The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines
Chapter 65
Toh 9
Degé Kangyur, vol. 26 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ka), folios 1.b–382.a; vol. 27 (shes phyin, nyi khri, kha), folios 1.b–393.a; and vol. 28 (shes phyin, nyi khri, ga), folios 1.b–381.a
Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2023
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines is among the most important scriptures underlying both the “vast” and the “profound” approaches to Buddhist thought and practice. Known as the “middle-length” version, being the second longest of the three long Perfection of Wisdom sūtras, it fills three volumes of the Kangyur. Like the two other long sūtras, it records the major teaching on the perfection of wisdom given by the Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak, detailing all aspects of the path to enlightenment while at the same time emphasizing how bodhisattvas must put them into practice without taking them—or any aspects of enlightenment itself—as having even the slightest true existence.
Acknowledgements
Translation by the Padmakara Translation Group. A complete draft by Gyurme Dorje was first edited by Charles Hastings, then revised and further edited by John Canti. The introduction was written by John Canti. We are grateful for the advice and help received from Gareth Sparham, Greg Seton, and Nathaniel Rich.
This translation is dedicated to the memory of our late colleague, long-time friend, and vajra brother Gyurme Dorje (1950–2020), who worked assiduously on this translation in his final years and into the very last months of his life. We would also like to express our gratitude to his wife, Xiaohong, for the extraordinary support she gave him on so many levels.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The generous sponsorship of Kris Yao and Xiang-Jen Yao, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Chapter 65
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, if bodhisattva great beings do not have the fortune to have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, even though they have perfected the path of enlightenment by practicing the six perfections; by practicing the fourteen aspects of emptiness and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; by practicing the three gateways of liberation, the meditative concentrations, the aspects of liberation, the meditative stabilities, all the [formless] absorptions, the truths of the noble ones, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways; and by practicing the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, Blessed Lord, how do those bodhisattva great beings attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, [F.280.b] “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if through skill in means they practice the perfection of generosity but do so without apprehending gifts, donors, or recipients, and without engaging in anything else apart from these [three] attributes, {Ki.VIII: 106} at that time bodhisattva great beings acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if through skill in means they practice the perfection of ethical discipline but do so without apprehending [the vows of] ethical discipline or those who maintain ethical discipline, and without engaging in anything else apart from these two attributes, at that time bodhisattva great beings acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they practice the perfection of tolerance but do so without apprehending tolerance or those who are tolerant, and without engaging in anything else apart from these two attributes, at that time bodhisattva great beings will acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings [F.281.a] practice the perfection of wisdom, if they practice the perfection of perseverance but do so without apprehending perseverance or those who undertake perseverance, and without engaging in anything else apart from these two attributes, at that time bodhisattva great beings will acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they practice the perfection of meditative concentration but do so without apprehending meditative concentration or those who meditate, and without engaging in anything else apart from these two attributes, at that time bodhisattva great beings will acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they cultivate the perfection of wisdom but do so without apprehending wisdom or those who have wisdom, and without engaging in anything else apart from these two attributes, at that time bodhisattva great beings will acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings [F.281.b] practice the perfection of wisdom, if they practice [the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, but do so without apprehending the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth] or those who cultivate the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], and without engaging in anything else apart from these two attributes, at that time bodhisattva great beings will acquire the path of enlightenment. Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, through skill in means they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”
Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, how do they persevere in the path of enlightenment?”
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom through skill in means they neither associate with nor disassociate from physical forms. If you ask why, it is because physical forms have no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate. They neither associate with nor disassociate from feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness. If you ask why, it is because consciousness [and so forth] have no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate.
“They neither associate with nor disassociate from the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination. If you ask why, it is because the links of dependent origination [and so forth] have no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate.
“They neither associate with nor disassociate from the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, or the factors conducive to enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because the factors conducive to enlightenment [and so forth] have no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate. {Ki.VIII: 107} [F.282.a]
“They neither associate with nor disassociate from the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, or the dhāraṇī gateways. If you ask why, it is because the dhāraṇī gateways [and so forth] have no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate.
“They neither associate with nor disassociate from the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, or the distinct qualities of the buddhas. If you ask why, it is because the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth] have no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate.”
“Blessed Lord, if there is no essential nature with which they could associate or from which they could disassociate, how do bodhisattva great beings actualize the perfection of wisdom, in which they should train? Without having trained in the perfection of wisdom, bodhisattva great beings cannot attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”
“Śāradvatīputra, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “It is as you have said. Without having trained in the perfection of wisdom, bodhisattva great beings cannot attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. But they do so through skill in means, not without skill in means. Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattva great beings [F.282.b] practice the perfection of wisdom, if they were to apprehend the lack of essential nature with respect to anything, for that reason they would also grasp it. But, on the contrary, since they do not apprehend that, what could be grasped such that one could say, ‘These are physical forms. These are feelings. These are perceptions. These are formative predispositions. This is consciousness’? What could be grasped such that one could say, ‘These are the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination. These are the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, and the factors conducive to enlightenment. These are the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways. These are the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas. These are [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience’?
“Śāradvatīputra, the perfection of wisdom cannot be grasped. The perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity cannot be grasped. All the aspects of emptiness and the factors conducive to enlightenment cannot be grasped. The truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, [F.283.a] emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways cannot be grasped. The ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas cannot be grasped.
“Śāradvatīputra, this is a perfection that cannot be grasped. Such is the perfection of wisdom. Bodhisattva great beings should train in it. Bodhisattva great beings who train in it do not apprehend even the training, let alone the perfection of wisdom, let alone enlightenment, let alone the attributes of enlightenment, let alone the attributes of the buddhas, let alone the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas, let alone the attributes of the śrāvakas, let alone the attributes of ordinary persons. If you ask why, Śāradvatīputra, it is because the essential nature of anything at all is not discerned. When, in that manner, all phenomena have the essential nature of nonentity, what are the attributes of ordinary persons? What are those of one entering the stream to nirvāṇa? What are those of one destined for only one more rebirth, one no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, or pratyekabuddhas? What are those of bodhisattvas? What are those of tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas? If these individuals are not apprehensible, how could the attributes that describe an ordinary person, one entering the stream to nirvāṇa, one destined for only one more rebirth, one no longer subject to rebirth, an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, a bodhisattva, or a tathāgata, arhat, [F.283.b] completely awakened buddha possibly arise?”
“Blessed Lord, when all phenomena are nonentities, why is it apprehended that ‘this is an ordinary person,’ and so on, up to ‘this is a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha’?”
“Śāradvatīputra, does there exist, has there existed, or will there exist an entity of physical forms such as that on which ordinary people are fixated?” asked the Blessed One in return.
“No, Blessed Lord, except in erroneous views.”
“Śāradvatīputra, does there exist, has there existed, or will there exist an entity of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness, such as those on which ordinary people are fixated?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord, except in erroneous views.”
“Śāradvatīputra, does there exist, has there existed, or will there exist an entity of [the causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, such as those on which ordinary people are fixated?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord, except in erroneous views.”
“Śāradvatīputra, it is so. It is so,” continued the Blessed One. “It is through erroneous views that beings falsely imagine all phenomena that are nonentities. Therefore, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, through skill in means they see that all phenomena are nonentities and set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.” {Ki.VIII: 109} [F.284.a]
“Blessed Lord, what is the skill in means through which bodhisattva great beings see that all phenomena are nonentities and set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”
“In this regard, Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not observe anything at all as an entity that would impede them; or as an entity that, having impeded them, would cause them to be discouraged; or that, having caused them to be discouraged, would cause them to be idle; or that, having caused them to be idle, would cause them to be exasperated; or that, having caused them to be exasperated, would cause them to be indolent.
“Śāradvatīputra, apart from the delusion of beings that is fixated on phenomena such as ‘aggregates,’ ‘sense fields,’ ‘sensory elements,’ or ‘links of dependent origination,’ all phenomena are nonentities. They are without life forms and devoid of life. They are of the essential nature of nonentity. They are empty of inherent existence. So it is that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they observe that all phenomena are of the essential nature of nonentity, empty of inherent existence, and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics. Conjuring up their body in the manner of an illusionist, they teach the Dharma to beings. To those beings who have become miserly, they speak of generosity. To those of poor ethical discipline, they converse on ethical discipline. To beings with malice, they speak of tolerance. [F.284.b] To those who are indolent, they speak of perseverance. To those of distracted mind, they speak of meditative stability. To those of stupidity, they speak of wisdom. And once those beings have been established in generosity, and established in ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative stability, and wisdom, they speak to them about sublime matters, through which they will attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, they will attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, they will attain the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, they will attain arhatship, they will attain individual enlightenment, and they will attain all-aspect omniscience.”
“Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they converse with beings who are nonexistent and not discernible, engaging them in generosity and engaging them in ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative stability, and wisdom, and, over and above that, converse with them on sublime matters through which they will attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, attain the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, or individual enlightenment, and attain [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, how are they not apprehensible?” {Ki.VIII: 110}
“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “there is no apprehending at all for bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom. If you ask why, it is because when those bodhisattva [F.285.a] great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not apprehend any beings at all, except in conventional terms by way of relative symbols. In this regard, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings teach the Dharma to beings, having been established in the two truths—the relative truth and the ultimate truth—but, Śāradvatīputra, in the context of the two truths beings are not apprehended, nor are beings conceived. On the contrary, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom through skill in means, they teach the Dharma to beings through which those beings will have no apprehending of self in this very lifetime—not to mention something that they should attain or by which they should gain attainment. It is in this manner, Śāradvatīputra, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, through skill in means they teach the Dharma to beings.”
“Blessed Lord, bodhisattva great beings do not apprehend singularity or difference with respect to anything at all. They don such an armor, and by donning that armor, they are not perceptible in the realm of desire, nor are they perceptible in the realm of form, nor are they perceptible in the realm of formlessness. They are not perceptible, either in conditioned elements or in unconditioned elements. Endowed with great enthusiasm, they liberate beings from the three realms and yet they do not apprehend beings, nor do they apprehend any concept of beings. Since there is no concept of beings, beings are neither bound nor liberated. Since beings are neither bound nor liberated, they are neither afflicted nor [F.285.b] purified. Since they are neither afflicted nor purified, the minds of those on the path are not apprehended as different, and for the minds of those on the path that are not differentiated, there will be no karma or afflicted mental states. When there is no karma or afflicted mental states, from where could there possibly arise the maturation [of past actions] through which they themselves, or other beings, are perceptible, roaming within the five classes of living beings?”
“Śāradvatīputra, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “As you have said, if any being had appeared in the past but not in the future—or similarly, if any had existed in the past but not in the future—or if the tathāgatas and bodhisattvas had similarly passed away in that manner, [there would be a fault];551 but, on the contrary, Śāradvatīputra, whether the tathāgatas have appeared or whether the tathāgatas have not appeared, the real nature of phenomena, the unmistaken real nature, the one and only real nature, reality, the realm of phenomena, the abiding nature of phenomena, the maturity with respect to all phenomena, the very limit of reality, and the inconceivable realm dwell in this manner. Since in it there is no self, no being, no life form, no living being, {Ki.VIII: 111} no life, no living creature, no individual person, no human being, no person, no actor, no experiencer, no knower, and no viewer, how could physical forms possibly exist in it? How could feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness possibly exist in it? How could the sense fields, the sensory elements, or the links of dependent origination possibly exist in it? [F.286.a] How could the attributes associated with the links of dependent origination possibly exist in it? If these attributes are nonexistent, from what cyclic existence with its five classes of living beings could beings be liberated? How could such phenomena possibly exist in it?
“In this regard, Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings, having heard from the lord buddhas of the past that such phenomena are empty of essential nature, set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, for the sake of beings. Apart from the fixation of ordinary persons, which is due to their erroneous views, they do not apprehend beings or anything at all. Śāradvatīputra, such is the mighty armor that bodhisattva great beings don. By donning that armor, they make irreversible progress toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and they think, ‘I should not fail to attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment! Rather, I should absolutely attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment! Even after attaining consummate buddhahood, I should act in accordance with the Dharma for the sake of beings, and through those acts of benefit liberate beings from erroneous views!’
“Śāradvatīputra, this is just as if an illusionist or a phantom person were to conjure up many hundred billion trillions of living creatures and satisfy them with an abundance of delicious and pleasant food and delicacies, and, having satisfied them in that manner, were to purposefully say, ‘I have accrued much merit! I have accrued much merit!’ In that case, Śāradvatīputra, [F.286.b] do you think that anyone would be fed or satisfied? Would anyone have accrued merit?”
“No, Blessed Lord!”
“Similarly, Śāradvatīputra,” continued the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, indeed practice the perfections; practice all the aspects of emptiness; practice the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; practice the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the extrasensory powers, all the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways; practice the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, {Ki.VIII: 112} and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; perfect the path of enlightenment; and refine the buddhafields, they bring beings to maturation and yet they do not apprehend any being at all, such as they might apprehend and then discipline.” [B72]
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, what path of enlightenment do bodhisattva great beings practice? What is the path of enlightenment of bodhisattva great beings who bring beings to maturation and refine the buddhafields?” [F.287.a]
“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattva great beings, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, practice the perfection of generosity. They practice the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative stability, and the perfection of wisdom. They practice the emptiness of internal phenomena. They practice the emptiness of external phenomena. They practice the emptiness of external and internal phenomena. They practice [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity. They practice the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. They practice the four truths of the noble ones, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the five extrasensory powers, all the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways. They practice the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. They bring beings to maturation, and they also refine the buddhafields.”
“Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings bring beings to maturation, while practicing the perfection of generosity?”
“In this regard, Subhūti,” [F.287.b] replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they dispense generosity to beings, and having given them gifts, they instruct and advise them as follows: ‘Noble children, do not acquisitively grasp this gift! By acquisitively grasping this gift and then [in the next life] assuming a physical body, you will experience many sufferings. Such is the physical body you will assume! Noble children, here in ultimate reality there is no generosity, nor is there a fruit of generosity, nor is there a donor of generosity, nor is there a recipient of generosity. All these phenomena are empty of inherent existence. Something that is empty of inherent existence cannot be received. Emptiness of inherent existence cannot be grasped.’
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity, they dispense generosity to beings, but do not apprehend generosity. They do not apprehend the donor of generosity and they do not apprehend the recipient. This is a perfection that is nonapprehensible. {Ki.VIII: 113} Such is the perfection of generosity. By not apprehending any of these three attributes—[gift, donor, or recipient]—they engage beings in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa. They engage them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and arhatship. They engage them in individual enlightenment, and they engage them in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity in that manner, they bring beings to maturation. They themselves dispense generosity and they also encourage others to [practice] generosity. They praise generosity, and they also praise and take empathetic delight in other beings who dispense generosity. [F.288.a] So it is that when they dispense such great gifts of generosity, these bodhisattva great beings will be born equal in fortune to the great and lofty royal families. They will be born equal in fortune to the great and lofty priestly families. They will be born equal in fortune to the great and lofty householder families. They will become a regional king, or they will acquire the rank of a universal emperor.
“In these states, they will also attract beings through the four attractive qualities. If you ask what these four are, they comprise generosity, pleasant speech, purposeful activity, and harmony. Then gradually they will also establish beings who are attracted by such acts of generosity in ethical discipline, and they will establish them in tolerance, perseverance, meditative stability, and wisdom. They will establish them in the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, and the four formless absorptions. They will establish them in the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. They will establish them in the four truths of the noble ones, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the gateways of liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness—the five extrasensory powers, all the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways. They will cause them to enter into the maturity [of the bodhisattvas], and cause them to attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and arhatship. [F.288.b] They will cause them to attain individual enlightenment, and encourage them to [attain] unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, saying, ‘O you people! As for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, it is not difficult to attain consummate buddhahood. With the exception of the misunderstanding of deluded beings due to erroneous views, there is nothing at all to which beings are attached that exists according to the essential nature. Therefore, you should sever the continuity of all erroneous grasping and release yourselves from cyclic existence, and you should also release others! In that manner you yourself should undertake acts of great benefit, and you should also engage others in acts of great benefit!’
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of generosity in that manner. When they practice in that manner, commencing from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment, they will never by any means fall into the lower realms, and they will never fail to become a universal emperor and act accordingly. If you ask why, just as a seed produces fruit, however many petitioners approach that universal emperor, the universal emperor will think, ‘I have assumed the fruitional state of a universal emperor for the sake of nothing but the welfare of beings!’ {Ki.VIII: 114} And he will then say, ‘Whatever you want will be given to you! This is yours, not mine! I have no interest in my inner body, let alone in anything outside! I have assumed [a rebirth within] cyclic existence for nothing but the welfare of beings. Indeed, I have no interest in cyclic existence for my own sake.’ Having perfected great compassion imbued with love, they act for the benefit of beings through great compassion, [F.289.a] but do not apprehend such beings as consummately real, instead engaging with them as notions, names, and conventional expressions. They know that even this act of engagement is devoid of engagement, like an echo.
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of generosity in that manner. When they do so, there is nothing at all that they should not sacrifice for the sake of beings, even so far as their own flesh, not to even mention the external resources with which they liberate beings from cyclic existence! They should practice in that manner.”
“What are those resources?”
The Blessed One replied, “The perfection of generosity is a resource. The perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative stability, and the perfection of wisdom are resources. The emptiness of internal phenomena is a resource. The emptiness of external phenomena is a resource. The emptiness of external and internal phenomena is a resource. [The other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, are resources. The applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path are resources. The truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways are resources. The powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, [F.289.b] great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas are resources. These are all resources. Through these resources they attract beings and gradually bring them to attain final nirvāṇa by means of the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, the Great Vehicle, or all three vehicles. Subhūti, it is in this manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, attract beings through the perfection of generosity.
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the perfection of ethical discipline, while practicing the perfection of generosity, in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, settled in the perfection of generosity, dispense generosity to beings, and when they dispense generosity, they would say, ‘Come here, noble children! You should keep [the vows of] ethical discipline! I will ensure that you are not deprived of food, drink, clothing, bedding, flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, houses, wealth, grain, gemstones, pearls, beryl, conch, crystal, coral, gold, silver, and the facility of human resources, up to and including any resource whatsoever. Since it seems that you engaged in immorality due to deprivation, I will ensure that you are not deprived of any resources and [necessities], up to and including the seven precious materials. Consequently, having received the vows of ethical discipline, you should gradually put an end to suffering by means of the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, the vehicle of all-aspect omniscience, or all three vehicles.’ [F.290.a]
“Those bodhisattva great beings should themselves keep [the vows of] ethical discipline, and they should also encourage others to [keep the vows of] ethical discipline. They also speak in praise of ethical discipline, and they praise and delight in empathy with other beings who keep [the vows of] ethical discipline. In that manner, bodhisattva great beings engage those beings in ethical discipline and establish them in ethical discipline. Gradually they bring them to attain final nirvāṇa by means of the three vehicles. Subhūti, it is in that manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, attract beings through the perfection of ethical discipline. {Ki.VIII: 115}
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the perfection of tolerance, while practicing the perfection of generosity, in this regard, Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings, settled in the perfection of generosity, see any beings who are angered or malicious, they would say to them, ‘Noble children, for what reason do you indulge in malice? If being deprived of anything causes you to indulge in malice, you should take it from me! I will ensure that you are not deprived of food, drink, or any other resources whatsoever, up to and including any of the things that human beings require. You should do away with anger and malice!’ It is in that manner that bodhisattva great beings maintain the perfection of generosity. They should engage beings in tolerance, saying, ‘The enmity through which your anger arises is pointless. In it there is no entity at all. This anger is a false imagination. [F.290.b] There is no inherent existence of entities at all, and this applies to any entity that might cause you to quarrel and indulge in enmity and malice, or that, having caused you to quarrel and indulge in enmity and malice, might then provoke you into fighting with clubs, piercing with weapons, or robbing one another of life. Since that is the case, if you are disturbed by false imaginations, you will fall into the hells, you will fall into the animal realm, and into the world of Yama, and in other lower realms apart from those you will also experience intolerable sufferings and unpleasant sensations of heat and harshness. As a result of having acquired karma for the sake of something that is a nonentity, you people will fail to obtain even a human birth, not to mention [the prospect] of you encountering a buddha who has appeared! Do not acquire such karma! Friends, the appearance of a buddha is rare. The obtaining of a human birth is rare. The excellence of freedom [to practice the Dharma] is rare. Release from cyclic existence is rare. Since that is the case, do not render this freedom meaningless! Do not resort to unfavorable states [with no freedom to practice the Dharma], and do not resort to unrectifiable states!’
“In this regard, bodhisattva great beings should themselves practice tolerance and they should also encourage others to [practice] tolerance. They also speak in praise of tolerance, and they praise and delight in empathy with other beings cultivating tolerance. In that manner bodhisattva great beings engage beings in tolerance and establish them in tolerance. Gradually they bring them to attain final nirvāṇa by means of the three vehicles. {Ki.VIII: 116} Subhūti, it is in that manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, [F.291.a] attract beings through the perfection of tolerance.
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the perfection of perseverance, while practicing the perfection of generosity, in this regard, Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings see beings who are indolent and weak in perseverance, they would say, ‘Why do you act indolently?’ If they reply that it is because they lack fortunate conditions, in that case, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of generosity should say to those beings, ‘O people, I will provide you with the favorable condition of generosity, the favorable condition of ethical discipline, the favorable condition of tolerance, or anything else that will enable you to undertake perseverance. Undertake perseverance!’ Consequently, these beings enjoy the resources of those bodhisattva great beings and they undertake acts of physical and mental perseverance. Through physical and mental perseverance they perfect all virtuous attributes and through these virtuous attributes they cultivate attributes that are without contamination. By having cultivated these, they will attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and arhatship. They will attain individual enlightenment, and they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
“In this regard, bodhisattva great beings should themselves undertake acts of perseverance and they should also encourage others to [undertake] acts of perseverance. They also speak in praise of perseverance, and [F.291.b] they praise and delight in empathy with other beings who undertake acts of perseverance. In that manner bodhisattva great beings engage beings in perseverance and establish them in perseverance. Gradually they bring them to attain final nirvāṇa by means of the three vehicles. Subhūti, it is in that manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, attract beings through the perfection of perseverance.
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the perfection of meditative concentration, while practicing the perfection of generosity, in this regard, Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings see beings who are distracted, they would say, ‘Why are you beings not absorbed in meditative concentration?’ And if they were to reply that it is because they lack fortunate conditions, in that case, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of generosity should advise those beings, ‘O beings, I will provide you with favorable conditions according to your needs through which you will be without conceptual thoughts concerning external and internal phenomena.’ Consequently, these bodhisattva great beings will provide those beings with favorable conditions according to their needs, through which they will be without conceptual thoughts. So it is that those beings will sever their conceptual thoughts and become absorbed in the first meditative concentration. They will become absorbed in the second meditative concentration, the third meditative concentration, and the fourth meditative concentration. They will become absorbed in loving kindness. They will become absorbed in compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. [F.292.a] They will become absorbed in the sphere of infinite space, and they will become absorbed in the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. By having tamed their minds through absorption in these meditative concentrations, immeasurable attitudes, and formless absorptions, they will then cultivate the four applications of mindfulness. They will cultivate the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path, and they will cultivate the three gateways to liberation. {Ki.VIII: 117} By having cultivated these [attributes] they will gradually attain final nirvāṇa by means of the three vehicles, and some of them will not degenerate from the path of enlightenment until they have attained unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Subhūti, it is in this manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, attract beings through the perfection of meditative stability.
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the perfection of wisdom, while practicing the perfection of generosity, in this regard, Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings maintaining the perfection of generosity see beings who have resorted to stupidity, they would say, ‘Why do you beings not cultivate wisdom?’ And if they were to reply that it is because they lack fortunate conditions, in that case, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of generosity should advise and instruct those beings, saying, ‘Take resources from me! Give gifts! Keep [the vows of] ethical discipline! Cultivate tolerance! Undertake acts of perseverance! Be absorbed in meditative stability! [F.292.b] When you perfect these aspects and cultivate the perfection of wisdom, you should examine whether there is anything at all that exists, whether selves, sentient beings, life forms, living beings, lives, living creatures, individual persons, human beings, people, actors, experiencers, knowers, viewers, physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, consciousness, sense fields, sensory elements, links of dependent origination, perfections, any aspects of emptiness, factors conducive to enlightenment, truths of the noble ones, meditative concentrations, immeasurable attitudes, formless absorptions, aspects of liberation, serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, extrasensory powers, meditative stabilities, dhāraṇī gateways, powers of the tathāgatas, fearlessnesses, kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, distinct qualities of the buddhas, the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment, or [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience.’
“Consequently, when these bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not apprehend anything. They do not apprehend any such thing on which they would be fixated, and since they are without fixation, they do not observe anything at all that arises or ceases, or that is defiled or purified. [F.293.a] Since they do not observe anything, they do not think, ‘This is a being in the hells. This is one born in the animal realm. This is one belonging to the world of Yama. This is one included within the class of asuras. This is a god. This is a human being. This is one who keeps [the vows of] ethical discipline. This is an immoral being. This is one has entered the stream to nirvāṇa. This is one destined for only one more rebirth. This is one no longer subject to rebirth. This is an arhat. This is a pratyekabuddha. This is a bodhisattva. This is a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha.’
“Subhūti, it is in this manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, attract beings through the perfection of wisdom. {Ki.VIII: 118}
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings engage beings in the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, while maintaining the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative stability, and the perfection of wisdom, in this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings provide resources to beings, and the beings who are favored with these resources cultivate the factors conducive to enlightenment. By cultivating these factors conducive to enlightenment, they will be released from cyclic existence. Subhūti, it is in that manner that bodhisattva great beings, while maintaining the six perfections, engage beings in the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, [F.293.b] if bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of generosity see beings who are unprotected, imbued with suffering, and deprived of food and clothing, they bring them to maturation, advising and instructing them with the following words: ‘Come here, noble children! Take from me food, drink, transport, bedding, flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, the facilities of human beings, or any resources whatsoever, up to and including the seven precious materials! Let them be of help to beings!552 [May that bring about your welfare, benefit, and happiness for a long period of time! Do not think this benefit is theirs but not mine. You yourself have achieved this benefit for the sake of beings for a long time. You should think, “That which is mine is yours,” and dispense it for the sake of beings. Through that act of generosity, too, you should engage them in ethical discipline, and you should engage them in tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, and wisdom. You should engage them in all the aspects of emptiness and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. You should engage them in the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways. You should engage them in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. Do not be contented with that alone. You should establish them higher still in uncontaminated attributes. That is to say, you should establish them in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, and you should establish them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment, and unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.’
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings maintaining the perfection of generosity in that manner bring beings to maturation, they release those who have been brought to maturation in that manner from the three lower realms, and then release them from the entirety of cyclic existence.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings maintaining the perfection of ethical discipline should bring beings to maturation in the following manner: {Ki.VIII: 119} ‘You have engaged in immoral acts because you are lacking in favorable conditions. I will bestow these favorable conditions upon you. Take food, drink, clothing, transport, bedding, flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, the facilities of human beings, and any resource whatsoever, including the seven precious materials! Let these be of benefit to beings!’]553
“Maintaining the perfection of ethical discipline, they help beings through such acts of benefit, and when they have helped them through such acts of benefit, those beings come to adopt and maintain the ten virtuous actions. That is to say, they maintain the vows of ethical discipline, which are untainted, unadulterated, unblemished, nondegenerate, independent, praised by the wise, and absolutely perfect—the causal basis of meditative stability. They maintain the six perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. They maintain the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways. They maintain the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. And they are induced subsequently to attain all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, [F.294.a] while maintaining the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom, if bodhisattva great beings see beings who are narrow-minded and resorting to stupidity, they should bring them to maturation in the following manner: ‘You have resorted to stupidity because you are lacking in any favorable conditions. I will bestow these favorable conditions upon you. Take food, drink, clothing, transport, bedding, flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, unguents, the facilities of human beings, and any resource whatsoever, including the seven precious materials!’
“Maintaining the perfection of wisdom [and so forth], they help beings through such acts of benefit, and having helped them through such acts of benefit, these beings who are undeluded and wise maintain the perfection of wisdom. They maintain the six perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment. They maintain the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways. They maintain the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. And they are induced subsequently to attain all-aspect omniscience.
“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who maintain the perfection of wisdom [F.294.b] in that manner bring beings to maturation, they release those who have been brought to maturation in that manner from the three lower realms, and then release them from the entirety of cyclic existence.”
This completes the sixty-fifth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”