The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines
Chapter 11: Embarrassment
Toh 10
Degé Kangyur, vol. 29 (shes phyin, ka), folios 1.a–300.a; vol. 30 (shes phyin, kha), folios 1.a–304.a; vol. 31 (shes phyin, ga), folios 1.a–206.a
Translated by Gareth Sparham
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2022
Current version v 1.0.14 (2023)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines is one version of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras that developed in South and South-Central Asia in tandem with the Eight Thousand version, probably during the first five hundred years of the Common Era. It contains many of the passages in the oldest extant Long Perfection of Wisdom text (the Gilgit manuscript in Sanskrit), and is similar in structure to the other versions of the Long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras (the One Hundred Thousand and Twenty-Five Thousand) in Tibetan in the Kangyur. While setting forth the sacred fundamental doctrines of Buddhist practice with veneration, it simultaneously exhorts the reader to reject them as an object of attachment, its recurring message being that all dharmas without exception lack any intrinsic nature.
The sūtra can be divided loosely into three parts: an introductory section that sets the scene, a long central section, and three concluding chapters that consist of two important summaries of the long central section. The first of these (chapter 84) is in verse and also circulates as a separate work called The Verse Summary of the Jewel Qualities (Toh 13). The second summary is in the form of the story of Sadāprarudita and his guru Dharmodgata (chapters 85 and 86), after which the text concludes with the Buddha entrusting the work to his close companion Ānanda.
Acknowledgements
This sūtra was translated by Gareth Sparham under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Translator’s Acknowledgments
This is a good occasion to remember and thank my friend Nicholas Ribush, who first gave me a copy of Edward Conze’s translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines in 1973. I also thank the Tibetan teachers and students at the Riklam Lobdra in Dharamshala, India, where I began to study the Perfection of Wisdom, for their kindness and patience; Jeffrey Hopkins and Elizabeth Napper, who steered me in the direction of the Perfection of Wisdom and have been very kind to me over the years; and Ashok Aklujkar and others at the University of British Columbia in Canada, who taught me Sanskrit and Indian culture while I was writing my dissertation on Haribhadra’s Perfection of Wisdom commentary. I thank the hermits in the hills above Riklam Lobdra and the many Tibetan scholars and practitioners who encouraged me while I continued working on the Perfection of Wisdom after I graduated from the University of British Columbia. I thank all those who continued to support me as a monk and scholar after the violent death of my friend and mentor toward the end of the millennium. I thank those at the University of Michigan and then at the University of California (Berkeley), particularly Donald Lopez and Jacob Dalton, who enabled me to complete the set of four volumes of translations from Sanskrit of the Perfection of Wisdom commentaries by Haribhadra and Āryavimuktisena and four volumes of the fourteenth-century Tibetan commentary on the Perfection of Wisdom by Tsongkhapa. I thank Gene Smith, who introduced me to 84000. I thank everyone at 84000: Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and the sponsors; the scholars, translators, editors, and technicians; and all the other indispensable people whose work has made this translation of The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines and its accompanying commentary possible.
Around me everything I see would be part of a perfect road if I had better driving skills.Where I was born, where everything is made of concrete, it too is a perfect place.Everyone I have been with, everyone who is near me now, and even those I have forgotten—there is no one who has not helped me.So, I bow to everyone and to the world and ask for patience, and, as a boon, a smile.
Acknowledgment of Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Matthew Yizhen Kong, Steven Ye Kong and family; An Zhang, Hannah Zhang, Lucas Zhang, Aiden Zhang, Jinglan Chi, Jingcan Chi, Jinghui Chi and family, Hong Zhang and family; Mao Guirong, Zhang Yikun, Chi Linlin; and Joseph Tse, Patricia Tse and family. Their support has helped make the work on this translation possible.
Chapter 11: Embarrassment
Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, you say ‘bodhisattva’ again and again. What is its basis in reality?”201
The Lord [F.110.b] replied to venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, the basis in reality for bodhisattva is an absence of a basis in reality. And why? Subhūti, it is because bodhi and sattva are not produced. Awakening and a being do not have an arising or an existence. They cannot be apprehended. Subhūti, awakening has no basis in reality and a being has no basis in reality, therefore a bodhisattva’s basis in reality is an absence of a basis in reality.
“To illustrate, Subhūti, the track202 of a bird in space does not exist and cannot be apprehended; similarly, the basis in reality for a bodhisattva does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Subhūti, in a dream a basis does not exist and cannot be apprehended; similarly, the basis in reality for a bodhisattva also does not exist and cannot be apprehended. In a magical illusion a basis does not exist and cannot be apprehended; similarly, in a mirage, a reflection of the moon in water, an echo, an apparition, a reflection in a mirror, and a tathāgata’s magical creation a basis does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva also does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in suchness a basis does not exist and cannot be apprehended; similarly, the basis in reality for a bodhisattva also does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Subhūti, in unmistaken suchness a basis does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and in unaltered suchness, the true nature of dharmas, the dharma-constituent, the establishment of dharmas, the certification of dharmas, and the very limit of reality a basis does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in an illusory person a basis of form, feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, [F.111.a] Subhūti, in an illusory person a basis of the eyes does not exist and cannot be apprehended; a basis of the ears, nose, tongue, body, and thinking mind does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and a basis of a form, a sound, a smell, a taste, a feeling, and a dharma does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis in the eye consciousness of an illusory person does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and a basis in the ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and thinking-mind consciousness of an illusory person does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis in reality for an illusory person practicing inner emptiness does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis in reality for an illusory person practicing up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis in reality for an illusory person practicing the applications of mindfulness does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Subhūti, a basis in reality for an illusory person practicing up to the eightfold noble path, and up to the ten powers of a tathāgata, the four fearlessnesses, and the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha does not exist and cannot be apprehended, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom [F.111.b] does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis of the form of a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha a basis of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness does not exist and cannot be apprehended. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist and cannot be apprehended.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha a basis of the eyes does not exist; a basis of the ears, nose, tongue, body, and thinking mind does not exist; and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality of a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha a basis of inner emptiness does not exist, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha a basis of the applications of mindfulness does not exist, up to a basis of the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the uncompounded element a basis of the compounded element does not exist, and similarly in the compounded element [F.112.a] a basis of the uncompounded element also does not exist. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the absence of production a basis does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist. Subhūti, in the absence of stopping, the absence of occasioning anything, the absence of appearing, the absence of being apprehended, the absence of defilement and the absence of purification a basis does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.”
“Lord, in the absence of the production of what does a basis not exist, up to in the absence of the defilement, and the absence of the purification of what does a basis not exist?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, in the absence of production a basis of form does not exist; in the absence of production a basis of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness does not exist; up to Subhūti, in the absence of defilement and the absence of purification, a basis of form does not exist; and in the absence of defilement and the absence of purification, a basis of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness does not exist. Similarly, in the absence of production a basis of the constituents and sense fields does not exist, up to in the absence of defilement and the absence of purification, a basis of the constituents and sense fields does not exist. In the absence of production a basis of the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, up to the powers, fearlessnesses and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha does not exist; up to in the absence of defilement and the absence of purification, [F.112.b] a basis of the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha does not exist. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in form a basis in reality for the absence of production, the absence of stopping, the absence of occasioning anything, the absence of appearing, the absence of being apprehended, the absence of defilement and the absence of purification does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness a basis in reality for the absence of production, the absence of stopping, up to the absence of defilement and the absence of purification does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the state of the absolute purity of form a basis for a causal sign does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist. As a further instance, Subhūti, in the state of the absolute purity of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness a basis for a causal sign does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist. Similarly, in the state of the absolute purity of the constituents, sense fields, and dependent origination a basis for a causal sign does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the state of the absolute purity of the applications of mindfulness a basis for a causal sign does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, [F.113.a] a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the state of the absolute purity of the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, and path, up to the ten powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha a basis for a causal sign does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, because of the nonexistence of self, in the state of the absolute purity of the self a basis does not exist, up to because of the nonexistence of one who knows and one who sees, in the state of the absolute purity of one who knows and one who sees a basis does not exist. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, when the disk of the sun rises, a basis for darkness does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the eon conflagration a basis for compounded phenomena does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the morality of a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha a basis for immorality does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the meditative stabilization of a tathāgata a basis for distraction does not exist, in the wisdom of a tathāgata [F.113.b] a basis for intellectual confusion does not exist, in the liberation of a tathāgata a basis for not being liberated does not exist, and in the knowledge and seeing of liberation of a tathāgata nonknowledge and nonseeing of liberation does not exist. Similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, in the radiance of the sun and moon a basis for darkness does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis for the light of the planets, the stars, jewels, and lightning does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a basis for the light of the Cāturmahārājika and the Trāyastriṃśa gods, Yāma gods, Tuṣita gods, Nirmāṇarati gods, Paranirmitavaśavartin gods, Brahmakāyika, up to the Akaniṣṭha gods does not exist, up to a basis for the light of a tathāgata does not exist, and similarly, Subhūti, a basis in reality for a bodhisattva when a bodhisattva great being is practicing the perfection of wisdom does not exist.
“And why? Because, Subhūti, all those phenomena—that which is the awakening, that which is the bodhisattva, that which is the basis in reality of a bodhisattva—are not conjoined, are not disjoined, are formless, cannot be pointed out, do not obstruct, and have only one mark—that is, no mark. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should train in the nonexistence203 of all phenomena. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should know all dharmas.” [F.114.a]
Subhūti then asked, “Lord, what are all phenomena? How do bodhisattva great beings train in the nonexistence of all phenomena? How do bodhisattva great beings know all phenomena?”
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, all phenomena are said to be wholesome, unwholesome, objects of moral inquiry and not objects of moral inquiry, ordinary and extraordinary, with outflows and without outflows, compounded and uncompounded, basic immorality and not basic immorality, and shared in common and not shared in common. Subhūti, these are said to be all phenomena. Bodhisattva great beings should train in their nonexistence. All those are the phenomena bodhisattva great beings should know.”[B9]
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, ordinary wholesome phenomena are said to be honoring mothers, honoring fathers, honoring those following a secluded religious life, and honoring brahmins; attending to the needs of family elders; the basis of meritorious action arisen from giving; the basis of meritorious action arisen from morality and arisen from meditation, that which accompanies service, and skillful means;204 the ten wholesome actions; the ordinary perception of a bloated corpse, the cleaned-out-by-worms perception, the perception of it as putrid, the bloodied perception, the black-and-blue perception, the savaged perception, the torn-asunder perception, the bones perception, [F.114.b] and the burnt-bones perception; the four ordinary concentrations, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions; and the ordinary mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Saṅgha, mindfulness of morality, mindfulness of giving away, mindfulness of the gods, mindfulness of breathing in and out, mindfulness of death, mindfulness of what is included in the body, and mindfulness of disgust. Those, Subhūti, are said to be ordinary wholesome phenomena.”
“Lord, what are ordinary unwholesome phenomena?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, ordinary unwholesome phenomena are killing, stealing, illicit sex because of lust, lying, backbiting,205 insulting, babbling nonsense, coveting, malice, wrong view, anger, bearing a grudge, dissembling, nursing pent-up anger, violence, jealousy, envy, and pride. Those, Subhūti, are said to be ordinary unwholesome phenomena.
“Lord, what are ordinary neutral phenomena?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, physical karma is neutral, verbal karma is neutral, and thinking-mind karma is neutral.206 The four great elements are neutral, the five faculties are neutral, the six sense fields are neutral, the four formless absorptions are neutral, the aggregates, constituents, and sense fields are neutral, and maturation is neutral. Those, Subhūti, are said to be ordinary neutral phenomena.”
The Lord replied, [F.115.a] “Subhūti, ordinary phenomena are said to be the five aggregates, twelve sense fields, eighteen constituents, ten wholesome actions, four concentrations, four immeasurables, four formless absorptions, five clairvoyances, and as many ordinary dharmas not included with extraordinary dharmas as there are. Those are said to be ordinary phenomena.”
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, extraordinary phenomena are said to be the four applications of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four legs of miraculous power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven limbs of awakening, and the eightfold noble path; the emptiness gateway to liberation, the signless gateway to liberation, and the wishless gateway to liberation; the faculty of coming to understand what has not yet been understood, the faculty of understanding, and the faculty of having understood; meditative stabilization with applied and sustained thought, meditative stabilization without applied thought but with sustained thought, and meditative stabilization without either applied or sustained thought; and knowledge, freedom, mindfulness, introspection, correct attention, and the eight deliverances.
“What are the eight deliverances? With form one sees form. This is the first deliverance. With the perception of no form inside one sees form outside. This is the second deliverance. One believes it is pleasant. This is the third deliverance.207 Totally transcending perceptions of form, setting to rest perceptions of obstruction, not paying attention to perceptions of difference, in endless space one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of endless space. This is [F.115.b] the fourth deliverance. Totally transcending the station of endless space, in endless consciousness one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of endless consciousness. This is the fifth deliverance. Totally transcending the station of endless consciousness, in nothing-at-all one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of nothing-at-all. This is the sixth deliverance. Totally transcending the station of nothing-at-all, in neither perception nor nonperception one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of neither perception nor nonperception. This is the seventh deliverance. Totally transcending the station of neither perception nor nonperception one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth deliverance.
“Then there are the nine serial absorptions.
“What are the nine? Detached from sense objects, and detached from wrong unwholesome dharmas, one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the first concentration that has applied thought and sustained thought, and enjoyment and pleasure born of detachment. Relieved of applied thought and sustained thought, with an inner serene confidence and a mind that has become a single continuum one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the second concentration that has enjoyment and pleasure born of a meditative stabilization without applied thought and without sustained thought. Because one is free from attachment to enjoyment one abides in equanimity, and with equanimity and recollection and introspection one experiences pleasure with the body, and one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the third concentration without enjoyment, about which the noble beings say, ‘They have equanimity and recollection and dwell in pleasure.’ Because one has forsaken pleasure, has earlier forsaken suffering, has set to rest mental happiness and mental unhappiness and has equanimity that is neither pleasure nor suffering, and has recollection, one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the fourth concentration. Totally transcending of form, [F.116.a] setting to rest perceptions of obstruction, not paying attention to perceptions of difference, in endless space one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of endless space. Totally transcending the station of endless space, in endless consciousness one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of endless consciousness. Totally transcending the station of endless consciousness, in nothing-at-all one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of nothing-at-all. Totally transcending the station of nothing-at-all, in neither perception nor nonperception one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the station of neither perception nor nonperception. Totally transcending the station of neither perception nor nonperception one perfectly accomplishes and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling. Those are the nine serial absorptions.
“And from inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, the ten tathāgata powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four detailed and thorough knowledges, and the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha—these are said to be extraordinary phenomena.
“What are phenomena with outflows? They are the five aggregates, twelve sense fields, eighteen constituents, four concentrations, four immeasurables, and four formless absorptions. Those are said to be phenomena with outflows.
“What are phenomena without outflows? They are the four applications of mindfulness, four right efforts, four legs of miraculous power, five faculties, five powers, seven limbs of awakening, and eightfold noble path; the ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges; [F.116.b] up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. Those are said to be phenomena without outflows.
“What are compounded phenomena? The desire realm, form realm, and formless realm, and whatever other phenomena included with the compounded that are not those: the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. Those are said to be compounded phenomena.
“What are uncompounded phenomena? Phenomena that do not arise, that do not pass away, and where otherness does not appear;208 the extinction of greed, extinction of hatred, and extinction of confusion; suchness, unmistaken suchness, and unaltered suchness; the true nature of dharmas, the dharma-constituent, the establishment of dharmas, the certification of dharmas, and the very limit of reality—those are said to be uncompounded phenomena.
“What are phenomena shared in common? They are the four concentrations, four immeasurables, four formless absorptions, and five clairvoyances. Those are said to be phenomena shared in common.
“What are phenomena not shared in common? They are the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, three gateways to liberation, up to the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha. Those are said to be phenomena not shared in common.
“Bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should train in nonattachment to all phenomena that are empty of their own marks, and in their nonexistence, by not constructing any phenomena and not entertaining any ideas about them.209 They should know all phenomena in a nondual way.”
Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, [F.117.a] “Lord, you say ‘bodhisattva great beings.’ Why do you say ‘bodhisattva great beings’?”
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, they will become the foremost210 of a great mass of beings, a great collection211 of groups of beings; therefore, they are said to be ‘bodhisattva great beings.’ ”
“Lord, who are the great mass of beings, the collection of groups of beings of whom bodhisattva great beings will become foremost?” asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, those said to be the great assembly of beings are those at the Gotra level, those at the Aṣṭamaka level, stream enterers, once-returners, non-returners, worthy ones, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas with the first production of the thought, up to bodhisattva great beings standing on the irreversible level. Subhūti, those are said to be the great mass of beings, the great collection of groups of beings. Bodhisattva great beings will become the foremost of them.
“There bodhisattva great beings, having produced the vajra-like thought, should become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings.”
The Lord replied, “Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings produce such thoughts as these: ‘I must buckle on armor for the sake of all beings in infinite saṃsāra’; ‘I must give away all my personal possessions’; ‘I must adopt the same attitude of mind toward all beings’; ‘I must lead all beings to nirvāṇa by means of the three vehicles’; ‘I must understand that [F.117.b] even having led all beings to nirvāṇa, still there are no beings at all in nirvāṇa,212 and all phenomena are not produced and do not stop’; ‘I must practice the six perfections with the unmixed213 thought of the knowledge of all aspects’; ‘I must train in the all-pervasive, thoroughly established realization of dharmas’; and ‘I must train in order to awaken to finding and producing within myself all dharmas in accord with one principle, up to in order to awaken to finding and producing within myself infinite dharmas.’ They produce such thoughts, and that, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ production of the vajra-like thought, abiding in which they become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings, and they do so, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings produce such a thought as this: ‘Whatever feelings of suffering beings in hell, in the animal world, and in the world of Yama experience, I must experience those feelings of suffering for them.’ They produce that thought.
“There bodhisattva great beings should produce a higher thought like this: ‘Until those beings are in complete nirvāṇa, in the element of nirvāṇa without any aggregates left behind, I must, even for the sake of one being,214 experience the suffering of beings in hells for many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion eons, and through such means, until those beings are in complete nirvāṇa, in the element of nirvāṇa without any aggregates left behind, I must, for the sake of all beings, experience the suffering of beings in hells. Afterward, having set down wholesome roots, [F.118.a] having accumulated equipment for hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion eons, I must fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening for my own sake.’ They should produce that thought. That, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ production of the vajra-like thought, abiding in which they become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should constantly and always cultivate a prodigious thought, the thought on account of which they become the foremost of all beings. There the bodhisattva great beings’ prodigious thought is that from their first production of that thought onward they will not have a greedy thought, will not have a hateful thought, will not have a confused thought, will not have a violent thought, and will not have a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha thought. That, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ prodigious thought on account of which they become the foremost of all beings, but without falsely projecting anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should have an unshakable thought. There the bodhisattva great beings’ unshakable thought is that their attention connected with the knowledge of all aspects does not falsely project anything. That, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ unshakable thought.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should think to be of benefit and bring happiness to all beings. There, the bodhisattva great beings’ thought to be of benefit and bring happiness is that they protect all beings and do not give up on all beings, but without falsely projecting anything. That, Subhūti, is the bodhisattva great beings’ thought to be of benefit [F.118.b] and bring happiness.
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that become the foremost of all beings, and they do so, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings must constantly and always want Dharma, enjoy Dharma, delight in Dharma, and be preoccupied with being delighted by Dharma. In regard to that, what is Dharma? It is this: the unbroken unity of all dharmas.
“What is it to enjoy Dharma? It is to enjoy and take pleasure in Dharma. That is called to enjoy Dharma.
“What is it to delight in Dharma? It is to behold good qualities and benefits in Dharma. That is called to delight in Dharma.
“What is it to be preoccupied with being delighted215 by Dharma? It is to meditate on and greatly increase just that Dharma. That is called to be preoccupied with being delighted by Dharma.
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings and they do so, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should stand in inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings, and do so, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should stand in the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, and in the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four detailed and thorough knowledges, up to [F.119.a] the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, and become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings, and do so, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should abide in the vajropama meditative stabilization, up to216 abide in the ākāśāsaṃgavimuktinirupalepa meditative stabilization and become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings, and do so, furthermore, by way of not apprehending anything.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom, having stood in those dharmas, become the foremost of a great mass of beings, of a great collection of groups of beings. Hence, bodhisattvas are said to be great beings.
This was the eleventh chapter, “Embarrassment,”217 of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”