days later. Most of the twelve hundred persons and others likewise saw the ultimate meaning through the gate of existence. The Great Treatise says that if one enters Abhidharma with the skillful means of prajñā, one does not fall into attachment to existence. The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says that a person holding a view of permanence asserts that fetters are severed through different thoughts; this is the meaning of severing fetters at the first fruit of stream-entry. Given this, how can followers of the Satyasiddhi Treatise reject it as merely a means of regulating mind that cannot gain the path at all?

14. The Tripiṭaka Teaching’s Gate of Emptiness

According to the Satyasiddhi Treatise, self and person are originally nonexistent. Even if real Dharmas are said to exist, they are floating and empty, not truly existent. Deluded grasping of these floating, empty Dharmas produces views and thought without basis and makes one circulate through birth and death. Contemplate views and thought as floating and empty because all depend upon the three provisionalities of formation by causes, continuity, and relation. Provisional names and so-called real Dharmas are uniformly nonexistent; this is called equality-emptiness. Cultivating this contemplation can break single, compound, fully endowed, and immeasurable views, and can also break the eighty-one grades of the afflictions of thought, revealing delusion and wisdom, cause and result, and the rest as unborn. This is the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s meaning of breaking Dharmas through the gate of emptiness.

The Satyasiddhi Treatise therefore says that it intends precisely to elucidate the real meaning within the Tripiṭaka; “real meaning” here is emptiness. The Āgama breaks attachment through two questions, “This is aging-and-death” and “Whose aging-and-death?” The first breaks real attachment to a Dharma and reveals emptiness of Dharmas; the second breaks real attachment to a being and reveals emptiness of beings. Another teaching states that the Buddha’s Dharma-body is precisely emptiness. Subhūti’s wisdom of emptiness was exceptionally bright and sharp, allowing him to see the Buddha’s Dharma-body from within a stone chamber. The Buddha therefore empowered him in the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra to teach emptiness, while Śāriputra was empowered to teach prajñā. The Buddha intended to use Great-Vehicle emptiness to reveal Small-Vehicle emptiness together and great wisdom to reveal small wisdom together, so the two were made to relay the teaching.

The Great Treatise says that entering the gate of emptiness without the skillful means of prajñā causes one to fall into nonexistence. The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra further says that a person holding annihilation asserts that fetters are severed in one thought. Is this not the meaning of the gate of equality-emptiness? Thus the Tripiṭaka Teaching too speaks of the gate of emptiness. How can Abhidharma followers reject it as an emptiness belonging only to the Great Vehicle?

15. The Tripiṭaka Teaching’s Gates of Both Existence and Nonexistence and of Neither

Kātyāyana expounded the gate through which he entered and composed the Kunle Treatise, which was transmitted to southern India. Within this gate, provisional Dharmas are nonexistent as in the preceding gate, while real Dharmas may be called existent and also nonexistent. A fixed view of existence and nonexistence produces the afflictions of views and thought without basis. Contemplating the existence and nonexistence of real Dharmas as proceeding together at ease can break single, compound, and other views and all eighty-one grades of the afflictions of thought, revealing delusion and wisdom, cause and result, and the rest as unborn. This is the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s meaning of breaking Dharmas through the gate of both emptiness and existence. The Great Treatise says that entering the Kunle gate with the skillful means of prajñā prevents one from falling into the two extremes of existence and nonexistence.

The gate of neither emptiness nor existence is illustrated by the Great Treatise: once Chanda’s mind became soft and subdued, he should be taught the Nadī Kātyāyana Sūtra so that he would leave existence and nonexistence and only then gain the path. This contemplation can likewise break single, compound, and other views and the eighty-one grades of the afflictions of thought, enter emptiness through provisionality, and make delusion, wisdom, cause, and result unborn. This is the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s meaning of breaking provisionality through the gate of neither existence nor nonexistence. One should know that Chanda attained a Small-Vehicle path; this double negation must not be conflated with the Great Vehicle’s gate of the Middle Way.

16. Why Do the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s Four Gates Differ while Their Principle Is the Same?

All four gates can be called stream-entry attainment, because “canal and harbor” is an old designation for the first fruit. Those who advance receive the names of other fruits, producing distinctions among the latter three, but from initial entry all four gates can be called stream-entry. The gate of existence is stream-entry through impermanence; the gate of nonexistence, stream-entry through equality-emptiness; the gate of both, stream-entry through ease; and the gate of neither, stream-entry through double negation. All four indicate the first fruit realized through the respective gate.

The four gates’ contemplative methods differ, but the true truth seen is the same, like a city with four gates whose convergence after entry does not differ. The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says a person holding permanence asserts severance through different thoughts and one holding annihilation severance in one thought. Although their accounts differ, there is no difference in their gaining the path. In the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra, five hundred monks each explain the cause of the body, and the Buddha says that every one has spoken correctly. Guṇavarman’s verse says that although the treatises establish different positions, the principle toward which cultivation proceeds is nondual; only partial attachment produces right and wrong, while those who penetrate do not dispute against one another. The Satyasiddhi Treatise flourished during the Song dynasty and competing attachments arose, so he composed this verse as admonition.

Yet the true truth is quiescent and is actually fixed as neither one gate nor four. Śāriputra says that within the liberation he heard there is no speech; how could the four gates be promoted as truly existent? If fixed attachment to a gate arises, none of the four can gain the path; why reproach the gate of existence alone? If views and thought can be removed, all four gates can gain the path; why allow only emptiness? One should not say that the Satyasiddhi meaning succeeds and the Abhidharma numerical meaning fails. If the four siddhāntas are penetrated, both schools can stand; if not, both fail. The gates of both and neither are likewise.

Suppose the Dharma-marks clarified through the gate of existence are called coarser and those clarified through emptiness subtler, and success or failure is judged only through relative skill and clumsiness. The other three gates would then likewise be inferior to the gate of emptiness, so existence should not be rejected alone. Why do the four gates attack one another? People of the Two Vehicles seek only their own deliverance, enter directly along one path, and remain based on one partial position without interfusion. Later students then multiply faults from this partial basis.

Tripiṭaka-Teaching bodhisattvas do not yet know the preceding meaning of interfusion. They suppress delusion through analytical emptiness and partially study the four gates so they can guide others and broadly know the marks of Dharmas; only upon buddhahood are they called Correct and Universal Knowers. The Great Treatise cites the bodhisattva account of Kātyāyanīputra. Śākyamuni Bodhisattva first encountered a buddha also named Śākyamuni and aroused the mind; through Buddha Ratnaśikhin was the first incalculable eon, during which he still neither knew mentally that he would become a buddha nor said so verbally. Through Dīpaṃkara Buddha was the second incalculable eon, and through Vipaśyin Buddha the third. He completed the six pāramitās of giving, precepts, patience, effort, meditative concentration, and prajñā, each at its own time. King Śibi giving himself in place of a dove completed giving, and Govinda dividing Jambudvīpa completed prajñā. For another hundred eons he planted the thirty-two marks. In terms of cause this indicates Śākyamuni Bodhisattva; in terms of result, Maitreya. The bodhisattva practiced the paths and Dharmas of all four gates but only subdued and thinned afflictions.

Nāgārjuna objects that “thin” means some severance has already occurred, as the ground of thinning is so named only after a once-returner encroaches upon and removes six grades of the afflictions of thought. If one says the bodhisattva does not sever them, how can they be called thin? One should therefore know that afflictions are said to thin only on the suppressive path and are not truly severed until the thirty-four minds. Although Tripiṭaka bodhisattvas can study so broadly, this remains the initial teaching’s account of skillful means. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra calls it half-word; the Lotus Sūtra says one is constantly made to remove dung for twenty years; the Great Treatise calls it an unskillful physician; the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, a Dharma enjoyed by the poor; and Vasubandhu, the inferior vehicle. All indicate the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s four gates, not the Perfect gates ultimately used in this passage.

17. The Shared Teaching’s Four Gates

The Shared Teaching’s four gates differ from those of the Tripiṭaka. First, the gate of existence. All provisional and real Dharmas arise from ignorance. Ignorance is like an illusion, and every Dharma arising from it is likewise illusory. Although illusory Dharmas resemble empty space, there remains an equally illusory contemplation that breaks provisionality. Although like space, they nevertheless arise from causes and conditions likewise like space; hence Dharmas do not arise, yet prajñā arises. This contemplative wisdom can break all views and thoughts and reveal delusion, wisdom, cause, result, and the rest as unborn. This is the contemplative intent of the Shared Teaching’s gate of existence.

The Shared Teaching’s gate of emptiness says that the intrinsic substance of provisional and real Dharmas is like illusion and transformation, and even nirvāṇa is like illusion and transformation. Illusion and transformation are an easily understood emptiness, nirvāṇa a difficult one. The easy-to-understand illusion is used as a comparison for difficult-to-understand nirvāṇa, and both difficult and easy are empty. It also resembles an illusory person fighting empty space: the intrinsic substances of contemplating mind and contemplated object are both quiescent. Embodying and penetrating views and thought as immediately illusory and true through this wisdom of emptiness accomplishes the nonarising of delusion, wisdom, cause, and result. This is the gate of emptiness’s meaning of breaking provisionality.

The Shared Teaching’s gate of both emptiness and existence says that every Dharma resembles an image in a mirror, visible yet not truly obtainable. Visibility is existence; nonattainment is nonexistence. Though nonexistent it appears existent; though existent it is actually nonexistent. Contemplating in this way can break views and thought concerning Dharmas and make delusion, wisdom, cause, and result unborn. This is the contemplative intent of breaking provisionality through the gate of both emptiness and existence.

The Shared Teaching’s gate of neither existence nor nonexistence says that since everything is like illusion and transformation, how could it be fixed as existent or nonexistent? It should not exist, so it does not exist from existence. It should not be nonexistent, so neither is it nonexistent from nonexistence. This contemplative wisdom can break views and thought concerning Dharmas and make delusion, wisdom, cause, result, and the rest unborn. This is the contemplative intent of breaking provisionality through the gate of neither existence nor nonexistence.

The Tripiṭaka Teaching produces views on the basis of real form and uses the analytical contemplation of stream-entry to doubly negate views of existence and nonexistence, like analytically breaking apart a real pillar. The Shared Teaching produces views on the basis of illusory form and uses embodied contemplation of immediate emptiness to doubly negate the two views, like a pillar’s image in a mirror whose intrinsic substance is empty even while it is spoken of as broken. Thus although the Shared Teaching is not yet the Middle Way taught by the Distinct and Perfect Teachings, it can already embody Dharmas as empty and interfused and purify attachment to views.

The Great Treatise says prajñāpāramitā resembles a great flame ungraspable from any of four sides. This verse fully contains the meaning of the four gates, as close reading makes clear. The treatise also says that prajñā has four kinds of mark and that a cool pond has four gates through which one can enter; all confirm the four gates. If not grasped, all four communicate and enter. If grasped, one is instead burned by the flame of prajñā. The Buddha showed beings the Dharma without dispute and therefore taught these four contemplative gates.

Someone asks: where did the Buddha ever show a Dharma of dispute?

Answer: the Buddha never shows a Dharma of dispute. Dispute arises only because beings fail to understand and grasp teaching gates. The Tripiṭaka Teaching speaks in a shallow and accessible way; its four gates seem to obstruct one another and readily produce dispute through attachment. Followers of the Satyasiddhi Treatise reject Abhidharma as merely a means of regulating mind that cannot gain the path at all. Abhidharma followers say that only seeing existence gains the path and emptiness belongs to the Great Vehicle. The masters of both schools lose the intent of the four gates: one side rejects falsely and the other blocks falsely. Because views and attachments are rigid and dispute readily arises, the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s four gates are called easy to show people as Dharmas of dispute only by reference to beings’ misunderstanding.

The Shared Teaching embodies Dharmas as illusory, no longer grasps real form, and retains only provisionally established names. Names are easily seen as false, accord with the meaning of emptiness, and do not readily conflict, so dispute arises less often. The Great Treatise therefore contrasts this with the Tripiṭaka by saying that other scriptures often make those who do not understand dispute over Dharmas, whereas the Prajñāpāramitā reveals the Dharma without dispute, also called skillful crossing in accord with reality. The Middle Treatise says three kinds of person can all attain the true mark of all Dharmas. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra says persons of the three vehicles jointly sever afflictions through the path without speech and see the ultimate meaning, also called shared prajñā. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra uses the three animals crossing a river to illustrate the depths at which the three vehicles realize principle. All are contemplative meanings of the Shared Teaching’s four gates and are still not the Perfect gates ultimately used here.

18. The Distinct Teaching’s Four Gates

The Distinct Teaching’s four gates contemplate Distinct-Teaching principle and sever Distinct-Teaching delusion, unlike the preceding Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings. Its cultivation and realization are sequential, unlike the following Perfect Teaching. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that on hearing great nirvāṇa possesses an unsurpassed path and an assembly’s correct practice, one arouses the mind, leaves home, keeps precepts, cultivates concentration, contemplates wisdom of the four truths, and gains twenty-five samādhis. The phenomenal sequence of precepts, concentration, and wisdom does not differ from the Tripiṭaka, but these Dharmas are guided by the mind of great nirvāṇa, unlike the earlier teaching. The gradual cultivation of the five practices also differs from the Perfect Teaching that follows; hence “Distinct.”

The Distinct Teaching’s gate of existence contemplates that after illusory views and thought and delusive form are exhausted, a separate true, wholesome, wondrous form remains, called buddha-nature. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that attachment to emptiness of emptiness belongs to non-Buddhists and that liberation is not annihilating emptiness but true, wholesome, wondrous form; the Tathāgata’s secret treasury cannot be definitively called existent or nonexistent. It also says self is tathāgatagarbha and tathāgatagarbha buddha-nature. The Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra reveals the meaning through ten similes, including gold wrapped in worn cloth and an image hidden within an earthen mold. This is the Distinct Teaching’s gate of existence.

The Distinct Teaching’s gate of emptiness follows the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra in revealing emptiness through meanings such as Kapilavastu being empty, tathāgatagarbha empty, and great nirvāṇa empty, and in causing all beings to attain formless great parinirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa is not truly existent but is provisionally named existent according to convention. Nirvāṇa is also neither form nor sound; how could it truly be seen or heard? This is the gate of emptiness.

Within the Distinct Teaching’s gate of both emptiness and existence, the wise simultaneously illuminate emptiness and nonemptiness. If only emptiness is taught, permanence, bliss, self, and purity are all absent. If only nonemptiness is taught, who receives permanence, bliss, self, and purity? Like water, wine, and curds and the jars holding them, they cannot be fixed as empty alone or as nonempty alone. This is the gate of both emptiness and existence.

The Distinct Teaching’s gate of neither existence nor nonexistence transcends the four alternatives of existence, nonexistence, both, and neither, leaves the hundred doctrinal attachments, cuts off the road of language, and cannot be disclosed through fixed marks. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that neither permanence nor annihilation is called the Middle Way; this is its gate.

If their intent is gained, all four gates can communicate and enter the true mark. If their intent is not gained, they can only suppress delusion and form sequential preparatory stages before the grounds. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra calls this a bodhisattva’s noble practice; the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra calls it prajñā unshared with the Two Vehicles. These are meanings of the Distinct Teaching’s four gates and are not the Perfect gates ultimately used here.

19. The Perfect Teaching’s Four Gates

The Perfect Teaching suddenly teaches the wondrous principle, unlike the partial true and the sequential that precede it. It is perfectly interfused and unobstructed, unlike differentiated progression. How does it establish four gates?

The gate of existence contemplates that the provisionality of views and thought is itself the Dharma realm and fully possesses every Buddha-Dharma. Dharmas themselves are causes and conditions of Dharma-nature; even ultimate meaning is causes and conditions. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that because ignorance is extinguished, the lamp of awakening blazes. This is the Perfect Teaching’s gate of existence.

The gate of emptiness contemplates that illusory views and thought and every Dharma are fixed neither in causes nor in conditions. Self and nirvāṇa are both empty. If one again grasps an emptiness, only the illness of emptiness remains, and the illness of emptiness itself is empty. Thus all three truths—emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle—are empty.

The gate of both emptiness and existence contemplates that although illusory views and thought lack real intrinsic nature, provisional names distinguished through causes and conditions are inexhaustible. It resembles a scripture scroll of the great trichiliocosm hidden within one mote of dust; abiding unmoving in ultimate meaning, one can skillfully distinguish the marks of Dharmas; it resembles one earth producing many kinds of sprout; amid the absence of fixed names and marks, names and marks are spoken provisionally according to conditions, and even Buddha possesses only a name. This is the gate of both existence and nonexistence.

The gate of neither existence nor nonexistence contemplates that illusory views and thought are themselves Dharma-nature. Dharma-nature is inconceivable and does not belong to the world, hence neither existent; yet there is no world-transcending apart from the world, hence neither nonexistent. Not a single color or fragrance is other than the Middle Way, and one Middle contains every Middle. Vairocana pervades every place; how could views and thought anywhere not be the true Dharma realm? This is the gate of neither existence nor nonexistence.

20. One Gate Is All Gates

Why is one gate the other three? One gate fully possesses every Dharma; how could it possess only three gates? Contemplating Dharmas arisen from causes and conditions is the first, gate of existence, and every Dharma is this conditioned gate. The first gate is empty in its intrinsic substance; one emptiness is every emptiness, making the second, gate of emptiness. The first gate is provisional in its intrinsic substance; one provisionality is every provisionality, making the third, gate of both emptiness and existence. The first gate is Middle in its intrinsic substance; one Middle is every Middle, making the fourth, gate of neither existence nor nonexistence. The first gate is the other three, and the other three are the first; only one gate is honored as the name. Although there are four names, principle contains no separation.

The preceding use of the birthless gate to break views and thought is the gate of emptiness. Yet one gate is all gates and is not limited to the birthless alone. One breaking is every breaking and does not break only views and thought. When entering emptiness through provisionality, one emptiness is every emptiness and does not empty only the side of birth and death. Only this understanding is the Perfect Teaching’s four gates directly used in this passage.

If so, why did the preceding text still make all kinds of distinctions? Because ordinary people’s cognition and consciousness are dark and dull and cannot know without explanation. They are therefore first guided patiently, shown many gates, and then brought into the correct path. The Lotus Sūtra says that although various paths are taught, in reality all are the One Vehicle. Once this meaning is understood, even distinguishing all day long leaves no discrimination to grasp. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra calls it another single practice that is the Tathāgata’s practice. The Lotus Sūtra calls it uprightly abandoning skillful means and teaching only the unsurpassed path. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra calls it knowing every Dharma through knowledge of all modes. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra compares it to entering a campaka grove and smelling no other fragrance. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra calls it the Dharma realm. All are meanings of the Perfect Teaching’s four gates.

Thus if the preceding use of the birthless gate to break provisionality truly gains its intent, it is a gate of the Perfect Teaching rather than a gate of skillful-means teachings. Precisely because one gate pervasively embraces every gate and one breaking extends through every breaking is it called pervasive breaking through Dharmas〔and so forth〕.

Why Move from the Contemplation of Emptiness into the Contemplation of the Provisional

Second is the explanation of entering the provisional from emptiness and thereby accomplishing pervasive breaking through Dharmas. This part has four divisions: first, explaining the intent of entering the provisional; second, explaining the conditions that make entry possible; third, explaining the contemplation for entering the provisional; and fourth, determining its stages.

Entering the provisional has two forms. In one, a person simply proceeds from contemplation of emptiness into contemplation of the provisional. In the other, one knows that emptiness is itself not a real Dharma to which one can cling; one therefore breaks attachment to emptiness and enters contemplation of the provisional. The wisdom and severance of delusion attained by people of the Two Vehicles can likewise realize the truth, but because they lack great compassion they are not called bodhisattvas. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says that people of the Two Vehicles can also realize the true nature and marks of all dharmas, yet cannot on that account be called buddhas. In terms of their own cultivation, the Two Vehicles have a share in entering emptiness; in terms of transforming beings, they lack the function of emerging from emptiness and entering the provisional.

A bodhisattva enters emptiness from the provisional and breaks his own bondage and attachment, thereby differing from ordinary beings. He then enters the provisional from emptiness and breaks the bondage and attachment of others, thereby differing from the Two Vehicles. Dwelling amid the myriad existents without being stained, he discerns Dharma medicine with the Dharma eye, matches compassion to beings’ illnesses, loves beings without boundary, helps all living beings without weariness, and employs his mind in complete freedom. Such skillful means resemble planting a tree in empty space. They also resemble lying back and shooting arrows into the sky, each later arrow’s nock catching the preceding arrow so that it does not fall to the ground. If one stops in emptiness, one can never benefit beings. Resolving to benefit others is precisely the intent of entering contemplation of the provisional.

Five Conditions Enabling Entry into the Provisional

There are, in outline, five conditions for entering the provisional.

First is profound compassion. When first breaking provisional existence, the bodhisattva sees beings bound by inversion as though imprisoned and unable to escape. He therefore arouses great compassion and cares for them as his own children. Now that he himself has severed delusion and entered emptiness, he sees their suffering as his own, and his grief becomes doubly grave. In every matter he thinks of others before himself, and his wish to remove suffering and bestow happiness becomes ever more earnest.

Second is recollection of the original vow. At the outset the bodhisattva made a vast vow to remove beings’ suffering, give them happiness, and establish them in security. Beings still suffer innumerable afflictions and have not yet been delivered. Were he alone to escape suffering, he would betray his earlier resolve. Since he does not forget his original intent, how could he abandon all sentient beings? He therefore enters provisional existence, lives among beings, and guides them from within. When people of the Two Vehicles first undertook cultivation, they too were not ignorant of the Buddha Dharma and had once made great vows. But across successive lives they forgot their original resolve, retreated from the Great Vehicle, and clung to the Small Vehicle; they were therefore reproached by the sages. A bodhisattva is not like this. He resembles a mother who, on obtaining food, always remembers her children.

Third is keen and sharp wisdom. When entering contemplation of emptiness, the bodhisattva immediately knows the fault in remaining there and abandoning others. Why? If he abides in emptiness, he cannot accomplish the purification of buddha-lands, the transformation of beings, or the completion of all Buddha Dharmas. Knowing this fault, he no longer treats emptiness as ultimate and enters the provisional from emptiness.

Fourth is skillful means. A bodhisattva can enter the world. Even while living amid birth-and-death and affliction, birth-and-death and affliction cannot harm his wisdom. Every obstruction, impediment, and difficulty instead further assists his path of transformation.

Fifth is the power of great diligence. Although the Buddha path is long, the bodhisattva does not regard it as impossibly distant. Although beings are innumerable, his resolve remains vigorous. His mind is firm and irreversible; he advances diligently and is never weary or lax. These are the five conditions.

These five meanings correspond to the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra. That scripture gives three classes of similes for comforting a sick person. It first speaks of contemplating the body as impermanent and so forth, comfort through entering emptiness. It ends by saying one should become a king of physicians, comfort through entering the Middle. Between these is comfort through entering the provisional, also with five meanings. To pity others’ illness through one’s own illness is great compassion of the same body. Knowing the suffering one has undergone over innumerable past kalpas is recollection of the original vow. Thinking at every moment of benefiting all beings is knowing the fault of abiding in emptiness. Recollecting one’s cultivated merit and at every moment maintaining a pure livelihood is skillful means. Not giving rise to sorrow and distress, but constantly arousing diligence, is the fifth meaning. The meaning here corresponds to that scripture from afar, and so forth.

If compassion, vows, skillful means, and diligence—the four Dharmas other than wisdom—are lacking, one definitely cannot emerge from contemplation of emptiness. Sharp faculties, however, require separate analysis. A śrāvaka who abides in emptiness is not necessarily dull, and a bodhisattva who enters the provisional is not necessarily sharp. Śāriputra, for example, possessed keen wisdom yet did not emerge from contemplation of emptiness. Four alternatives must therefore be distinguished: sharp faculties while abiding in emptiness, dull faculties while abiding in emptiness, sharp faculties while entering the provisional, and dull faculties while entering the provisional.

It resembles a physically frail person without strength whose courage is nevertheless vigorous: he can still enter dangerous terrain and defeat the enemy, with not a single battle line able to stop him. Another person is physically strong and courageous; thrusting left and right, he is irresistible. Another has great strength but is timid and fearful; despite his strength, the moment he sees the enemy line he loses heart. Yet another has neither strength nor courage; lacking both, how could he establish any achievement? Those who abide in emptiness include the latter two types, while those who emerge into the provisional include the former two. Possessing the five conditions is like having kin to help, a compact to rely on, a strategy to use, strength to trust, and courage to act; one can therefore enter the provisional. Even when one’s wisdom is somewhat dull, possessing the other four conditions makes entry possible. A śrāvaka may possess sharp wisdom, but because all four are lacking, he cannot enter the provisional.

The Three Tasks of Contemplation in Entering the Provisional

Third is the explanation of contemplation in entering the provisional. It consists of three tasks: first, knowing illness; second, recognizing medicine; and third, administering medicine according to illness.

Knowing illness means knowing the two illnesses of views and thought. Regarding views, one must know their root, the conditions under which they arise, whether their arising is long-standing or recent, and the gravity and number of their grades.

Knowing the Illness of Views

How does one know the root of views? The view of self is the root of all views, and a single thought of deluded mind is the root of the view of self. From this deluded mind, immeasurable deviant views arise, crisscrossing and densely tangled beyond reckoning. Through these views, beings create fetters and karma of every kind, fall into the three evil destinations, and revolve in drowning without cease. This resembles the wheel of fire seen when a torch is whirled. To stop the wheel, stop the hand that whirls the torch. Know that mind originally contains no real mind; mind arises only because of deluded conception. The self originally contains no real self; a self is born only because of inversion. Once inversion and deluded conception cease, the root ceases, and its branches naturally disappear with it.

How does one know the conditions under which views arise? Because conditions differ, the views born from them also differ. How can this be known? It can be known from inner and outer characteristics. Outer characteristics include differences among the environments where beings live: seasons may be cold or hot, lands high or low, products and growth refined or coarse, and foods strong or mild. Because places differ, their resulting recompenses differ. Even within what a local region produces, there are accumulation and dispersal, abundance and scarcity, presence and absence, gain and loss, poverty and wealth, hunger and satiety, and so forth. Bodily forms likewise differ: short or tall, handsome or ugly, imposing or gaunt, healthy or ill, and so forth.

People’s faculties, preferences, and aversions also differ. One person suddenly gains honor yet casts aside office; another takes delight in gathering firewood or fishing. One strikes an ox horn while seeking ministerial rank; another carries a cooking vessel while seeking high office. Some excel in civil affairs and others in martial affairs. Some indulge in drink and others crave flavors. Some are greedy and others extravagant; some easily angry and others joyful; some foolish and others cunning. Such uneven intermixture has hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of forms. Even within the human path every person already differs; how much more so the other kinds of beings, which cannot be exhaustively described. These differences in dependent and direct recompense necessarily reveal differences in the karma each has made. Different karma gives rise to different views. Seeing the tip, one thus knows the root; seeing the outer characteristics, one discerns the inner causes.

How does one know whether views arose long ago or recently? Some views accumulated and layered across many births, not merely one lifetime. Some arose only in the most recent lifetime; some have just arisen in this life; and some will gradually become powerful only in the future.

How does one know the number of grades of views? From the single view of existence, distinguish the three provisionalities—formation by causes, continuity, and relation. Within each, distinguish four alternatives: existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, and neither existence nor nonexistence. The three provisionalities therefore make twelve alternatives. Each fourfold set is further distinguished by the four siddhāntas—worldly, individual, counteractive, and ultimate—so the twelve alternatives make forty-eight siddhāntas. Each siddhānta is further divided into nature-emptiness and mark-emptiness, making ninety-six kinds of nature-emptiness and mark-emptiness. Each alternative has calming and contemplation, making 192 calming-and-contemplation alternatives. Counting the preceding roots as well yields 348.

That count concerns practitioners through faith. Practitioners through Dharma are the same; those who turn from faith to Dharma are the same, and those who turn from Dharma to faith are the same. The four kinds of people together yield 1,392 alternatives. This is the count for the view of existence. The views of nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, and neither existence nor nonexistence are the same, so the four views yield 5,568. What is true of the simple four views is also true of the compound and complete four views. These three classes yield 16,704 inexpressible views. Add the initial 1,392 for the view of existence, and the total becomes 18,096.

The foregoing are the views to be broken. The calming-and-contemplation that breaks them has the same number. Breaker and broken together therefore yield 36,192 alternatives. One’s own practice is like this, and transforming others is the same; together they yield 72,384. If the sixty-two views and eighty-eight agents are further analyzed through three provisionalities, four alternatives, and so forth, the number is immeasurable, boundless, and inexhaustible.

Although the marks of illness are immeasurable, the bodhisattva can know them all. He knows how many alternatives together constitute one view and how many constitute another. He skillfully distinguishes their depth, shallowness, gravity, and lightness without deviation or error; this is called knowing origination. Knowing origination, he also knows suffering. He thoroughly understands how suffering and origination circulate, from root to branch.

Before entering emptiness, the bodhisattva had pervasively contemplated the delusions of views and thought and understood the marks of illness in outline. He made this a preparation for emerging into the provisional, and only then severed delusion and entered emptiness through one gate. When he later emerges into the provisional and again distinctly illuminates the two delusions, this is easy. With a little cultivation of calming-and-contemplation, the Dharma eye becomes clear. People of the Two Vehicles enter emptiness through only one gate and lack this prior guidance. Later, when teaching even two disciples, they administer the wrong medicine. They also lack the foregoing five intentions; how could they enter the provisional?

The bodhisattva possesses skillful means, great compassion, the original vow, and the power of great diligence. At times he stills every deluded conception, opens the Dharma eye, and recognizes the illness of views. At times he illuminates and penetrates the Dharmas of views, arousing wisdom of the varieties of the path and understanding all forms of delusion. If awakening has not yet occurred, he diligently investigates calming-and-contemplation through the power of diligence. When inner conditions mature and the buddhas provide outer support, he suddenly awakens, whether obscurely or openly. From then on, every alternative among the illnesses of views is perfectly clear, like all visible forms appearing in a mirror. Whether recognizing himself or others, he examines them clearly and without obstruction.

Knowing the Illness of Thought

Next, one must know the root of the illness of thought, the conditions under which it arises, whether its arising is long-standing or recent, and the gravity and number of its grades. The first three can be understood by analogy with the illness of views, except that the provisional marks of thought take delusion as their root, and so forth.

As for the grades of thought, the nine grounds of the three realms contain eighty-one grades. Consider first a single grade. This grade has three provisionalities, each with four alternatives of calming-and-contemplation, making twelve. Each alternative also has the two types of understanding through faith and attainment through seeing, and each type employs the four siddhāntas. Practice through faith and practice through Dharma thus each have eight rounds, sixteen together. Each can also turn into the other, producing another sixteen, for thirty-two altogether. Since one alternative expands to thirty-two, the twelve alternatives of the three provisionalities yield 384. Each also has the two emptinesses of nature and mark, making 768. Add the preceding number to make 1,152; include the roots themselves to make 1,164.

One grade is like this, so nine grades yield 10,476. The nine grades of the desire realm are like this; extending them through the nine grounds of the three realms yields 94,284. The number to be broken is like this, and the breaking contemplation is the same; together they yield 188,568. One’s own practice is like this, and transforming others is the same; together they yield 277,136 alternatives of calming-and-contemplation.

On closer analysis, every grade contains immeasurable grades and every dhyāna immeasurable dhyānas. The meditative concentrations of luminous insight, the eight liberations, and the rest are already beyond exhaustive description merely when their various states arise. How much more difficult would it be to count the three provisionalities, four kinds of contemplation, and other alternatives within every dhyāna and grade? If the delusions of views are compared to forty li of water, thought conditions only one truth and should be compared to ten li. Because it does not arise laterally, it is called a single drop. Yet its grades are truly numerous and can still be said to fill ten li of water.

People of the Two Vehicles enter emptiness directly and therefore make no such distinctions. When bodhisattvas first broke the provisionality of thought, they prepared the means in advance and already knew the whole in outline. Now, emerging from emptiness into the provisional, they again cultivate contemplation to assist the opening of the Dharma eye, using calming-and-contemplation throughout as the gate for knowing provisional existence. If cultivated separately, each has its method. Stilling every condition and thought is called calming. Taking the provisional marks of thought as conditions and illuminating them is called contemplation. Through great compassion, the original vow, the power of great diligence, and the empowering majesty of the buddhas, the bodhisattva suddenly understands and opens. He gains the vision of the Dharma eye and the knowledge of wisdom of the varieties of the path, clearly distinguishing the illness-marks of the provisionality of thought, and so forth.

Although the foregoing counts of the delusions of views and thought are elaborate, what obstruction is there in knowing them? The five divisions of the Vinaya do not stuff a person’s chest full. Only by acting according to concrete conditions can a student correct himself and others. The same is true of learning these counted alternatives: one learns and immediately applies them. Whether in one’s own practice or in transforming others, they can be employed at will and without obstruction.

Recognizing Worldly Dharma Medicine

Second is the explanation of how one entering the provisional recognizes Dharma medicine. The marks of illness are immeasurable, and medicines are likewise immeasurable. In outline, they fall into three classes: worldly Dharma medicine, supramundane Dharma medicine, and supramundane supreme Dharma medicine.

The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra teaches three kinds of Dharma giving. The Three Refuges, Five Precepts, ten wholesome paths of action, four dhyānas, immeasurable minds, and the like are called worldly Dharma giving. The second is supramundane Dharma giving, and the third supramundane supreme Dharma giving. Their meanings can be known accordingly, and so forth.

The Great Treatise asks: what benefit is there in giving worldly Dharmas? It resembles a prince falling from a high place. The king, his loving father, piles silk and cotton on the ground to catch him and spare him pain. Beings are the same. They are about to fall into the three evil destinations, so sages take pity on them and provisionally receive and guide them with worldly wholesome Dharmas, preventing their fall into evil destinations.

Ordinary foolish people originally did not know how to give Dharma medicine. All wholesome worldly Dharmas were taught by sages who lodged traces in the world and manifested as ordinary people to induce and instruct beginners during ages without a buddha. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that all the scriptures of worldly non-Buddhists were taught by the Buddha, not by the non-Buddhists themselves. The Golden Light Sūtra says that every wholesome treatise in the world comes from that scripture. When worldly Dharmas are known deeply, worldly Dharmas are themselves Buddha Dharma. Why? Gather the ten wholesome actions, and they become the Five Precepts. A deep understanding of the five constant virtues and five phases likewise approaches the Five Precepts.

Benevolence means loving concern, pity, and nurturing beings without harming others; it is the precept against killing. Righteousness means yielding humbly, remaining incorrupt, and bestowing what one has on others; it is the precept against stealing. Ritual establishes standards, and men and women bind their hair in marriage; it is the precept against sexual misconduct. Wisdom illuminates keenly, acts uprightly, and accords with the principle of the Middle Way; it is the precept against intoxication. Trustworthiness keeps compacts, records matters as they are, remains honest and measured, and does not deceive; it is the precept against false speech. The Duke of Zhou and Confucius established these five constant virtues as worldly Dharma medicine to treat the illnesses of the people.

The five phases also resemble the Five Precepts: abstaining from killing protects wood, abstaining from stealing protects metal, abstaining from sexual misconduct protects water, abstaining from false speech protects earth, and abstaining from intoxication protects fire. The Five Classics likewise resemble the Five Precepts. The Book of Rites teaches restraint and prevents intoxication. The Book of Music harmonizes mind and prevents sexual misconduct. The Book of Odes uses airs and elegantiae to satirize faults and prevent killing. The Book of Documents clarifies righteousness and yielding and prevents stealing. The Book of Changes gauges yin and yang and prevents false speech.

A bodhisattva must master such forms of worldly wisdom to their utmost, so that no one can surpass or defeat him and everyone trusts him; only then can he guide them as a teacher. A bodhisattva emerging into the provisional must know these Dharmas and should cultivate them diligently and single-mindedly within the contemplation of luminous insight. Through compassionate vows, tireless diligence, and the empowering majesty of the buddhas, he suddenly understands and opens, never again doubting or becoming obstructed by worldly Dharma medicine.

Worldly Dharma medicine, however, is not the ultimate treatment. Even if one advances step by step and nearly reaches the end of the three existences, one eventually returns to the starting point. Thus, although ordinary beings cultivate contaminated meditative concentrations, their mental conduct still leaks and breaks like a cracked vessel. Even if they are born in the Heaven of Neither Perception nor Nonperception, they fall back again, like colored clothing soaked by rain until its hues mottle and peel away. A worldly physician may cure an illness, but after recovery it returns. This is precisely what is meant.

Recognizing Supramundane Dharma Medicine

Next is the explanation of how to know supramundane Dharma medicine. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra lists different teachings. At times it says faith is the path; at other times aspiration, heedfulness, diligence, mindfulness of the body, right concentration, cultivation of impermanence, dwelling in the quiet of an araṇya, teaching Dharma to others, keeping precepts, approaching good spiritual friends, or cultivating loving-kindness and the rest. Each can be a counteractive medicine.

The scriptures sometimes take one path as medicine, as with the samādhi of one practice. The Buddha also told the bhikṣus not to take what belongs to others. All Dharmas belong to others: by neither accepting nor grasping any Dharma, one becomes an arhat. None of the simple, compound, or other views discussed above is accepted. Two paths can also serve as medicine: the two wheels of concentration’s moistening and wisdom’s spur are balanced. Three Dharmas are medicine: ethical discipline, concentration, and wisdom. Four are medicine: the four foundations of mindfulness. Five are medicine: the five powers. Six are medicine: the six recollections. There are also the seven factors of awakening, Eightfold Path, nine perceptions, and ten knowledges. Thus the Dharmas of the path are taught in increasing numerical order, up to the 84,000 Dharma gates, too many to count.

There can be many single Dharmas, immeasurable single Dharmas, and inexpressibly many single Dharmas. There can likewise be many tenfold Dharmas, immeasurable tenfold Dharmas, and inexpressibly many tenfold Dharmas. Every Dharma has its various names, marks, and counteractive functions. A bodhisattva emerging into the provisional must clearly recognize all of them. He gathers every Dharma medicine for beings like a guide thoroughly familiar with the ocean; without such knowledge he cannot benefit beings. To know them all, the bodhisattva single-mindedly cultivates calming-and-contemplation throughout, possesses compassionate vows and the power of diligence, and receives the empowering majesty of the buddhas. The Dharma eye opens, and he can know everything as plainly as seeing a fruit in his palm.

Recognizing Supramundane Supreme Dharma Medicine

Next comes supramundane supreme Dharma medicine. When one Dharma of calming-and-contemplation serves as medicine, it is the single truth of reality. The mind of ignorance combines with Dharma-nature, and every mark of illness appears. Contemplate this Dharma-nature: even Dharma-nature itself contains no Dharma-nature to be grasped, much less ignorance and all other Dharmas.

When two Dharmas serve as medicine, they are calming and contemplation. Embodying and penetrating mind-nature, delusion ceases.

When three Dharmas serve as medicine, they are calming, contemplation, and the ethical discipline that follows the right path. This discipline functions naturally and protects the practitioner. There are also the three samādhis. Entering emptiness from the provisional is the samādhi of emptiness. Seeing no mark of emptiness even within emptiness is the signless samādhi. The cessation of the karma of birth-and-death is the wishless samādhi.

When four Dharmas serve as medicine, they are the four foundations of mindfulness. Every view relies on form, yet this form is neither impure nor not impure. Feeling produced by the delusions of views and thought is neither suffering nor pleasure. The perceptions and formations within every view are neither self nor no-self. Since the mind of views and thought is not even mind, how could it be called permanent or impermanent?

When five Dharmas serve as medicine, they are the five faculties. Having no doubt while cultivating calming-and-contemplation is the faculty of faith. Constantly remembering calming-and-contemplation and not thinking of other matters is the faculty of mindfulness. Calming-and-contemplation never ceasing is the faculty of diligence. Abiding one-pointedly in concentration is the faculty of concentration. Embodying and penetrating through four alternatives that all Dharmas lack self-nature is the faculty of wisdom. When the five faculties grow, they are called the five powers.

When six Dharmas serve as medicine, they are the six recollections. Using calming-and-contemplation to awaken to the fact that views and thought are immediately the Buddha Dharma realm and do not damage the Dharma body is recollection of the Buddha. Constantly retaining calming-and-contemplation without distinguishing calming and contemplation as identical or different is recollection of Dharma. The principle of calming-and-contemplation harmoniously revealing the mark of the unconditioned is recollection of the Saṅgha. Calming-and-contemplation possessing ethical discipline that follows the right path is recollection of ethical discipline. Calming-and-contemplation being immediately the ultimate is recollection of deities. Calming-and-contemplation abandoning views and thought is recollection of relinquishment.

When seven Dharmas serve as medicine, calming comprises the factors of tranquility, equanimity, and concentration; contemplation comprises the factors of investigation of Dharmas, joy, and diligence; and the factor of mindfulness extends through both calming and contemplation.

When eight Dharmas serve as medicine, breaking provisionality through four alternatives is right view. The arousal produced by this right view is right intention. Practicing according to this calming-and-contemplation is right action. Teaching this calming-and-contemplation is right speech. Sustaining one’s life without crooked flattery is right livelihood. Neither leaving nor forgetting calming-and-contemplation is right mindfulness. Calming is right concentration. Continuity from thought to thought without interruption is right effort.

When nine Dharmas serve as medicine, the four views are the impure five aggregates. The deterioration of the aggregates is the perception of a discolored corpse, from which the sequence unfolds through the ninth perception, and so forth.

When ten Dharmas serve as medicine, they are the ten knowledges. The two provisionalities of views and thought are knowledge of origination and knowledge of suffering. Calming-and-contemplation is knowledge of the path. The nonarising of the twenty-five existences is knowledge of cessation. Knowing that every place in the three realms is like this is inferential knowledge. Speaking according to worldly names is worldly knowledge. Knowing that other beings are likewise is knowledge of others’ minds. Knowing the distinctions among all Dharmas is differentiated knowledge. Knowing that suffering and origination have been exhausted is knowledge of exhaustion. Uncontaminated wisdom is knowledge of nonarising.

Know that calming-and-contemplation can be increased or decreased according to faculties for the benefit of beings. It can be unfolded as ten or as Buddha Dharmas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. This resembles Shennong tasting medicinal plants and establishing prescriptions: sometimes one ingredient is used, sometimes two, up to ten, while other formulas combine many medicines. Prescriptions are established according to illness, never without conditions. Bodhisattvas entering the provisional are the same. They know one Dharma, two Dharmas, up to immeasurable Dharma gates, sometimes treating one illness and sometimes a mixed illness.

Medicinal substances likewise have bark, flesh, sap, fruit, roots, stems, branches, and leaves, each with a different function. Mountains, seas, water, land, and the soils of the four directions each produce their own substances. Gathering, digging, taking them dry or moist—all have suitable seasons. Each medicine also has the illnesses it can treat. A bodhisattva entering the provisional knows beings’ faculties and recognizes the Dharma suited to each in just this way. He examines and knows that one or many Dharmas accord with this being’s aspirations, while another one or two do not; that one or two are suitable means for him, while another one or two are not; that this is counteractive and that is not; that this can bring him into the ultimate and that cannot.

To treat one illness, one medicine is enough. To become a great king of physicians, one must pervasively know every medicine. People of the Two Vehicles need only treat their own delusion, so one Dharma is enough. Bodhisattvas make great vows and therefore must know all. The earth may produce medicinal substances, yet a physician must still determine their quantities and combine them into prescriptions. A great river contains water, yet it must still be measured in sheng and ge, neither excessive nor deficient. Dharma medicine is the same. One concentration of quiescence unfolds as immeasurable calming practices, and one great wisdom unfolds as immeasurable contemplations, all true and without falsity.

The conditions that make beings ill differ in every way; the pains of their illnesses, their prescriptions and treatments, and the conditions of their recovery all differ. Medicines may be drunk as decoctions, induce vomiting or purging, or take the form of needles, cautery, pills, or powders. The conditions of recovery are not confined to one method. Bodhisattvas entering the provisional are the same. Knowing all the different accumulations of beings’ afflictions of views and thought is knowing origination. Knowing all the different painful results caused by their wholesome and unwholesome conduct is knowing suffering. Knowing every Dharma gate is knowing the path. Knowing all the different ways beings realize quiescent cessation is knowing cessation. There is no form of the Four Truths that bodhisattvas entering the provisional do not know.

Transition between the First and Second Halves of Fascicle Six

Mohe Zhiguan, Fascicle Six 〔First Half〕

Mohe Zhiguan, Fascicle Six 〔Second Half〕

Taught by the Great Master Zhizhe of Tiantai in the Sui dynasty

Recorded by his disciple Guanding

Shennong’s original prescriptions do not necessarily cure every person of later ages. Hua Tuo and Bian Que examined the times and the properties of medicines and established new prescriptions. Why? Northern and southern regions differ; people’s constitutions are frail or robust; foods are salty or mild; medicines are strong or weak; and illnesses are light or grave. Following only an old prescription fails to produce results, while remaking prescriptions according to the time can bring recovery.

When the Buddha first appeared in the world, beings’ faculties were mature. He taught according to their faculties, and none failed to awaken and enter. In later ages, people’s minds grew increasingly shallow, and their emotional attachments and delusive obstructions gradually changed. Applying only the Buddha’s scriptural words directly to them would bring no benefit. Bodhisattvas examine faculties, open the meaning of scripture, and compose treatises so that beings awaken. Causing others to awaken, enter, and gain benefit is the true intent of entering the provisional. How could rigidly keeping an old prescription be allowed to block the path of transformation? The Great Treatise says that to establish and explain many names in accordance with the Dharma and meaning in the scriptures is Dharma giving. To cultivate this wisdom, the bodhisattva thoroughly cultivates calming-and-contemplation through compassionate vows and diligent effort. With the empowering majesty of the buddhas, illumination suddenly becomes clear, and he gains freedom in the wisdom of entering the provisional.

Administering Worldly Dharma Medicine According to Illness

Third is the explanation of administering medicine according to illness. The bodhisattva knows the illness revealed by the truths of suffering and origination and recognizes the medicine revealed by the truths of path and cessation. If beings lack supramundane faculties and are too weak to bear the profound Dharma, the bodhisattva administers only worldly Dharma medicine.

Confucius and the Duke of Zhou, for example, established the duties of ruler and minister and fixed the ethics of parent and child, so that those above were respected, those below cherished, and the world brought into good order. Rites and laws established measured standards and proper ranks, thereby assisting ethical discipline. Music harmonized minds, transformed customs, and improved habits, thereby assisting concentration. The highest virtue and essential path of the ancient kings assisted wisdom. In remote antiquity, when the world had just emerged from primal confusion, beings were not yet suited to receive supramundane Dharma. The faculties of distant lands were not mature enough to call forth a buddha’s appearance. The Buddha therefore dispatched three sages to China, first guiding people through ritual and righteousness so that they might later accept the Great- and Small-Vehicle scriptures. As in China, so throughout the worlds of the ten directions: worldly Dharmas are first given to beings, and so forth.

Administering Supramundane Dharma Medicine to Four Kinds of Faculties

Next comes the administration of supramundane Dharma medicine. Beings’ faculties, formed through ten conditions, differ; that is, their illnesses differ. Because illnesses differ, the medicines administered also differ, for lower, middling, higher, and supreme faculties.

Lower faculties have four characteristics. First, their aims and aspirations are narrow and inferior. Second, the power of their practice is weak. Third, the five turbidities obstruct them heavily. Fourth, their wisdom is extremely dull. Because they delight in lesser Dharmas, the bodhisattva teaches them arising and cessation. Because their power of practice is weak, he teaches the six perfections at the level of concrete practices. Because the five turbidities heavily obstruct them, he teaches arduous counteraction. Because their wisdom is dull, he calls the severance of sexual desire, anger, and delusion liberation. This is administering the medicine of Dharmas arisen through conditions to treat the illness of people with lower faculties.

Even among lower faculties, aspirations differ. The sages therefore composed treatises and unfolded four gates. For those who delight in hearing existence, they taught the Abhidharma, enabling them to produce Small-Vehicle wholesome roots, break the five turbidities, and through this skillful means see the truth. For those who delight in hearing nonexistence, they taught the Satyasiddhi Treatise, enabling them to produce lesser wholesome roots, break evil, and enter the true. For those who delight in hearing both existence and nonexistence, they taught the Kunle Treatise, likewise enabling them to produce wholesomeness, break evil, and enter the true. For those who delight in hearing neither existence nor nonexistence, they taught the Scripture Apart from Existence and Nonexistence, likewise enabling them to produce wholesomeness, break evil, and enter the true. Bodhisattvas entering the provisional thus composed four kinds of treatises, clarified four gates, and administered four medicines to treat each kind of illness, and so forth.

Next comes medicine for middling faculties. Their resolve is somewhat stronger and their power of practice somewhat greater, so they are suited to produce principial wholesomeness. The obstructions of the five turbidities are lighter, and their wisdom somewhat sharper. In accordance with their aspirations, the bodhisattva teaches that Dharmas arisen through conditions are immediately empty. On hearing this, they produce principial wholesomeness, break evil causes, and see the ultimate. This is administering the medicine of immediate emptiness to treat the illness of middling faculties. Middling faculties are again divided into lower, middling, higher, and supreme, just as four gates lead into the same pool; this can be understood by comparison with the foregoing, and so forth.

Next, the bodhisattva examines people with higher faculties and administers medicine. Their aspirations are vast, their wholesome roots developed, the five turbidities already removed, and their wisdom great. He administers the immeasurable Four Truths, causing them to produce wholesome roots beyond the realms, sequentially sever the afflictions of the five abodes, and enter the Middle Way. This is administering the medicine of immediate provisionality to treat the illness of higher faculties. These too have four grades, corresponding to medicine administered through the four gates, as can be known by analogy with the foregoing.

Next, he examines supreme faculties and administers medicine. Such people are unsurpassed in aspiration through wisdom and are therefore called supreme. In accordance with real principle, the bodhisattva teaches them directly. Wholesomeness arises like empty space, obstruction ceases like empty space, and they enter the ultimate path. This is administering the medicine of the immediate Middle to treat the illness of supreme faculties. It too has four gates through which medicine is administered and illness treated, and so forth.

Within contemplation for entering emptiness, not even one Dharma is obtainable; how could there be so many Dharmas? The sixteen truths of path and cessation are now taught precisely to counteract sixteen truths of suffering and origination. This therefore belongs directly to entering the provisional from emptiness. The bodhisattva follows the voices of every kind of being and universally informs them through wondrous sound. Their auditory consciousness is activated, the sound of Dharma enters their minds, they take up the Dharma medicine, and each gains benefit. This resembles one cloud releasing one rain, while the various plants and trees each grow according to their own faculties, and so forth.

Stages of Entering the Provisional: First Distinguishing Three Faculties across the Four Teachings

Fourth is the explanation of the stages of entering the provisional. It has three parts: first, determining stages across the four teachings; second, explaining the benefits attained; and third, concluding pervasive breaking through Dharmas in entering the provisional from emptiness.

People commonly assume that views must be removed first and thought afterward. Since even the fruits attained by entering emptiness seem distant, they regard emerging into the provisional to transform beings as still further beyond their capacity. On seeing such a high cliff, they cut off their own path. It must now be distinguished that the stages of entering the provisional are not limited to one pattern.

At first, practitioners of all three vehicles were not ignorant of the Buddha Dharma and all sought buddhahood. Yet while weary of birth-and-death, they often retreated. It resembles many people hearing together of a mountain of seven treasures in a distant land. They crane their heads toward it and bind their feet in readiness, but when they think of the difficult and dangerous road, they retreat and do not advance. Practitioners are the same. Fearing birth-and-death, they fall away from the Great Vehicle and sink into emptiness. Later, hearing of the bodhisattvas’ superior and wondrous merit, they see themselves as ruined seeds and weep until the great-thousand world shakes. No outer cause need appear; their minds are already filled with grief and remorse. If only this account were accepted, cultivation would entail entry into emptiness but never another entry into the provisional.

Three Faculties in the Tripiṭaka Teaching

During the first incalculable eon of cultivating emptiness, a Tripiṭaka-Teaching bodhisattva resembles a wolf subduing the sheep of affliction: he suppresses affliction but does not sever the fetters. If he exhausted the fetters, the body nourished through the merits of the six perfections could no longer remain. This is the stage of the first incalculable eon. During the second incalculable eon, the fat of affliction gradually diminishes while the body of merit becomes more robust. Only in the third incalculable eon does he formally enter the stage of the provisional and benefit beings. This is the person of lower faculties.

A person of middling faculties has already suppressed affliction and nourished a robust body of merit through the six perfections during the second incalculable eon. He can transform beings then; why wait for the third? A person of higher faculties vows at the first arousal of mind to seek buddhahood for the deliverance of all beings. Through hearing others teach, he already understands inwardly and deeply recognizes true principle. To deliver people, he does not seek first to sever delusion and obtain realization. His mind advances another step: I should deliver them and should not fail to do so; I must therefore diligently distinguish every medicine and illness. Why? Because the five—compassion, vows, wisdom, skillful means, and diligence—are profound. It resembles carrying a child across a dangerous place. Once secure oneself, how could one abandon the child? Although the bodhisattva knows emptiness for himself, he does not abandon beings. He can therefore enter the provisional at the first arousal of mind without waiting for the second incalculable eon.

Three Faculties in the Shared Teaching

In determining the stages of the Shared Teaching, many people cling to a scriptural statement that the provisional is cultivated only at the eighth ground. Others say the fetters are severed at the sixth or seventh ground, making one equal to an arhat, and only then is the provisional cultivated. This is merely one path of explanation and cannot cover everything. The Buddha distinguishes his teaching according to three faculties.

People of lower faculties must exhaust affliction before emerging into the provisional. In the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha breaks the Two Vehicles’ attachment to nirvāṇa and exhorts them to arouse the mind of the unsurpassed path and produce the wisdom of skillful means. Since even the Two Vehicles require this, the dullest bodhisattvas should be addressed in the same manner; here it is judged only as the lower faculty. After people of middling faculties sever the delusions of views, the pressure of birth-and-death relaxes somewhat and the delusions of thought naturally diminish. The second ground is called the ground of a bodhisattva’s superknowledges; from then on, they can enter the provisional. At the first arousal of mind, people of higher faculties can embody the immediate emptiness of views and thought through wisdom born of hearing. They have already become a refuge for beings; why would they need to wait until the seventh ground to emerge into the provisional?

If one insists on waiting until the seventh ground, one falls under the rebuke in the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra. That scripture gives the simile of a great bird three hundred yojanas long, without two wings, falling from heaven and suffering death or pain equal to death. Bodhisattvas are the same. From the first arousal of mind, they cultivate only emptiness. By the sixth ground they have nourished the body of the three emptinesses—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—until it is enormous, yet the wings of entering the provisional have not grown. Falling into the preparatory path of the Two Vehicles is pain equal to death; falling into the first fruit is death. Exhausting the delusions of views is equal to death; realizing the state beyond training is actual death. Could that bird still return to heaven? Once someone has fallen into the ground beyond training, seeking to arouse the bodhisattva mind again is forever impossible, like a castrated person unable to enjoy the five desires.

Neither the Avataṃsaka Sūtra nor the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra can treat this condition. Only the Lotus Sūtra can cause those beyond training to produce wholesome roots again and accomplish the Buddha path; it is therefore called wondrous. Moreover, an icchantika still has mind and can become a buddha, while people of the Two Vehicles have extinguished the mind of wisdom, which cannot arise again. The Lotus Sūtra can treat this illness and is therefore called wondrous a second time, and so forth.

Three Faculties in the Distinct Teaching

After the mind of the ten abodes, a person of the Distinct Teaching reaches the ten practices and only then cultivates the preparatory means for entering the provisional. Why? Prajñā that enters true principle is called abode. Abiding in this principle and producing merit is called practice. This is the person of lower faculties, and so forth.

A person of middling faculties can enter the provisional at the first arousal of mind in the ten abodes. Having attained the uncontaminated, once he receives it he does not retreat; he can immediately emerge and function. Why wait until the ten practices to arouse great compassion? This is the person of middling faculties, and so forth.

A person of higher faculties in the Distinct Teaching is not ignorant of the Buddha Dharma at the first arousal of mind. He thoroughly understands that every merit is like an illusion, is not obstructed by names or words, yet still cultivates skillful means of every kind. He also possesses the five foregoing conditions and can therefore benefit beings.

The Perfect Teaching Enters the Provisional from the Initial Mind

When practitioners of the Perfect Teaching reach the purification of the six faculties within the ten faiths, they can pervasively see and hear everything in the ten Dharma realms. Were this merely entry into emptiness, not one thing would remain. Since the six faculties are said to function interchangeably, this must already be a stage of entering the provisional. Furthermore, disciples at the five grades directly practice the six perfections and can teach Dharma extensively; that too is a stage of entering the provisional, so why wait for purification of the six faculties? Again, a person at the first arousal of mind can know the Tathāgata’s secret treasury and perfectly contemplate the three truths. Since he can already be immediately the Middle, how could he not be immediately provisional? The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra says that on first sitting at the site of awakening, one has already accomplished correct awakening, turned the Dharma wheel, and delivered beings. Distinguishing this through the six identities likewise reveals the meaning of emerging into the provisional; why wait for the five grades?

Each of the four teachings therefore has lower, middling, and higher stages for entering the provisional. If a single representative stage must be fixed, it should be that of lower faculties for two reasons. First, this accords with the teaching’s sequential structure. Second, on reaching this stage one is definitely irreversible. People of middling and higher faculties may accomplish the practice of entering the provisional earlier, but sometimes advance and sometimes retreat; their stages are therefore not used to fix the representative stage in each teaching.

Three Kinds of Entry into Emptiness and Movement among the Three Truths

Since three faculties emerge into the provisional, by analogy three faculties should also enter emptiness. These are conceptual entry, approximate entry, and true entry. Conceptual entry means that such people all enter emptiness through conceptual understanding; it does not mean the scattered emotions of ordinary beings. Through contemplation taking the truth as its object, they first correspond to the Dharma-object of emptiness before approximate and true realization.

Someone asks: If this is only conceptual entry, what benefit does it have?

Answer: It has the benefit of correspondence through conceptual understanding.

Another question: Since it has benefit, does that mean it is never lost?

Answer: It is not universally lost. Even if some lose it, they can still recall the contemplation of emptiness and cultivate it repeatedly, eventually gaining great benefit.

Another question: People of higher faculties in the Shared and Distinct teachings can both enter emptiness and emerge into the provisional. How do they differ from the Perfect Teaching?

Answer: People of the Shared Teaching can emerge from emptiness and enter the provisional, but cannot immediately be the Middle. People of the Distinct Teaching enter and emerge sequentially and cannot possess all within one mind. People of the Perfect Teaching can enter and emerge within one mind and can also enter and emerge distinctly. Distinct entering and emerging means that at times they enter the Middle more and the truths of emptiness and provisionality less; at times they enter the truths of emptiness and provisionality more and the Middle less. At times they enter emptiness and the Middle more and provisionality less; at times they enter provisionality more and emptiness and the Middle less. At times they enter provisionality and the Middle more and emptiness less; at times they enter emptiness more and provisionality and the Middle less. Although the proportions of the three truths increase and decrease, none of the three is ever absent.

Another question: Does this not make them sequentially distinct?

Answer: The Perfect Teaching can manifest even the superior distinct marks of sequence; how could it be unable to manifest the inferior? Perfect interfusion does not obstruct differentiated function.

Benefits of Entering the Provisional

Second is the explanation of the benefits of entering the provisional. The bodhisattva did not originally cultivate emptiness because he prized emptiness, but for the sake of beings. Precisely because he does not prize emptiness, he does not abide in it. Precisely because he seeks to benefit beings, he must emerge from emptiness. He can therefore arise in response from true principle, with the Dharma eye according with faculties.

For those who should be delivered through a buddha-body, the bodhisattva manifests a buddha-body, teaches them Dharma, and administers medicine. For those who should be delivered through the forms of a bodhisattva, the Two Vehicles, gods, nāgas, the eight classes, and so forth, he manifests the corresponding forms. Only accomplishing beings and purifying buddha-lands in this way are called benefit.

Although bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka Teaching also emerge into the provisional, they attain only contaminated superknowledges, not a response arising from true principle. They distinguish through worldly wisdom, not the illumination of the Dharma eye. Although they can benefit beings, they cannot yet truly accomplish them. Although they perform Buddha work, they do not yet purify buddha-lands. This is only limited transformation, yielding very slight benefit, and so forth.

When bodhisattvas of the Shared Teaching enter the provisional, they can distinguish medicine from illness, but rely only on the two truths of true and conventional. Their diagnosis does not reach deeply enough, nor does their knowledge of Dharma medicine reach far enough. Their superknowledges still arise through intentional effort rather than naturally emerging in response from true principle.

A true response has beginning and end. The bodhisattva first manifests as beings’ parents and teachers, forming Dharma affinities with them lifetime after lifetime and regulating them everywhere, often over immeasurable incalculable eons. When their wholesome roots mature, he manifests birth in a royal palace, becomes a buddha beneath the tree of awakening, delivers beings through gradual and sudden teachings, and finally manifests entry into nirvāṇa while relics remain in the world. Such long benefit, with beginning and end, is called response. Suddenly appearing from nowhere and vanishing after a moment is not true response. A fragmentary benefit for one brief time cannot be called accomplishment. Finally reducing the body to ash and entering quiescent cessation cannot be called purification of a buddha-land.

The meaning of the benefit attained by entering the provisional at the ten practices of the Distinct Teaching is the same as in the Shared Teaching. On entering the grounds, however, one can obtain the Tathāgata’s single body and immeasurable bodies, serenely quiescent yet responding to everything. At that point, knowing illness reaches the very source of illnesses. Recognizing medicine exhausts the treasury of Dharma medicine. Administering medicine according to illness fits as one seal to another, without the slightest error. True wisdom of the varieties of the path and the most excellent Dharma eye make every response naturally pervade beings.

The bodhisattva harmonizing his light and mingling with the dust is the beginning of forming affinities. Manifesting the eight marks of awakening is the conclusion of one period of transformation. This is called both transformation and response. None who see or hear him fail to gain benefit. Everything he does occurs within the purification of buddha-lands, and the benefit of entering the provisional is real and unfailing. Since this is so at the first ground, later grounds can be known by analogy. From the first abode of the Perfect Teaching, entering the provisional already gives true benefit, and so it continues through the final mind.

Distinguishing True Response from Deviant Transformation

Understanding this meaning makes it possible to distinguish true from false among transformations. Why? Māra too can use a contaminated mind to assume an uncontaminated appearance and manifest a buddha image. Laozi traveled westward, and some say he became a buddha to transform the Hu peoples. Non-Buddhists can transform Śakra into a ram and hold a river in an ear. Nothing lies beyond the five superknowledges gained through worldly wisdom. Such deviant transformations are immeasurable and boundless, yet do not even equal the transformations of the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s five superknowledges. How could they count as the naturally functioning true responses of the Distinct and Perfect teachings?

There are many accounts of transformation, and people without the Dharma eye easily believe them in error. Careful and subtle examination shows that they cannot be conflated. Know, therefore, that extending a response-body from the ground of the Dharma body to deliver beings throughout the ten Dharma realms is the stage of the true benefit of entering the provisional.

Pervasive Breaking through Dharmas in Entering the Provisional from Emptiness

Before true wisdom arises, beings produce hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of views according to what they themselves conceive and cling to. All are called delusions of views. It resembles a blind person asking the color of milk: the answers are not milk’s true color. It also resembles people touching an elephant and saying the elephant is like a rope or pestle: how could either touch the reality of the whole animal? It is also like delirious speech during illness. Since these views are themselves provisional, one passes through the simple, compound, and complete four views and breaks each through contemplation. If the breaking is not pervasive, one cannot enter emptiness. Only when the delusions of views and thought are exhausted is it called pervasive breaking through Dharmas.

According only to textual sequence, it appears that the layers must be broken one after another. The true intent is not limited to this. The delusions of views and thought are immediately ignorance; ignorance is immediately Dharma-nature. Breaking views and thought is itself breaking ignorance. Breaking ignorance is itself seeing Dharma-nature. Only entry into the emptiness of the true mark is called pervasive breaking through Dharmas.

Pervasive breaking through Dharmas in entering the provisional from emptiness is the same. Within provisional existence are immeasurable illness-Dharmas, medicine-Dharmas, and administration-of-medicine Dharmas. When distinguishing these three classes, as long as even one point remains unpenetrated, it cannot be called pervasive breaking through Dharmas. Before the Dharma eye arises, although distinctions can be made, what one sees is still only partial and cannot be called pervasive breaking.

At purification of the six faculties, distinguishing one illness reveals how many kinds it contains; understanding one sentence of Dharma penetrates immeasurable sentences. Even if the buddhas of the ten directions all teach at once, one can receive and retain everything in that single moment. This is one share of the breath attained at the approximate stage. When ignorance obstructing the superknowledges of the inconceivable path of transformation is also broken and one can illuminate the true and conventional truths simultaneously, only then is it truly called pervasive breaking through Dharmas.

In summary, sequential breaking layer by layer still cannot be called pervasive. Only nonsequential breaking that is immediately pervasive is called pervasive. The foregoing contemplations are layered and numerous and might cause people to lose their way. Pervasive breaking through Dharmas is therefore used as the conclusion only after the two contemplations of entering emptiness and entering the provisional.

The Third Pervasive Breaking through Dharmas: Calming-and-Contemplation of the Middle Way

Third is the explanation of accomplishing pervasive breaking through Dharmas through calming-and-contemplation of the Middle Way. According to a provisional reading of textual sequence, the preceding “pervasive breaking through Dharmas by calming-and-contemplation of arising nonarising” appears to emphasize one’s own practice. The next, “pervasive breaking through Dharmas by calming-and-contemplation of nonarising arising,” appears provisionally to emphasize transforming others. The present “pervasive breaking through Dharmas by calming-and-contemplation of nonarising nonarising” appears provisionally both to negate one’s own practice and transforming others and to illuminate both.

Yet these are not three isolated Dharmas. Arising nonarising is nonarising arising and is also nonarising nonarising. What is called oneself is in substance neither a fixed self nor some other no-self opposed to it. Nonarising arising is arising nonarising and is also nonarising nonarising. What is called another is in substance neither a fixed other nor some other non-other opposed to it. Nonarising nonarising is arising nonarising and is also nonarising arising. It is fixed neither as a double negation nor as a double illumination. They are explained sequentially in the preceding way only so that distinctions of various kinds may make understanding easy.

This passage has four divisions: first, explaining the intent of cultivating contemplation of the Middle; second, explaining its conditions; third, directly cultivating it; and fourth, explaining the stages and benefits reached.

Why Is a Third Contemplation Still Taught?

Bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka Teaching predominantly use worldly wisdom to illuminate the conventional truth, while people of the Two Vehicles predominantly analyze provisional Dharmas and enter the true truth. Only the Buddha perfectly possesses both true and conventional, and thereby differs from his disciples. A third contemplation is therefore provisionally established. Even speaking of freedom from existence and nonexistence means only leaving the views of existence and nonexistence; there is no separate principle entirely apart from the two truths to contemplate. No real third contemplation need therefore be established.

People of the Two Vehicles in the Shared Teaching predominantly embody the immediate emptiness of Dharmas and enter the true truth, while bodhisattvas enter the provisional through compassion. Only the Buddha illuminates true and conventional together, causing wisdom of the path and wisdom of the varieties of the path to flow simultaneously; he thereby differs from his disciples. A third contemplation is thus also provisionally established here. Yet this third contemplation still possesses no principle separate from the true truth. Kaishan’s claim that “the Buddha fruit does not go beyond the two truths” has this meaning.

Although there is no other principle, the Shared Teaching can still speak of a true that is illusory, transformational, neither arising nor ceasing, and can therefore speak of the Middle Way. The Buddha’s gate of complete words penetrates the Shared Teaching itself and can also connect from it into the Distinct Teaching. People of dull faculties can penetrate only the Shared Teaching and cannot be connected into the Distinct; thus the Shared Teaching contains the category “Distinct connecting to Shared.” Those with sharp faculties are received and guided and then employ the Middle Way; those who are not received do not need the third contemplation. The meaning of Distinct connecting to Shared was explained in the preceding chapter on revealing substance, and the remaining cases can be understood by analogy.

The Distinct Teaching knows the Middle Way whether explained through two truths or three. Through three truths it is easy to understand. Through two, the Middle Way is true, while existence and nonexistence are conventional. Illuminating these two truths and calmly obtaining the Middle is called the Middle Way. Using true and conventional without partiality is called double illumination. Although the two names Middle Way and double illumination are established, the principle of the Middle still appears.

This principle is mysterious, wondrous, profound, and remote. People of the Distinct Teaching have duller faculties and heavier obstructions, like someone with dim eyesight threading a needle without seeing clearly. How is the needle threaded? For the sake of permanent principle, one first breaks attachment to marks and sees emptiness with the wisdom eye. One then breaks ignorance concerning immeasurable Dharmas and sees the provisional with the Dharma eye. Continuing to cultivate the Middle Way, one breaks one portion of ignorance, opens one portion of the Buddha eye, and sees one portion of the Middle Way. This alone is a true cause. Only when cause and fruit are fulfilled is one called a buddha.

The two truths are not the direct intent of the Distinct Teaching. Cultivating only the first two contemplations is therefore not yet called a true cause. In the Small Vehicle, for example, one in a preparatory stage only suppresses delusion and has not yet seen the true, so this cannot be called cultivation of the path. Only after the truths are seen and genuine cultivation of the path is complete does one have a true cause; the stage beyond training is the true fruit. The Distinct Teaching is likewise. Since the contemplations of emptiness and provisionality are only preparatory means, one must enter contemplation of the Middle. Yet one cannot enter it apart from the preceding two. If they are not complete, there is not yet any leisure for the third contemplation.

The Perfect Teaching knows the Middle Way from the outset and likewise first breaks the two delusions of views and thought and of phenomena innumerable as dust and sand; only the time required differs. The Distinct Teaching removes them separately through the thirty minds of the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications, often over many eons, and only then begins to break ignorance. The Perfect Teaching is not like this. It breaks both delusions, enters the Middle Way, and can accomplish the work in this very body within one lifetime.

It resembles three layers of bandits blocking the way. A person with blunt weapons, a weak body, and few strategies breaks the first two layers, reorganizes personnel and provisions, and only then attacks the third. Many days and months are therefore delayed. Another person has a strong body, sharp weapons, and many strategies; he breaks all three layers in one day without a long wait. The relative speed of the Distinct and Perfect teachings can be seen through this simile.

It also resembles two pieces of iron. One must be repeatedly fired and worked before it becomes a sharp implement. The other is originally an ancient sharp jewel and becomes keen as soon as it is fired. For this reason, from the initial mind the Perfect Teaching cultivates all three contemplations of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle without waiting for the first two to be complete before cultivating the third. This is precisely why the third contemplation must be explained here.

Five Conditions for Cultivating Contemplation of the Middle

Second is the explanation of the conditions for cultivating contemplation of the Middle, outlined in five: first, accomplishing unconditioned compassion; second, fulfilling one’s original vast vows; third, seeking the Buddha’s wisdom; fourth, learning the Tathāgata’s great skillful means; and fifth, cultivating firm, vigorous great diligence.

1. Unconditioned Compassion

Unconditioned compassion is the Tathāgata’s compassion. It is one in substance with the true mark and does not grasp a fixed mark of beings, so it is not produced by attached love or grasping views. Nor does it grasp a fixed mark of nirvāṇa, so it does not fall into empty quiescence. Because it does not fall into empty quiescence, it is not compassion conditioned by Dharmas. Because it is not attached love and views, it is not compassion conditioned by beings. It has no marks of the two extremes, existence and nonexistence, and is therefore called unconditioned.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that compassion arising with the Tathāgata as condition is called unconditioned. It universally protects the Dharma realm, removes the roots of beings’ suffering, and gives ultimate happiness. The compassion cultivated in the preceding two contemplations still has boundaries; the Tathāgata’s compassion has no limit. Bodhisattvas share the compassion of the preceding two contemplations, while unconditioned compassion belongs uniquely to the Tathāgata. The first two kinds cannot contain everything. The Tathāgata’s compassion possesses every Buddha Dharma, the ten powers, and four fearlessnesses; it is the tathāgata-garbha and the ocean in which all Dharmas gather.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra therefore also says that compassion may be spoken of as existent, nonexistent, or neither existent nor nonexistent; only such compassion is the domain of buddhas and tathāgatas. Know that compassion possesses the three truths of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle. Kāśyapa praises the Buddha through one Dharma, the compassionate mind roaming the world. This compassion is the great collection of Dharma and true liberation; true liberation is great nirvāṇa.

The first two kinds of compassion require intentional effort; this one arises spontaneously without waiting for beings to ask. It resembles someone transforming his fingers into lions and thereby subduing an intoxicated elephant. It also resembles a magnet attracting iron, naturally receiving it without deliberate discrimination. Yet if iron is separated by an obstruction, the magnet cannot attract it. The mind-nature of beings is originally unconditioned compassion, but the barrier of ignorance prevents it from spontaneously receiving all beings and all Buddha Dharmas.

One must now break the obstruction of ignorance so that the magnet of Buddha compassion appears and spontaneously draws in immeasurable Buddha Dharmas and beings. Without cultivating contemplation of the Middle Way, who could open this obstruction? It also resembles fire born in water: ordinary water cannot extinguish it, so fire must be used to extinguish fire. This obstruction of ignorance arises in dependence on the preceding two contemplations and cannot be removed by them. Only contemplation of the Middle Way can break it. The third contemplation is therefore cultivated for this condition.

2. Fulfilling the Original Vast Vows

At the first arousal of mind, the practitioner establishes the four vast vows, broad as empty space. The contemplations of emptiness and provisionality know suffering and sever origination, but this is only like removing branches and leaves. Ignorance not yet known or severed is the root. These two contemplations cultivate the path and realize cessation, but this is only like holding a torch in the hand. Valleys are dark and vast, beyond the torch’s power to illuminate. Although two contemplations have been cultivated, the original vows are therefore not yet fulfilled.

It resembles a hundred rivers all flowing into the sea without filling it to overflowing; a single downpour by the nāga king Sāgara over the springs and pools immediately fills them. Direct contemplation of the Middle Way is likewise. It can know all suffering, sever the origination of the Dharma realm, cultivate the unsurpassed path, and realize ultimate cessation. The third contemplation must therefore be cultivated in order to fulfill the vows first made.

3. Seeking Buddha Wisdom

The Buddha’s wisdom is what the Tathāgata’s wisdom of all modes knows and the Buddha eye sees. Vast, deep, and remote, it extends horizontally through the ten directions and vertically through beginning and end, ultimately awakens to and completely possesses every Dharma. In comparison with Buddha Dharma, the eyes and wisdom of the preceding two contemplations resemble a blind person imagining a painting in darkness. Unable to see, he falls into pits and hollows; how could he reach what lies ahead?

Cultivating the Middle Way resembles a person with eyes and feet reaching a cool pool. He removes the dry heat and stifling confusion of the two extremes, existence and nonexistence, awakens and rests, and then drinks the water, experiencing its coolness, softness, fragrance, and sweetness. This is called what Buddha knowledge knows. Seeing clearly the pool’s circumference and depth and the purity of its color is called what the Buddha eye sees. Since the Tathāgata’s eye and wisdom of the true mark cannot be obtained apart from calming-and-contemplation, the third contemplation is cultivated.

4. Learning Great Skillful Means

The Tathāgata’s great skillful means is naturally skillful without deliberation, without fixed location yet vast in function. Abiding in the Śūraṃgama samādhi, the Tathāgata can manifest every kind of inconceivable display, showing beings wind in empty space. He can enter the conflagration at the end of an eon carrying grass without burning it. Such things are exceedingly difficult and therefore require skillful means.

Maitreya first taught celestial youths irreversible practice. Vimalakīrti then rebuked him: does awakening arise from suchness? Do not produce a discriminating view of awakening. After breaking this view, he said that quiescent cessation is awakening, nonduality is awakening, and all beings are awakening; the remaining meanings can be understood by analogy. Hearing this profound and mysterious Dharma, the celestial youths awakened to the tolerance of nonarising. The two great beings struck one another like hammer and anvil so that those for whom awakening was difficult might enter the Dharma difficult to awaken to.

Without skillful means, how could one benefit others? When the Tathāgata first appeared in the world, he did not immediately proclaim the Great Vehicle. He first guided beings through various skillful means, similes, analogies, and expressions, causing them to leave attachment, and only then opened the Buddha’s knowledge and vision and revealed the One Vehicle. The scriptures therefore praise skillful means insistently. When the real can be revealed, the achievement belongs to skillful provisionality.

Thus, although various paths are established, their real destination is the One Vehicle. Different skillful means further assist in revealing the ultimate. Buddha wisdom is inconceivable and is taught through skillful means according to what is suitable. The Buddha’s intent is profoundly difficult to fathom, and no one can understand it. Through hundreds and thousands of skillful means, the Buddha enables even dull faculties to enter the Middle Way skillfully.

The wisdom of the preceding two contemplations still has slight function. Pūrṇa transformed non-Buddhists but was mocked by them. When Mañjuśrī went there briefly, their teachers and disciples all submitted. Since skillful means such as the Tathāgata’s cannot be attained apart from contemplation of the Middle, the third contemplation is cultivated.

5. Great Diligence

Great accomplishment requires great strength. The Lotus Sūtra uses the simile of a brave and vigorous person able to accomplish a difficult task. Only one who neither wavers nor retreats can be called a bodhisattva. He does not spare even body or life, much less possessions. Even after attaining awakening he does not rest; how much less before realization? The functions of the preceding two contemplations are smaller and their rewards slight. The merit of contemplation of the Middle covers the realm, and its reward reaches the point where the king unties his topknot and gives away the jewel. The third contemplation is therefore cultivated for the sake of great diligence.

The conditions for cultivating the Middle Way are actually numerous. Only five are outlined here to correspond to the five conditions of contemplation in entering the provisional above.

Direct Cultivation of the Middle: Seeing Ignorance through the Wisdom of Two Contemplations

Third is direct cultivation of the Middle. This contemplation directly seeks to break ignorance. Ignorance lies beyond ordinary sight and conceptual knowledge; how should it be contemplated? When the true truth was first contemplated, it had no visible image or location. The practitioner contemplated only the provisional delusions of formation by causes, continuity, and relation in the mind of the five aggregates, twelve sense fields, and eighteen elements. He investigated them through the four alternatives of arising from self, another, both, or no cause, skillfully cultivated calming-and-contemplation, and was said to see the true when uncontaminated wisdom arose.

Next came contemplation of the provisional. How was the provisional contemplated? The preceding wisdom of emptiness itself was contemplated so that it would no longer stop in emptiness. Myriad practices were indicated within one mind; the Dharma eye thereby arose, pervasively knowing beings’ illnesses and corresponding medicines. This was therefore called contemplation of the provisional.

The present contemplation of ignorance is the same. When the wisdom of the preceding two contemplations breaks the corresponding delusions, it is called wisdom. Now, seen in relation to the Middle Way, these two wisdoms instead become delusion. Because they obstruct wisdom of the Middle, they are called cognitive obstruction. Because this cognitive obstruction veils the wisdom of the Middle and prevents its arising, it is likewise called cognitive obstruction. The former reading takes cognition as what actively obstructs; in the latter, cognition itself is obstructed.

The sixty-two views, for example, are also called a wisdom-nature; they are worldly wisdom. In relation to uncontaminated wisdom, this wisdom-nature combines with the delusions of views and thought and can therefore obstruct the true truth. Likewise, wisdom of the two truths combines with ignorance and obstructs the Middle Way. One can also say that delusion actively obstructs and wisdom of the Middle is what it obstructs, naming the active and passive together cognitive obstruction.

How can these two wisdoms be known as ignorance? If they were truly illumination, wisdom of all modes would be present, penetrating the buddhas’ ten powers and four fearlessnesses and perfectly awakening to all Dharmas. They are not like that now; how could they not be ignorance? Contemplation of this ignorance has three rounds: first, contemplating ignorance; second, contemplating Dharma-nature; and third, contemplating true cultivation and cultivation according to conditions.

First Round: Contemplating Ignorance

The two wisdoms of emptiness and provisionality correspond to mind. Now contemplate them: do they arise from Dharma-nature, from ignorance, from Dharma-nature and ignorance together, or apart from both? If from Dharma-nature, Dharma-nature originally does not arise. If from ignorance, ignorance itself is unreal and unrelated to the Middle Way. If from both together, both preceding faults occur at once. If apart from both, they arise without cause or condition. The Middle Treatise says that Dharmas do not arise from themselves. The remaining three alternatives are extensively broken by analogy, as already explained under formation by causes.

During this contemplation, mind and object become serenely pure. The mind relies on no extreme, neither abides nor attaches, neither perceives nor knows. Contemplating and contemplated resemble empty space and cannot be revealed through words. Although true wisdom has not yet arisen, one has decisively ceased to cling to any of the four alternatives.

It resembles looking at a tree stump from afar in darkness and being unable to decide whether it is a person or a stump. A person should display movement in six parts of the body; a stump has no such sixfold movement and therefore bears the mark of being unmoving. After prolonged examination, one gradually takes it to be a stump without yet knowing clearly. Attachment to four alternatives resembles seeing the mark of movement. Movement also represents impermanence, while stillness represents permanence. Through prolonged, continuous contemplation, one still does not see clearly but decisively knows that this is the unmoving mark of permanence and no longer attaches to four alternatives. Thus, although ignorance is not yet broken, one can decisively know that one permanence is all permanence and proceed along the great straight path without impediment.

The preceding delusions of views and thought and of phenomena innumerable as dust and sand have already been penetrated, leaving only the wisdom of the first two contemplations, hard and sharp as vajra. Using contemplation of the Middle to penetrate this cognitive obstruction is called contemplation that penetrates contemplation. Establishing mind in this principle is called contemplation that reaches contemplation. Because this principle is inconceivable, it is called emptiness of the ultimate. In contrast to the stubborn emptiness grasped by the Two Vehicles, it is also called wisdom. Yet Dharma-nature itself is neither wisdom nor nonwisdom; this alone is contemplation of the Middle. The three meanings of penetrating, reaching, and the Middle are complete here.

Again, embody and penetrate that the ignorance of cognitive obstruction has no nature of self, another, both, or no cause and is ultimately unobtainable. It resembles a precept-keeping bhikṣu examining water without insects and seeing something moving in it. He wonders whether it is an insect or dust. An insect has the mark of living movement; dust has no such mark. Examining carefully without cease, he knows it seems to be dust but does not yet see clearly.

If one believes ignorance has any of the four natures—self, another, both, or no cause—nature is living movement. If all four are absent, absence of nature is absence of living movement. The practitioner knows it is unmoving but has not reached final certainty. Though not finally certain, he decisively contemplates permanent stillness. The movement of the two extremes, birth-and-death and nirvāṇa, has already been calmed by the preceding two contemplations. Only the ceaseless circulation of ignorance remains. Now penetrating the source of mind, ignorance becomes quiescent; this is called the calming that brings movement to rest. Establishing mind in this principle is called the calming that establishes rest. Permanent principle itself is neither calming nor not calming; it is called calming only in contrast to the moving mark of impermanence. This is the Middle’s calming that is neither calming nor not calming. The three meanings are complete here as well.

The mind of cognitive obstruction likewise has three provisionalities, four alternatives of calming-and-contemplation, practitioners through faith and Dharma and their forward and backward transitions. It must likewise be skillfully cultivated through the four siddhāntas, as in the preceding explanations. The four alternatives are gates of contemplation; apart from them there is no place to begin. Skillful means communicates with principle through the gates and sees the Middle Way, but seeing the Middle Way is not identical with the four alternatives themselves.

If one enters through a single alternative, the others become interfused and need not be cultivated one by one. If one has not yet penetrated, one should cultivate the four alternatives diligently and seek awakening through skillful means. If one clings to them, the four alternatives become a fire that burns oneself and blocks passage. Without obstructive clinging, one can awaken through the four alternatives that contemplate ignorance.

Second Round: Breaking Ignorance in Terms of Dharma-Nature

The preceding four alternatives contemplated cognitive obstruction and investigated whence ignorance arose, decisively finding it unobtainable. At this point, an understanding or meditative concentration may arise, and one may decide that ignorance is Dharma-nature. This is not yet an awakened mind, only the arising of contemplative understanding. It resembles seeing dust or a stump in darkness and decisively declaring it dust or stump.

The object of contemplation must now be shifted to Dharma-nature. Does the mind of Dharma-nature arise only after the mind of ignorance ceases? Does the mind of Dharma-nature arise while the mind of ignorance does not cease? Does it arise when ignorance both ceases and does not cease? Or does it arise when ignorance neither ceases nor does not cease?

If Dharma-nature arises after ignorance ceases, how can a Dharma already ceased produce anything? If Dharma-nature arises while ignorance does not cease, illumination and ignorance coexist. If it arises through both ceasing and not ceasing, the two faults occur together. If it arises apart from ceasing and not ceasing, the claim cannot be established. Dharma-nature does not arise from self, another, both, or no cause.

Within every alternative, practitioners through faith and Dharma and their forward and backward transitions must be skillfully cultivated through the four siddhāntas. One can thereby awaken, enter, and penetrate the pool of four gates. Even if awakening has not occurred, one has decisively known that contemplative wisdom of the Middle can break ignorance. One should constantly cultivate in this way without seeking some other practice.

Third Round: Breaking Ignorance in Terms of True Cultivation and Cultivation according to Conditions

Now contemplate what this contemplative wisdom awaits in order to be called wisdom or nonwisdom. Horizontally speaking, the buddhas of the ten directions are wisdom and illumination, while I now possess neither wisdom nor illumination. Vertically speaking, in the future I will break darkness and attain great illumination; in relation to that future, the present is nonwisdom and ignorance.

Are such wisdom and illumination accomplished through cultivation according to conditions, through true cultivation, through both together, or apart from both? If through cultivation according to conditions, that cultivation is impermanent; how could it produce a permanent fruit? If through true cultivation alone, the true is originally permanent and should not need further cultivation.

There are two explanations. One says cultivation according to conditions causes true cultivation to appear. The other says that after cultivation according to conditions ceases, true cultivation reveals itself naturally. If the true reveals itself, this is self-arising. If it is revealed by conditions, this is arising from another. If true and conditions reveal it together, this is arising from both. If it is revealed apart from true and conditions, this is arising without a cause. Investigated through the four alternatives, wisdom is unobtainable and nonwisdom is likewise unobtainable. Nonwisdom is spoken of in relation to wisdom. Since wisdom is unobtainable, nothing remains in relation to which nonwisdom could be established.

If true cultivation and cultivation according to conditions are grasped as real, the wisdom of the Middle cannot arise and both become cognitive obstruction. Without attachment, they become four gates. If true principle is entered, that principle itself is neither true, conditioned, both, nor apart and cannot be revealed in words.

If beings possess corresponding conditions, Dharma may also be taught distinctly through the four gates. Skillful means of the four siddhāntas has no fixed attachment. Different statements are taught according to different conditions, and hearers can attain the path. One may say the permanent arises from the impermanent. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that the cause is impermanent while the fruit is permanent and that a sandalwood tree grows from an eraṇḍa seed. One may say it arises from the lineage-nature of the Dharma King; this belongs to true cultivation. One may say that by extinguishing ignorance one obtains the lamp of awakening. One may say wisdom is attained through neither inner nor outer contemplation; the remaining cases can be understood by analogy.

Attainment that is no attainment enters the meaning of emptiness through this attainment of nothing attained. Nothing attained is itself attainment and enters the meaning of provisionality. Both attainment and nothing attained are unobtainable, while attainment and nonattainment are simultaneously illuminated; this enters the meaning of the Middle.

When bodhisattvas compose treatises, some predominantly expound a single gate. Vasubandhu, for example, explains ālayavijñāna as the conventional truth and separately speaks of suchness, taking this as the governing theme of his treatise while meditative concentration, aids to the path, and the rest serve only as accompanying adornments. The Middle Treatise expounds ultimate emptiness and takes emptiness as its governing theme, while the rest likewise serve only as aids to the path. Bodhisattvas should also have composed treatises expounding the other gates.

Although treatises differ in their explanations, how could they leave the four gates? The gates on which they rely differ, but the true principle they encounter does not. Once this is understood, what lack of correspondence remains to dispute, and why labor to attack one another with spear and shield? In cultivating contemplation through the four gates, one may practice through the gate one delights in, the gate suited to one, the gate that counteracts, or the gate through which one enters. What is true of one gate is true of the others. Though contemplative practices differ, how could attainment of the path differ?

Scriptures and treatises arose under different conditions, and many disputes difficult to reconcile have persisted since antiquity. Explained through this method, they dissolve like ice and disperse like clouds. Such contemplative practice accords with teaching, faculties, and true principle, each confirming and matching the others; what right or wrong remains? People with eyes rely on meaning rather than words, and the wise do not give rise to doubt. Those without vision or understanding merely react in alarm; what benefit could they gain?

Someone asks: Ignorance is Dharma-nature, and Dharma-nature is ignorance. When ignorance is broken, is Dharma-nature also broken? When Dharma-nature appears, does ignorance also appear?

Answer: True principle originally has no name. It is called Dharma-nature only in relation to ignorance. When Dharma-nature appears, ignorance transforms into illumination. Once ignorance is broken and no ignorance remains, in relation to what would one still speak of Dharma-nature?

Another question: Ignorance is Dharma-nature. If ignorance no longer exists, with what is Dharma-nature identical?

Answer: It resembles pointing to water and telling someone unfamiliar with ice, “This is ice,” then pointing to ice and saying, “This is water.” Those are merely two provisionally established names; where are two real things to become identical with one another? It also resembles one jewel producing water when turned toward the moon and fire when turned toward the sun. Turned toward neither, it produces neither water nor fire. The jewel is one thing and has never become two, yet water and fire differ according to conditions.

Stages and Benefits of Cultivating Contemplation of the Middle

Fourth is the explanation of the stages of cultivating the Middle. The preceding two calming practices are preparatory means for the Middle Way’s double negation; the preceding two contemplations are preparatory means for its double illumination. Entering the Middle Way through these means of negation and illumination naturally causes true and conventional to flow together and be illuminated together.

This double flow is cultivated in three places. For someone in the Shared Teaching received into the Distinct, cultivation is discussed at the seventh ground and realization at the eighth. In the Distinct Teaching, cultivation occurs in the ten dedications and realization on entry into the first ground. Such cultivation and realization are lofty and distant. Beings at the initial mind cannot even cultivate to the Shared Teaching’s ground of dry wisdom; how could they realize the eighth ground? This contemplation of the Middle has no direct benefit for ordinary beings. Nor have beginners in the Distinct Teaching entered the ten faiths, ten abodes, and dedications. Without the stage of dedication, how could they cultivate the Middle? Without cultivation there is no realization; this contemplation of the Middle appears to ordinary beings as a sheer high cliff, without benefit.

Now consider the beginning of the five grades in the Perfect Teaching. This is originally the stage of ordinary beings, yet they can perfectly contemplate the three truths. Cultivating emptiness within it is sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. Cultivating tolerance of quiescent cessation is wearing the Tathāgata’s robe. Cultivating the Buddha’s concentration and wisdom is adorning oneself with the Tathāgata’s adornments. Cultivating unconditioned compassion is entering the Tathāgata’s room.

Advancing from the first to the fifth grade, an approximate Dharma arises. It resembles seeing a white swan and knowing a pool is nearby, or seeing smoke and knowing there is fire. Such a person is at the approximate stage and enters purification of the six faculties. A non-Buddhist who does not cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness will never obtain the stage of warmth. The first two contemplations are likewise: without cultivation of the Middle Way, approximate understanding does not arise. By cultivating the Middle through the five grades, one can produce approximate understanding. Turning into the first abode, one breaks ignorance.

Thus the Avataṃsaka Sūtra explains the first abode as unstained like empty space, a pure and wondrous Dharma body serenely responding to all. The active agents and habits of views and thought are simultaneously exhausted without remainder. The merit of the first arousal of mind surpasses the Buddha Sage of the Tripiṭaka Teaching; this is the meaning.

From the first grade through the first abode, one can cultivate and realize within one lifetime. One need not wait until the seventh ground to cultivate, nor does double flow begin only at the ground of joy. Earlier teachings place cultivation high as a skillful explanation; the Perfect Teaching places the stage low to reveal the real. The Lotus Sūtra says that former matters were skillful means, while now the most real matter is taught to beings. This is the meaning.

Again, Tripiṭaka-Teaching bodhisattvas still possess affliction while sitting at the site of awakening and therefore have no double flow; their stage of double flow lies only at the Buddha fruit. For a person in the Shared Teaching received into the Distinct, it lies at the eighth ground; in the Distinct Teaching, at the first ground. Guidance proceeds step by step, with the stage becoming lower and the real intent ever clearer.

Although one portion of ignorance broken at the first abode is called the stage of double flow, this is only a summary. Saying that a ship sails three thousand li in one day only summarizes it as one day. Meditative concentration is likewise listed in nine grades, yet its actual differences exceed nine. Śāriputra does not know the Buddha’s attainment of the four dhyānas. Maudgalyāyana does not know Śāriputra’s entry into them. The other bhikṣus do not know Maudgalyāyana’s. Reasoning downward in this way, how could concentration have only nine grades? The first abode is the same: although summarized as one grade, it actually contains immeasurable grades.

At this stage, one can pervasively perform Buddha work throughout the Dharma realm, with immeasurable function. The Śūraṃgama Samādhi Sūtra and Avataṃsaka Sūtra explain extensively that this stage can even manifest the eight marks of awakening. How much more so its other functions? The rest can be understood by analogy.

After the preceding two contemplations, the corresponding pervasive breaking through Dharmas has already been concluded. Direct contemplation of the Middle now contemplates ignorance and Dharma-nature without relying on the extremes of existence and nonexistence or on the four alternatives of self, another, both, or no cause. It is ultimately pure, without dependence or attachment. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra therefore says to bow to the one like empty space, without reliance. This wisdom of the Middle suddenly opens and develops. Breaking one, it breaks all; no Dharma lies beyond its reach. It is therefore called pervasive breaking through Dharmas.

Turning from the Vertical Gate of Nonarising into Immeasurable Horizontal Gates

Second is the explanation of pervasive breaking through Dharmas through the remaining Dharma gates. The preceding account vertically cultivated the three contemplations of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle through the single gate of nonarising, thoroughly illuminating the three truths and accomplishing pervasive breaking through Dharmas. Immeasurable other gates are called horizontal in relation to the gate of nonarising. Entering palace gates one after another along a direct route is called vertical; many palace gates arrayed side by side along a winding path are called horizontal. Whether entering through horizontal or vertical gates, one can see the king. Contemplation is therefore discussed again through horizontal gates to clarify pervasive breaking through Dharmas.

Horizontal gates include the eight negations of the Middle Treatise: neither arising nor ceasing, neither permanent nor annihilated, neither one nor different, neither coming nor going. One treatise explains eight gates, while the gates taught in scriptures and treatises are still more numerous: neither existent nor nonexistent, neither defiled nor pure, neither abiding nor attached, neither accepting nor grasping, neither false nor real, neither bound nor liberated. These gates of teaching and practice can all communicate with true principle and are therefore called gates.

The Middle Treatise says that deeply contemplating neither permanence nor annihilation enters the meaning of neither arising nor ceasing. Why? Nonarising is nondifference, and nonceasing is nonidentity. Arising is the gathering of conditions and therefore has the meaning of difference; ceasing is the disintegration of Dharmas and therefore has the meaning of identity. Nonarising is nonpermanence, and nonceasing is nonannihilation. Nonarising is noncoming, and nonceasing is nongoing. Nonarising is nondefilement, and nonceasing is nonpurity. Nonarising is nonincrease, and nonceasing is nondecrease. Nonarising is nonbondage, and nonceasing is nonliberation. Nonarising is nonexistence, and nonceasing is nonnonexistence. Deep contemplation of neither arising nor ceasing therefore penetrates all the other gates.

If the gate of nonarising contemplates the sequential and nonsequential within aggregates, sense fields, and elements, up through contemplation of the three obstructions and four māras, all other gates are likewise. If it contemplates mind as a master painter that creates the various five aggregates and from which everything in every world is created, all other gates are likewise. If it contemplates one aggregate, sense field, and element as all aggregates, sense fields, and elements, and one nature, mark, substance, and power as every nature, mark, substance, and power, all other gates are likewise.

If the gate of nonarising arouses the true mind of awakening and establishes the four vast vows, all other gates are likewise. If it establishes mind in calming-and-contemplation, distinguishes one’s own practice from transforming others, follows the forward and backward transitions of practitioners through faith and Dharma, and skillfully establishes teachings through the four siddhāntas, all other gates are likewise.

If the gate of nonarising discerns existence and nonexistence; breaks the simple, compound, complete, and ineffable views; and, within each view, investigates three provisionalities and four contemplations as not arising from self, another, both, or no cause, all other gates are likewise. If it employs 72,384 forms of calming-and-contemplation when breaking the delusions of views, all other gates are likewise.

Within the gate of nonarising, contemplate cognitive obstruction as arising from self while in reality not self-arisen; this is called the emptiness of self-arising. The emptiness of self-arising is not fixed as one self-emptiness; this is called the provisionality of self-arising. The provisional self is not provisional and the empty self not empty; this is called the Middle of self-arising. The Middle of self-arising does not stop only in the Middle but simultaneously illuminates emptiness and provisionality; this is called the three contemplations in one mind. All other gates are likewise.

Within the gate of nonarising, contemplate cognitive obstruction as arising from another while in reality not other-arisen, as arising from both while in reality not both-arisen, and as arising without a cause while in reality not causelessly arisen, up through establishing the three contemplations in one mind in each case. All other gates are likewise.

Within the gate of nonarising, contemplate cognitive obstruction as ceasing through self while in reality not self-ceased; this is called the emptiness of self-ceasing. The self-empty is not fixed as one self-emptiness; this is called the provisionality of self-ceasing. The provisional self is not provisional and the empty self not empty; this is called the Middle of self-ceasing. The Middle of self-ceasing does not stop only in the Middle but simultaneously illuminates emptiness and provisionality; this is called the three contemplations in one mind of self-ceasing. All other gates are likewise.

Within the gate of nonarising, contemplate cognitive obstruction as ceasing through another while in reality not other-ceased, through both while in reality not both-ceased, and through no cause while in reality not causelessly ceased, up through establishing the three contemplations in one mind in each case. All other gates are likewise.

Within the gate of nonarising, contemplate the self as awaiting some Dharma while in reality not awaiting through self; this is called the emptiness of self-relation. The self-empty is not fixed as one self-emptiness; this is called the provisionality of self-relation. The self-empty is not empty and the provisional self not provisional; this is called the Middle of self-relation. The Middle of self-relation does not stop only in the Middle but simultaneously illuminates the two truths; this is called the three contemplations in one mind. All other gates are likewise.

Within the gate of nonarising, contemplate relation to another while in reality not related through another, relation through both while in reality not related through both, and causeless relation while in reality not causelessly related, up through establishing the three contemplations in one mind in each case. All other gates are likewise. If the gate of nonarising concludes pervasive breaking through Dharmas through the three contemplations of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle, all other gates are likewise.

Transposing all the foregoing Dharmas of the gate of nonarising into the remaining gates makes one unobstructed vertically and horizontally, like a vajra blade that no Dharma can obstruct.

Revealing Transposition through the Gates of Nonpractice and Nonabiding

Once this intent is grasped, scriptures and treatises can be explained throughout. Their meaning can be turned according to context, text and meaning correspond, and nothing fails to fit.

Using this meaning to explain the Sūtra on the Nonpractice of All Dharmas transposes the intent of the gate of nonarising into the gate of nonpractice: the Four Truths are nonpractice; wisdom is nonpractice; the mind of awakening is nonpractice. Mind is established in the nonpractice of calming-and-contemplation. Breaking the delusions of views and thought, ignorance concerning immeasurable Dharmas, and fundamental ignorance is also nonpractice. Birth-and-death, nirvāṇa, and what lies between them are all nonpractice. There is also practice of nonpractice, stages of nonpractice, and teaching of nonpractice. Every Dharma can be completely gathered into the gate of nonpractice.

To explain the Diamond Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, transpose the meaning of nonarising into the many forms of nonabiding in the gate of nonabiding. Give without abiding in form and without abiding in sound, fragrance, taste, or touch. Give without abiding in object or wisdom, without abiding in compassion, without abiding in the delusions of views and thought, and without abiding in ignorance concerning immeasurable Dharmas or fundamental ignorance. Only this is called the perfection of giving.

Keep precepts without abiding in form, up through cultivate prajñā without abiding in form. Do not abide in the first ground, up through do not abide in the tenth. Although one abides in no Dharma, one still abides in prajñā through the Dharma of nonabiding; this is entry into emptiness. Abiding in the conventional truth through the Dharma of nonabiding is entry into the provisional. Abiding in the true mark through the Dharma of nonabiding is entry into the Middle.

This wisdom of nonabiding is vajra samādhi. It can break boulders, sand, and gravel and penetrate to the original limit. The treatise says the Humane Kings Sūtra speaks of vajra samādhi in three places—the seventh ground, first ground, and first abode—using vajra nonabiding to explain the stage-meanings of three teachings. It also cites a scripture saying that Śākyamuni entered the great quiescent concentration, the vajra samādhi.

If this is so, ordinary explanations should not rigidly maintain that only the unobstructed path has vajra while the path of severance lacks it. Since scripture says the Buddha possesses it, does not the path of severance possess it as well? How could the treatises composed by Vasubandhu and Asaṅga and Kaishan’s extensive explanation go beyond the intent of nonarising and nonabiding? Only two scriptures are cited here in outline to reveal the beginning of turning one meaning into different tunes.

Once this intent is attained, thousands of scriptures and tens of thousands of treatises become clear and unobstructed. It is the opening chapter for learning contemplation, the root of reflecting on meaning, the wondrous wisdom that explains different teachings, and the destination for entering the Buddha path. Its framework is vast, and it possesses both phenomena and principle. Understanding one Dharma makes a thousand follow, and one becomes free within every Dharma gate. The rest can be understood by analogy.

If There Is One Gate of Nonarising, Why Are Other Gates Needed?

Someone asks: If the one gate of nonarising can expound every Buddha Dharma, what need is there for the remaining gates?

Answer: Dharma marks are originally like this, and the two meanings require one another. People’s faculties differ, and their individual practices therefore also require different Dharma gates. In the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, for example, thirty-two bodhisattvas each explain the Dharma gate of nonduality through which they entered.

If someone says arising and ceasing are the duality of birth-and-death while nonarising and nonceasing are nondual, this is merely a gate of emptiness; what does it have to do with the Middle Way? The present explanation is that arising represents birth-and-death and ceasing represents nirvāṇa; these are the two. Simultaneously negating the two extremes, birth-and-death and nirvāṇa, and entering the Middle Way is called entering the Dharma gate of nonduality. This bodhisattva explains only the gate through which he entered and need not simultaneously explain another’s gate. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says, “I know only this one gate,” meaning that each person explains his or her own entrance. Gates are therefore immeasurable.

Moreover, the conditions for transforming others differ, and adapting teachings to faculties cannot employ only one method. One kind of person hears nonarising and nonceasing and awakens to the path; other teachings do not suit his faculties and therefore bring no benefit. The next bodhisattva teaches the nondual gate of neither defilement nor purity, precisely suiting another kind of person, who attains the path on hearing it. Horizontal gates are therefore immeasurable. Eight thousand bodhisattvas each explain a gate; how could one object that a single gate is enough?

When practitioners cultivate the four kinds of samādhi through the gate of nonarising, they may delight in and reverently accept it, produce a mind of faith and wholesomeness, break unwholesome perceptions and attachments, or dimly approach awakening. If such correspondence occurs, nonarising is their gate of the path. If none occurs, it is not their gate.

They should then enter through the gate of nonceasing. If joy and wholesomeness arise, attachment is broken, and the Buddha path is approached, nonceasing is their gate of the path. If there is still no correspondence, this too is not their gate. Thus broadly passing through many gates and testing them one by one, one will eventually correspond. Once the net is spread widely, the bird of mind can naturally be gathered in. For this reason, horizontal gates are paired with vertical contemplation, revealing that every gate can communicate with the path.

Gathering the Horizontal and Vertical Back into One Mind

Third is the explanation of calming-and-contemplation through the horizontal and vertical within one mind. The foregoing horizontal gates and vertical contemplation are profound and broad. They can break every deviant attachment, expound every scripture and treatise, cultivate every contemplative practice, adapt to every faculty and condition, and turn without end. Yet because the words are so numerous, their direct intent becomes difficult to see. They must now be gathered so their true purpose appears.

The thousands and tens of thousands of layers taught within the gate of nonarising only contemplate the Dharma produced through conditions in one thought of ignorance as immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. This is the inconceivable three truths, three contemplations in one mind, wisdom of all modes, Buddha eye, and the other Dharmas. What is true of nonarising is true of every horizontal gate. Though the explanations differ, in reality there are only the three contemplations in one mind. There is therefore neither a fixed horizontal nor vertical, but only cultivation of calming-and-contemplation in one mind. This has two parts: first, a general explanation of one mind; second, examination of other one minds.

The general explanation concerns only one thought-mind of ignorance. This mind possesses the three truths; embodying one contemplation, that contemplation possesses all three. Without the preceding horizontal and vertical explanations, how could the object and wisdom now described be understood?

It was already explained that when one thought of ignorance combines with Dharma-nature, hundreds and thousands of dream-events appear. One aggregate, element, and sense field possesses every aggregate, element, and sense field. There are immeasurable simple, compound, complete, and ineffable views; all delusions of thought throughout the nine grounds of the three realms; sixteen gates for breaking delusion; and the other Dharmas. Having already heard these in sequential horizontal and vertical order, one now hears “the Dharma produced through conditions in one mind” and suspendedly transcends and gathers every foregoing sequential Dharma produced through conditions, recognizing the inconceivable Dharma produced through conditions.

It was also explained that every Dharma has three provisionalities and four alternatives, and that reality is unobtainable when each is investigated. Simple and compound views are empty; thought throughout the nine grounds is empty; the sixteen gates are also empty. Having already heard this, one now hears “one mind is immediately empty” and suspendedly transcends and gathers all the foregoing sequential emptinesses, recognizing inconceivable ultimate wondrous emptiness.

The foregoing also explained in detail how various provisional Dharmas enter the provisional through the sequence of covering, thinning, and overturning, and how illness, medicine, and administration are distinguished. Having already heard this, one now hears “one mind is immediately provisional” and suspendedly transcends and gathers every foregoing sequential provisionality, recognizing provisionality that simultaneously illuminates the two truths.

Now hearing “neither empty nor provisional” suspendedly transcends and gathers all foregoing emptiness as not empty and all provisionality as not provisional. The foregoing also distinguished every form of neither existence nor nonexistence: within simple views, compound views, and complete views, and within the Tripiṭaka, Shared, and Distinct teachings. Having already heard this, one now hears “neither existent nor nonexistent” and suspendedly transcends and gathers every foregoing neither existent nor nonexistent, recognizing the inconceivable neither existence nor nonexistence of the Middle Way.

People able to understand the three truths in one mind in this way are exceedingly rare. Why? Mind is the basis on which ignorance is spoken of, and mind remains the basis on which Dharmas produced through conditions are spoken of; hence every foregoing Dharma exists. Mind is immediately empty; hence every foregoing emptiness exists. Mind is still spoken of as provisional; hence all the foregoing Dharmas of emerging into the provisional exist. Mind is also spoken of as the Dharma realm; hence the Middle Way is neither empty nor provisional. The three truths are complete only within one mind. They are explained sequentially only to distinguish their features.

In terms of principle itself, there is only one mind immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. One instant possesses the three marks of arising, abiding, and ceasing, and the three marks differ from one another. Arising represents provisional existence, ceasing represents empty nonexistence, and abiding represents neither empty nor existent. Although the three truths differ, they occur only in one thought, just as arising, abiding, and ceasing differ yet occur only in one instant. The three contemplations, three wisdoms, three calming practices, and three eyes should be understood in the same way.

Such contemplation is beings opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. “Beings” means that minds of greed, anger, and delusion all conceive a self. The self is a being; the self arises according to thoughts of mind, and when mind produces the three poisons it is called a being. As this mind arises, it is immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. Calming-and-contemplation is complete at once as thoughts arise. Contemplation is called Buddha knowledge and calming Buddha vision. Calming-and-contemplation present from thought to thought is beings opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision.

When this contemplation first forms, it is called the first grade of rejoicing. Reading and recitation assist it and make contemplation clearer, forming the second grade. Teaching others according to what one practices makes the mind clearer, forming the third. Concurrently practicing the six perfections deepens merit, forming the fourth. Fully practicing the six perfections without diminishing either phenomenal practice or principial contemplation forms the fifth.

The fifth grade next enters purification of the six faculties, called the approximate stage. The Lotus Sūtra says that although uncontaminated wisdom has not yet been attained, the faculty of mind is already purified in this way. From approximation one enters the copper-wheel first abode, breaks ignorance, attains tolerance of nonarising, and progressively passes through the forty-two stages. The scripture therefore also speaks of attaining the uncontaminated pure recompense. This is also the meaning of the three worthy stages and ten noble stages abiding in recompense while only the Buddha dwells in the pure land. Extending from the recompense of worthies and nobles to the Buddha fruit points to wondrous awakening as the ultimate recompense.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra’s attainment of unsurpassed recompense means that because a buddha has present recompense, it is called unsurpassed. Because the Buddha has no subsequent-life recompense, he is also said to have no recompense. The scripture likewise speaks of seed-fruit and fruit-seed. Because there is present recompense, it resembles seed-fruit; because no later recompense exists, it is not called fruit-seed. The rest can be understood by analogy.

The Combined Golden Light Sūtra calls the correspondence of object and wisdom the response-body. From the perspective of the conditioned object it is called Dharma body; from the contemplating wisdom, recompense-body; from the function that arises, response-body. Because the Dharma body has been attained, it is permanent, constant, and unchanging. The Dharma body is pure, vast as the Dharma realm, ultimate as empty space, and extending throughout the future.

The Ratnagotravibhāga says permanence is unborn, constancy unaging, purity without illness, and unchanging undying. Purity of the Dharma body is the virtue of purity; vastness like the Dharma realm is the virtue of self; ultimacy like empty space is the virtue of happiness; and extension throughout the future is the virtue of permanence. The Dharma body attained at the first abode therefore already possesses a share of permanence, happiness, self, and purity and is free from birth, aging, illness, and death. The rest can be understood by analogy.

Inspecting Other One Minds and Extending by Analogy to the Remaining Aggregates and Sense Fields

Next is the examination of the three contemplations in other one minds. If general contemplation of the mind of ignorance does not suit a person, inspect other minds one by one, such as desire, anger, and pride. When these minds arise, they are immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. Contemplate them according to the general method for one mind; the rest can be understood by analogy.

The preceding account spoke only in terms of the consciousness aggregate. The other four aggregates of form, feeling, perception, and formations are likewise. The twelve sense fields and eighteen elements are likewise. At this point, pervasive breaking through Dharmas within contemplation of the object of aggregates, sense fields, and elements is complete.

Entry into Emptiness Also Has Five Conditions—Why Were They Omitted Above?

Someone asks: Contemplations for entering the provisional and the Middle both have conditions for cultivation. Why did entry into emptiness have none? Entry into emptiness was analyzed through the four gates; why were entry into the provisional and the Middle not?

Answer: Entry into emptiness likewise has conditions; the preceding text omitted them for brevity. They are: first, liberating oneself; second, liberating others; third, establishing the life of wisdom; fourth, attaining uncontaminated superknowledges; and fifth, entering the Dharma stage.

The bondage of birth-and-death exhausts the spirit; without contemplating emptiness, liberation is impossible. There is no principle by which someone still bound can untie another’s bonds; to liberate others, one should therefore first enter emptiness. Worthies and nobles take wisdom as their life, and that life cannot be established apart from emptiness. Among superknowledges, the uncontaminated are supreme; to seek the supreme superknowledges, one should also enter emptiness. Moreover, the Dharma stage cannot be entered apart from wisdom, and the wisdom of emptiness enables rapid entry. The conditions for entering emptiness are numerous; because the later discussions of entering the provisional and the Middle each give five, five are stated here by analogy.

Contemplation of emptiness extends through the Small and Great Vehicles and through partial and Perfect teachings. To distinguish them without conflation, it must be analyzed through four gates. Contemplations of the provisional and the Middle are not mixed with the Small Vehicle and therefore need not be analyzed in the same way. Contemplation of emptiness has two forms: analytical emptiness belongs exclusively to the Small Vehicle, while embodied emptiness is shared by Small and Great. The present analysis concerns embodied emptiness alone. Though all employ embodied emptiness, their purposes and destinations differ, so analysis is necessary. The Distinct and Perfect teachings each have four gates, yet all communicate with the Middle Way and are comparatively easy to distinguish; their analysis can therefore be abbreviated.

Dharmottara’s Explanation of Cognitive Obstruction

Cognitive obstruction has differing explanations. Dharmottara’s explanation is now presented. Affliction is deluded mind and is therefore called obstruction. Cognition is lucid understanding; why should it also be called obstruction?

Knowledge is twofold: realization-knowledge and consciousness-knowledge. Consciousness-knowledge discriminates. In its substance, discrimination opposes knowledge that realizes things as they are; because its mental conceptions follow phenomenal marks, it can also be called knowledge. It is called knowledge because conception accords with things; because the substance of discrimination opposes and obstructs realization-knowledge, it is called cognitive obstruction.

The Buddha is liberated from both obstructions. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that severing craving attains liberation of mind and severing ignorance attains liberation of wisdom. The Bodhisattvabhūmi Sūtra calls craving foremost among afflictions, so liberation of mind treats afflictive obstruction. Leaving every defilement of ignorance far behind and knowing everything knowable without obstruction is called purity of knowledge; purity of knowledge is liberation of discernment. If an obstruction in the object known by cognition is called cognitive obstruction, knowing every Dharma without obstruction means knowing phenomenal marks without obstruction. Ignorance is thereby taken as the substance of cognitive obstruction.

The Treatise on Entering the Great Vehicle says supramundane ignorance is cognitive obstruction, while worthies and nobles have already left worldly ignorance far behind. This indicates that afflictive obstruction is severed first.

Someone asks: Both obstructions are affliction. Why is ignorance specifically named cognitive obstruction? Ignorance is delusion spoken of as identical with cognition. Because it takes cognition as its substance, it is named obstruction in terms of cognition. It resembles unconditioned birth-and-death: because birth-and-death is spoken of in dependence on the unconditioned, it is named from the unconditioned.

Craving is the four abodes and can also obstruct cognition, but it is a delusion occurring in a mind distinct from wisdom; wisdom and craving cannot function at the same time. Its substance is affliction, so it is named directly from that substance as afflictive obstruction. Craving also continues the existences, confuses and distresses mind, and causes harm. Although ignorance covers, beings’ birth is principally moistened by the water of craving; its power to bring birth-and-death is strong, so craving is named afflictive obstruction. Ignorance fails to know and directly opposes liberation. Although the nature of craving also opposes it, ignorance remains the root. The darkness of ignorance clearly obstructs cognition and is therefore named cognitive obstruction from the cognition it obstructs.

Ignorance is further divided into two: delusion about principle and delusion about phenomena. Which is cognitive obstruction? The Bodhisattvabhūmi Sūtra says that the uncontaminated knowledge of personal no-self in the Two Vehicles is knowledge that purifies afflictive obstruction, while the knowledge of Dharma no-self of buddhas and bodhisattvas is knowledge that purifies cognitive obstruction. According to this account, both concern delusion about principle and become cognitive obstruction.

Alternatively, if obstruction regarding the object cognition knows is called cognitive obstruction, then knowing every Dharma without obstruction means knowing phenomenal matters without obstruction. Only delusion about phenomena would thereby be cognitive obstruction. Which explanation is definitively established?

Although knowledge illuminating phenomena and knowledge illuminating principle are spoken of as two, they do not actually have two substances. Cognitive obstruction and ignorance likewise do not have two natures. The explanations of delusion about principle and phenomena therefore do not establish two isolated obstructions.

Again, if discriminating mental knowledge is obstruction, close investigation shows that discriminative knowledge truly impedes things as they are and prevents realization-knowledge. This is likewise speaking of obstruction in terms of cognition. Extinguishing discriminating conceptions and mind gives the meaning of severing cognition; abandoning discrimination moves toward purity of cognitive obstruction. Yet cognition and obstruction are not two categorically separate things, so one also cannot say that wisdom itself is universally severed. For this reason, the scriptures teach that merit is not lost. The Hundred Treatise cites the Buddha: do not fear merit, because wholesome Dharmas assisting the path should still be practiced.

Someone who argues in only one direction divides the matter into two mutually exclusive paths: cognition must be severed, or cognition cannot be severed. Careful examination of the distinctions reveals no contradiction. Partial attachment and dispute should not arise.

Two Final Exchanges

Someone asks: The Bodhisattva Garland of the Primary Deeds Sūtra says the third contemplation becomes present at the first ground. Why does the present text sometimes say the eighth ground and sometimes the first abode?

Answer: Meanings from the stages of different teachings are borrowed to establish one another. Sometimes a high stage is borrowed to reveal accomplishment in a lower teaching, so the eighth ground is stated. Sometimes a lower stage is borrowed to reveal the height of the Perfect Teaching, so the first abode is stated. The Bodhisattva Garland of the Primary Deeds Sūtra explains the Distinct Teaching and therefore says the first ground.

Another question: Contemplations of the provisional and the Middle both explain the cultivation stages of people with higher, middling, and lower faculties. Why did the initial contemplation of emptiness not determine cultivation stages for three faculties?

Answer: To cultivate the provisional and the Middle, one must first enter the corresponding stages. Their three faculties are therefore judged as deep or shallow according to stage. The initial contemplation begins directly from the ground of ordinary beings, before any stages exist by which depth could be judged.

The Bodhisattva Garland of the Primary Deeds Sūtra also has wording that names the fourth ground stream-enterer; this can correspond to lower faculties. It also says the third ground explains stream-enterer; this can correspond to middling faculties. Or it says the first ground explains stream-enterer; this concerns higher faculties. The rest can be understood by analogy.

The second half of fascicle six of the Mohe Zhiguan ends here.

Fascicle Seven [Upper] of the Mohe Zhiguan, taught by the Tiantai Great Master Zhizhe of the Sui dynasty and recorded by his disciple Guanding.

Discerning Passage and Obstruction: Break Obstruction and Protect Passage

The fifth vehicle is discerning passage and obstruction. It is also called “knowing gain and loss” and “knowing word and nonword.” The preceding contemplation that pervasively breaks through Dharmas should have opened passage into nonarising. If entry still has not occurred, one must investigate precisely where the gain and loss lie. One is necessarily caught in some affirmation or negation and cannot understand the matter from only one side.

Why? If, like a non-Buddhist, one cherishes the wisdom that contemplates emptiness, that wisdom must again be pervasively broken through the four alternatives. At this point the contemplation that actively breaks has become an obstruction just like the attachment it breaks, so every obstruction must be opened anew into passage. If one does not cling to the wisdom that contemplates emptiness, what actively breaks differs from what is broken; one need only break obstruction while preserving passage. This resembles removing a film from the eye while nurturing its bright jewel, or defeating a band of thieves while protecting a good general. Only one who can do this is a great guide skilled in knowing passage and obstruction, able to lead the multitude beyond five hundred yojanas.

Old Explanations of the Five Hundred Yojanas and the Correct Three Rounds

An old explanation counts the exhaustion of the delusions of views and thought at the sixth ground as three hundred yojanas, the seventh and eighth grounds as four hundred, and the ninth and tenth grounds as five hundred. This does not agree with the Great Treatise, which counts the Two Vehicles as four hundred, although the path of the Two Vehicles is not the seventh or eighth ground.

Masters of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha count the three realms as three hundred and add transformational birth-and-death and causal birth-and-death to make five hundred. Yet this still does not exhaust their own treatise’s meaning, for there are also birth-and-death with a remainder and birth-and-death without a remainder. To which hundred yojanas should these two belong?

Masters of the Daśabhūmika correlate the ten faiths, ten abodes, ten practices, ten dedications, and ten grounds with the five hundreds. This again disagrees with the Lotus Sūtra. The sūtra says that a city is conjured only after three hundred yojanas have been crossed; on this correlation, the phantom city would instead appear at the two-hundred-yojana point.

Others correlate the three realms with three hundred and add the two vehicles of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas as the fourth and fifth hundreds. This has three faults. First, if the phantom city is established beyond the three realms, why do followers of the Two Vehicles leave the three realms without entering it and instead travel another fourth and fifth hundred yojanas? There is no further phantom city beyond the fourth and fifth hundreds. Where exactly would they enter so as to be called the Two Vehicles? Second, one can proceed only after the phantom city vanishes. How could they advance into the fourth and fifth hundreds while the city has not yet vanished? Third, śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas enter the phantom city together. Why assign śrāvakas alone to the fourth hundred and pratyekabuddhas alone to the fifth?

Others correlate the five abiding afflictions with the five hundreds. Yet followers of the Two Vehicles have already severed the four abiding afflictions, so this would require placing the phantom city beyond four hundred yojanas and would still disagree with the sūtra. Still others count the delusions of thought in the three realms as three hundred, delusions innumerable as dust and sand as four hundred, and ignorance as five hundred. This too is wrong. Yojanas originally symbolize afflictions; why exclude the more numerous delusions of views yet count the fewer delusions of thought as three hundred?

The expression “five hundred yojanas” comes from the Lotus Sūtra. The sūtra presents the five hundred as a simile, calls birth-and-death a dangerous road, and corresponds this with the guide’s ability to examine and know that road. To meet the sūtra’s text, one must explain five hundred in three distinct rounds: first according to the places of birth-and-death, second according to afflictions, and third according to wisdom. None of the foregoing masters’ arrangements—whether square or round, moving or still, advancing or retreating—accords with the sūtra. They resemble trying to open a lock with three teeth by using a key that has only one notch.

The first school follows the stages of the Shared Teaching, speaks only as far as four hundred, and then establishes the phantom city. The Mahāyānasaṃgraha masters follow types of birth-and-death but cut off the other two types and leave them beyond the wilderness. The Daśabhūmika masters follow the stages of the Distinct Teaching and instead place the phantom city within the three realms. The next school proceeds straight ahead and, without waiting for provisional Dharma to be opened and removed, reveals the real on its own. Each school has these faults.

What, then, is the original intent of the Great Treatise? It contains two passages. The first counts the Two Vehicles as four hundred and stops there, without establishing a fifth hundred. The second instead counts the Two Vehicles as one hundred. They can now be reconciled as follows. The first passage speaks according to the Shared Teaching, which takes the true truth as its utmost point. Having crossed the three realms, practitioners have not yet demolished the phantom city but merely enter nirvāṇa; nirvāṇa is therefore designated as the fourth hundred. The later passage counts the Two Vehicles as one hundred because it instead speaks of bodhisattvas entering the provisional: leaving the nirvāṇa of the Two Vehicles is counted as one hundred, and entering the three realms as three hundred. Understood this way, neither sūtra nor treatise is obstructed.

Now for the correct explanation of the five hundred yojanas. First, according to the places of birth-and-death, the recompense of the three realms is three hundred, the Land of Skillful Means with Remainder is four hundred, and the Land of Unobstructed Real Reward is five hundred. Second, according to afflictions, delusions concerning the truths are one hundred, the five lower fetters are two hundred, the five higher fetters are three hundred, delusions innumerable as dust and sand are four hundred, and ignorance is five hundred. Third, according to contemplative wisdom, the wisdom of contemplating emptiness knows three hundred, the wisdom of contemplating provisionality knows four hundred, and the wisdom of contemplating the Middle knows five hundred. These three rounds meet the sūtra’s text and have none of the foregoing masters’ faults.

Horizontal Passage and Obstruction, Vertical Passage and Obstruction, and Weaving the Horizontal through the Vertical

The stages fixed by the various masters are too remote. A beginner has not yet severed even the delusions of views; how could such a person immediately cross five hundred yojanas? The yojanas discussed here include horizontal passage and obstruction as well as vertical passage and obstruction.

Horizontal passage and obstruction are explained through three kinds of Dharma. First, the truths of suffering and origination are obstruction, while the truths of the path and cessation are passage. Second, ignorance and the twelve links of dependent origination it produces are obstruction, while the cessation of ignorance and of the twelve links is passage. Third, the six obscurations covering the mind are obstruction, while the six perfections are passage.

Vertical passage and obstruction also have three levels. First, the delusions of views and thought and fragmentary birth-and-death are obstruction, while contemplation entering emptiness from provisionality is passage. Second, lack of knowledge and transformational birth-and-death are obstruction, while contemplation entering provisionality from emptiness is passage. Third, ignorance, causal birth-and-death, and the rest are obstruction, while correct contemplation of the Middle Way is passage.

The three horizontal Dharmas must now be interwoven with the three vertical contemplations, inspecting passage and obstruction one by one. Begin with entering emptiness from provisionality and breaking the various delusions of views and thought. Delusions of views include simple four alternatives, compound four alternatives, complete four alternatives, ineffable views, and the rest; delusions of thought comprise nine times nine, or eighty-one, grades. These delusions are intrinsically defiled: they increase affliction and obstruct the practitioner. How could one suddenly cling to them instead, taking them to be right or wrong? If they consequently produce the various fetters and karma and one leaks back into birth-and-death, one sees only suffering and origination, not the path and cessation. Failing to recognize the four truths within the delusions of views and thought is precisely ignorance concerning them and is therefore called ignorance. From it arise the twelve links of dependent origination through aging-and-death. If ignorance does not cease, dependent origination is not dismantled. Because one grasps firmly and finds relinquishment difficult, one remains on this shore and cannot reach the other shore.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra tells of a hungry child who took fruit from excrement. When a wise person rebuked him, he felt ashamed and abashed. Attachment to delusion likewise causes one to lose pure Dharma; this is called obstruction. When faced with various views, one need only know, the instant a single thought arises, that it has no real intrinsic nature, is impermanent, and has no master. Once inversion is broken, no karma is produced; without karma there is no fruit. This is called the path, and because there is a path there is cessation. If one recognizes the four truths, there is neither ignorance nor aging-and-death. When dependent origination is dismantled, one can relinquish all modes of existence and reach the other shore. Following this meaning, one must pass through every thought-moment, everything that contemplates, and everything contemplated. If the three kinds of obstruction arise within truths, dependent origination, and perfections, break them and open passage. If the three kinds of passage are present, protect and bring them to fulfillment.

Moreover, the nature of the views contemplated is itself empty, and the wisdom that contemplates is itself empty too. Even an arhat’s mind is called the uncontaminated five aggregates. Since my contemplative wisdom is not yet real, how could it not be an aggregate? If one grasps this aggregate as truly existent, it produces fetters, karma, and birth-and-death. If one does not recognize the four truths within this aggregate, that is ignorance. If one cherishes the wisdom that contemplates emptiness, one cannot relinquish it. One must therefore still pass through every thought-moment, everything that contemplates, and everything contemplated by means of immediate emptiness. If the three obstructions are present, break them and open passage; if the three passages are present, protect and fulfill them. This is skillfully crossing the obstruction of views and thought and passing through three hundred yojanas.

Next, weaving the horizontal through the vertical to inspect the passage and obstruction of contemplation entering provisionality from emptiness is easier to understand. For Dharmas of illness, Dharmas of medicine, and the Dharma of administering medicine, clearly distinguish truths, dependent origination, and perfections in every Dharma, everything that contemplates, and everything contemplated. If the three obstructions arise, break them and open passage; if the three passages are present, protect and fulfill them. In this way one crosses the obstruction of lack of knowledge and passes through four hundred yojanas.

Next, weave the horizontal through the vertical to inspect correct contemplation of the Middle Way. For ignorance, Dharma-nature, true conditions, and the rest, clearly distinguish truths, dependent origination, and perfections in every Dharma, everything that contemplates, and everything contemplated. If the three obstructions arise, break them and open passage; if the three passages are present, protect and fulfill them. In this way one crosses the obstruction of ignorance and passes through five hundred yojanas.

If passage and obstruction are taught only in this sequential vertical fashion, one must reach the sixth ground or first ground, often after many eons, before obstruction opens into passage. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that a stream-enterer arrives after eighty thousand eons and, successively, a pratyekabuddha after ten thousand eons; what they reach is a bodhisattva’s abode of initial arousal of mind. This discusses the stages of noble ones. What help is it to a beginner?

The Beginner’s Three Horizontally Distinct Contemplations

Passage and obstruction can next be explained through horizontally distinct contemplations. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra says that some bodhisattvas correspond with omniscience from their initial arousal of mind; this is correspondence with emptiness. If a beginner does not yet correspond, that person should inspect every thought-moment through truths, dependent origination, and perfections. If the three obstructions are present, break them and open passage; if the three passages are present, protect and fulfill them. One can thereby cross three hundred yojanas.

The sūtra also says that some bodhisattvas can roam in superknowledges and purify buddha lands from their initial arousal of mind; this is the meaning of entering the provisional. If beginners cultivate contemplation of provisionality, they likewise inspect every thought-moment through truths, dependent origination, and perfections, breaking obstruction, protecting passage, and crossing four hundred yojanas.

The sūtra also says that some bodhisattvas can sit at the site of awakening and accomplish correct awakening from their initial arousal of mind; this is the meaning of contemplation of the Middle. If beginners cultivate contemplation of the Middle, they likewise inspect every thought-moment through truths, dependent origination, and perfections, breaking obstruction, protecting passage, and crossing five hundred yojanas.

Although this account allows beginners to discuss passage and obstruction, the three Dharmas of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle still remain separate. The Great Treatise gives three similes: first traveling on foot, second riding a horse, and third employing superknowledge. Those traveling on foot or horseback must discern where the road is open and where blocked. Superknowledge, however, is intrinsically unobstructed: obstruction cannot cover it, and mountain walls are all like empty space. What open route remains to be chosen? The first contemplation is compared to walking, the second to riding, and the last to flying. Because these three meanings remain divided, this too is not the contemplative method adopted here.

When the three contemplations are taught vertically, the first two are passage within their present respective scopes but become obstruction in relation to the higher contemplation. The last surpasses the lower two and is passage, yet it too becomes obstruction by remaining isolated as a separate minor Dharma. When the three contemplations are taught horizontally, each is passage within its own scope, but inability to include the others is obstruction. These Dharma-marks already possess shallow and deep forms of passage and obstruction; how much more so when practitioners produce suffering, origination, ignorance, the six obscurations, and the rest within them? All three contemplations can thus become obstruction, leaving no passage at all.

Three Contemplations in One Mind: Neither Passage nor Obstruction, Yet Illuminating Both

Contemplating the Dharma-mark of three contemplations in one mind breaks the passage and obstruction of the vertical three contemplations. Contemplating the three contemplations as only one mind breaks the passage and obstruction of the horizontal three contemplations. Contemplation of emptiness immediately possesses all three contemplations and therefore breaks the passage and obstruction of walking, mountain walls, and three hundred yojanas. Contemplation of provisionality immediately possesses all three and therefore breaks the passage and obstruction of riding and four hundred yojanas. Contemplation of the Middle immediately possesses all three and therefore breaks even the passage and obstruction of superknowledge itself.

Precisely because one mind can immediately be empty, provisional, and the Middle, every mountain, river, stone wall, horde of māras, and group following other paths is like empty space. Three contemplations in one mind roam among them without any obstruction. Ultimately, one need not leave low ground to climb high, nor avoid a mountain ridge to follow a valley. Every obstruction touched becomes open and unobstructed, so one can cross five hundred yojanas and arrive at the place of jewels. This is called passage. Yet passage is originally established in contrast to obstruction. Once everywhere touched is like empty space, there is no obstruction; without obstruction, there is no passage either.

If suffering, origination, ignorance, and obscuration arise anew at the point of neither obstruction nor passage, one loses not only superknowledge but also horseback travel and walking. What actively breaks then becomes the same as what is broken; the word becomes a nonword. It resembles insects boring into wood and accidentally leaving shapes that form the words “three contemplations,” although the insects do not know whether these are words or nonwords.

If every Dharma, everything that contemplates, and everything contemplated is immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle and fully possesses truths, dependent origination, and perfections, this is called neither passage nor obstruction while illuminating passage and obstruction together. Only one capable of this is a person of wisdom who knows word and nonword, like a good physician who knows gain and loss. Passage and obstruction should be clearly distinguished in the gate of nonarising, and likewise in all the other Dharma gates. This is how a beginner crosses five hundred yojanas; the meaning of the six identities should further be used to distinguish its levels, and so forth.

Question: Are passage and obstruction, gain and loss, and word and nonword ultimately identical or different?

Answer: The three are different expressions of one purport, yet they also differ. Passage and obstruction concern understanding, gain and loss concern practice, and word and nonword concern teaching. The Golden Light Sūtra speaks of correct hearing, correct listening, correct discrimination, correct understanding of conditions, and correct awakening. Knowing word and nonword corresponds to correct hearing and correct listening. Knowing gain and loss corresponds to correct discrimination and correct understanding of conditions. Knowing passage and obstruction corresponds to correct awakening. Although the three differ in these respects, they still reveal the same purport together.

Question: Can horizontal obstruction obstruct vertical passage? Can vertical obstruction obstruct horizontal passage? Can horizontal passage pass through vertical obstruction? Can vertical passage pass through horizontal obstruction?

Answer: At a first level one may say yes; examined more finely at a second level, one must say no. One may say yes because ignorance itself is views and thought, so how could it not be a horizontal obstruction? Wisdom of the Middle Way can treat everything, so how could it not pass through horizontal obstruction? This is only the first, provisional answer of yes. Distinguished a second time, horizontal obstruction blocks what is nearer and cannot obstruct vertical passage. Horizontal passage is weaker and cannot pass through vertical obstruction. Vertical obstruction is deep and remote and does not become a horizontal obstruction. Vertical passage treats its corresponding obstruction and does not pass through horizontal obstruction.

Four Arrangements of the Factors of the Path

The sixth vehicle explains regulating the factors of the path. They have four arrangements: first, individually defined; second, mutually inclusive; third, according to stages; and fourth, mutually arising.

First, individually defined. One need not necessarily possess all the factors of the path in order to attain the path. The three groups of four—the four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, and four bases of spiritual power—the two groups of five—the five faculties and five powers—and the separate groups of seven factors of awakening and the Noble Eightfold Path can each, in their own individually defined scope, be the path. Thus one may attain the path by relying on the foundations of mindfulness, and the thirty-seven factors are called the site of awakening and the Great Vehicle. What is true of the foundations is true of the remaining groups. These are individually defined factors of the path, not yet regulation.

Second, mutually inclusive. The single Dharma of the four foundations of mindfulness, for example, can include all the remaining groups. The meaning of the Great Treatise is that since the foundations include the remaining factors, the remaining factors also include the foundations. These are mutually inclusive factors of the path, also not regulation.

Third, according to stages. The four foundations of mindfulness occupy their own stage; the four right efforts correspond to the stage of warmth; the four bases of spiritual power to the stage of summit; the five faculties to the stage of tolerance; the five powers to the stage of foremost in the world; the Noble Eightfold Path to the stage of seeing the truths; and the seven factors of awakening to the path of cultivation. This establishes them according to stages and is also not regulation.

Fourth, mutually arising. Cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness can produce the four right efforts. The right efforts activate the four bases of spiritual power; these produce the five faculties; the faculties produce the five powers; the powers produce the seven factors of awakening; and the seven factors enter the Noble Eightfold Path. This alone is called skillful regulation. Moral discipline, meditative concentration, wisdom, and the rest are all called correct. When the pure mind remains constantly one, it can see prajñā. This is mutual arising, which is regulation.

Why must the factors of the path be regulated? Although one has already pervasively broken through Dharmas and discerned passage and obstruction, how could one rapidly correspond with true Dharma without regulating these factors? True Dharma is called uncontaminated, while the factors here are contaminated. Contaminated factors can serve as preparatory means for the uncontaminated. If preparatory means lose their proper measure, they have difficulty entering principle. It resembles brewing wine: when the warmth of fermentation is suitable, water can turn into wine, but if yeast and malt lose their proper balance, the flavor of wine cannot form. The Great Treatise says that the thirty-seven factors are Dharmas for practicing the path and that the city of nirvāṇa has three gates. The three gates are proximate causes; the factors are remote causes. For this reason, the factors of the path must be regulated.

The Factors of the Path Are Not Exclusive to the Two Vehicles

Question: The factors of the path belong to the Two Vehicles. How can they also be the bodhisattva path?

Answer: The Great Treatise rebukes this question: Who says such a thing? Neither the Tripiṭaka nor the Great Vehicle teaches so. How can one alone decide that these factors are only a Small Vehicle Dharma? The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says that the factors of the path are good spiritual friends through which correct awakening is accomplished; they are the site of awakening and the Great Vehicle. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that one who can cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path sees buddha-nature and is called one who obtains ghee. The Mahāvaipulya Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says that the thirty-seven factors are the bodhisattva’s Jeweled Torch dhāraṇī. All these scriptures expressly teach the factors of the path. When were they ever exclusive to the Small Vehicle?

The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra also says that the thirty-seven factors are a cause of nirvāṇa but not a cause of great nirvāṇa; immeasurable asaṃkhyeyas of Dharmas assisting awakening are the cause of great nirvāṇa. This does not mean there is another set of factors outside the factors themselves, just as there is no fifth truth beyond the four truths. Stated directly, suffering and origination are single, their measure like earth on a fingernail. Distinguished in detail, suffering and origination possess immeasurable marks, like all the earth in worlds throughout the ten directions. One set of thirty-seven factors is a cause of nirvāṇa; immeasurable sets of thirty-seven factors assisting the path are called a cause of great nirvāṇa. Why can they be immeasurable? Because there are four kinds of the truth of the path and sixteen gates.

There are also contaminated factors of the path. The desire realm has twenty-two, the access concentration has thirty-six, and the first dhyāna has thirty-seven; these are all contaminated factors, like milk. The factors of the Tripiṭaka Teaching are like curds, those of the Shared Teaching like raw butter, those of the Distinct Teaching like refined butter, and those of the Perfect Teaching like ghee. The textual meaning of the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra corresponds precisely to this; it does not establish separate assisting Dharmas outside the factors.

Sometimes the thirty-seven factors are called aids to the path, while at other times they are called the direct path. The Great Treatise says they are the bodhisattva path, which seems to mean the direct path. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra says they are good spiritual friends through which correct awakening is accomplished, which seems to mean aids to the path.

If someone says all thirty-seven factors are contaminated, one must answer: Why are the seven factors of awakening described as the path of cultivation? Why does the Lotus Sūtra speak of the wealth of uncontaminated faculties, powers, factors of awakening, and path? And why is the Noble Eightfold Path ever placed before the seven factors of awakening?

This must be divided into three statements: first, all thirty-seven are contaminated; second, all are uncontaminated; and third, they are both contaminated and uncontaminated.

First, all are contaminated. The Great Treatise says that cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path enables one to obtain the initial wholesome contaminated five aggregates. These five aggregates are the Dharma of warmth. If even before warmth one can cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path, how is it cultivated? At first one receives a Dharma gate from a teacher, fixes the mind upon it, and recollects it: these are the four foundations of mindfulness. Diligently practicing in quest of this Dharma constitutes the four right efforts. Practicing in one mind constitutes the four bases of spiritual power. The arising of five wholesome roots constitutes the five faculties. Their increase constitutes the five powers. Distinguishing the path’s functions constitutes the seven factors of awakening. Traveling securely within the path constitutes the Noble Eightfold Path. Cultivated in this way, they yield the wholesome contaminated five aggregates. Thus all the factors can be contaminated.

Second, all are uncontaminated. The factors practiced in seeing the truths and in cultivation have always been uncontaminated; this is precisely the meaning of the Lotus Sūtra. Although it was formerly said that one can cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path, the seven factors of awakening, and the rest at contaminated stages, no explicit scriptural or treatise passage was adduced as proof.

The Abhidharma Vibhāṣā Treatise, however, says that if the Noble Eightfold Path is placed after the seven factors of awakening, it can be either contaminated or uncontaminated. Why? If one enters seeing the truths through the Noble Eightfold Path, it too is uncontaminated. If the Noble Eightfold Path is placed before the seven factors, it is always uncontaminated. This is easy to understand. The Vibhāṣā is cited to establish the two foregoing meanings. Its being both contaminated and uncontaminated is precisely relative to their stages.

The thirty-seven factors under the various truths of the path will not all be recorded here. Only the thirty-seven nonconstructed factors under the nonconstructed truth of the path are now explained, in order to establish the meaning of three contemplations in one mind.

The Nonconstructed Four Foundations of Mindfulness

The meaning of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra is this: if one wishes to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness through wisdom of all modes, one should know that the foundations themselves are the Dharma realm and include all Dharmas. All Dharmas tend toward the foundations, and none surpasses this tending. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says that there is only one earth, yet it can produce all kinds of sprouts, so the earth itself is the seed of all sprouts. The Lotus Sūtra says that every variety of mark, substance, and nature is the mark, substance, and nature of a single seed. What seed is this? It is the mark, substance, and nature of the Buddha seed. People commonly say that the Lotus Sūtra does not illuminate buddha-nature, yet the sūtra expressly speaks of one seed. What seed could this be? The various herbs, trees, groves, and forests symbolize the seven preparatory means; the single earth symbolizes the one real matter called the Buddha seed.

When an inconceivable contemplation now arises in one thought-moment, it immediately is every seed, and the aggregates and sense fields of the ten Dharma realms do not obstruct one another.

First contemplate the form of Dharma-nature. Because Dharma-nature arises through conditions, one seed is every seed and one form is every form. Because Dharma-nature is empty, every form is one form and one emptiness is every emptiness. Because Dharma-nature is provisional, one form is every form and one provisionality is every provisionality. Because Dharma-nature is the Middle, it is neither one nor all, yet illuminates both one and all. This is also called neither empty nor provisional yet illuminating both emptiness and provisionality; thus every form is likewise neither empty nor provisional yet illuminates both. The forms of the other nine Dharma realms are immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle in the same way. This is called the foundation of mindfulness of the body.

Next contemplate the feeling of Dharma-nature. Because this feeling arises through conditions, one seed is every seed and one feeling is every feeling. Because the feeling of Dharma-nature is empty, every feeling is one feeling and one emptiness is every emptiness. Because it is a provisional designation, one feeling is every feeling and one provisionality is every provisionality. Because the feeling of Dharma-nature is the Middle, it is neither one feeling nor all feelings, neither empty nor provisional yet illuminating both emptiness and provisionality. The feelings of the other nine Dharma realms are immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle in the same way. This is called the foundation of mindfulness of feelings.

Next contemplate the mind of Dharma-nature as a Dharma arising through conditions. Thus one seed is every seed and one mind is every mind. Because Dharma-nature is empty, every mind is one mind and one emptiness is every emptiness. Because Dharma-nature is provisional, one mind is every mind and one provisionality is every provisionality. Because Dharma-nature is the Middle, it is neither one nor all, neither empty nor provisional yet illuminating both emptiness and provisionality. The minds of the other nine Dharma realms are likewise. This is called the foundation of mindfulness of mind.

Next contemplate the aggregates of perception and formation within Dharma-nature as Dharmas arising through conditions. Thus one seed is every seed and one formation is immeasurable formations. Because Dharma-nature is empty, every formation is one formation and one emptiness is every emptiness. Because Dharma-nature is provisional, one formation is every formation and one provisionality is every provisionality. Because Dharma-nature is the Middle, it is neither one nor all, neither empty nor provisional yet illuminating both emptiness and provisionality. The formations of the other nine Dharma realms are immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle in the same way. This is called the foundation of mindfulness of Dharmas.

The power and function of these foundations of mindfulness are vast. Their meaning includes both Great and Small; they break the eight inversions together, reveal withering and flourishing together, and are also beyond both withering and flourishing, entering parinirvāṇa in their midst. They are also called sitting at the site of awakening, the Great Vehicle, and the Dharma realm.

The Eight Inversions, Withering and Flourishing, and the Midst

How exactly do the foundations of mindfulness encompass such extensive meanings?

The form of Dharma-nature is in reality not pure, yet ordinary beings arbitrarily reckon it pure; this is inversion. In reality it is also not impure, yet followers of the Two Vehicles arbitrarily reckon it impure; this too is inversion. Now contemplate the seed of form as immediately empty, so every form is immediately empty. Since there is no purity in emptiness, how could attachment to it arise? This breaks the ordinary being’s inversion of reckoning purity and fulfills the withered foundation of mindfulness. The seed of form is immediately provisional, so every form is immediately provisional; distinctions of names and marks are inexhaustible. Provisional wisdom remains constantly pure and is not defiled by lack of knowledge or delusions innumerable as dust and sand. How could one remain in emptiness, choose the extinction of body and knowledge, and declare form definitely impure? This breaks the Two Vehicles’ inversion of reckoning impurity and fulfills the flourishing foundation of mindfulness. In this way all eight inversions are broken together, and the withered and flourishing foundations are established together.

Next contemplate the original limit of form as neither empty nor provisional; every form is likewise neither empty nor provisional. Because it is not empty, it is not the inversion of impurity. Because it is not provisional, it is not the inversion of purity. Because it is not the inversion of purity, it is not the flourishing tree; because it is not the inversion of impurity, it is not the withered tree. Neither withered nor flourishing means neither extreme. Where there is no extreme, neither is there some separate middle; only this is called the midst. The Buddha enters this principle, and it is therefore called nirvāṇa, which is neither pure nor impure. The nonarising of the eight inversions is called nirvāṇa, and such nirvāṇa is called the secret treasury. The Buddha places all his children in the secret treasury and dwells there himself; hence it is called entry.

The feeling of Dharma-nature is originally not pleasant, yet ordinary beings arbitrarily reckon it pleasant; this is inversion. In reality it is also not painful, yet followers of the Two Vehicles arbitrarily reckon it painful. Now contemplate the seed of feeling as immediately empty, so every feeling is empty. There is no pleasure in emptiness; how could defiled attachment arise? The ordinary being’s inversion is broken, and the withered foundation of mindfulness is fulfilled. The seed of feeling is immediately provisional, so every feeling is provisional. Receiving every feeling through nonreception, one does not become disgusted or afraid when distinguishing name and reputation. How could one reject them and sink into emptiness and extinction? The Two Vehicles’ inversion is broken, and the flourishing foundation of mindfulness is fulfilled. This is the simultaneous breaking of the two inversions and establishment of withering and flourishing.

Next contemplate the original limit of feeling as neither empty nor provisional. Because it is not empty, it is not withered; because it is not provisional, it is not flourishing. The nonarising of inverted extremes is called nirvāṇa, and the appearance of the principle of their midst is called the secret treasury, just as explained above, and so forth.

The mind of Dharma-nature is originally not permanent, yet ordinary beings arbitrarily reckon it permanent; this is the inversion of permanence. In reality Dharma-nature is also not impermanent, yet followers of the Two Vehicles arbitrarily reckon it impermanent. Now contemplate the seed of mind as immediately empty, so every mind is immediately empty. There is no permanence in emptiness; how could one say that mind continues from thought to thought? This breaks the ordinary being’s inversion of permanence and fulfills the withered foundation of mindfulness. Mind is a provisional designation, so every mind is also provisional. If mind could only be said to be impermanent, how could immeasurable marks of mind be distinguished? This breaks the Two Vehicles’ inversion of impermanence and fulfills the flourishing foundation of mindfulness.

Next contemplate mind as immediately neither empty nor provisional. Because it is not empty, it is not impermanent; because it is not provisional, it is not permanent. Neither flourishing nor withered, with inverted extremes not arising, is called entry into nirvāṇa. The appearance of the principle of the Middle Way is called the secret treasury. The Buddha places all his children there and enters it himself, and so forth.

The Dharmas of Dharma-nature originally do not possess a self, yet ordinary beings arbitrarily reckon there is a self. They originally are also not without self, yet followers of the Two Vehicles arbitrarily reckon there is no self. Now contemplate Dharma-nature as immediately empty, so all Dharmas are empty. There is no self in emptiness; this breaks the ordinary being’s inversion of self and fulfills the withered foundation of mindfulness. Dharma-nature is immediately provisional, so all Dharmas are established through provisionality, freely and without obstruction, fully possessing the meaning of “self.” This breaks the Two Vehicles’ inversion of no-self and fulfills the flourishing foundation of mindfulness. Next contemplate the original limit of Dharmas as neither empty nor provisional. Because it is not empty, it is not no-self; because it is not provisional, it is not self. The nonarising of inverted extremes is called entry into nirvāṇa, and the appearance of the principle of their midst is called the secret treasury.

There are four Dharma medicines for treating inversion. Contemplative wisdom of Dharma-nature is called mindfulness, and one truth immediately being three truths is called a foundation. Everything is immediately empty, so all inversions and all withering and flourishing are quiescent. Everything is immediately provisional, so both twin trees of the two extremes are established. Everything is immediately the Middle, so no Dharma is anything but the Dharma realm. It is only one thought-moment, yet it is this vast and profound.

If one can deeply contemplate the foundations of mindfulness, that itself is sitting at the site of awakening, is the Great Vehicle, and is entering parinirvāṇa between the twin trees. Beginning and end are already complete, and no remaining Dharma need be cultivated. If entry still does not occur, one advances to cultivate the remaining factors of the path.

The Four Right Efforts and Four Bases of Spiritual Power

Diligently contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness is called the four right efforts. The delusions of views and thought have already arisen and are therefore called evils already arisen. Contemplate them as immediately empty so that evils already arisen do not arise again, and therefore apply diligent effort. Delusions innumerable as dust and sand and the delusion of ignorance have not yet appeared and are therefore called evils not yet arisen. Contemplate them as immediately provisional and immediately the Middle so that evils not yet arisen do not arise, and therefore apply diligent effort. Practitioners exert all their strength and sincerity in cultivating the four kinds of samādhi, checking these two kinds of evil.

Wisdom of all dharmas is called goodness already arisen. This goodness arises more easily, so the path to nirvāṇa is said to be easily attained. Wisdom of the varieties of the path and wisdom of all modes are called goodness not yet arisen; such discriminating wisdom is more difficult to produce. Once the wisdom of emptiness has arisen, one diligently causes it to increase. Since wisdom of the Middle has not yet arisen, one causes it to develop. The three contemplations continue without interruption solely to produce these two kinds of wisdom. The four right efforts can themselves cause awakening to the path; hence wholehearted, diligent effort attains the three awakenings, and no further Dharma need be cultivated.

If entry still does not occur, effort must be insufficient and the mind too scattered and agitated. One must therefore enter wholesome quiescence and carefully contemplate mind-nature; this is called superior concentration. Within superior concentration, cultivate the four bases of spiritual power of aspiration, diligence, mind, and contemplation.

The base of spiritual power of aspiration is single-mindedly tending toward the Dharma being cultivated and is also called adorning that Dharma. Contemplative wisdom within meditative concentration resembles a lamp in a sealed room: whatever it illuminates becomes clearly understood. Because it illuminates and understands, the formation of severance is accomplished and the base of aspiration is cultivated to completion.

The base of spiritual power of diligence is accomplishing the Dharma being cultivated. Dharma-nature is originally unmoving, yet within quiescence practitioners apply diligence continuously, without interruption or admixture. Thus the formation of severance is accomplished and the base of diligence is cultivated to completion.

The base of spiritual power of mind is correctly abiding in contemplation of the Dharma being cultivated, taking it as object within one mind. When mind is controlled in one place, nothing remains unaccomplished. Thus the formation of severance is accomplished and the base of mind is cultivated to completion.

The base of spiritual power of contemplation is skillfully distinguishing the Dharma being cultivated and its preparatory means. One contemplates in this way without allowing the mind to move or scatter. Because contemplation occurs within meditative concentration, the formation of severance is accomplished and the base of contemplation is cultivated to completion.

Cultivating this way, one enters through the concentrated mind and needs no other Dharma. If entry still does not occur, one should cultivate the five faculties.

The Five Faculties and Five Powers

Faith that the principle of the three truths is the mother of the buddhas of the three times can produce all ten powers, fearlessnesses, liberations, and samādhis. Cultivating only the foundations of mindfulness and seeking no Dharma outside them is called the faculty of faith.

The faculty of diligence means that faith gathers in all Dharmas; because one faithfully accepts them, one redoubles vigorous effort.

The faculty of mindfulness means attending only to the direct path and the assisting path and allowing no deviance or falsity to enter. Moreover, because this Dharma is cultivated through diligence, one does not forget or lose it; it is therefore called the faculty of mindfulness.

The faculty of concentration is practicing diligence with one mind quiescent and concentrated. Moreover, because this Dharma is gathered in by mindfulness, it is neither forgotten nor lost and does not waver; it is therefore called the faculty of concentration.

The faculty of wisdom is the wisdom of the foundations of mindfulness gathered in by the Dharma of concentration. Its intrinsic nature inwardly sees for itself and does not know through another; it is therefore called the faculty of wisdom.

Cultivating only the five faculties can also lead one into the path and accomplish the Great Vehicle. If entry still does not occur, one further cultivates the five powers, causing the five faculties to increase. Because they can check the various afflictions, they are called powers.

The power of faith can break every doubt, and nothing can shake it. The power of diligence can remove indolence, so everything is accomplished according to one’s original vows. The power of mindfulness can break deviant thinking and is not damaged by afflictions.

The power of concentration can break distraction and remain far from clamor. Even when one speaks, it does not obstruct the first dhyāna. Skillfully dwelling in initial and sustained application does not obstruct the second dhyāna. The mind’s production of joy does not obstruct the third dhyāna. Teaching and transforming beings does not obstruct the fourth dhyāna. A Dharma that obstructs one of the four dhyānas does not obstruct all the other concentrations. Practitioners neither abandon meditative concentration nor drift along with it; this is called the power of concentration.

The power of wisdom can break deviant attachment. Every attachment and every wisdom are fully illuminated together; this is called the power of wisdom. These five powers are all called the Great Vehicle. If entry still does not occur, use the seven factors of awakening to balance and regulate the mind.

The Seven Factors of Awakening and the Noble Eightfold Path

When the mind is buoyant, use the factor of tranquility to remove coarseness of body and speech, the factor of equanimity to relinquish attachment to contemplative wisdom, and the factor of concentration to bring the mind into dhyāna. When the mind sinks, use the factors of diligence, investigation of Dharmas, and joy to arouse it. The factor of mindfulness encompasses both buoyancy and sinking. Cultivating these seven factors enables entry into the path. The Great Treatise says that after one has left the five hindrances and single-mindedly cultivated the seven factors of awakening, it is impossible not to enter. If entry still does not occur, cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path.

First use the supramundane and highest grade of correct view to contemplate the principle of the three truths; then activate this contemplation through correct intention. Speaking according to the true mark of Dharma so that both oneself and others benefit is correct speech.

Black karma brings black recompense, white karma white recompense, mixed karma mixed recompense, and neither-white-nor-black karma neither-white-nor-black recompense; explained through the Small Vehicle, this is easy to understand. Here, however, sinking into emptiness is black karma, entering provisionality is white karma, practicing emptiness and provisionality together is mixed karma, and the Middle Way is neither-white-nor-black karma; all of these are called wrong livelihood. If the karma one performs can exhaust all karma, it is called correct action; acting according to it is likewise called correct action. Correct action is not drawn by either extreme, emptiness or existence.

When others gain benefit, the mind does not burn with distress; regarding one’s own gain, one remains content and knows when to stop. This is correct livelihood. Skillfully entering the correct truth is called correct effort. When mind is not shaken or dispossessed by objects but remains upright and does not forget, this is correct mindfulness. Abiding in correct Dharma with unwavering certainty is called correct concentration. Through this Noble Eightfold Path, one can enter true principle. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that anyone able to cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path can obtain ghee.

These factors of the path are not established relative to sequential stages; they can be complete when a beginner contemplates the principle of Dharma-nature. The meaning of the Great Treatise is this: four kinds of diligence within the four foundations of mindfulness are called the four right efforts; four kinds of concentrated mind are called the four bases of spiritual power; the arising of five wholesome roots is called the faculties; the increase of those roots is called the powers; distinguishing the function of the path of the four foundations is called awakening; and traveling securely in the path of the four foundations is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

Thus beginners practicing the path can use the thirty-seven factors to nurture and regulate calming-and-contemplation and the four kinds of samādhi, entering the bodhisattva stages. These factors are a proximate cause of great nirvāṇa; the other kinds of factors are called remote causes, and so forth.

The Tree of the Path Flowers and Bears Fruit

A simile now reveals this meaning. A seed is planted in the earth; the tip of a sprout first splits open, roots grow downward, branches and leaves spread upward, flowers bloom in profusion, and finally fruit is produced.

Dharma-nature and the Dharma realm resemble the earth; contemplation of the foundations of mindfulness resembles the seed; the four right efforts resemble the emerging sprout; the five faculties resemble roots growing downward; the five powers resemble the growth of stems and leaves; the seven factors of awakening resemble flowering; and the Noble Eightfold Path resembles bearing fruit. The fruit is entry into the copper-wheel stage and realization of the tolerance of nonarising. It is also called reaching the place of jewels, entering the secret treasury, obtaining ghee, seeing buddha-nature, or the manifestation of the Dharma body and buddhahood through the eight marks. The statement that the factors of the path are good spiritual friends through which correct awakening is accomplished concerns precisely this.

Explained more generally through the tree of the path, the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra expressly says that escaping the three evil destinations is benefit of leaves, obtaining a human or celestial body is benefit of flowers, and obtaining the four fruits of the path is benefit of fruit; this explanation leans toward contemplation of emptiness. Escaping the ground of the Two Vehicles is benefit of leaves, obtaining a body of transformational superknowledge is benefit of flowers, and fully possessing wisdom of the varieties of the path is benefit of fruit; this leans toward contemplation of provisionality. Escaping the bonds of the two extremes, emptiness and existence, is benefit of leaves, receiving a body of Dharma-nature is benefit of flowers, and realizing buddha-nature is benefit of fruit; this leans toward contemplation of the Middle. Explained generally through the three contemplations, immediate emptiness is benefit of leaves, immediate provisionality benefit of flowers, and immediate Middle benefit of fruit, and so forth.

The Three Samādhis and Three Gates of Liberation

Moreover, practicing the thirty-seven factors of the path brings one near the uncontaminated city. The city’s domain has three gates. Entering them can produce true uncontaminated wisdom: the gate of emptiness, gate of signlessness, and gate of nonaction. They are also called the three gates of liberation and the three samādhis.

If one enters meditative concentration through correct view and correct intention and then produces uncontaminated wisdom from concentration, the wisdom of correct view is called the chief minister and correct concentration the great king. Because concentration is primary in this relation, these are called the three samādhis. “Without wisdom, meditative concentration cannot be established” has precisely this meaning.

If correct view arises from correct concentration and uncontaminated wisdom then arises from correct view, correct concentration is the chief minister and wisdom the great king. Because wisdom is primary in this relation, these are called the three liberations. “Without meditative concentration, wisdom cannot be established” has precisely this meaning.

One may also say that the three samādhis belong to the path of suppression, while the liberations belong to the paths of severance and realization. Or one may say that meditative concentration and wisdom unite, so samādhi itself is liberation and liberation itself is samādhi.

According to the Tripiṭaka Teaching, the two practices of emptiness and no-self under the truth of suffering are the gate of emptiness; the four practices under the truth of cessation are the gate of signlessness; the eight practices under the truths of origination and the path, together with the other two practices under suffering, are the gate of nonaction. Within the sixteen practices, wisdom and meditative concentration alternately being king and minister can be inferred accordingly, and so forth.

According to the Shared Teaching, seeing suffering and origination as both illusory transformations is the gate of emptiness. An old recension of the Great Treatise said that if one contemplates extremely subtle form, there are eighteen emptinesses; the recension then current said that if one contemplates one end of cloth, there are eighteen emptinesses. Cloth is provisional designation, while extremely subtle form is a real Dharma; this is the difference between the two recensions. If one understands their purport, both provisional and real Dharmas are empty.

If one has not yet entered emptiness, emotional imaginings and conceptual proliferation arise, and one clings to a mark of emptiness. Knowing that emptiness itself has no mark of emptiness is called the gate of signlessness. Although the mark of emptiness is empty, if one still clings to the wisdom that contemplates, grasping remains. Once neither what contemplates nor what is contemplated exists, who ultimately performs the contemplation of emptiness? This is called the gate of nonaction. Since there is no agent, who could produce an aspiration? It is therefore also called wishlessness. The relation of meditative concentration and wisdom as king and minister within the Shared Teaching’s three samādhis can be inferred accordingly, and so forth.

According to the Distinct Teaching, entering emptiness from provisionality and realizing the true truth is called the samādhi of emptiness. The Two Vehicles realize only this emptiness and retain its mark. Bodhisattvas know that emptiness is not fixed emptiness, so they enter the provisional to teach and transform beings and no longer retain a mark of emptiness; this is called the samādhi of signlessness. They then advance to cultivate the Middle Way, retaining neither a mark of the Middle nor of the extremes and seeking neither Middle nor extremes; this is called the samādhi of nonaction. The relation of wisdom and meditative concentration as king and minister within the three contemplations of the Distinct Teaching can be inferred accordingly, and so forth.

Speaking specifically according to the Distinct Teaching’s entry into the provisional, distinguishing immeasurable medicines and illnesses is entirely provisional designation. Provisional designations have no real substance and are empty because they have no substance; this is called the gate of emptiness. Emptiness itself has no mark of emptiness, so how much less could there be a provisional mark? It is therefore called the gate of signlessness. Since emptiness and provisionality are both markless, one does not aspire to know illnesses or recognize medicines; it is therefore called wishlessness. The relation of wisdom and meditative concentration as king and minister within wisdom entering the provisional can be inferred accordingly, and so forth.

According specifically to the Perfect Teaching, although the names are the same as above, the meanings are entirely different. The meaning of the Great Treatise is that śrāvakas cultivate the three liberations taking emptiness as object, while bodhisattvas cultivate them taking the true mark of all dharmas as object. A wise person sees emptiness and nonemptiness simultaneously; this emptiness and nonemptiness are also called the Middle Way. Seeing this emptiness is seeing buddha-nature.

The Two Vehicles contemplate eighteen kinds of events in a dream. Internal events in the dream cannot be obtained and are called emptiness of internal Dharmas. Events outside the dream cannot be obtained and are called emptiness of external Dharmas. This continues until all eighteen kinds of existence in the dream cannot be obtained; these are called the eighteen emptinesses.

Perfect contemplation now takes as unobtainable the Dharma of sleep itself on which dreaming depends. There are no internal Dharmas within sleep, and all the internal Dharmas produced from sleep are likewise unobtainable; this is emptiness of internal Dharmas, and all Dharmas tend toward this internal emptiness. There are no external Dharmas within sleep, and all the external Dharmas produced from sleep are likewise unobtainable; this is emptiness of external Dharmas, and all Dharmas tend toward this external emptiness. This continues until all eighteen kinds of existence within the Dharma of sleep are unobtainable; these are called the eighteen emptinesses. All Dharmas tend toward the eighteen emptinesses, and passing through the eighteen kinds of object is called the eighteen emptinesses, although in reality there is only one emptiness.

The meaning of a Vaipulya scripture is that great emptiness and small emptiness both return to one emptiness. One emptiness is the true mark of Dharma-nature, the real Dharma of all buddhas; the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra calls it solitary emptiness. Just as the four alternatives of ignorance contemplated earlier were all unobtainable, one emptiness is every emptiness and no differentiated marks of four gates are seen. Since it is neither cultivation through conditions nor true cultivation, both what contemplates and what is contemplated are unobtainable and no agent can be established. The relation of wisdom and meditative concentration as king and minister within the Perfect Teaching can be inferred accordingly, and so forth.

Such emptiness is immediately signlessness and nonaction and is also all Dharmas; all Dharmas are likewise. One should therefore know that one gate of liberation is the three gates, and the three gates are one gate. Moreover, one cultivates the three liberations within each of the four gates without mutual obstruction. The meaning of these three gates is not sequential.

Although the Distinct Teaching cultivates sequentially, all its gates still take the true mark as object. It differs from the Shared Teaching, which takes only the principle of emptiness as object, and differs still more from the Tripiṭaka Teaching, which takes wisdom concerning the four truths as object. One should therefore know that every section of the three liberations and factors of the path differs and must be skillfully distinguished.

A Lifetime of Teaching and the Midst of the Twin Trees

The Avataṃsaka Sūtra resembles the rising sun first illuminating high mountains and predominantly presents the four flourishing trees. The Tripiṭaka Teaching at Deer Park predominantly presents the four withered trees. The Vaipulya and Prajñā periods mostly regulate the four withered so that practitioners enter the four flourishing, guiding the Small Vehicle back toward the Great. At the Crane Grove, the teaching and transformation of a lifetime are complete, and the Buddha enters nirvāṇa amid flourishing and withering. Those with extremely dull faculties who are difficult to transform finally complete the path only at the twin trees; those with sharp faculties and clear understanding can enter everywhere.

Śāriputra and the others, for example, entered the secret treasury and saw buddha-nature in the Lotus Sūtra. The Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra therefore points from afar to the eight thousand śrāvakas who had received predictions of buddhahood in the Lotus, like autumn harvest and winter storage, with nothing else left to do. According to this round of teaching and transformation, they had long since completed the task and did not need to wait for the assembly of the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra.

The sūtra also asks who can adorn the twin śāla trees, immediately names six people including Śāriputra, and separately names the Tathāgata. One able to see buddha-nature can adorn the twin trees and enter nirvāṇa in their midst. Since Śāriputra and the other five could adorn the twin trees, how could they not have seen buddha-nature or entered nirvāṇa in their midst? If even śrāvakas are so, one can understand that bodhisattvas enter everywhere.

Entering nirvāṇa brings the five liberations to fulfillment. The five liberations are not themselves the six Dharmas, yet neither are they separate from them. They fully possess the meaning of the three buddha-natures, and so forth.

Why Counteraction through Aids to the Path Is Needed

The seventh item is counteraction through aids to the path. The Explanatory Treatise says, “The three samādhis are the basis of all samādhis.” Entering the three samādhis enables one to accomplish the four kinds of samādhi. Human faculties and obstructions fall into four cases.

First, those with sharp faculties and no obstruction easily enter the cooling pool and need no separate counteraction. Second, those with sharp faculties and obstruction need only concentrate on cultivating the three gates of liberation. Obstruction cannot hinder them, and they do not need aids to the path. Third, those with dull faculties but no obstruction need only use the factors of the path to regulate their practice into proper balance. Their dullness turns sharp, so they too do not need aids. Fourth, those with dull faculties and deep obstruction cannot immediately open the three gates of liberation because their faculties are dull, while the weight of their obstruction disturbs and damages the contemplating mind. Precisely for this reason, they must use a path of counteraction to break obstruction and enter the three gates of liberation securely. When the Great Treatise calls the various counteractions “methods that assist in opening the gates,” this is its meaning.

A noble one who has attained the first fruit has sharp uncontaminated faculties and sees principle clearly, yet still has afflictive obstructions in everyday matters and therefore cannot yet be called a good person. One who has attained the second fruit has weakened the five lower fetters but still is not a good person. Although that person cannot be called good, in reality he is no ordinary being. Conversely, one who has severed delusion through worldly wisdom has no obstruction in concrete matters but in reality is not a noble one. If even these two cases require aids to the path, how could those with dull faculties and heavy obstructions who cultivate no counteraction at all enter liberation? Dharma gates assisting the path are immeasurable. The preceding item on passage and obstruction explained obstruction through the six obscurations, so the six perfections must now be used as their counteractions in explaining aids to the path.

The Six Obscurations and Six Perfections

Someone cultivates the four kinds of samādhi and has properly regulated the factors of the path, yet the gate of liberation still does not open and stingy attachment suddenly arises, shaking the contemplating mind. Such a person guards and clings to body, life, and wealth. Thoughts of desire arise, and mind chases what it wants. Even when one intends to check them, stinginess and greed recur. At this point dāna, the practice of giving, should be used as the counteraction.

While cultivating samādhi, a mind that breaks precepts may suddenly arise. Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down become coarse and unruly; one no longer values or gathers oneself in. Bodily and verbal actions violate norms and transgress established discipline. If one’s precepts are impure and insubstantial, samādhi is difficult to produce. At this point śīla, moral discipline, should be used as the counteraction.

While cultivating samādhi, one may become angry and defiant, habitually bearing resentment, speaking harshly or divisively, and arguing over right and wrong. Such poison obstructs samādhi. At this point tolerance should be cultivated as the counteraction.

While cultivating samādhi, one may indulge indolence and give body, speech, and mind free rein, passing days aimlessly in open and deserted places, without shame or strenuous self-control. This resembles drilling wood for fire but stopping repeatedly before the wood has even grown warm. An indolent person cannot accomplish even worldly affairs, much less a Dharma gate of samādhi. At this point diligence should be used as the counteraction.

While cultivating samādhi, one may become scattered and unstable, the body like something solitary and fallen with nothing to rely on, the mouth like a frog in spring croaking without cease, and the mind like a lamp flame wavering in the wind. Because of such dissipation, correct Dharma cannot appear. At this point meditative concentration should be used as the counteraction.

While cultivating samādhi, one may become deluded and confused, cling to annihilationism or eternalism, and suppose there truly is a person, self, being, or lifespan. Meeting any matter is like facing a wall; every advance, retreat, movement, and stillness comes up short and fails to meet others’ expectations. One’s thought is obstinate and clumsy, without intelligence or agility. At this point wisdom should be used as the counteraction.

The illnesses that obscure mind vary in thickness. When an illness is thin, mind may move while body and speech do not necessarily follow. When it is thick, body and speech cannot move unless mind has already moved first. Once the internal illness grows strong, its marks appear outside. If direct counteraction removes it, that method precisely fits the illness. If direct counteraction does not remove it, one should rotate methods according to the four adaptations to assist cultivation of the path.

Even in treating stinginess and greed alone, each point must be weighed. The person may enjoy practicing giving or may not. During giving, a wholesome mind or an unwholesome mind may arise. Giving may break stinginess or fail to break it. It may help the gate of liberation open or fail to open it. One should judge skillfully, perhaps treating it directly with the opposite Dharma, rotating to another Dharma, combining several Dharmas, or treating it through the ultimate meaning, and so forth. The other five counteractions are the same. If the six assisting perfections are understood as isolated things, they cannot aid cultivation of the path. One must contemplate these assisting practices as inconceivable and capable of including all Dharmas, as will be explained below.

Some say, “Speaking of six perfections extends through the teaching, while speaking of ten extends through the tenet.” This is wrong. The Great Sūtra says the six perfections are buddha-nature; the Great Version says the six perfections are the Great Vehicle. Even one perfection includes every Dharma—how much more so six? Once the meaning of expansion and contraction is understood, one need not accept one and reject the other between six and ten.

The perfection of dhyāna, for example, originally contains vows, wisdom, and power. Opening out vows yields the praṇidhāna-pāramitā. Dhyāna also contains the power of superknowledge; opening this out yields the bala-pāramitā, while concentration remains in the original place of the perfection of dhyāna. Prajñā contains wisdom of the varieties of the path; opening this out yields the upāya-kauśalya-pāramitā. It also contains wisdom of all modes; opening this out yields the jñāna-pāramitā. Wisdom of all dharmas remains in the original place and continues to bear the name prajñā. Expanded, these are ten perfections; contracted, six. How could the Great or Small Vehicle be judged merely by whether the list of names is longer or shorter?

The six perfections as aids to the path will now be shown to include all Dharmas. What follows briefly explains how they include the various factors of the path, regulate the six faculties, and include the ten powers, four fearlessnesses, eighteen distinctive qualities, six superknowledges, three illuminations, four means of gathering in, four kinds of eloquence, dhāraṇīs, thirty-two marks, eighty accompanying excellences, and every remaining Dharma.

The Perfection of Giving Includes the Awakening Factor of Equanimity

How do the six perfections include the various factors of the path? Every set of factors contains the awakening factor of equanimity, and this is included by the perfection of giving. Although the awakening factor of equanimity in the Tripiṭaka Teaching has not yet entered the substance of principle, it can still relinquish body, life, and wealth. The Great Treatise asks, “Loving-kindness, compassion, and joy can benefit beings; what benefit does equanimity provide?” Equanimity can fulfill the six perfections and benefit beings extensively, and is therefore called a great benefit. It also resembles oil that increases the light of the other five perfections. Thus the perfection of giving includes the awakening factor of equanimity.

The awakening factor of equanimity in the Shared Teaching sees body, life, and wealth as like illusions and transformations, with all three empty. This equanimity too is included by the perfection of giving. Equanimity in the Distinct Teaching relinquishes ignorance concerning body, life, and wealth; this too is included by giving.

The awakening factor of equanimity in the Perfect Teaching relinquishes the forms and bodies of the ten Dharma realms, the lives continuously maintained throughout those realms, and their dependent recompenses. None of these bodies, lives, or forms of wealth falls into either extreme, emptiness or existence. Why? Wealth consists of the six objects of form, sound, fragrance, flavor, touch, and Dharmas. If one clings to these six as truly existent things that can be relinquished, supposes a real recipient stands before one, and takes oneself as the real giver, this giving falls into the extreme of the six objects’ real existence. If one dissolves all three matters into a single emptiness, one falls into the extreme of empty nonexistence.

Now contemplate wealth as immediately empty and thus do not fall into the extreme of existence. Contemplate wealth as immediately provisional and thus do not fall into the extreme of emptiness. This nondual relinquishment is equal to the later limit of birth-and-death. It enables one to leave aging, illness, and death and obtain indestructible permanence. The extreme of existence is birth-and-death and belongs to the earlier limit; the extreme of emptiness is nirvāṇa and belongs to the later limit. Both limits are entirely empty and quiescent, unobtainable, and therefore called equal. Leaving aging and death means that because the earlier limit is empty, one leaves the aging and death of fragmentary birth-and-death; because the later limit is empty, one leaves the aging and death of transformational birth-and-death. Both kinds are forever escaped, hence “leaving.” Obtaining indestructible permanence means the Dharma-nature of the Middle Way, the teacher of all buddhas. Because Dharma-nature permanently abides, the buddhas also permanently abide.

No one can damage such permanently abiding wealth, bind such a body, or extinguish such a life. Through these, the ultimate dāna-pāramitā is accomplished and one’s own body adorned. The Diamond Prajñā therefore says, “Someone may give bodies equal in number to the sands of the Ganges in the first, middle, and final portions of the day, yet this does not equal retaining a four-line verse of prajñā.” Know that only perfect relinquishment within contemplation of principle can enter the factors of the path and be included by the perfection of giving.

Yet even though this awakening factor of equanimity has profound and subtle contemplation of principle, there is partiality if concrete practice is entirely discarded. Conversely, concrete giving in the Tripiṭaka Teaching may be heroic—carving one’s body into lamps, saving another, trading flesh for a being, and relinquishing kingdom, city, wife, and children—while possessing not the slightest contemplation of principle. Both extremes are faulty.

What is taught now is that concrete giving assists in breaking the obscuration of stinginess and thereby fulfills contemplation of principle. How could the two be separated? Someone may understand the contemplation of perfect relinquishment through the true mark and thump his chest while discussing practice, yet turn stingy and harsh when concrete matters arise. He guards his wealth and refuses to give even a hair’s worth, fears hardship and calculates how much effort everything will cost him, cannot inconvenience himself to benefit another, and so cherishes life that he could never hasten to sacrifice himself at a crisis and yield the route of survival to someone else. Whatever he encounters, he clings to it stingily, hard and unmoving. With understanding but no practice, how could such heavy obscuration be broken? How could the three gates of liberation open?

One should now repent earnestly at the site of practice, give rise to a decisive mind, and make a great vow: never cherish body, life, or wealth. Practice giving oneself and teach others to give; praise the Dharma of giving and rejoice in and praise those who practice it. After making the vow, invoke the buddhas of the ten directions and ask them to witness and protect it.

If this mind is genuine and without deceit, it can elicit from the Tathāgata the light of the perfection of giving, which illuminates and breaks the obscuration of stinginess, as taught in the Siyi and other scriptures, and so forth. After receiving that light, one corresponds with the awakening factor of equanimity in each set of factors of the path; every level of the relation must be distinguished. When concrete practice and contemplation of principle are both perfect, one can give ultimately: regarding wealth as excrement, the body as a poisonous vessel, and life as a passing cloud, one relinquishes all three as if spitting out saliva. Once the obstruction of stinginess is broken and the path of treatment established, liberation can be attained. When there are no conditions for benefiting beings, one entrusts body, life, and wealth to practicing the path. When such conditions are present, one relinquishes them like throwing away a mustard seed. This is using the oil of concrete practice to increase the light of the factors of the path, open the three gates of liberation, and see buddha-nature. Without this, assisting counteraction brings no benefit.

Śīla, Kṣānti, and Vīrya

Practicing as above should lead to awakening. If it still does not, one should reflect: contemplation of principle within the factors of the path includes correct action, correct speech, and correct livelihood, all gathered in by śīla. In the Tripiṭaka Teaching these mean carefully guarding deportment so that precepts are neither broken nor deficient, neither punctured nor mixed. In the Shared Teaching, body and speech are both unobtainable; concrete matters themselves are true, becoming precepts that follow the path, precepts without attachment, and the rest. In the Distinct Teaching, these include precepts praised by the wise, autonomous precepts, and the rest. In the Perfect Teaching, all are contemplated as Dharma-nature and become complete precepts and the rest. The Vimalakīrti says, “One able to do this is called an upholder of the discipline.” This is the meaning.

The precepts in contemplation of principle are intrinsically complete within mind, yet someone may understand them this way while bodily and verbal conduct remains deficient. Perhaps this life’s conduct is coarse and unruly, or perhaps obstructions from previous lives remain unrepented and cover samādhi so that the gate of liberation cannot open. Reflecting in this way, one should feel compassion for oneself and reform deeply. From today onward, sever the continuous mind of transgression and vow to preserve the precepts so that every matter is without flaw. Cherish the Dharma of precepts like a flotation bladder for crossing the sea, preferring to lose the body rather than damage a precept.

The poisonous dragon preferred to let small creatures eat its hide rather than damage the precept it had received. King Sudāma preferred to lose his kingdom and keep his word and ultimately obtained a wholesome verse. Preserve precepts oneself and teach others to preserve them; praise the Dharma of precepts and praise those who uphold them. With the great vow firm and unmoving, invoke the names of the buddhas and ask them to witness and protect it. A sincere mind elicits the Buddha’s light of pure precepts. When one who has violated prohibitions is touched by this light, obstructions from wrongdoing in present and past lives are extinguished, and one comes to correspond with correct action and the other principial contemplations. Every level must be distinguished. With both concrete practice and contemplation of principle perfect, one can ultimately preserve moral discipline, enter the three gates of liberation, and see buddha-nature. This is using the oil of assisting practice to increase the light of the factors of the path.

If cultivating moral discipline this way still does not bring entry, one should reflect again: every set of factors has the faculty of mindfulness, power of mindfulness, awakening factor of mindfulness, correct mindfulness, and the rest. These are precisely the meaning of tolerance and are included by kṣānti. Correct mindfulness in the Tripiṭaka Teaching is the tolerance of suppression; in the Shared Teaching, the tolerance of concordance; in the Distinct Teaching, the tolerance of nonarising; in the Perfect Teaching, the tolerance of quiescent cessation.

If a person’s power of mindfulness is strong, the bandit of anger cannot break in. If it does enter, perhaps mindfulness was wholly lost, or perhaps its power was weak and allowed the obscuration of anger to arise. Anger may arise in the present life or come from a previous one. One may become angry at fellow practitioners or supporters, at a present matter, or through recalling a past grievance. It may begin as a petty dissatisfaction or blaze violently from the start. If the poison is allowed to act, it overturns and sweeps away everything. Even if it cannot harm someone else, it resembles a snake turning back to bite itself. Anger obstructs hundreds and thousands of Dharma gates. How could it be indulged without rebuke? One should know that one has only a principial understanding, not real strength of tolerance.

Once this is known, one should repent deeply and make a great vow. Lower oneself like rivers and seas into which every impurity can flow; become yielding like a bridge on which people and horses may tread. Endure hardship like an archery target receiving a convergence of arrows, without resentment. When Pūrṇa was insulted, he rejoiced that he had not yet been struck by hand; even when injured by a blade, he rejoiced that his suffering body could be extinguished quickly. When troubled without fault, one’s strength of tolerance should grow still more, like polishing gold or grinding a mirror, which becomes brighter the more it is worked. The sage Kṣānti remained secure and unmoving before both harsh and gentle objects.

Cultivate tolerance oneself and teach others to cultivate it; praise the Dharma of tolerance and praise its practitioners. With the great vow firm and unmoving, invoke the buddhas of the ten directions and ask them to witness and protect it. The Buddha emits the light of tolerance, extinguishing heavy wrongdoing created by anger in present and past lives, and one comes to correspond with the various concrete and principial Dharmas of mindfulness. The power of tolerance is fulfilled before every adverse object. This is using the oil of concrete practice to assist in increasing the light of the factors of the path.

If this cultivation still does not bring entry, reflect again: each of the four kinds of factors of the path has eight kinds of diligence, all included by vīrya. The Great Treatise says, “The first three are easy to accomplish and require no special diligence; the last two are difficult and require it.” Only through diligence can the three kinds of awakening be attained. When Ānanda spoke of the awakening factor of diligence, the Buddha rose from his seat. One must be like the bodhisattva Great Gift vowing to empty the great sea before one can correspond with diligence.

Yet now one may be heedless, leaning and lying down, lax, lazy, forgetting the mind first aroused, and lacking all power to advance. Though the body is at the site of practice, mind is mixed with every deviant and evil conception; this is defilement. Each day is worse than the one before; this is retreat. Retreat is not advance, and defilement is not purity. How could one enter true principle? Perhaps the obstruction of past-life indolence covers mind, like livestock whose noses are pierced but lack a hook and tether, rushing everywhere crazed and intoxicated.

In the first, middle, and final watches of the night, one refuses to discipline oneself and compete with time, instead delaying continuously and wasting days and months at will. One should now make a vow, engrave it on bones and inscribe it in the heart, entrust body and life to the path, and regard death as close at hand. For immeasurable eons one has only cherished this body in vain. Now, to seek samādhi, one should decisively relinquish it. Day and night without interruption, rebuke faults, cultivate the Dharma gate without further indolence, hold the body upright, and no longer regard practice as difficult or painful. Even illness and distress should not be treated as calamities. If the task cannot be accomplished in this life, continue for many eons without stopping.

Apply diligence oneself and teach others to do so; praise the Dharma of diligence and its practitioners; invoke the buddhas of the ten directions and ask them to witness and protect the vow. Eliciting the Buddha’s light of diligence, one can correspond with the eight kinds of diligence in contemplation of principle. Correspondence with the Tripiṭaka Teaching becomes diligence of arising and arising. Correspondence with the Shared Teaching becomes diligence of arising and nonarising. Correspondence with the Distinct Teaching becomes diligence of nonarising and arising. Correspondence with the Perfect Teaching becomes the firm and vigorous diligence of nonarising and nonarising. One thereby opens the gate of nirvāṇa and sees buddha-nature. This is using the oil of concrete practice to assist in increasing the light of contemplative practice. Diligence also has a substance extending throughout and substances separately enumerated, and so forth.

The Perfection of Dhyāna and Five Gates

If practice according to the above still has not led to awakening, one should reflect: each kind of factors of the path in contemplation of principle has eight concentrations, included by the perfection of dhyāna. What one now possesses is only understanding, not actual realization. Though one speaks of root dhyāna, concrete concentration has not been fulfilled. Even though one speaks of nonconstructed concentration, the Śūraṃgama samādhi has not been fulfilled. Without the power of concentration, one stumbles and falls even on level ground. Or perhaps agitation in this and former lives prevents samādhi from developing.

One must therefore decide single-mindedly to straighten the body and quiet the mind in the first, middle, and final watches of the night. The moment fatigue, pain, or deviant thought arises, extinguish it quickly. Cultivate dhyāna oneself and teach others to do so; praise the Dharma of dhyāna and its practitioners. With the great vow firm and unmoving, set the exhaustion of this body and life as the limit, and if realization has still not occurred, continue in later lives without stopping. Invoke the buddhas of the ten directions and ask them to witness and protect the vow. This elicits the Buddha’s light of meditative concentration, breaks the obstruction of agitation, develops concrete dhyāna, and brings correspondence with the four contemplative methods.

When the Great Treatise explains the perfection of dhyāna, it first lists various Dharmas of dhyāna, next uses nothing attained to reveal the mark of perfection, and finally explains the nine perceptions, eight recollections, and other Dharmas extensively. All open out from dhyāna. Its Dharmas are exceedingly numerous; here only five gates are taken as aids to the path.

First is counting breaths. When sitting in dhyāna and reflecting, if there is much initial and sustained application in mind and it universally chases the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion, one should counteract them by counting breaths. If the count breaks, one knows mind has wandered. Knowing this, immediately bring it back and begin counting again from one. Preventing distraction and gathering mind in this way is an excellent counteraction. After mind abides, desire-realm concentration may arise, and one may even enter the seven support concentrations. Without the preparatory means of prajñā, these become only ordinary Dharmas; with those means, they become the Great Vehicle. The Sūtra of Inviting Avalokiteśvara therefore says, “If counting breaths brings the mind into concentration, one can see buddhas in one’s pores, abide in the Śūraṃgama samādhi, and attain irreversibility.” Counting breaths thus opens the gate of liberation, first corresponding with the eight concentrations of the Tripiṭaka Teaching and eventually those of the nonconstructed teaching. This is also using the oil of concrete practice to assist in increasing the light of the factors of the path.

Second is contemplation of impurity. If mind chases the form of a woman, remains infatuated, and will not relinquish it, with craving lodged in the heart, contemplate impurity as the counteraction. Observe the beloved at the first moment of death. A moment ago she was speaking; where has she suddenly gone? The body cools and changes color, insects and pus flow out, and foul impurity fills it. Cast among the graves like rotten wood, what can now be seen of what was formerly cherished? It was originally a vile and filthy thing, yet it made me worry and labor. Recognizing the defects of desire stops the mind of lust. The other eight perceptions can also counteract lust.

The Great Treatise says, “Teach someone with much lust to contemplate the nine perceptions; one unable to master an object to contemplate the liberations; one unable to make an object vast and pervasive to contemplate the spheres of mastery; one unable to transform objects to contemplate the ten totalities; and one whose mind is fearful to cultivate the eight recollections.” All these Dharmas take impurity as their initial gate. They entirely counteract the fire of lust, open the gate of liberation, correspond with four kinds of eight concentrations, and use the oil of assisting practice to increase the light, and so forth.

Third is loving-kindness. If mind chases anger, use loving-kindness to counteract it. The preceding perfection of tolerance treats anger generally; here the discussion proceeds specifically from the immeasurable mind of loving-kindness. The other three minds—compassion, joy, and equanimity—can be distinguished according to the four adaptations of delight and desire, and so forth. To use immeasurable compassion as counteraction is to take beings’ suffering as object, produce profound pity, and wish to remove their suffering. Entering concentration with this mind as object brings correspondence with the concentration of compassion. Loving-kindness imagines beings obtaining happiness; entering concentration with this mind as object brings correspondence with the concentration of loving-kindness. Joy imagines beings obtaining happiness, produces great gladness oneself, and enters concentration with this mind as object, bringing correspondence with the concentration of joy. Equanimity relinquishes distinctions of love and hate, abides in impartial contemplation, and enters concentration with this mind as object, bringing correspondence with the concentration of equanimity. Once these four concentrations are obtained, anger toward any being has no basis. They will be explained extensively below.

Fourth is contemplation of dependent origination. If mind chases deviant views and inversions, counteract them through dependent origination. The Abhidharma breaks attachment to self through contemplation of elements as preparatory means; here dependent origination breaks self. Dependent origination through three lives breaks annihilationism and eternalism; through two lives it breaks attachment to self; in one thought it breaks attachment to intrinsic nature. If this concentration is fulfilled, it corresponds with contemplation of principle and assists in opening the gate of nirvāṇa.

Fifth is contemplation recollecting the Buddha. If karma that induces torpor and obstructs cultivation of the path arises, counteract it through recollection of the Buddha. Take as object the markless marks of the Buddha’s response body. When the contemplated marks are clearly discerned, one can break wrongdoing obstructing the path, see the buddhas of the ten directions, correspond with contemplation of principle, and open the gate of nirvāṇa.

The Perfection of Wisdom Breaks the Four Inversions

If practice according to the above still does not bring entry, perhaps the preceding methods do not fit one’s illness. One should reflect: contemplation of principle possesses ten Dharmas—the four foundations of mindfulness, faculty of wisdom, power of wisdom, awakening factors of investigation and joy, correct view, and correct intention—all included by the perfection of wisdom. This is contemplation of principle. One cannot understand it because delusion, confusion, and deviance in present and past lives darken and cover the spirit, preventing samādhi from appearing. One should now reform, make a great vow, examine concrete marks clearly, and break the four inversions of purity, pleasure, permanence, and self.

First examine this body carefully. From head to foot it is only five kinds of impurity: impurity of seed, impurity of dwelling place, impurity of intrinsic mark, impurity of intrinsic nature, and ultimate impurity.

First, this body takes components left by one’s parents. Two drops, red and white, unite; consciousness lodges within them and forms the body’s material. This is impurity of seed.

Second, the fetus dwells between the two repositories of urine and excrement, steeped in foul turbidity, now suspended, now pressed, now hot, now cold. It changes once every seven days and is carried for ten months. When the six embryonic membranes are complete, the bodily form fully developed, and the days and months fulfilled, it turns toward the birth canal. The Great Treatise says, “This body is not born by transformation or from a lotus; it emerges only through the urinary passage.” This is a low and filthy place, the basest evil location, and is called impurity of dwelling place.

Third, after birth an infant lies amid excrement and urine, is fed milk and reared by others, and grows from small to large. Earwax accumulates in its ears, rheum and tears flow from its eyes, pus-like mucus hangs from its nostrils, and its breath constantly smells foul. Thick grime on the head resembles thin manure; sour sweat between the thighs and under the arms resembles water splashed from urine; garments against the body seem smeared with oil. This is impurity of intrinsic mark.

Fourth, the body contains only heaps of excrement and urine, pus, blood, fat, marrow, and the rest: large and small intestines, fat and brain membranes, sinews entwining and blood coating them. Every foul discharge and putrid place is a gateway for congregating worms. Even all the water of the sea could not wash it clean. The treatise says, “This body is unlike Mount Malaya, which can produce sandalwood. From infancy to maturity, its intrinsic nature is impure.” Excrement smells equally foul whether abundant or scarce. This is impurity of intrinsic nature.

Fifth, once life ends, the provisionally borrowed four great elements each return to their place. Wind departs, fire cools, earth collapses, and water flows out. Worms eat and birds peck; head and hands separate; filth spills everywhere. Downwind, the stench can be smelled three or five li away, and rank, vile vapors strike the nose. Dark, bruised, decaying colors pollute the eye and are more terrifying than a dead dog. This is ultimate impurity.

All five are truthful observations of concrete marks, not merely conceptual visualizations. How could one suddenly reckon these impurities pure, nurture and protect them with fine clothing and food, stroke head and neck, and guard this poisonous body? This resembles a dung beetle rolling deer droppings into a ball. People likewise cherish their bodies until death, never becoming disenchanted and refusing to let others touch them. To nourish this body they instead create every kind of wrongdoing. Clearly seeing its defects and impurity from beginning to end breaks the inversion of purity.

Next know that the four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind compose the body, two rising and two sinking, mutually opposed. Earth blocks water, while water soaks and erodes earth. Wind disperses earth, while earth blocks wind. Water extinguishes fire, while fire boils water; they continually harm each other. The body resembles a box containing four snakes and is like an abscess, thorn, or arrow. It is originally suffering—where could real pleasure be? Hunger, thirst, cold, heat, beating, binding, birth, aging, illness, and death are suffering of suffering. The four elements’ mutual injury and destruction are suffering of change. Each thought flows like flame without abiding; this is suffering of conditioned formations. To produce an idea of pleasure within such base suffering is perverse. Clearly seeing the mark of suffering, like a thorn in an abscess causing pain at every moment, prevents even one inverted thought of pleasure toward this body.

Next contemplate how past ignorance and wholesome and evil karma drive and bind consciousness, forcing it into the prison of the womb like a bird shut in a cage, unable to leave though it wishes. Consciousness is likewise: the four elements are its cage, and acquired karma its rope. Mind travels everywhere within the cage of the form body. Until the rope of karma is severed, it returns after leaving. Only when the cage breaks and the binding is cut does consciousness depart without returning, leaving an empty cage. This body disintegrates and another forms. One leaves this cage and enters that. The mold breaks and the impression forms; never does a single thought abide.

Wind-energy adhering to the body is called inhalation and exhalation. Breath moves on and passes away; on exhaling there is no assurance of another inhalation. The Abhidharma says, “Life is neither a Dharma of form nor a mental Dharma.” The Great Collection says, “Inhalation and exhalation are called life.” When one breath goes out and does not return, life has ended. A bhikṣu said to the Buddha, “I cannot guarantee living seven more days, down to even one exhalation and inhalation.” The Buddha praised him: “Excellent. Only this is skillful cultivation of impermanence.”

Contemplate further how the various karmas resemble enemies or a flock of crows fighting for a piece of meat. A scripture says, “An evil thought arising in a single instant brings calamity and a fall into the uninterrupted hell.” If so brief a moment can create grave karma, how much more boundless is karma created by evil thoughts arising throughout the long night without cease? Karma resembles creditors and enemies constantly waiting for an opening. While this debt is being repaid, the other karmas do not pull at one. As this debt nears repayment, the rest compete to seize one. Whether one ultimately leaves or remains has no fixed date.

The murderous ghost of impermanence does not choose between the powerful and the worthy. Life is fragile, unstable, and difficult to rely on. How could one calmly plan on certainly living a hundred years? People rush in the four directions seeking, storing, accumulating, and amassing wealth, then suddenly die before gathering enough. All property and goods pass uselessly into others’ possession, while one leaves alone through the dark. Who then investigates the rights and wrongs of one’s life? Some monastics fill their breasts with intellectual understanding; some strive as if extinguishing fire on their heads, yet do not awaken to impermanence. A proverb says, “Pitifully without the five charms, diligent yet lacking a true mind of the path.” It speaks of precisely such people.

If one recognizes impermanence as swifter than a flood, violent wind, or flash of lightning, with no place of escape in mountain, sea, sky, or marketplace, this contemplation produces great fear. One cannot rest securely in sleep or taste sweetness in food, as if rescuing one’s head from flames. The white colt and black hare symbolizing sun and moon—the latter commonly written with the graph for hare—race day and night. Competing with time oneself, one seeks the essential way of escape. How could one still crave worldly wealth, construct the three modes of existence, perform useless acts, or create karma of birth-and-death? One should immediately sever entanglements and go straight beyond them, like a jackal leaping through a net, racing out of the burning house and seeking rescue as soon as possible. This breaks the inversion of permanence.

Boundary between the Upper and Lower Halves of Fascicle Seven

Mohe Zhiguan (Great Calming-and-Contemplation), Fascicle Seven [Upper]

Mohe Zhiguan, Fascicle Seven [Lower]

Taught by the Tiantai Great Master Zhizhe of the Sui Dynasty

Recorded by his disciple Guanding

Next contemplate how, throughout immeasurable eons, people have mostly attached to self and person through name-and-form, perception, and formation. Once a real self is assumed, hearing praise or insult prompts one to say that another praises or insults “me.” Standing, walking, stopping, sitting, or lying down, one reckons a self in every situation, like glue smeared on a hand that sticks to whatever it grasps. A scripture says, “It is impossible for an ordinary being to leave the mind of self.” Meeting poverty, one keeps reckoning self even after losing former composure. Attaining wealth and rank, one relies on power, unleashes poison, cruelly harms the world, and in rage causes innocent people to suffer injustice. Every karma originates from one’s own grasping at self. Who will bear it for one in the future? Raising fire against the wind, how could it fail to burn one’s own hand first? This resembles mistaking someone in a room at night for a ghost and only at dawn seeing that he is an old acquaintance.

It is precisely from lack of wisdom that one reckons a real self. Examined with wisdom, no self exists. Where could it be? Carefully inspect head, feet, and every limb and joint one by one; nowhere can a self be found. Where then are real person and being? There is only a mechanism driven by karmic power, an empty aggregate provisionally named and produced through conditions, without a ruling master. It resembles someone lodging overnight in an empty pavilion and seeing two ghosts fight over a corpse. When contemplated this way, the inversion of self ceases.

Similes for the Three Vehicles’ Escape

After cultivating the four contemplations and breaking the four inversions, the mind of the path arises vigorously and the heart becomes profoundly afraid. It resembles being pursued by enemies, fleeing a hostile country one has betrayed, or traveling a dangerous road, terrified and uneasy at every thought and seeking only a way out. A roebuck hearing hunters close their circle immediately starts and bolts. Even when it encounters water or grass, it has no time to drink or eat and thinks only of escape. A śrāvaka is like this.

A deer breaks out of the enclosure and gains brief relief from danger. While running forward it looks back, cries sorrowfully, chokes with grief, and pities its companions still inside. Even if it lingers and stops, what help can it offer? It can only swallow its grief and move on. A pratyekabuddha is like this: leaving birth-and-death oneself and feeling pity for beings, yet unable actually to rescue them despite pain and sorrow.

A great elephant king hears the enclosure closing and cannot bear to escape alone. Knowing its own tremendous power and ability to block blades and arrows, it protects the young elephants and brings the entire herd safely beyond injury. A bodhisattva is like this. When contemplations of impermanence and no-self become clear, fear of birth-and-death presses on the heart as if one had stepped into water and fire. At the same time compassion arises, like a mother thinking of her child. Beings are blind and dark, unaware that the fire of suffering burns them. How could I abandon them and leave alone? The bodhisattva therefore patiently remains in birth-and-death and uses wisdom and preparatory means to teach and transform them, gradually maturing them and creating conditions for their crossing. The bodhisattva’s own merit, Dharma body, and wisdom-life also increase in turn. When the faculties of beings with conditions mature, the bodhisattva sits at the site of awakening, becomes a buddha, and leaves the three realms together with them, like the great elephant bringing both itself and the herd to safety.

Even if a small elephant wants to block blades and arrows, it will certainly be struck, benefiting neither itself nor others. When beginning bodhisattvas wish to enter birth-and-death, objects there may violate them, causing them to lose wholesome roots and damage the Dharma body. Yet they can arouse great compassion, and their merit remains worthy of praise. Thus although bodhisattvas fear birth-and-death, they continuously seek wholesome roots and bear the burden of beings, differing from the Two Vehicles. Although they dwell in birth-and-death, they do not crave the five desires but remain solely to rescue beings together, differing from ordinary beings.

A scripture says, “Abide neither in discipline nor indiscipline. Though knowing no-self, instruct others without weariness. Though knowing nirvāṇa, do not become eternally extinguished. Though knowing impurity, do not teach disgust and detachment.” This is precisely the meaning. Extensively cultivating the meritorious roots of the six perfections resembles a sheep’s body becoming plump. Diligently contemplating impermanence so that evil karma diminishes resembles a sheep constantly threatened by wolves and therefore without fat. This is the appearance of cultivating concrete prajñā. Cultivate it oneself and teach others to do so; praise this Dharma and its practitioners; invoke the buddhas of the ten directions and ask them to witness and protect the vow. Empowered by the buddhas’ majestic strength, one leaves obstruction, attains liberation, and corresponds with the ten kinds of wisdom within the four sets of factors of the path. This is using the oil of concrete practice to assist in increasing their light, and so forth.

How Direct and Assisting Are Practiced Together

If contemplation of principle is wholly absent, concrete repentance nonexistent, and one nevertheless casually hopes to obtain the Buddha’s confirmation while seeking gain and reputation, the Buddha cannot confirm such a person. If contemplation of principle has never been interrupted and concrete practice is additionally used to break obscurations while one repents with a genuine mind, confirmation becomes possible.

Concrete aids to the path are needed just as someone once taught the Great Vehicle at the places of two trillion buddhas and bearing a precious jewel sewn into his garment later forgets the Great Vehicle. He cannot immediately be taught through it again. Over six hundred eons, a Small Vehicle Dharma must awaken him, make him fear birth-and-death, and gradually lead him toward his father’s house. Thus a lesser Dharma should be borrowed to assist a great Dharma. Again, when the Buddha first wished to teach directly through the Great Vehicle, the buddhas did not confirm him. When he considered using preparatory means, they praised him, “Excellent.” Or it resembles the sick son of a wealthy family whose illness calls for yellow-dragon broth. How could his parents begrudge good medicine? Yet the condition of his illness is such that they have no choice but to make him swallow it, after which he recovers. The Buddha originally vowed to make beings equal to himself; how could he begrudge the Great Vehicle? Only because conditions then required it did he adapt counteraction to their faculties, assist cultivation of the path, and open the Dharma gate. Such is the meaning of aids to the path.

Someone asks: If samādhi cannot be accomplished without cultivating aids to the path, must the six perfections surpass the factors of the path?

Answer: There are three pairs and six statements. In the first pair, the six perfections can break the factors of the path, and the factors can break the six perfections. In the second, the six perfections can cultivate the factors, and the factors can cultivate the perfections. In the third, the six perfections are precisely the factors, and the factors are precisely the six perfections.

If the factors described above cannot enter true principle, cultivating the six perfections can break their obscurations. Is this not the six perfections breaking the factors? Sometimes the six perfections cannot bring one to the other shore, but cultivating the factors enables awakening and entry; this is the factors breaking the six perfections. If one first cultivates the six perfections, breaks the six obscurations, and then cultivates the factors, those factors naturally come to fulfillment; this is the perfections cultivating the factors. The preceding explanations of each perfection including the factors show the factors cultivating the six perfections.

As for the immediate identity of the six perfections and factors of the path, the perfection of giving is the Great Vehicle and the four foundations of mindfulness are also the Great Vehicle. Giving and the factors are therefore nondual and indistinct, ultimately unobtainable. Speaking generally of all Dharmas: when they do not benefit practice, each can break the other; when they do benefit it, each can cultivate the other; seen from principle, each immediately is the other. If explained through the existent, nonexistent, and neither existent nor nonexistent of the four truths and dependent origination, these three relations extend broadly through every Dharma. Understanding this meaning brings freedom in teaching Dharma, and so forth.

The Six Perfections Regulate the Six Faculties

How do the six perfections also include the meaning of regulating the six faculties? Begin with the Tripiṭaka Teaching.

When the six faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind do not receive the six objects of form, sound, fragrance, flavor, touch, and Dharmas, they accord with the awakening factors of equanimity and tranquility within the various factors of the path. This is the perfection of giving regulating the six faculties. When the faculties are not harmed by the objects, they accord with correct action, correct speech, and correct livelihood; this is moral discipline regulating the six faculties. When the six objects oppose one’s feelings yet one patiently remains unmoved, they accord with the four kinds of mindfulness; this is tolerance regulating the faculties. Continuously guarding faculties and objects without indolence accords with the eight kinds of diligence; this is diligence regulating them. A concentrated mind that is not confused by the six objects accords with the eight concentrations; this is dhyāna regulating them. Knowing the six objects as impermanent, suffering, empty, and quiescent accords with the ten kinds of wisdom; this is wisdom regulating them. Such is the Tripiṭaka Teaching’s regulation of the six faculties and fulfillment of the six perfections.

Next is the Shared Teaching. Knowing the eye faculty to be empty, one does not receive the eye; knowing the object of form to be empty, one does not receive form. With both faculty and object empty, this is called constantly practicing relinquishment. Ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are the same. Knowing the mind faculty to be empty, one does not receive mind; knowing the object of Dharmas to be empty, one does not receive Dharmas. This too is constantly practicing relinquishment. It accords with the awakening factors of tranquility and equanimity and is called the perfection of giving regulating the six faculties.

Empty form cannot harm empty eye, nor can empty eye harm empty form. Empty sound cannot harm empty ear, nor can empty ear harm empty sound. Nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are likewise. Even empty Dharmas cannot gain an opening against empty mind, nor can empty mind gain an opening against empty Dharmas. This accords with correct speech, correct action, and correct livelihood and is called the perfection of śīla regulating the six faculties.

Eye and form are both empty, so there is neither opposition nor accord, neither tolerance nor intolerance. Ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are the same. Mind and Dharmas are both empty, so there is neither opposition nor accord, neither tolerance nor intolerance. This accords with the four kinds of mindfulness and is called the perfection of tolerance regulating the six faculties.

Eye and form are constantly empty, without an instant when they are not. Repeated cultivation and correspondence in this way correspond with prajñā. Ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are likewise. Mind and Dharmas are constantly empty, without an instant when they are not; this too is called corresponding with prajñā. It accords with the eight kinds of diligence and is called the perfection of diligence regulating the six faculties.

Because eye and form are empty, mind is neither distracted by them nor craves their flavor. Ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are likewise. Because mind and Dharmas are empty, there is neither distraction nor craving of flavor. This accords with the concentrations within the factors of the path and is called the perfection of dhyāna regulating the six faculties.

Because eye and form are empty, there is no graspable delusion and no graspable wisdom. Ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are likewise. Because mind and Dharmas are empty, they are neither deluded nor wise. This accords with the ten kinds of wisdom in the factors of the path and is called the perfection of wisdom regulating the six faculties. Such is the Shared Teaching’s regulation of the faculties and fulfillment of the six perfections.

Next is the Distinct Teaching. Eye faculty and form-object fully possess the ten Dharma realms. Each realm has superior and inferior recompenses, and the causes cultivated within each differ in depth and shallowness. Causes and fruits are immeasurable and inexhaustible. Practitioners remove ignorance concerning these Dharma-marks and distinguish every mark without grasping attachment. Ear and sound, nose and fragrance, tongue and flavor, body and touch are likewise. Mind and Dharmas fully possess the ten realms; distinguishing their immeasurable causes and fruits without attachment accords with the awakening factors of tranquility and equanimity and is called the perfection of giving regulating the six faculties.

Practitioners distinguish the immeasurable appearances of eye and form through mind and Dharmas, respond to capacities without error, and do not harm others’ wholesome roots. Nor are they themselves harmed by immeasurable faculties and objects. This accords with correct action, correct speech, and correct livelihood and is called the perfection of moral discipline regulating the six faculties.

Facing the various faculties and objects of the ten Dharma realms, whether objects oppose or accord with one’s feelings, mind does not move. Abiding in the conventional truth, one can tolerate and accomplish the work of the Buddha path. This accords with the kinds of mindfulness in the factors of the path and is called the perfection of tolerance regulating the six faculties.

While distinguishing every faculty and object, even if a sense of difficulty or distress arises, one does not retreat midway but advances bravely within birth-and-death. This accords with the kinds of diligence in the factors of the path and is called the perfection of diligence regulating the six faculties.

While distinguishing every faculty and object, mind is not damaged or disturbed, does not waver, and does not incline. This accords with the concentrations in the factors of the path and is called the perfection of dhyāna regulating the six faculties.

While distinguishing every faculty and object, the power of wisdom of the varieties of the path gives medicine according to illness at precisely the proper time, skillful in preparatory means yet without defiled attachment. This accords with the kinds of wisdom in the factors of the path and is called the perfection of wisdom regulating the six faculties. Such is the Distinct Teaching’s regulation of the faculties and fulfillment of the six perfections.

Last is the Perfect Teaching. The Aṅgulimālīya Sūtra says, “That eye faculty, among all tathāgatas, is permanent, complete in cultivation without decrease, seeing distinctly and definitely.” “That” means the eye faculties of the nine Dharma realms. “Permanent among the tathāgatas” means the nine realms each suppose themselves not real, while the Tathāgata contemplates these eye faculties as immediately the Buddha Dharma realm, nondual and indistinct from one another.

“Complete in cultivation without decrease” means contemplating the eye faculty of every being as immediately the Buddha eye. One mind fully possesses the three truths of emptiness, provisionality, and the Middle; the complete cause is entirely present without the slightest decrease. “Seeing distinctly and definitely” means that seeing real Dharma is distinct and seeing provisional Dharma is definite. The three wisdoms are in one mind, and the five eyes—physical, divine, wisdom, Dharma, and Buddha—fully and perfectly illuminate. Thus it is called distinctly seeing buddha-nature. In terms of seeing, this is complete realization; in terms of cultivation, complete cause.

“Complete cultivation” can also be explained through each perfection. Contemplating the eye faculty and relinquishing loss into the two extremes of emptiness and existence is the perfection of giving. The eye faculty not being harmed by those extremes is śīla. The eye faculty quiescent and not shaken by them is kṣānti. The eye faculty and eye-consciousness naturally flowing into the ocean of omniscience is diligence. Contemplating the eye faculty’s real intrinsic nature is superior concentration. Illuminating the Middle Way within the eye faculty through wisdom of all modes is wisdom. This is the eye faculty’s complete cultivation without decrease.

Precisely because there is no decrease, the eye Dharma realm can be seen distinctly and definitely. Ear, nose, tongue, and body are explained the same way. Even that mind faculty, among all tathāgatas, is permanent, complete in cultivation without decrease, and knows distinctly and definitely. Contemplating each faculty as immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle, with the three contemplations in one mind, is cultivation without decrease. Realizing the wisdom eye, Dharma eye, and Buddha eye within one mind is distinct seeing. All six faculties are as above. Since the faculties are so, the six objects of form, sound, fragrance, flavor, touch, and Dharmas are likewise, and so are all Dharmas. This is the Perfect Teaching’s regulation of the six faculties and fulfillment of the six perfections. Such regulation is ultimate regulation; such fulfillment is ultimate fulfillment; such aid to the path assists the ultimate path. Know that the six perfections can universally regulate all six faculties.

The Great Version says, “Because giver, recipient, and wealth given are all unobtainable, the dāna-pāramitā is fulfilled.” Forgetting the three matters and remaining unattached is precisely the substance of the perfection of giving. Fulfillment means performing both material and Dharma giving so that the name and reality of the perfection are complete, both concrete practice and contemplation of principle perfect, and both oneself and others benefited. In concrete practice, it is a Dharma breaking stinginess and capable of giving wealth. In contemplation of principle, it breaks the mind of stinginess and can give Dharma. The two breakings and two givings make substance and function complete; it is therefore called pāramitā.

The Ten Powers Included within the Four Kinds of Factors of the Path

How do the six perfections include the Buddha’s deportment? The Buddha takes the ten powers, four fearlessnesses, eighteen distinctive qualities, and the rest as deportment. Cultivating four kinds of factors of the path within one mind is called cultivating the Buddha’s deportment; realizing the Buddha eye and Buddha wisdom is called obtaining it.

Following the order of the text, the ten powers will first be explained through the factors of the path. The four kinds of factors are wisdom that makes decisive judgments about the causes and fruits within the four kinds of four truths.

First is the power of knowing what is possible and impossible. Within the teaching of arising and ceasing, the truth of origination necessarily brings the suffering-fruit of the three realms; this is possible. If origination of arising and ceasing were said to lead to nirvāṇa without remainder, that would be impossible. If the path of arising and ceasing can exhaust suffering and enter nirvāṇa, that is possible; if it were instead said to lead into the three realms, that would be impossible. Extend this through nonarising and the immeasurable, even to the truth of origination in the nonconstructed teaching. Its ability to lead to transformational birth-and-death is possible; its ability to lead to unsurpassed nirvāṇa would be impossible. The truths of the path and cessation in the nonconstructed teaching can lead to wisdom of all modes; this is possible. If they led only to the Two Vehicles, that would be impossible. Clearly understanding all four kinds of cause and fruit within one mind and judging them decisively without confusion is the power of knowing possible and impossible. Thus the Tathāgata gives the lion’s roar within the Buddha Dharma: “Only within my correct Dharma are there the four fruits of recluses.” This is the meaning.

Second is the power of knowledge of karmic recompense. Knowing the four kinds of the truth of origination is knowing karma; knowing the four kinds of the truth of suffering is knowing recompense. Causes and fruits of the truths of the path and cessation are distinguished accordingly. Differentiating the depth and shallowness of the four kinds of karma and recompense without error is the second power.

Third is the power of knowledge of meditative concentration. Each of the four kinds of the truth of the path has eight concentrations. Distinguishing their depth and shallowness and illuminating them without error is the third power.

Fourth, fifth, and sixth are the powers of knowing faculties, desires, and natures. Knowing how beings’ past suffering and origination differ is the power of knowing faculties. Knowing how their present preferences and desires within suffering and origination differ is the power of knowing desires. Knowing how the gains and losses of their future suffering and origination differ is the power of knowing natures.

Seventh is the power of paths leading everywhere. Knowing where each of the four kinds of the truth of the path can lead is the seventh power.

Eighth and ninth are the powers of past lives and the divine eye. Seeing one or many past lives and knowing the goodness or badness of lineages and the length or brevity of lifespans is the power of past lives. Seeing the beauty or ugliness, superiority or inferiority, of future places of birth is the power of the divine eye.

Tenth is the power of exhaustion of contaminants. These are the uncontaminated minds, liberation through wisdom, and other Dharmas realized in each of the four kinds of the truth of cessation.

The same Dharma gate can have four explanations, just as a king utters one secret expression and a wise minister understands its meaning. The Buddha teaches the ten powers to accommodate four kinds of faculties. He prevents those of lesser faculties from slandering the great Dharma and damaging their own merit; he also prevents those of great faculties from receiving only a lesser Dharma and suppressing their wholesome roots. Different beings each hear a meaning suited to themselves and gain benefit. No contrived stratagem is prepared in advance, so the Buddha is called the Able and Benevolent One.

Bodhisattvas resemble wise ministers able to understand the secret expression. Knowing that the Buddha’s intent lies in the Tripiṭaka Teaching, they ask about Dharmas of arising and ceasing and inquire earnestly three times so that those with conditions awaken quickly. Knowing that the Buddha’s intent lies in the Shared or Distinct Teaching, they ask according to its respective meaning. Even knowing that his intent lies in the Perfect Teaching, they praise the nonconstructed in verse or ask directly about it, enabling others to understand. The Buddha teaches in one sound, yet beings hear different Dharma gates and all ten thousand kinds of hearers rejoice. This verbal mystery has no boundary and its meaning cannot be exhausted. What grounds remain to doubt the foregoing explanation of the ten powers through the four teachings?

Someone asks: The ten powers are the Buddha’s deportment. How can people at the initial arousal of mind train in them, much less obtain them?

Answer: The Great Treatise says, “When bodhisattvas practice prajñā, they should not abide in the ten powers or fearlessnesses. If buddhas have no fault whatsoever in the Buddha Dharma, they should abide; if bodhisattvas have no Buddha Dharma at all, in what could they abide?” This passage is explained as follows. When bodhisattvas cultivate the Buddha’s merit, they easily produce deep attachment; to break it, they are told not to abide. Because they possess only a share of the ten powers and fearlessnesses and have not reached the ultimate, they likewise should not abide. If one says the former sentence concerns only cultivation before attainment and the latter only matters after entry into a stage, so that neither concerns beginners, two other scriptures and treatises clearly establish that beginners already cultivate and realize them.

According to the “Ten Abodes” chapter of the Avataṃsaka, the scripture says, “Because of the initial arousal of mind, a bodhisattva obtains a share of the ten powers.” Deva Correct Mind asks Bodhisattva Dharma Wisdom, “How does a great being at the initial mind cultivate preparatory means for the ten powers? How does one know what is leaving home and what is not, and how does one leave home to train in the path? How does one skillfully cultivate pure conduct, fulfill the path of the ten abodes, and quickly accomplish awakening?”

Dharma Wisdom answers that a bodhisattva must first distinguish ten Dharmas: body and bodily karma, speech and verbal karma, mind and mental karma, and Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and precepts. If the body itself were pure conduct, the eighty thousand households of worms within it would make that conduct turbid. If bodily karma were pure conduct, which movement among turning and looking, lifting and lowering the feet while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down would be pure conduct? If speech itself were pure conduct, sound touches thoughts while lips, teeth, and tongue move continuously. If verbal karma were pure conduct, it would be nothing but words. Mind and mental karma should be investigated in the same way. Even if precepts themselves were pure conduct, the ten participants at the ordination platform asking about purity, the preceptor proclaiming the four formal acts, shaving the head, begging for food, and the rest could not individually be called pure conduct.

Where, then, is pure conduct, and who possesses it? Contemplating the three times as equal, like empty space, is called preparatory means. The bodhisattva must further cultivate ten superior Dharmas, namely the profound and immeasurable ten powers. Contemplating this way, one quickly obtains every buddha quality, accomplishes correct awakening at the initial arousal of mind, knows the real intrinsic nature of all Dharmas, and possesses the body of wisdom, awakened by no one else. The scripture is this clear; does it not show that beginners can already cultivate and realize the ten powers?

The Bodhisattva Stages also says, “A bodhisattva knows the tathāgata treasury, uses the wisdoms of hearing and reflection as preliminary practice, cultivates intrinsic dhyāna, and thereby enters every dhyāna.” Every dhyāna has three kinds. The first is pleasant abiding in the present Dharma, called the ground of joy because it possesses such abiding. The second produces the lineage and samāpattis of the ten powers, as well as the spheres of exclusion of the Two Vehicles. The third is dhyāna benefiting beings. The ten abodes are called wisdom of hearing and the ten practices wisdom of reflection. Before hearing and reflection, one already uses cultivation of intrinsic dhyāna to enter every dhyāna and obtain these three Dharmas. Does this not show that beginners already cultivate and realize them? The three proofs from the Great Treatise, Avataṃsaka, and Bodhisattva Stages are all clear.

The factors of the path, six perfections, and Buddha’s ten powers mutually include one another in turn, as explained above. Cultivating the factors and perfections is cultivating the Buddha’s ten powers. Regulating every faculty and fulfilling the perfections is fulfilling the ten powers, no different from abiding in the Buddha’s deportment.

The Commentary on the Ten Abodes says, “Power means support, a force that cannot be exhausted.” The Bodhisattva Stages says, “Gaining superiority and having capability are called power.” Understanding the ten kinds of objects as they really are, leaving falsity, and overcoming demonic affairs means gaining superiority, because one can accomplish one’s own cultivation. Skillfully benefiting beings means capability.

Yet the Buddha’s powers are immeasurable. Why teach only ten? In reality, one wisdom takes ten classes of things as objects, so they are called ten; these ten suffice to teach and transform beings. When ten are raised, the rest can be inferred. The Aṅgulimālīya says, “The ten powers are only a tenet of śrāvakas, not the Great Vehicle; the Great Vehicle has immeasurable powers.” These two explanations reveal still more fully the meaning of four kinds of ten powers.

The Four Fearlessnesses and Eighteen Distinctive Qualities

How do the factors of the path include the four fearlessnesses?

First, fearlessness of omniscience means fully knowing the four kinds of the truth of suffering, distinguishing and explaining them for others, clearly indicating the defects of suffering, and decisively giving the lion’s roar without the least fear. No one can challenge this Dharma as not Dharma.

Second, fearlessness concerning what obstructs the path means knowing how the four kinds of the truth of origination obstruct the four kinds of the truths of the path and cessation, decisively giving the lion’s roar without the least fear. No one can challenge these as not Dharmas obstructing the path.

Third, fearlessness concerning the path exhausting suffering means knowing the four kinds of the truth of the path. Practicing these paths can exhaust suffering and leave the world. The Buddha decisively gives the lion’s roar about this without the least fear.

Fourth, fearlessness concerning the uncontaminated means that the four kinds of the truth of cessation each have what they realize and what they extinguish. The Buddha decisively gives the lion’s roar about this without the least fear.

The factors of the path and four fearlessnesses mutually include one another in turn. Cultivating the factors and six perfections is cultivating the four fearlessnesses and abiding in the Buddha’s deportment. The Great Treatise says, “Inward completeness is called power; when used outwardly, absence of timidity is called fearlessness.” The Commentary on the Ten Abodes says, “Fearlessness is only one Dharma. Why speak of four? Because there is no doubt regarding four classes of things, it is called four.” The Buddha should be fearless regarding every Dharma. Why teach only four? These simply raise the principal headings and open the beginning of the matter; there is fearlessness regarding every other Dharma as well.

The eighteen distinctive qualities can also be included by the factors of the path. The first two, no fault in body and no fault in speech, are correct action, correct speech, and correct livelihood within the four kinds of factors. When offerings are obtained, mind does not rise; when insult is encountered, mind does not sink. This is no mind outside concentration. The four deportments of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down remain constantly in concentration; this is no equanimity without knowledge. These two qualities are the eight concentrations in the four sets of factors.

Cultivating body, precepts, mind, and wisdom without exhaustion is desire without decrease. Using loving-kindness and compassion to cross beings while abiding in quiescent cessation, neither increasing nor decreasing, is diligence without decrease. Enduring suffering for all beings throughout immeasurable eons without weariness or aversion is mindfulness without decrease. These three are the eight kinds of diligence in the four sets of factors.

Constantly illuminating the minds of beings throughout the three times and teaching Dharma without needing to contemplate them afresh, while never losing what was previously remembered, is wisdom without decrease. Recollecting events in the three times without forgetting is liberation without decrease. Awakening naturally, unlike the Two Vehicles, is knowledge and vision of liberation without decrease. Every bodily action takes wisdom as its basis; having unobstructed wisdom and inexhaustible teaching is bodily action following wisdom. Verbal and mental actions following wisdom are likewise. The treatise says there are eleven Dharmas here, all assigned to the ten kinds of wisdom within the four sets of factors; the general intent of inclusion is the same as above.

The Four Unobstructed Knowledges, Six Superknowledges, Three Illuminations, Four Means of Gathering In, and Dhāraṇī

How are the four unobstructed knowledges included?

First is unobstructed knowledge of Dharma. Each of the four kinds of four truths has named Dharmas, and all names are distinguished by mind. If there were no mind, who would establish names? Having penetrated how one mind can open immeasurable minds, one also knows how one name can open immeasurable names. Names and marks are inexhaustible; this is unobstructed knowledge of Dharma.

Second is unobstructed knowledge of meaning. All Dharmas and names tend toward one real meaning, the meaning as it truly is. This is unobstructed knowledge of meaning.

Third is unobstructed knowledge of phrasing. The verbal expressions of beings in the ten Dharma realms all differ, and the Buddha understands them all. Expressions throughout the ten realms can be gathered into one kind; knowing one realm, one understands all ten without any obstruction. This is unobstructed knowledge of phrasing. One can also say that Dharma is the Dharma gates of the four truths, meaning is the four kinds of the truth of the path, and phrasing is the four kinds of the truth of suffering, and so forth.

Fourth is unobstructed knowledge of joyful eloquence. Skillfully use the four kinds of four truths to respond to faculties and conditions, turning and interweaving them, teaching without exhaustion and making others delight in hearing. Within one word, teach every word and every meaning; follow every sound, precisely fit each faculty, and bring each person benefit. The conclusion concerning inclusion remains as above.

Among the six superknowledges, the divine eye, divine ear, and supernatural power are as explained above under regulation of the six faculties. Knowledge of others’ minds, past lives, and the exhaustion of contaminants are as explained above under the ten powers. How the three illuminations are included should be understood according to the passage on the six superknowledges.

Among the four means of gathering in, gathering through giving is the awakening factors of tranquility and equanimity within the four kinds of factors of the path. Gathering through kind speech is correct action, correct speech, and correct livelihood. Gathering through beneficial action and cooperation is the eight concentrations, for concentration has spiritual power and can therefore benefit beings and cooperate with them, and so forth.

Dhāraṇī is also included by the factors of the path. It can retain every wholesome Dharma, like an intact vessel holding water, and block every evil Dharma, like a thorn fence protecting fruit. These are the four right efforts within the four sets of factors: striving to block both already-arisen and not-yet-arisen evils, and striving to produce and increase both already-arisen and not-yet-arisen goodness. A verse in the Commentary on the Ten Abodes therefore says:

“Sever evil Dharmas already arisen, as one removes a venomous snake;
sever evil Dharmas not yet arisen, as one blocks flowing water in advance;
increase wholesome Dharmas already arisen, as one irrigates a sapling bearing sweet fruit;
produce wholesome Dharmas not yet arisen, as one drills wood to make fire.”

The Thirty-Two Marks and Immeasurable Marks and Excellences

The thirty-two marks are also included by the six perfections and factors of the path. The Vibhāṣā says, “The ‘Marks’ chapter of the Abhidharma makes three distinctions for each mark: the mark’s substance, the karma producing it, and its fruit.” The Great Treatise says, “Over a hundred eons one plants the thirty-two marks.” This is the meaning. Seen through the factors and six perfections of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, the karma producing the marks ultimately does not go beyond giving, moral discipline, wisdom, and other Dharmas. The texts are extensive and will not be written out item by item; the meaning of inclusion can be understood.

The substance, karma, and fruit of marks taught by the Shared Teaching differ from those of the preceding teaching. If the Buddha were sought merely through physical marks, a wheel-turning sage king should also be a tathāgata; anyone doing so actually practices a deviant path. The Buddha teaches the thirty-two marks, yet in their immediate substance they are not graspable thirty-two marks. Empty mind sweeps away attachment within every mark. Only correspondence with emptiness is called a true mark. The Vibhāṣā also says, “A bodhisattva should cultivate the karma of the thirty-two marks single-mindedly, all taking wisdom as their basis.” Here wisdom means the wisdom of emptiness. Thus all thirty-two marks are included by the ten kinds of wisdom in the factors of the path and by the perfection of wisdom. This is the meaning of the Shared Teaching.

Moreover, according to causes provisionally established by the first two kinds of factors, karma producing marks can be cultivated; according to fruit, the substance of marks also exists. Yet these marks are only slightly superior to those of a wheel-turning king, and Māra too can transform himself to make them. They are not extraordinary, and after entry into nirvāṇa without remainder their forms are forever extinguished. This resembles possessing only a copper sheet, unable to reflect a face clearly.

The Two Vehicles and the Buddha of the Tripiṭaka Teaching realize the true truth together and lack the myriad images of the Dharma realm. Know from this that the first two kinds of factors are not the true method for cultivating the marks of the Dharma body. The later Distinct and Perfect factors alone are such a method. The Lotus says:

“Deeply penetrating the marks of wrongdoing and merit, universally illuminating the ten directions;
the subtle and wondrous pure Dharma body possesses the thirty-two marks.”

When the Middle Way is realized, it immediately fully possesses these marks. In the Lotus, for example, people of the Two Vehicles are enabled to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter. Meeting the Middle Way in the subtle and wondrous Dharma assembly, they receive predictions of buddhahood through the eight marks. This resembles obtaining a bright mirror in which the myriad images necessarily appear. When the Great Vehicle realizes the Middle Way, there is no image it cannot manifest. Marks of the Dharma body are called true marks.

The Vimalakīrti says, “All marks and excellences belonging to the world have been relinquished.” Wheel-turning kings and Māras adorn their bodies with worldly marks, all false, so they are said to be relinquished. The bright mirror of the Middle Way originally has no fixed image. Although markless, it can manifest marks according to conditions. Beauty and ugliness depend on what is reflected, and the number of marks on conditions. Only the ability to manifest every form-body universally is a true mark.

The Contemplation of Amitāyus says, “Amitābha Buddha has eighty-four thousand marks, and each mark has eighty-four thousand excellences.” The Satyaka and Avataṃsaka both call the marks a great ocean of marks and the excellences a small ocean of excellences. Since they are called oceans of marks, how could they be limited to thirty-two? Conditions differ, so how much appears also varies with beings. Such real marks are included by the Distinct and Perfect kinds of factors. Their meaning can naturally be known and cannot be recorded here in full.

Know that the six perfections as aids to the path can include all wholesome Dharmas without measure or limit. The twelve categories raised above only reveal the beginning of this inclusion; from them it is known that all remaining wholesome Dharmas can also be included. If even aids to the path are this vast, how much more so the direct path, and so forth.

First Distinguish the True Stage from the Analogous Stage

Eighth is the explanation of stages in cultivation. Both true and analogous stages possess knowledge and vision of liberation, yet they are as clearly distinguishable as vermilion and purple. One never says an attainment not reached has been reached, mistakes the four wholesome roots for the first fruit, or mistakes the first fruit for the stage beyond training. Practitioners know for themselves which afflictions have been severed and which not, which Dharmas realized and which not. Although the names and stages established by the four gates differ, the afflictions severed and truths realized are visibly not different.

The Two Vehicles often teach the exhaustion of fetters within one lifetime. Because cultivation is brief, the various gates of teaching are broadly similar, differing only in adjustments of sequence. Bodhisattva gates involve not merely longer time and more remote journeys but differences of wisdom and severance. Though the routes differ, their final destination is the same.

Bodhisattvas of the Tripiṭaka Teaching cultivate the six perfections. During the first asaṃkhyeya eon, they do not yet know they will become buddhas. During the second, they know but do not proclaim it. During the third, they know themselves and proclaim it to others. They then cultivate the marks of a great person for a hundred eons and fully possess five merits; this is called the ground of nonretreat. All these remain analogous stages. Only sitting at the site of awakening and becoming a buddha is the true stage. Even the initial gate of this still-shallow teaching has clear stages. How could ordinary beings, upon a thought’s first arising, claim to have reached a higher stage? If this is not overweening pride, to whom could overweening pride be assigned?

The true and analogous stages of the Two Vehicles in the Shared Teaching differ in wisdom from those of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, yet their severances and stages do not differ. Its bodhisattva stages, by contrast, differ in an orderly and explicit way. Combinations of general and particular names and meanings can be understood through the distinctions made in the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra, and so forth.

The afflictions, severances, wisdom, and stages taught by the Distinct Teaching are not what the Two Vehicles can hear or understand; it is therefore called Distinct. Viewed broadly through stages taught in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and Avataṃsaka, this meaning becomes visible. Yet the gates of meaning in the Distinct Teaching are numerous and taught differently for different faculties. Horizontally, the four gates differ; vertically, stages differ in depth. One cannot grasp one scripture as fixed and then judge every other scripture and treatise right or wrong.

Bodhisattvas sometimes compose general treatises explaining scriptures and sometimes particular treatises. Nāgārjuna composed a thousand treatises; how could the works of Vasubandhu and the other bodhisattvas be counted to exhaustion? Few people penetrate these treatises. How could one painfully cling to one meaning and denounce all other Dharma gates? Arbitrarily lowering one gate and elevating another loses the original intent of the Buddha’s preparatory means and brings damage upon oneself. Seeking passage, one instead chokes the road.

The stages of the Distinct Teaching are now explained. Its four gates offer many different accounts; although roads interweave horizontally and vertically, the purport reached is one. Many treatises have not been transmitted here, yet they can still be inferred from the four gates above. When the Shared Teaching speaks of various stages, know that they realize the true truth together. When the Distinct Teaching speaks of them, know that they realize the Middle Way together. Although scriptures teach various paths, in reality they return to the One Vehicle; every Dharma taught reaches the ground of omniscience. Grasping this purport readily ends doubt and prevents contention. The preceding passage on breaking the provisionality of thought briefly explained the various stages; for details, return there, and so forth.

Ten Capacities for Interfusing the Buddha Dharma

The Buddha Dharma will now be interfused through ten meanings.

First, understand that principle is originally quiescent and cut off, far from thought and discussion. The four truths can open into three, two, and one, return to none, and expand or contract according to beings’ attachments or noble wisdom. Understanding this makes provisional and real principles clearly illuminate themselves.

Second, grasp the framework and skeleton of the gates of teaching so esoteric and exoteric, Great and Small Vehicle Dharmas each have boundaries. These are gradual, sudden, indeterminate, and esoteric; and Tripiṭaka, Shared, Distinct, and Perfect. Understanding this reveals how the vocal teachings expand and contract and how the Buddha guides and transforms.

Third, scriptures and treatises may contradict one another on the surface, their wording and meanings seeming opposed. They cannot be reconciled merely through ordinary sentiment or forced through extensive learning. Since antiquity, attached disputes have persisted for generations without resolution. Understanding the four siddhāntas opens and interfuses these knots, analyzes petty tangles of doubt in mind, and allows Dharma gates to be used freely without doubting one and being confused by another.

Fourth, know that mistaken attachment creates blockage and use skillful methods to break it completely. Break simple, repeated, or complete constructions, or pursue them to exhaustion through the ineffable. Since both the method that actively breaks and the attachment broken are unobtainable, what remains to grasp?

Fifth, connect correct Dharma gates with corresponding practices and stages. Cultivation has preparatory means and realization has gradations. Provisional and real, Great and Small, worthy and noble do not become conflated. From where could the wrongdoing of overweening pride arise?

Sixth, move vertically and horizontally without obstruction within one Dharma gate, its threads joining in sequence and forming a dense pattern.

Seventh, open chapters and divisions whose earlier and later parts link ring by ring, with the order of arising clear and pleasing.

Eighth, interpret in close correspondence with scriptural text, its wording and meaning subtle and finely woven. Apply all the foregoing methods to explain each passage, making meaning coherent and wording apt.

Ninth, understand Sanskrit-to-Chinese translation and lists of names and numbers, so different regional languages do not become obstructions.

Tenth, practice genuinely according to every sentence and verse heard, bringing Dharma meaning into mind as contemplation. When contemplative practice corresponds with scripture, contemplation has the teaching’s confirmation. Use scripture to seal mind and produce contemplation, rather than merely counting another person’s treasury of jewels.

Zhizhe did not yet have time to investigate translation and lists of names and numbers extensively. The other nine meanings differ both from Dharma teachers who handle only worldly letters and from meditation masters who handle only concrete matters of dhyāna. One class of meditation masters understands only the single meaning of contemplating mind, and even that shallowly or falsely, while lacking the other nine entirely. This is no empty statement; discerning worthies in later generations will verify it themselves. Stages are one of these ten meanings.

Perfect-Teaching Stages Begin by Entering through the Five Repentances

An extensive explanation of Perfect-Teaching stages should properly distinguish them in detail under the object of bodhisattvas. That passage, however, emphasizes what is realized, while this one emphasizes present cultivation, so a brief distinction must first be made. Preparatory means common to cultivation of the four kinds of samādhi were explained above. Only the Lotus Samādhi separately practices the five repentances at the six times of day and night, adding another level of preparatory means. The marks of its stages will now be explained through these five.

Repentance

First know the ten adverse and compliant minds and bind the object to the true mark; this is the first kind of repentance. Practitioners constantly repent, with no time when they do not. Yet contemplation of principle within mind remains fine, hidden, and subtle, its illuminating function light, thin, distant, and sparse. Dark evil covering and obstructing it is suddenly difficult to open and understand. Bodily and verbal karma are therefore used to assist mental karma, making all three correspond quickly; only for this are the five repentances separately added.

Repentance means declaring and exposing past evil; reform means changing what has gone before and cultivating what lies ahead. Buddha wisdom sees universally and Buddha compassion gathers in universally. I cast body and speech at the Buddha’s feet and ask the Eye of the World to witness my repentance. Since beginningless time, I have committed immeasurable wrongdoing obstructing the Buddha path. Pressed by ignorance and not recognizing the correct and true, bound within the three realms, I moved body, speech, and mind and committed the ten evils. I acted without benefit toward the Three Jewels, six kinds of kin, four modes of birth, and five destinations; damaged those who had aroused minds toward the Three Vehicles; and committed the five and seven rebellious acts. I acted myself, taught others to act, or rejoiced on seeing others act. These karmas should bring every kind of distress in the present, next, and later lives.

I repent just as bodhisattvas of the three times repented while seeking the Buddha path. Grieving that I am sunken and lack the wisdom eye, I speak these words through tears with utmost sincerity and truth, cast all five limbs to the ground like a great tree falling, and break attachment to self and person, causing every evil karma to collapse and disappear. This is called repentance.

Exhortation and Supplication

Exhortation and supplication mean making a request. Śrāvakas seek only their own crossing and directly repent their own wrongdoing. Bodhisattvas practice the path out of pity for beings and must also supplicate. I know that even I, aware of my wrongdoing, cannot escape it; beings do not know their karmic wrongdoing and circulate through long eons. Lacking power to rescue them, I ask the buddhas of the ten directions. Buddhas pity beings without distinguishing Great and Small and necessarily respond according to vows. The Great Treatise separately explains supplication and nonsupplication, and so forth.

Requesting that the Dharma wheel be turned asks the Buddha to make the three turnings of exhortation, revelation, and confirmation, producing eye, wisdom, illumination, and awakening regarding the four truths in beings; hence these are called three turnings. Some also say that asking the Buddha to teach the Three Vehicles is called three turnings. When the Buddha teaches Dharma, beings can realize nirvāṇa. Even if they have not yet realized it, he first gives them worldly peace and happiness. If the Buddha universally grants this request, all beings obtain happiness. I too am among all beings, so my wrongdoing and suffering are removed with theirs. It resembles universally asking for rain: although I have only a small field, it too receives sweet rain and moisture.

Requesting the Buddha to remain in the world is necessary because ordinary lives abide according to karmic power, while the Buddha’s transformation body abides according to mind. When the transforming mind stops, the transformed body ceases. I now ask the Buddha to benefit beings and, like a great blazing torch, not stop the transforming mind, but abide securely in the world for a long time and liberate all. This is exhortation and supplication.

Rejoicing

Rejoicing means celebrating another’s goodness. The Buddha has turned the Dharma wheel three times and beings obtain benefits in past, present, and future; I assist and complete their joy. I should further exhort and transform beings so they produce goodness, and even if their goodness arises naturally, I rejoice in it.

I rejoice in every meritorious goodness of beings in the three times, every uncontaminated goodness of the Three Vehicles in the three times, and every goodness of the buddhas in the three times from their initial arousal of mind through entry into cessation; I also teach others to rejoice. It resembles the buyer of incense, seller, and bystander all being perfumed by its fragrance. The one who transforms, the one transformed, and the one who rejoices all possess equal goodness.

Seeing beings deeply deluded should produce grief; seeing goodness in them should produce profound respect, with mind never slighting them. Know deeply that beings fully possess correct, conditioning, and discerning causes. Even if these have not yet arisen, they certainly will. It resembles the sound of a poisoned drum traveling near and far: those who hear it ultimately die. Thus respect beings as buddhas. Future World-Honored Ones are limitless in number; only this is profound rejoicing. The Lotus Sūtra raises rejoicing in Dharma and the Great Version rejoicing in persons, simply marking the two dimensions reciprocally.

Dedication

Dedication directs every goodness toward awakening. The merits of all worthy and noble ones are vast, so the merit I obtain by rejoicing is vast with them. If beings have no goodness, I give my own goodness to them; after giving it, I direct it correctly toward awakening. It resembles turning a sound into a horn so the echo travels farther. Dedication can accomplish great benefit.

True dedication severs the roads of the three realms, extinguishes every conceptual proliferation, dries the mire of afflictions, eliminates the forest of thorns, and relinquishes the heavy burden. It neither grasps nor thinks, sees, obtains, or distinguishes. The person who dedicates and the destination of dedication exist provisionally through the conjunction of Dharmas in deluded thought. All Dharmas in reality do not arise: there is neither past, present, nor future arising, and neither past, present, nor future cessation. Dharmas are originally thus. I therefore accord with Dharmas in rejoicing and dedicating, as known, seen, and approved by the buddhas of the three times.

This is called true and correct dedication and also the highest, complete, great dedication. It does not slander the Buddha and has no fault, bondage, poison, or error. This is true not only of dedication but of the preceding repentance, exhortation and supplication, rejoicing, and the following vows. A verse in the Vibhāṣā says that wrongdoing should be repented thus and the merit of exhortation, supplication, and rejoicing dedicated to awakening.

Arousal of Vows

Arousing vows means making a pledge. It resembles promising to give someone an object: without establishing a written tally, ownership cannot be fixed. If goodness is given to beings without a decisive mind as guarantor, one may later regret and retreat. Vows are therefore added to gather and sustain it.

It also resembles an unguided ox that does not know where to go. Vows come forward to gather and sustain practice, bringing it where it should reach. A vow is also called dhāraṇī, capable of retaining goodness and blocking evil. Or it resembles an unfired clay blank that can hold things only after being fired. The Two Vehicles have exhausted subsequent existence and need not establish vows. Bodhisattvas teach and transform beings life after life and require general and particular vows. The four vast vows are general; every wholesome practice and dhāraṇī taught for Dharmākara and in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra has its particular vow.

At the site of practice, cultivate the five repentances at the six times of day and night. Repentance breaks wrongdoing of grave evil karma; exhortation and supplication break wrongdoing that slanders correct Dharma; rejoicing breaks jealousy; dedication breaks seeking the three modes of existence. Vows accord with emptiness and signlessness. The merit obtained has no boundary or measure and cannot be stated to exhaustion by simile or calculation.

From the Five Grades to the Forty-Two Stages

If one diligently cultivates the preparatory means of the five repentances and assists the opening of the gate of contemplation, the three truths in one mind suddenly open and shine, like facing a clean, bright mirror and seeing every form. Perfect understanding is accomplished in one thought without further contrived effort and is naturally distinct. Correct faith becomes firm and no object can move it. This is the mind of profound faith and rejoicing, the first grade of disciples.

The “Distinctions in Merit” chapter says that if beings hear the Buddha’s lifespan is long and remote and produce even one thought of faithful understanding, the merit obtained cannot be measured and can produce the Tathāgata’s unsurpassed wisdom. If one hears this scripture without disparaging it and produces a mind of rejoicing, the marks of profound faithful understanding are known to have appeared. This is the text on which the first grade rests.

Next, use perfect understanding to contemplate mind, cultivate the five repentances, and add reading and recitation, so skillful phrases and wondrous meanings meet the inner mind like oil assisting a flame. Mental contemplation then becomes brighter; this is the second grade.

Next, cultivate the five repentances with the superior mind of an advanced grade and add teaching Dharma for others, turning inner understanding outward to guide and benefit them. Because the scope of rescue is vast, the merit of transformation returns to oneself and mind deepens another level, twice surpassing the former grade. This is the third grade. At this grade one can retain, read, recite, and teach for others; copy the scripture oneself and teach others to copy it; and make offerings to the scroll. One need not separately erect stūpas and monasteries or make offerings to the monastic community.

Next, cultivate the five repentances with an advancing mind and concurrently practice the six perfections of giving, moral discipline, tolerance, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom. The power of merit assists the contemplating mind, which advances another level. This is the fourth grade. One retains the scripture while concurrently practicing the perfections; the merit is superior, immeasurable and limitless like empty space, reaching wisdom of all modes.

Next, cultivate the five repentances with this mind and correctly cultivate the six perfections. One’s own practice and transforming others, concrete matters and principle, all become complete; mental contemplation has no obstruction and surpasses the preceding grade beyond comparison. This is the fifth grade. One can explain in various ways for others, preserve moral discipline purely, tolerate without anger, constantly value seated dhyāna, apply vigorous diligence, possess sharp faculties, and understand through clear wisdom. Know that this person has turned toward the site of awakening and drawn near unsurpassed complete awakening.

Seen this way, the five grades precede the ten faiths. According to the reconciliation in the Contemplation of Samantabhadra, they can also correspond to five minds within the ten faiths. The Buddha’s intent is difficult to know because different accounts suit different faculties. It is enough to use them to open understanding; why painfully dispute, and so forth?

The object contemplated in this chapter is the aggregates, sense fields, and elements, so stages must also be judged through them. Dark and evil aggregates, sense fields, and elements are the stages of the three evil destinations. White and wholesome aggregates, sense fields, and elements are the stages of the three wholesome destinations. Aggregates, sense fields, and elements of wholesome preparatory means are analogous Small Vehicle stages. Uncontaminated aggregates, sense fields, and elements are the true stages of the Two Vehicles. Transformational aggregates, sense fields, and elements are the stages of the five kinds of persons. The permanently abiding Dharma-nature aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness, together with sense fields and elements, are the Buddha stage, and so forth.

The provisionally named five grades gradually turn bright and pure and suddenly enter wisdom from hearing, penetrating without obstruction and believing deeply without being moved. This is the mind of faith. In sequence, one then fully possesses minds of mindfulness, diligence, wisdom, concentration, dhāraṇī, moral discipline, protection, dedication, and vows. Together these form the ten faiths, the analogous stage of purification of the six faculties. The four abiding afflictions are exhausted and, as the Prajñā of the Humane Kings says, one forever leaves the sea of suffering’s wheel in the three realms.

One then enters the first abode, breaks ignorance, and sees buddha-nature. The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says that at the initial arousal of mind one immediately accomplishes correct awakening and does not awaken to the real nature through another; it points to this stage. One proceeds in sequence through the forty-two stages to ultimate wondrous awakening without usurpation or conflation. This is knowing stages.

Patient Endurance: Before Strength Matures, Do Not Let Leading Others Seize One’s Own Practice

Ninth is patient endurance. The mind able to endure matters that accomplish the path without inward movement or retreat is called sattva. From beginning contemplation of aggregates, sense fields, and elements through discerning stages, the preceding eight Dharmas make obstructions thinner and wisdom open and bright. Practitioners may not yet have entered the first grade or may just have entered it, but their spiritual understanding becomes lucid and sharp. A blade keen as flying frost severs whatever it touches; the intelligence of the initial mind can surpass even this sharpness.

Having never heard or studied before, one may suddenly understand scriptures and treatises. Reading another’s exposition, one penetrates its governing purport and route. Wishing to explain one meaning, one discovers inexhaustible eloquence. If one then resembles someone concealing a precious jade within the breast—holding understanding inwardly, hiding one’s reputation, and diligently advancing in secret—one will certainly enter the five grades or still deeper ones. With resolve firm and no one able to change it, this is the more excellent method.

Yet an awl does not remain hidden forever inside a bag. Ability is difficult to conceal and readily appears. Practitioners may see lecturers depart from meaning or cultivators depart from the correct track and, out of compassion, explain the matter. People then come and gather around. The group asks one to teach or urges one to benefit beings. The inner mind wishes to speak and outer conditions push, so one offers one or two sentences of Dharma or points out one or two sections of dhyāna. At first this is only for one person; news gradually spreads until it cannot be stopped.

At first it seems beneficial, but one’s power to benefit others is actually slight while one’s own cultivation is damaged and abandoned. Not only do one’s grades cease to advance, but conditions obstructing the path arise anew. This resembles a young elephant whose weak strength leaves its body buried under blades and arrows, or a handful of hot water thrown on ice that not only fails to melt it but enlarges the mass. The Vibhāṣā calls this a defeated and ruined bodhisattva.

In the past, a meditation master in the region of Ye and Luo became famous across rivers and seas. Wherever he went, the four directions looked to him like clouds; whenever he left, hundreds and thousands followed. His influence thundered—yet what real benefit did it ultimately bring? At death he was filled with regret. Great Master Nanyue, a man of Wujin, lamented that throughout his life he had hoped to enter the copper-wheel first abode but failed because he led a community too early. His vow text repeats four times that one should choose cautiously. These instructions left by eminent predecessors can serve as a bright mirror.

At this point in cultivation, weigh yourself carefully. If the power of wisdom is strong, one should benefit beings extensively like a great elephant leading the herd. If strength has not yet reached this level, patiently endure for now and cultivate samādhi deeply. Once cultivation has matured and strength becomes evident, it is not too late to teach and transform.

The Great Treatise asks: Bodhisattvas take crossing people as their task; why hide in deep mountains and perfect themselves alone? It answers: This resembles taking medicine to care for the body, then returning to one’s work after recovering. Though the body is far from beings, the mind is not far from them. Upon purification of the six faculties, one is called a person of first reliance; the Dharma meaning one teaches can be trusted. One sound fills everywhere and hearers rejoice. Only this is the stage of transforming others.

If one still does not emerge then to transform people, hard and soft bandits of obstruction can no longer do harm. One’s own cultivation continues to mature, and one has power to benefit others, like a great elephant resisting attack without being injured by blades or arrows, or sunlight illuminating the world until long-frozen ice naturally melts. This is the power of patient endurance.

If one becomes tangled in the birdlime of reputation, the hair rope of gain, or the great tree where retinues gather—worms eroding it within and flocks of birds exhausting its branches and leaves without—push them away early, neither accepting nor attaching. If they cannot be pushed away and instead adhere, contract one’s virtues, expose faults, and pretend to be wild so as to hide what is real, concealing one’s inner gold and shells so thieves cannot see them. If even hiding one’s traces cannot bring escape, travel ten thousand li in one move to a remote, isolated region. Reaching a place where no one knows you, freely train in the path, like Guṇavarman, and so forth.

If reputation, gain, and retinues come from outside to damage cultivation, remember these three methods and endure with teeth clenched. Even if ten million people request you, remain firm and immovable: avoid them, hide yourself, and depart far away.

If afflictions, karma, meditative concentration, views, pride, and the rest damage cultivation from within, likewise remember three techniques: immediately empty, immediately provisional, and immediately the Middle. Even if someone butchers and pulverizes one’s flesh, mind neither moves nor scatters. Even if the great earth presses down, its weight does not make one sink. Violent vaibhāra winds cannot move one, bitter ice cannot make one cold, and how could fierce fire make one hot?

Straighten the mind and illuminate as things truly are. How could one rejoice upon obtaining a small share of realization or fragment of dhyāna, or worry upon seeing a small evil object? An unfired vessel easily collapses into a heap of clay; mango flowers rarely bear fruit. The Great Version says that immeasurable people arouse the mind of awakening, yet many fall into the ground of the Two Vehicles. Accomplishing a great work requires still more patient endurance. If one can obtain this meaning of endurance within the aggregate-object, one will not activate the lower nine objects because of opposing and agreeable conditions and need not traverse them separately. If the meaning remains unclear, it will be explained extensively below.

Freedom from Attachment to Dharmas: The Final Stagnation May Be Love for a Wholesome Dharma

Tenth is freedom from attachment to Dharmas. Having cultivated the preceding nine matters and crossed internal and external obstructions, one should enter the true stage. If entry still does not occur, one is attached to the Dharma cultivated and abides without advancing.

The Abhidharma says the Dharma of warmth can still be lost. Once the five faculties are established and higher tolerance produces the true, retreat is no longer discussed. If attachment arises at the summit stage, one fails to enter when entry should occur and, after retreat, may even commit the four grave or five uninterrupted acts. The Shared and Distinct teachings each also have a meaning of falling from the summit. The practitioner described here has neither entered the true stage nor fallen into the Two Vehicles.

The Great Treatise says the three samādhis are the analogous stage of the path. Before the true arises, delight in Dharmas obtained produces attachment to Dharma; this is called falling from the summit. Among ten thousand people cultivating the path today, not one reaches this point. Anyone who truly does must guard it skillfully.

At this stage there are no internal or external obstructions, only attachment to Dharma. Such attachment is difficult to sever. To stop here is no small matter. It resembles two vessels traveling under identical sails: one advances and one stops, and stopping is abiding. Or a vessel neither sticks to a sandbar nor rests against the bank, yet halts because the wind ceases. The sandbar symbolizes internal obstruction, the bank external obstruction. Though attached to neither side, attachment to Dharma stops the wind driving one forward, leaving one neither advancing nor retreating. This is falling from the summit.

If attachment to Dharma is broken, one enters the three gates of liberation and produces the true Middle Way. The wisdom body obtained is not awakened through another but naturally flows into the ocean of omniscience, abiding in the tolerance of nonarising, also called the tolerance of quiescent cessation. Practitioners roam in superknowledges through the Śūraṃgama samādhi and possess great wisdom like seawater; only a buddha can know all their merits. The preparatory means by which calming-and-contemplation advances end here. Merits after entry into the first abode are not discussed in this passage and will be distinguished again below.

Only All Ten Dharmas Complete Are Called Great Vehicle Contemplation

These ten Dharmas together are called Great Vehicle contemplation, and those who train in this vehicle are called practitioners of the Mahāyāna. What is the Great Vehicle? The Lotus Sūtra uses the simile of a father equally giving all his children great carriages drawn by white oxen. The carriage bodies are high and broad and adorned with many jewels; railings surround them and bells hang on all sides. Canopies are spread above and ornamented with rare and varied treasures. Jeweled cords interlace, flowered tassels hang, layered soft mats are spread, and red cushions installed. White oxen harnessed to them are plump and powerful, their hides pure white, their bodies beautiful, their muscles strong, their steps even, and their speed like wind. Many attendants accompany and protect them.

The Great Vehicle of calming-and-contemplation is likewise. Contemplating each thought-moment as never separate from the true mark of Dharma-nature is the one equal great carriage. Each thought being immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle is giving each child a great carriage. Penetrating the source of the three truths is height; including the ten Dharma realms, breadth; immeasurable factors of the path, adornment with many jewels.

The four right efforts block evil and retain goodness, while vows further gather and sustain practice, joining the carriage body securely; these are railings on every side. The four unobstructed eloquences of Dharma, meaning, phrasing, and joyful teaching speak fluently and develop awakening; these are bells hanging on four sides. Loving-kindness and compassion universally cover and protect without omission or boundary; this is spreading the canopy. The ten powers, fearlessnesses, and eighteen distinctive qualities included by the factors of the path are not shared with the other vehicles; these are rare and varied treasures adorning it.

The four vast vows keep mind from retreat; these are interlaced jeweled cords. The four means of gathering in receive beings and make all rejoice; these are hanging flowered tassels. The various meditative concentrations and samādhis produce the six superknowledges; these are layered soft mats. The four gates return to the same purport and bring every practice to rest; this is installing the red cushion.

The wisdom of the four foundations of mindfulness breaks the darkness of the eight inversions; this is harnessing a white ox. The four right efforts increase two kinds of goodness; this is plump strength. They block and sever two kinds of evil and purify both; this is the pure white hide. The four bases of spiritual power and four unobstructed eloquences are autonomous; this is bodily beauty.

The five faculties are firm and cannot be moved; these are muscles. The five powers grow and block evil Dharmas; this is strength. The seven factors of awakening can make distinctions; these are the steps. The Noble Eightfold Path is secure; this is evenness. Counteraction through aids to the path extensively includes all Dharmas; these are the many attendants accompanying and protecting. Breaking attachment to Dharma and ignorance, entering the ocean of omniscience, and producing the true rapidly is speed like wind. In this way the carriage transports all the children and lets them play in joy. This Dharma gate of Great Vehicle contemplation is complete and corresponds with the great carriage in the Lotus Sūtra; it is therefore called Great Vehicle contemplation.

Speaking further from all Dharmas being the One Vehicle, no sentient being fails to possess this wondrous Dharma; this is the vehicle of principle. If the Tathāgata does not teach it, beings cannot know it. Hearing the teaching, joyfully accepting it, bearing it upon the crown, and preserving it is the vehicle of verbal identity. Hearing its name and practicing according to the teaching, one enters the five grades; this is the vehicle of contemplative practice. Obtaining purification of the six faculties is the analogous vehicle.

One leaves the three realms and abides in omniscience without abiding there. Entering the first through tenth abodes, one obtains the real vehicle and travels east. Through the ten practices one travels south, the ten dedications west, and the ten grounds north. Circling in this way has no limit. Obtaining emptiness and stopping at the center is wondrous awakening. Proceeding all the way to the site of awakening points precisely to this meaning.

Some people now suppose that merely abandoning evil and grasping emptiness is the Great Vehicle. Yet such emptiness cannot even escape the evil of the sixty-two simple and compound views. How could it move, travel, and leave as a vehicle? Even if forcibly called a vehicle, it is only a bald vehicle lacking complete Dharma gates. The great city of correct Dharma and vajra treasury are originally complete and without deficiency. What Dharma is absent there, and how could only bald emptiness remain? Such a person rides the vehicle of deviant views into a dangerous and evil road—a broken donkey cart, and so forth.

Bringing the Ten Dharmas into Walking, Standing, Sitting, and Lying Down

The preceding text explained upright sitting and contemplating aggregates and sense fields. Now it explains contemplating aggregates, sense fields, and elements amid various activities and the objects faced. The activities are the six actions of walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, and working; the objects are form, sound, fragrance, flavor, touch, and Dharmas. The Great Treatise says that the conception of an agent arises within the six actions and the conception of a recipient within the six objects.

The Pratyutpanna Samādhi primarily involves constant walking. The Lotus and Vaipulya samādhis involve activity half the time. Sweeping, sprinkling water, carrying objects, and working also involve bodily movement; activity is most extensive in the Samādhi of Following One’s Own Intention. If illumination is not practiced amid activity, how can one correspond rapidly with principle? The marks of the condition of walking will now be explained briefly, still arranged as the ten Dharmas above.

First is the object contemplated. When lifting and lowering the feet, the feet are a Dharma of form. Form is moved by mind and shifts from here to there; mind travels in dependence on form. This is the form aggregate. Receiving this movement is the feeling aggregate. Reckoning a self within the movement is the perception aggregate. Whether the movement is wholesome or evil is the formation aggregate. Mind within the movement is the consciousness aggregate. When the movement-object faces the mind faculty, there are elements and sense fields; the relations of eye and form, mind and Dharmas, and the rest are likewise. Between lifting and lowering a foot, aggregates, sense fields, and elements are all complete.

These aggregates, sense fields, and elements within walking arise from the conjunction of ignorance and formation as conditions. They do not differ from ignorance; ignorance does not differ from Dharma-nature; Dharma-nature is the Dharma realm. All Dharmas tend toward walking, and none surpasses it. One set of aggregates, sense fields, and elements is every set. Since one and many are fixed neither as one nor many, they do not obstruct one another. This is the inconceivable object within walking.

When this object is penetrated, loving-kindness and compassion arise together. Practitioners grieve that in their darkness, for immeasurable eons they have been confused and deceived by aggregates and sense fields. Only today do they know that all beings are entirely the One Vehicle. Beings are intoxicated and inverted, truly pitiable; one vows to break ignorance and become their refuge.

Next, establish mind through concentration and wisdom and quiescently illuminate this object. Once mind is settled, pervasively break the three-truth obstructions of the delusions of views and thought, lack of knowledge, and ignorance, exhausting them horizontally and vertically. Skillfully recognize passage and obstruction so medicine does not instead become illness during cultivation. Skillfully know the factors of the path and the flourishing and withered foundations of mindfulness, entering parinirvāṇa amid the twin trees. Skillfully know how the six perfections within walking provide counteraction and assist the opening of the gate of nirvāṇa.

Further, know stages deeply. Knowing this walking does not yet equal that of noble ones at higher stages, feel shame, advance in cultivation, and refuse to rest. Amid walking, subdue fame and gain externally and the three obstructions internally, patiently enduring without movement. Do not allow attachment to Dharma to abide or cause falling from the summit. If all ten Dharmas are accomplished, one can enter the copper-wheel stage and realize the tolerance of nonarising in this life, obtaining a great carriage high, broad, pure, adorned with many jewels, and swift as wind, riding it straight to the site of awakening.

This is contemplation according to the condition of walking: removing the husk of ignorance and revealing the grain of Dharma-nature. Lifting and lowering the foot both come from the site of awakening and fully possess the Buddha Dharma. The rest can be inferred from the preceding text.

Since the condition of walking is so, the other five conditions—standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, and working—can be understood by analogy. Of the four kinds of samādhi, the first three contain no practice of lying down, while the Samādhi of Following One’s Own Intention does. A king in the past awakened to pratyekabuddhahood while lying down; contemplation and practice can therefore occur there, and so forth.

All Ten Dharmas Complete in One Thought of Eye Seeing Form

Next is facing objects. When eye sees form and one reckons a self, one says “I can receive.” One object has three kinds of reception, making eighteen across the six. When eye sees form there are five aggregates, three elements, and two sense fields, as already explained.

The Sūtra on Maitreya’s Physical Marks says that in one thought of seeing form, thirty billion sets of five aggregates arise and cease, and each set is a being. Seen this way, how could eye facing form involve only five aggregates, three elements, and two sense fields? Contemplating eye and form only in a finite number is called decreased cultivation, not Mahāyāna.

Contemplating eye and form within the permanently abiding Dharma of all tathāgatas is complete cultivation without decrease. First understand that the arising of one thought of eye and form is the Dharma realm and fully possesses all Dharmas: it is immediately empty, provisional, and the Middle.

Searching for eye and form through the four alternatives finds them unobtainable; this is immediate emptiness. Within one thought of Maitreya’s physical form, thirty billion sets of five aggregates arise and cease. This is true from the marks and forms of the first ground through the tenth; feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are likewise. A non-Buddhist struck a skull and listened to its sound, knowing the dead person’s place of rebirth and immeasurable other matters. Fragrance, flavor, touch, and the rest can be unfolded likewise. This is immediate provisionality.

Provisionality is not fixed provisionality, and emptiness is not fixed emptiness; therefore they are neither empty nor provisional. If the one Dharma of eye is neither empty nor provisional, all Dharmas are likewise. Like empty space, existence and nonexistence are both quiescent; like sun and moon, no darkness remains unilluminated.

Although there is no fixed emptiness or provisionality, both are still illuminated together. Illuminating coarse form arising through conditions is the physical eye. Illuminating subtle form arising through conditions is the divine eye. Illuminating the emptiness of form arising through conditions is the wisdom eye. Illuminating its provisionality is the Dharma eye. Illuminating its Middle is the Buddha eye.

The five eyes are said to be complete in one mind. This does not mean possessing an ordinary being’s pus-and-blood physical eye, a divine eye obtained by celestial beings, a wisdom eye of the Two Vehicles sunk in emptiness, or a bodhisattva’s discriminating Dharma eye. It means only that the Buddha eye possesses five powers, like streams entering the sea and losing their original names. The Buddha asked Subhūti whether the Tathāgata possessed the five eyes, and Subhūti answered that he did. Since all five are called the Tathāgata’s, how could ordinary beings’ or the Two Vehicles’ eyes be involved? The Sūtra of Inviting Avalokiteśvara says that the five eyes complete accomplish awakening.

Three contemplations in one mind are called cultivation without decrease. One eye possessing five powers is called the gate of clear seeing, coming, and entering, which is perfect realization. Practitioners become autonomous inside and outside the eye faculty: entering correct reception through the eye faculty, they arise from the samādhi of the nose; entering through the nose faculty, they can arise through the eye. Although moving, they are quiescent, and quiescence does not obstruct movement; although quiescent, they move, and movement does not obstruct quiescence. Seeing yet not seeing and not seeing yet able to see is alone called the gate of clear seeing, coming, and entering.

Someone asks: The Buddha possesses five eyes and should illuminate five kinds of objects. Yet a scripture says that even with the five eyes the Buddha does not see the three groups; how can crazed, foolish beings without eyes claim to see? It also says seeing form is equal to blindness. If equal to the blind, how can one see coarse or subtle form?

Answer: All five objects darkly coincide with the true mark, and the true mark cannot be seen. Because it cannot be seen, it is likened to blindness. Although it cannot be seen, illumination does not decrease: the five eyes penetrate and the various objects are distinct. Though five kinds of illumination are taught, why must what they illuminate be fixed existence? Though blindness is spoken of, why must blindness be fixed nonexistence? The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says one comes through the mark of noncoming and sees through the mark of nonseeing. This is precisely the meaning.

This is the inconceivable object. My eye and the eyes of beings are not two different substances; why do beings neither awaken nor know? From this, loving-kindness and compassion arise and one vows to liberate them. To fulfill the vow, abide in concentration and wisdom and use calming-and-contemplation to break through all Dharmas pervasively.

Within eye and form, clearly recognize passage and obstruction rather than moving only along a narrow road like a small insect. Within the eye aggregate, cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness without fixing purity or impurity; dispel both withering and flourishing and enter nirvāṇa. Train in the various counteractions and assist the opening of the three gates of liberation; clearly recognize the six identities and do not produce usurpation or conflation.

Although the eye I contemplate possesses the five eyes, at present I remain only at verbal-identity or contemplative-practice identity. Gradually seeing beyond obstruction and later seeing the ten directions is as taught in the Contemplation of Samantabhadra; suddenly seeing the great thousandfold world is like Bodhisattva Never Disparaging. I have not yet reached gradual or sudden seeing or the interchangeable use of the six faculties. I should not produce pride but gradually give rise to shame and practice diligently.

If virtue becomes established and reputation evident, patiently endure internal and external obstructions, stable as Mount Sumeru. When attachment to Dharma does not arise, nothing delays one; swift as wind, one realizes the real eye and rides the one great carriage straight to the site of awakening. If awakening is entered through the eye faculty, one extensively performs Buddha activity through it, constantly emitting golden light that illuminates all. The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says that in some buddha lands, light performs Buddha activity.

Since one reception of eye seeing form is so, the other two receptions are likewise. The remaining five faculties, five objects, and fifteen receptions are also so; details follow the preceding text. Transfer its purport into the functioning of the six faculties, seeking only to break afflictions without rigidly preserving fixed headings.

If one obtains the great carriage through the ear faculty, one predominantly performs Buddha activity through sound; awakening through the nose, fragrance; through the tongue, flavor; through the body, celestial garments; through mind, quiescent cessation. Buddha activity performed through one faculty can communicate with all the others. Preparatory means for benefiting beings sometimes differ, yet all finally bring ultimate peace and happiness, and so forth.

Knowing Much Must Still Become Genuinely Usable amid Objects

If one can practice diligently according to the preceding text, this life certainly will not pass in vain. Yet hearing without using resembles a black viper holding a jewel: what benefit does the jewel bring a long snake? Three groups of similes now explain gain and loss.

First, an ordinary fighter relies only on one person’s courage, trains with one blade and arrow, kills one or two enemies, and receives a reward of one piece of gold or silver, with salary sufficient to support only one wife and child. Such a person need only sharpen weapons and advance carrying a halberd, trading life for wealth. Why should he know military strategy extensively? But to become the state’s ferment, boat and oars, seasoning, and timely rain, one must master both civil and military arts, determine strategy within the command tent, and achieve victory ten thousand li away. The deeper one’s study, the greater what one breaks; the heavier the reward obtained, the broader the benefit. Yet if one understands military strategy but does not use it, or uses it and repeatedly loses, unable even to rescue oneself, how could one benefit others?

Training in dhyāna contemplation is likewise. One may know only one Dharma—either calming or contemplation—wish only to break a little evil, gather one’s thoughts and practice the path, obtain a little meditative concentration, and receive a small retinue, then consider it sufficient. This resembles only an ordinary fighter’s duel. To become a great meditation master, break great afflictions, reveal immeasurable wholesome Dharmas, and benefit immeasurable conditions, one should learn the ten Dharmas of calming-and-contemplation, penetrate their purport, and actually correspond with them within the six conditions and six receptions. When affliction suddenly arises, illumination appears immediately; contemplation surpasses affliction and accomplishes the difficult task. Only this resembles a meritorious minister receiving the bright jewel untied from the king’s topknot. If one understands but does not use, or uses inappropriately and instead lets affliction become the mind’s teacher, how can the work of the path be securely accomplished?

Second, a rustic shaman-physician knows only one technique, saves one person, and receives a small plate of dried meat as payment. Why should such a person study all of Shennong’s Materia Medica? To become a great physician, however, one must survey every treatment and heal illnesses broadly. The more pulses one diagnoses, the more refined one’s understanding; the more methods one uses, the more they are verified; only then does the benefit of saving people become vast.

Cultivators of dhyāna are likewise. Specializing in one Dharma and treating one delusion may bring slight benefit then, yet ultimately does not accord with the great route’s extensive inclusion and cannot pervasively break afflictions or enter the tolerance of nonarising. Even if one knows medicines well, how can illness heal without taking them according to the prescription? Reading and reciting calming-and-contemplation brings great benefit, yet if it is not actually applied within mind, the tolerance of nonarising will never appear.

Third, if a student of doctrine wants only to answer one question and give one response, showing off for a moment, why investigate scriptures and treatises broadly? To become a master of Dharma, one should penetrate different classes of works. Even with much understanding, someone who has never answered in an assembly remains timid and cannot bear exchanges of challenge and response. Only one without fear, turning a hundred ways as occasions arise, answering without fixed method to meet challenges in ten thousand directions, is a great Dharma teacher.

Practitioners of contemplation are the same. When contemplative practice is clear, they can pass through conditions and face objects and use it wherever they go. Without this, how can they break Māra’s army, cure the grave illness of affliction, or reveal the profound meaning of Dharma-nature? Unable to accomplish any of the three, constrained and laboring within birth-and-death, they remain ordinary beings. This is not a preparatory means for training in the Buddha path.

Mohe Zhiguan, Fascicle Seven [Lower]