The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom
in Eighteen Thousand Lines - 346
Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā
– Chapter 46 - Teaching the intrinsic nature of all dharmas –
Source: https://read.84000.co/translation/toh10.html
More Analysis of Mahayana Sutras : https://www.gilehtblog.com/2022/07/toc-400.html
[Note: The two truths are:
T1: conventionally dependently co-arisen (interdependent) relatively functional ever-changing impermanent appearances / tools / adapted skillful means, merely labeled / imputed / imagined / created by the mind in dependence of its conditioning / karma (in cycle), not completely non-existence;
T2: emptiness of inherent existence, not real existence;
U2T: those two truths, like any other pair of apparent opposites, are inseparable, interdependent, co-defined, co-relative, co-dependent, co-emergent, co-evolving, co-ceasing / co-transcended, in harmony, in 'Union' <==> thus empty of inherent existence.
They are tools to help us to get to the 'inconceivable' by refuting what 'Reality as it is' is not:
all extreme views like: existence / dharma / causality / functionality, non-existence / non-dharma / non-causality / non-functionality, both together, neither; difference / manyness / diversity / duality, identity / oneness / sameness / non-duality, both together, neither; permanence / continuity / eternity, impermanence / discontinuity / annihilation, both together, neither; individuality, collectivity, universality, a combination of those, none of those; subjectivity, relation / action / process, objectivity, a combination of those, none of those; the 1st truth alone / dependent origination [T1], the 2nd truth alone / mere-emptiness [T2], both two truths together as if different and in opposition [2T], neither of the two truths as if identical and one [1T,]; 'this', 'non-this', both together, neither – for whatever 'this' is.
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The three spheres: ex.
i. The subject / actor / goer / perceiver / knower / acquirer / owner,
ii. The relation / action / going / perceiving / knowing / acquiring / having
iii. The object / result / destination / perceived / known / acquired / possessions / karma / 5 aggregates / body & speech & mind.
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Generalisations:
Whenever it is possible the comments of each section are expressed into a more global context. So they always cover more than just what is said in the various translations. The goal is to make the Big Picture more evident.
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Note: All comments within (i.e. …) or [...] are from the commentator (me), not the translators.)
[Back to Résumés of chapters 42-87]
46. TEACHING THE INTRINSIC NATURE OF ALL DHARMAS – Pursuing, worshiping, attending on a spiritual friend that could teach without teaching the six perfections, the perfection of wisdom, the intrinsic nature of all dharma.
(i.e. Résumé: Pursuing, worshiping, attending on a spiritual friend that could teach without teaching the six perfections, the perfection of wisdom, the intrinsic nature of all dharma, the unique inconceivable all-pervading timeless unborn unconditioned unchanging unceasing pristine Ground / Basis / Source / Genuine-emptiness / Buddha-nature / Suchness / true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is here & now / Union of the Two Truths about all dharmas free from all extremes & middle.
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How should bodhisattva great beings beginning the work train in the perfection of wisdom?
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They should pursue, worship and attend on spiritual friends
who teach without teaching the perfection of wisdom – the six perfection ….
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Ex. Those who teach to practice the six perfections and to dedicate the merit, without any attachment / fixation / absolutes about any of the three spheres – ex. subject / actor / giver, relation / action / giving, object / gift & recipient; or cause / practices, causality, effect / merit / awakening –. Thus acting without acting, more and more in accord with the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]. Teaching without teaching, without any grasping / attachment / obsession / fixation / reification / reference points / absolutes & oppositions [T2] [U2T], without falling for any extreme or middle, without any duality / di-vision between subject & object & action, cause & effect & causality, right & wrong, movement & rest, samsara & nirvana; without accepting / affirming / seeking / adding / doing anything in absolute terms, without rejecting / negating / abandoning / eliminating / subtracting / not-doing anything in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively – as possible temporary adapted skillful means [T1]; thus more and more in accord with the Union of the inconceivable Two Truths [U2T].
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"Those bodhisattva great beings who want unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, who are yearning for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening [T1] even while all phenomena are empty of their own mark [T2] [U2T], are those who do what is difficult.
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"But still, Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings understand that all phenomena are like an illusion and like a dream
they have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
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[a] Bodhisattva great beings have set out for the benefit and happiness of the world.
[b] They have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, thinking,
'May I become
[c] the world's protector.'
They have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, thinking,
'May I become
[d] the world's refuge,
[e] the world's resting place,
[f] the world's final ally,
[g] the world's island,
[h] the world's leader, and
[i] the world's support.' "
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They teach the perfection of wisdom, the intrinsic nature of all dharma, the Union of the Two Truths (dependent origination and emptiness of inherent existence) [U2T], the Union of the three spheres – ex. subject / actor / perceiver / knower, relation / action / perception / cognition, object / result / perceived / known – [U3S / U2T-3S], the Union of opposites [Uopp / U2T-opp] (ex. Union of movement & rest), the Union of the Two truths about the two truths [U2T-2T]; the tetralemma; the Union of the three stages of becoming or three times – origination / coming / past, duration / change / present, cessation / going / future – [U3T / U2T-3T]; that all dharmas are like illusions / reflections / mirages / dreams / echos / magical tricks: 'There, but not there.' [U2T]; the non-production / non-existence / non-conditioning / non-purification / non-cessation in absolute terms of all dharmas, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively; the primordial equality / purity / perfection / divinity / freedom / enlightenment of all dharmas; the acting without acting; etc.
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All phenomena have for their way of being: emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the absence of occasioning anything, non-production, non-stopping, non-defilement, and non-purification, being like illusions / reflections / mirages / dreams / echos / magical-tricks, being unborn and unreal, limitless and boundless, the absence of being taken away from and the absence of being added to, not going and not coming, not bringing in and not sending out, not joining, not not joining, not mingling, and not not mingling, having a self / a being…, permanence, pleasure, a self, pleasure, beauty, impermanence, suffering, no self, and unpleasantness, greed / hatred / confusion / distortion, suchness / dharma-constituent / the very limit of reality, sameness, being unmoving, the five aggregates, the six perfections, the sixteen emptinesses, the applications of mindfulness, the right efforts . . . , the legs of miraculous power . . . , the faculties . . . , the powers . . . , the limbs of awakening . . . , the path . . . , the ten powers . . . , the four fearlessnesses . . . , the four detailed and thorough knowledges . . . , and the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, the six levels. They do not pass beyond that way of being. Because in them neither going, nor existing, not changing, nor coming is apprehended.
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Liberation / completion / purification / omniscience / enlightenment is not gained by rejecting / abandoning samsara / appearances and accepting / seeking nirvana / emptiness. It is gained by training and directly perceiving / realising / experiencing the inconceivable true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is here & now beyond all extremes & middle [U2T].
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So, Bodhisattvas should train in perceiving / realising / experiencing without perceiving / realising / experiencing the inconceivable Union of the Two Truths about any & all dharmas: that all dharmas are like an inconceivable Union of being empty of inherent existence [T2], not really existent / caused / functional <==> because of being conventionally dependently co-arisen (interdependent) relatively functional ever-changing impermanent appearances / tools / adapted skillful means [T1], merely labeled / imputed / designated by the mind [U3S] in dependence of its conditioning / karma, not completely non-existent / non-caused / non-functional / useless / meaningless.
And vice versa; one aspect / truth implies / proves / enables the other (<==>) [U2T].
Note: Something could be co-dependent with its parts and wholes (when applicable), with its causes & conditions and effects (when applicable), with its conceptual opposite(s) (always), and especially co-dependent with the subject / mind merely labeling / imputing it (always).
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That all dharmas are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, magical tricks: 'There, but not there.' [U2T].
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That all dharmas are not existent / caused / functional, not completely non-existent / non-caused / non-functional, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not different / separate / multiple / dual, not identical / united / one / non-dual, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not permanent / continuous / eternal, not impermanent / discontinuous / annihilated, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not dependent, not independent, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not empty, not non-empty, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not dependently arisen, not empty of inherent existence, not both truths together, not neither of the two truths, and there is no fifth; not equal / pure / perfect / divine / complete / free / enlightened, not unequal / impure / imperfect / ordinary / incomplete / non-enlightened, not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth; not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither, and there is no fifth – for whatever 'this' is.
Meaning the true nature & dynamic as it is of any / all dharmas is indescribable / inconceivable for our flawed dualistic conceptual conditioned ordinary mind(s);
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That all dharmas have no real three stages of becoming: origination, duration / change, cessation, or complete absence of those.
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That there is no independent / universal / absolute / inherently existing basis to discriminate / differentiate them in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively.
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That there is nothing to accept / affirm / seek / add / do in absolute terms, nothing to reject / nagate / abandon / eliminate / subtract / not-do in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively.
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That we may as well perceive everything as primordially equal, pure, perfect, divine, complete, free, enlightened, the inseparable three pure kayas, the true Buddha – in the non-dual sense of those terms: not this, not non-this …
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All this applies to all dharmas: ex. the three vajras – physical / body, conceptual / speech, mental / mind –; the three spheres – subject, relation / action / process, object –; apparent opposites in any duality / triad / quad / etc.; name / label & referent / basis; the three stages of becoming – origination, duration / change, cessation –, the three times & space; all Buddha-dharmas, all words / concepts / ideas / teachings / views / methods / practices / milestones / levels / goals; samsara & nirvana; even the two truths themselves, and their 'Union', even the Ground and its manifestations.
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This way one can still use valid useful dharmas / tools / adapted skillful means … conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively, but never in absolute terms.
That is 'acting without acting', without any grasping / attachment / apprehension / obsession / fixation / reification / reference points / absolutes about anything involved – ex. subject, relation / action, object; or apparent opposites –;
without falling into any extreme or middle in relation to any group of opposites;
without accepting / affirming / seeking / adding / improving / doing anything in absolute terms,
without rejecting / negating / abandoning / eliminating / subtracting / not-doing anything in absolute terms,
without changing / defiling / improving / purifying anything in absolute terms,
just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively if it helps somebody to get closer to the inconceivable liberating Truth;
without any di-vision between the three spheres – subject, relation / action, object –;
thus more and more in accord with the inconceivable true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is here & now,
more and more in accord with the inconceivable Union of the Two Truths free from all extremes & middle.
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The important point is that in Reality as it is, in awakening / enlightenment, there are still valid useful conventional tools / adapted skillful means / qualities / virtues / words / symbols / images / concepts / thoughts / feelings / ideas / truths / views / methods / practices / goals / three spheres – subject / beings / relations / activities, objects / phenomena – / body, speech & mind … that can be used without being used to help all sentient beings still stuck in samsara because of their ignorance of the inconceivable true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is here & now [U2T / U3S / Uopp / U2T-2T / Middle Way free from all extremes & middle]. Emptiness does not deny conventional concepts, truths & activities; on the contrary the two truths are primordially inseparable / interdependent / in harmony. The same for samsara & nirvana.)
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti inquired of him,
"Lord, how should bodhisattva great beings beginning the work train in the perfection of wisdom?
How should they train in the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance, perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving?"
"Subhūti," replied the Lord,
"bodhisattva great beings beginning the work who want to train in the perfection of wisdom.
and who want to train in the perfection of concentration, perfection of perseverance,
perfection of patience, perfection of morality, and perfection of giving,
should attend on spiritual friends who teach the perfection of wisdom.
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Those who want to train in . . . up to the perfection of giving
should pursue, 526 worship, 527 and attend on spiritual friends who teach the perfection of giving."They will also teach them this perfection of wisdom:
'Come, son of a good family!
Dedicate all your giving, and what you give, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
Come, son of a good family! Dedicate all your guarding of morality, your cultivation of patience, your making an effort at perseverance, your absorption into concentration, and your cultivation of wisdom to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening
— but, son of a good family,
you should not form an idea of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening from form. 528
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You should not form an idea from feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness.
Son of a good family, you should not form an idea of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening from the perfection of giving.
You should not form such an idea from the perfection of morality, patience, perseverance, concentration, or wisdom.
You should not form such an idea from inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, or from the applications of mindfulness.
You should not form such an idea from the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, or paths.
You should not form such an idea from the five clairvoyances, ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, or eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha.
Son of a good family, you should not even form an idea of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening itself.
You should not form an idea even of . . . up to the knowledge of all aspects.
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And why?
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Because when an idea of form [T1] has not been formed [T2] [U2T], 529
up to the knowledge of all aspects is gained.
When an idea of feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness [T1] has not been formed [T2] [U2T],
the knowledge of all aspects is gained [U2T].
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When an idea of the perfection of giving, the perfection of morality, the perfection of patience, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of concentration, or the perfection of wisdom has not been formed;
when an idea of inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature has not been formed;
when an idea of the applications of mindfulness has not been formed;
when an idea of right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, or path has not been formed;
and when an idea of the clairvoyances, ten powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, or eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha has not been formed,
up to the knowledge of all aspects is gained." 'Son of a good family, while practicing the perfection of wisdom
you should not produce a longing [T2] for form [T1] [U2T].
And why?
Because form [t1] is without longing [T2] [U2T].
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Son of a good family, you should not produce a longing for feeling . . . , perception . . . , volitional factors . . . , up to consciousness.
And why?
Because consciousness is without longing.
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Son of a good family, you should not produce a longing for the perfection of giving, and you should not produce a longing for the perfection of morality, patience, perseverance, or concentration. Son of a good family, you should not produce a longing for the perfection of wisdom. You should not produce a longing for inner emptiness, and you should not produce a longing for . . . , up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature.
You should not produce a longing for the applications of mindfulness, and you should not produce a longing for the right efforts, legs of miraculous power, faculties, powers, limbs of awakening, up to the path.
You should not produce a longing for the five clairvoyances, ten powers, fearlessnesses, detailed and thorough knowledges, up to the distinct attributes of a buddha.
Son of a good family, you should not produce a longing even for the knowledge of all aspects.
And why?
Because the knowledge of all aspects [T1] is without longing and is not an object of longing [T2] [U2T].
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Son of a good family, you should not produce a longing for the result of stream enterer.
You should not produce a longing for the result of once-returner, or the result of non-returner, the state of a worthy one, or a pratyekabuddha's awakening.
You should not produce a longing for the secure state of a bodhisattva.
And why?
Son of a good family, it is because awakening [T1] is without longing [T2] [U2T].
And why?
Son of a good family,
it is because all dharmas [T1] are empty of their own intrinsic nature [T2] [U2T].'
They teach the Dharma in that way."
Subhūti said,
"Lord, those bodhisattva great beings who want unsurpassed, perfect,
complete awakening, yearning for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening [T1],
even while all phenomena are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T],
are those who do what is difficult."
"Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so," replied the Lord.
"Those bodhisattva great beings who want unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, who are yearning for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening [T1] even while all phenomena are empty of their own mark [T2] [U2T], are those who do what is difficult.
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But still, Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings understand that all phenomena are like an illusion and like a dream they have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
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[a] Bodhisattva great beings have set out for the benefit and happiness of the world.
[b] They have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, thinking,
'May I become
[c] the world's protector.'
They have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, thinking,
'May I become
[d] the world's refuge,
[e] the world's resting place,
[f] the world's final ally,
[g] the world's island,
[h] the world's leader, and
[i] the world's support.'
[a] "How, Subhūti, have bodhisattva great beings set out for the benefit of the world?
Here, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings free beings from the five forms of life and establish them in nirvāṇa on the fearless plain of happiness.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening have set out for the benefit of the world.[b] "How, Subhūti, have bodhisattva great beings set out for the happiness of the world?
Here, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening free beings from suffering, depression, and grief and establish them on the fearless plain of happiness in nirvāṇa.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings have set out for the happiness of the world.[c] "How, Subhūti, are bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening the world's protector?
Here, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening protect beings from whatever suffering there is in saṃsāra, teaching them the Dharma so they can stop it. They, having listened to that Dharma, gradually pass into complete nirvāṇa in the three vehicles.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening are the world's protector.[d] "How, Subhūti, are bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening the world's refuge?
Here, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening liberate beings subject to birth, old age, sickness, death, pain, lamentation, suffering, depression, and grief, from birth, old age, sickness, death, pain, lamentation, suffering, depression, and grief, and having liberated them, cause them to pass into complete nirvāṇa in the element of nirvāṇa without any aggregates left behind.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings are the world's refuge.[e] "How, Subhūti, are bodhisattva great beings the world's resting place? 530
Here, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings teach the Dharma so that all phenomena do not mingle.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening are the world's resting place."
"How are all phenomena not mingled?" asked Subhūti.
The Lord replied, "That non-mingling of form is the non-connection 531 of form.
That is the non-production of form.
That non-production of form is the non-cessation of form,
and that is why there is the non mingling of form.
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That which is the non-production and non-cessation of feeling . . . perception . . . volitional factors . . . and consciousness is the non-mingling of consciousness;
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connect this in the same way with each, up to the knowledge of all aspects.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening teach the Dharma so that all phenomena do not mingle [non-production, non-existence, non-change, non-cessation].
[f] "How, Subhūti, are bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening the world's final ally?
Here, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings teach the Dharma to beings as follows:
'The farther shore of form [T1] is not [the farther shore of] form [T2] [U2T].
The farther shore of feeling . . . perception . . . volitional factors . . . and consciousness is not the farther shore of consciousness;
connect this in the same way with each, up to the farther shore of the knowledge of all aspects is not the knowledge of all aspects.'
They teach the Dharma like that. Subhūti, as form really is, so too are all dharmas."
Subhūti asked, "Lord, if all phenomena too are as form really is, will not bodhisattva great beings have indeed fully awakened to the knowledge of all aspects?
Why?
Because, Lord, on the farther shore of form there is no thought construction whatsoever;
on the farther shore of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness there is no thought construction whatsoever, of the sort 'this is form, this is feeling, this is perception, these are volitional factors,' or 'this is consciousness';
up to 'this is the knowledge of all aspects';
up to on the farther shore of the knowledge of all aspects there is no thought construction whatsoever."
"Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!" replied the Lord.
"On the farther shore of form, Subhūti, there is no thought construction whatsoever,
up to on the farther shore of the knowledge of all aspects there is no thought construction whatsoever [T2].
But still, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings ponder and are not cowed by such phenomena as those,
and think, 'I must thus fully awaken to those phenomena.' [T1] [U2T]
Those who thus, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, teach those phenomena that are so calm and so sublime are those who do what is difficult.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening are the world's final ally.
[g] "How, Subhūti, do bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, become the world's island?
"To illustrate, Subhūti, those places delimited by the waters of great rivers or oceans are called islands.
Similarly, Subhūti, form is delimited by a past and a future.
Feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are delimited by a past and a future,
up to the knowledge of all aspects is delimited by a past and a future.
Subhūti, all phenomena are delimited by those past and future delimitations.
Subhūti, that delimitation of all phenomena by a past and a future [T1] is this: namely, emptiness, the absence of being apprehended, the end of the road, the extinction of craving, the remainder, 532 detachment, cessation, and nirvāṇa [T2] [U2T].
It is calm, it is sublime, it is as it really is.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings teaching that all phenomena are delimited by past and future delimitation, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, are the world's island.[h] "How, Subhūti, do bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, become the world's leader?
"Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening generate great compassion for the mass of beings and teach and explain the Dharma: form is unproduced, does not stop, is not defilement, and is not purification.
They teach the Dharma: feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are unproduced, do not stop, are not defilement, and are not purification;
and similarly, they teach and explain the Dharma: all the perfections, all the emptinesses, the dharmas on the side of awakening, the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the detailed and thorough knowledges, the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, and the knowledge of all aspects are unproduced, do not stop, are not defilement, and are not purification.
They teach and explain the Dharma: a pratyekabuddha's awakening is unproduced, does not stop, is not defilement, and is not purification.
They teach and explain the Dharma: the result of stream enterer is unproduced, does not stop, is not defilement, and is not purification;
and similarly, they teach and explain the Dharma: the result of once-returner, the result of non-returner, and the state of a worthy one are unproduced, do not stop, are not defilement, and are not purification.
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, become the world's leader.[i] "How, Subhūti, do bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, become the world's support?
"Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, teach the Dharma explaining that 'form has space as its way of being';
teach beings that 'feeling . . . ,' 'perception . . . ,' 'volitional factors . . . ,' and 'consciousness has space as its way of being';
and teach the Dharma explaining . . . up to 'the knowledge of all aspects has space as its way of being.'
They teach beings that 'the emptiness of form does not go and does not come because in it there is no going and no coming; the emptiness of feeling, perception, and volitional factors does not go and does not come.'
They teach beings that 'the emptiness of consciousness does not go and does not come because in it there is no going and no coming.'
Similarly, they teach beings . . . up to 'the emptiness of the knowledge of all aspects does not go and does not come because in it there is no going and no coming.'
In that way, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, become the world's support."And why? Subhūti, it is because all phenomena have emptiness as their way of being,
because they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in emptiness neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have signlessness as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in signlessness neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have wishlessness as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in wishlessness neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have the absence of occasioning anything as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in the absence of occasioning anything, neither going nor coming is apprehended."Connect this in the same way with Subhūti, all phenomena have non-production, non-stopping, non-defilement, and non-purification as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond those ways of being.
And why?
Because in non-production, non-stopping, non-defilement, and non-purification neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have a dream-like way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in a dream neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have an illusion-like way of being . . . , an apparition-like way of being . . . , and a magical creation-like way of being.
They do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in a magical creation neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have the unborn and unreal as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in the unborn and unreal neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have the limitless and boundless as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in the limitless and boundless neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have the absence of being taken away from and the absence of being added to as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because where nothing has been taken away and nothing added neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have not going and not coming as their way of being.
Subhūti, all phenomena have not bringing in and not sending out as their way of being.
Subhūti, all phenomena have not joining, not not joining, not mingling, and not not mingling as their way of being.
"Subhūti, all phenomena have a self as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in a self neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have a being as their way of being.
Subhūti, all dharmas have one who lives, an individual, a person, one born of Manu, a child of Manu, one who does, one who motivates, one who feels, one who knows, and one who sees as their way of being; they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Subhūti, it is because if a self absolutely does not exist — if a being, one who lives, an individual, a person, one born of Manu, a child of Manu, one who does, one who motivates, one who feels, one who knows, and one who sees absolutely do not exist — however, Subhūti, could going or coming be apprehended?"Subhūti, all phenomena have permanence as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if permanence absolutely does not exist at all, however could going or coming be apprehended?Subhūti, all phenomena have pleasure as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.Subhūti, all phenomena have self as their way of being, and have beauty as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if permanence, pleasure, self, and beauty absolutely do not exist, however could their going or coming be apprehended?"Subhūti, all phenomena have impermanence as their way of being.
Subhūti, all phenomena have suffering, no self, and unpleasantness as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if impermanence absolutely does not exist, and suffering, no self, and unpleasantness absolutely do not exist, however could their going or coming be apprehended?"Subhūti, all phenomena have greed as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if a place for greed absolutely does not exist, however could greed exist?Subhūti, all phenomena have hatred as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if a place for hatred absolutely does not exist, however could hatred exist?Subhūti, all phenomena have confusion as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if a place for confusion absolutely does not exist, however could confusion exist?Subhūti, all phenomena have distortion as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if a place for distortion absolutely does not exist, however could distortion exist?"Subhūti, all phenomena have suchness as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in suchness neither going nor coming is apprehended.Subhūti, all phenomena have the dharma-constituent as their way of being.
Subhūti, all phenomena have the very limit of reality as their way of being . . . , sameness as their way of being . . . , and the inconceivable element as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in the inconceivable element neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have being unmoving as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because phenomena do not move anywhere, so going and coming do not exist."Subhūti, all phenomena have form as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if form absolutely does not exist, however could its going or coming exist?Similarly, Subhūti, all phenomena have feeling . . . , perception . . . , volitional factors . . . , and consciousness as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Subhūti, it is because if consciousness absolutely is not apprehended, however could its going or coming be apprehended?"Subhūti, all phenomena have the perfection of giving as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if the perfection of giving absolutely does not exist, however could the perfection of giving's going or coming exist?Similarly, Subhūti, all phenomena have the perfection of morality as their way of being . . . ; and all phenomena have the perfection of patience . . . , perseverance . . . , concentration . . . , and wisdom as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if the perfection of wisdom absolutely does not exist, however could the perfection of wisdom's going or coming exist?"Subhūti, all phenomena have inner emptiness as their way of being.
Subhūti, all phenomena have . . . up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature absolutely does not exist, however could its going or coming exist?"Subhūti, all phenomena have the applications of mindfulness as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because if the applications of mindfulness absolutely do not exist, however could their going or coming exist?Similarly, Subhūti, all phenomena have the right efforts . . . , the legs of miraculous power . . . , the faculties . . . , the powers . . . , the limbs of awakening . . . , the path . . . , the ten powers . . . , the four fearlessnesses . . . , the four detailed and thorough knowledges . . . , and the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in the buddha dharmas neither going nor coming is apprehended."Subhūti, all phenomena have stream enterer as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.Subhūti, all phenomena have once-returner . . . , non-returner . . . , the state of a worthy one . . . , and a pratyekabuddha's awakening as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in pratyekabuddhas neither going nor coming is apprehended.Subhūti, all phenomena have unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening as their way of being;
they do not pass beyond that way of being.
And why?
Because in unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening neither going nor coming is apprehended."
"Lord, who will believe in this deep perfection of wisdom?" asked Subhūti.
"Subhūti," replied the Lord,
"those bodhisattva great beings who have practiced the practice for the sake of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, who have served well the victors of the past, who have been brought to maturity by the buddhas of the past who caused their wholesome roots to accumulate, who have attended on many hundreds of thousands of one hundred million billion buddhas, and who have been assisted by spiritual friends will believe in this deep perfection of wisdom."
This was the forty-sixth chapter, "Teaching the Intrinsic Nature of All Dharmas," of "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines."
Access to other chapters on the Blog:
(Work in progress. Empty files means they are not done yet.)
Chapter 0 – Introduction to the Sutra
Chapter 1 – Introduction / the Assembly
Chapter 2 – Production of the Thought
Chapter 3 – designation [U2T]
Chapter 4 – Equal to the Unequal
Chapter 5 – Tongue
Chapter 6 – Subhūti
Chapter 7 – Entry into flawlessness
Chapter 8 – The Religious Mendicant Śreṇika
Chapter 9 – Causal Signs
Chapter 10 – Illusion-like
Chapter 11 – Embarrassment
Chapter 12 – Elimination of Views
Chapter 13 – The Six Perfections
Chapter 14 – Neither Bound nor Freed
Chapter 15 – Meditative Stabilization
Chapter 16 – Dhāraṇī Gateway
Chapter 17 – Level Purification
Chapter 18 – The Exposition of Going Forth in the Great Vehicle [cause / path]
Chapter 19 – Surpassing
Chapter 20 – Not Two
Chapter 21 – Subhūti
Chapter 22 – Śatakratu
Chapter 23 – Hard to Understand
Chapter 24 – Unlimited
Chapter 25 – Second Śatakratu
Chapter 26 – Getting Old
Chapter 27 – Reliquary
Chapter 28 – Declaration of the Good Qualities of the Thought of Awakening
Chapter 29 – Different Tīrthika Religious Mendicants
Chapter 30 – The Benefits of Taking Up and Adoration
Chapter 31 – Physical Remains
Chapter 32 – The Superiority of Merit
Chapter 33 – Dedication
Chapter 34 – Perfect Praise of the Quality of Accomplishment
Chapter 35 – Hells
Chapter 36 – Teaching The Purity of all Dharmas
Chapter 37 – Nobody
Chapter 38 – Cannot Be Apprehended
Chapter 39 – The Northern Region
Chapter 40 – The Work of Māra
Chapter 41 – Not Complete Because of Māra
Chapter 42 – Revealing the World
Chapter 43 – Inconceivable
Chapter 44 – Made Up
Chapter 45 – A Boat
Chapter 46 – Teaching the Intrinsic Nature of All Dharmas
Chapter 47 – Taming Greed
Chapter 48 – A Presentation of the Bodhisattvas' Training
Chapter 49 – Irreversibility
Chapter 50 – Teaching the Signs of Irreversibility
Chapter 51 – Skillful means
Chapter 52 – Completion of the Means
Chapter 53 – The Prophecy about Gaṅgadevī
Chapter 54 – Teaching the Cultivation of Skillful Means
Chapter 55 – Teaching the Stopping of Thought Construction [in absolute terms]
Chapter 56 – Equal Training
Chapter 57 – Practice
Chapter 58 – Exposition of the Absence of Thought Construction [in absolute terms]
Chapter 59 – non-attachment
Chapter 60 – Entrusting
Chapter 61 – Inexhaustible
Chapter 62 – Leaping Above Absorption
Chapter 63 – Many Inquiries about the Two Dharmas
Chapter 64 – Perfectly Displayed
Chapter 65 – Worshiping, Serving, and Attending on Spiritual Friends as Skillful Means
Chapter 66 – A Demonstration of Skillful Means
Chapter 67 – Morality
Chapter 68 – Growing and Flourishing
Chapter 69 – An Explanation of Meditation on The Path
Chapter 70 – An Explanation of Serial Action, Training, and Practice
Chapter 71 – The True Nature of Dharmas That Cannot Be Apprehended
Chapter 72 – Teaching the Absence of Marks
Chapter 73 – Exposition of the Major Marks and Minor Signs and the Completion of Letters
Chapter 74 – Exposition of the Sameness of Dharmas
Chapter 75 – Exposition of non-complication –
Chapter 76 – The Armor for Bringing Beings to Maturity
Chapter 77 – Teaching the Purification of a Buddhafield
Chapter 78 – Teaching the Skillful Means for the Purification of a Buddhafield
Chapter 79 – Teaching the non- Existence of an Intrinsic Nature
Chapter 80 – Teaching that there is No Defilement or Purification
Chapter 81 – Yogic Practice of the Ultimate
Chapter 82 – The Unchanging True Nature of Dharmas
Chapter 83 – Categorization of a Bodhisattva's Training
Chapter 84 – Collection
Chapter 85 – Sadāprarudita
Chapter 86 – Dharmodgata
Chapter 87 – Entrusting
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