The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom
in Eighteen Thousand Lines - 352
Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā
– Chapter 52 - Dreams, karma, completion and purification of buddhafields –
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]
52. COMPLETION OF MEANS – Life is like a dream; inconceivable causality / karma formation / defilement & purification; completing the six perfections, and purifying buddhafields.
(i.e. Résumé: Life is like a dream; inconceivable causality / karma formation / defilement & purification; completing the six perfections, and purifying buddhafields.
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Life is like a dream:
"A dream and the daytime are undifferentiated."
Union of opposites [Uopp]: Apparent opposites, like dreams and daytime, are not really existent / caused / functional, not completely non-existent / non-caused / non-functional, not both together, not neither. Meaning indescribable / inconceivable. They are dependently co-arisen <==> thus empty of inherent existence <==> merely labeled / imputed by the mind.
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What is the true nature of karma formation?
"karma does not happen without an objective support;
intention does not happen without an objective support.
Karma only happens with an objective support, and
intention only happens with an objective support. [T1]"
'All karma is isolated and all intention is isolated. [T2]'
Union of of the Two Truths [U2T] about causality / karma / defilement & purification:
There are no real / universal / absolute causality / karma / change / defilement & purification,
no independent objective support & result; no absolute cause, causality, effect;
just conventionally / relatively / intersubjectively.
The three spheres of causality / karma are not existent, not completely non-existent, not both together, not neither;
they are dependently co-arisen / interdependent <==> thus empty of inherent existence <==> merely labeled / imputed by the mind.
The Middle Way about karma:
one should not accept causality / karma / defilement & purification in absolute terms,
nor completely reject causality / karma / defilement & purification in absolute terms.
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How to complete the six perfections, get close to the knowledge of all aspects,
and purify Buddhafields in order to help all sentient beings?
One must properly practice the six perfections, with more and more wisdom of understanding & directly realising the inconceivable true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is here & now; thus more and more in accord with the inconceivable Union of the Two truths free from all extremes & middle.
Acting / practicing / perceiving / knowing without acting / practicing / perceiving / knowing, without apprehending anything, without any attachment / fixation / absolutes, with the bodhicitta motivation, without falling into any extreme or middle, without accepting or rejecting anything in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / intersubjectively, without any di-vision between apparent opposites, or between the three spheres, or between the two truths themselves.
Thus getting closer and closer to the inconceivable liberating truth, to directly perceiving / realising / experiencing the inconceivable true nature of Reality as it is here & now.
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Bodhicitta: Bodhisattva should think like this: 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will be in a better position. [T1]
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"One should should reflect deeply,
'Oh! Saṃsāra is long.
Oh! The world of beings is limitless.'
And should properly pay attention to this:
'Oh! This saṃsāra is boundless like space.
Oh! This world of beings is also boundless like space.
Here there is nobody in saṃsāra, and there is nobody liberated either [T2] [U2T].' ")
Then venerable Śāriputra asked venerable Subhūti,
"Venerable Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings have become absorbed
in the three meditative stabilizations on emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness
in a dream, do they improve on account of the perfection of wisdom?"
Venerable Śāriputra having asked that, venerable Subhūti said to him,
"Venerable Śāriputra, if they improve on account of having meditated during the day,
they improve in a dream like that as well.
And why?
Venerable Śāriputra,
it is because a dream and the daytime are undifferentiated [Uopp / U2T-opp].
Venerable Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings who practice meditation on the perfection of wisdom during the daytime have a meditation on the perfection of wisdom, then there is also a meditation on the perfection of wisdom in bodhisattva great beings' dreams as well."
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(i.e. Union of opposites [Uopp]: Apparent opposites, like dreams and daytime, are not really existent / caused / functional, not completely non-existent / non-caused / non-functional, not both together, not neither. Meaning indescribable / inconceivable. They are dependently co-arisen <==> thus empty of inherent existence <==> merely labeled / imputed by the mind.)
Venerable Subhūti having said that, venerable Śāriputra then asked him,
"Venerable Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings
have made some karma in a dream
is there an accumulation or diminution 565 in their karma?"
"Venerable Śāriputra," replied Subhūti,
"the Lord has said that
all phenomena are like a dream,
so there is no accumulation or diminution there.
And why?
Because you cannot apprehend [T2]
any phenomenon [T1] in a dream that is accumulated or diminished [U2T].""Venerable Subhūti, if it is thought about in a certain way,
on waking there is also an accumulation or reduction in one's karma," said Śāriputra.
Venerable Subhūti asked venerable Śāriputra in return,
"Venerable Śāriputra, what would you say about the karma of
someone who committed a murder during the day,
and someone who dreamed about committing the murder
and on waking thought, 'I killed him. It is excellent that I killed him'?"
"Venerable Subhūti," said Śāriputra,
"karma does not happen without an objective support;
intention does not happen without an objective support.
Karma only happens with an objective support, and
intention only happens with an objective support. [T1]"
(i.e. It seems like there is efficient causality / karma / defilement & purification;
it is not totally non-existent / non-caused / non-functional.)
"Exactly so, Venerable Śāriputra, exactly so!" said Subhūti.
"Karma does not happen without an objective support;
intention does not happen without an objective support [T1].
Venerable Śāriputra, karma only happens with an objective support, not without an objective support,
and intention only happens with an objective support, not without an objective support [T1].
The intellect engages with the seen, the heard, the thought — something one has been aware of;
the intellect does not engage with the unseen, the unheard, the unthought — a thing of which one has not been conscious.
There, one intellectual act gets hold of defilement.
Another intellectual act gets hold of purification.
Therefore, Venerable Śāriputra,
karma only happens with an objective support, not without an objective support,
and intention only happens with an objective support, not without an objective support [T1]."
"Venerable Subhūti,
the Lord has said
'all karma is isolated and all intention is isolated [T2],' 566-
(Note 566: " "isolated" as devoid of any real thing that is an objective support and therefore empty.")
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(i.e. Solution: Union of of the Two Truths [U2T] about causality / karma / defilement & purification:
There are no real / universal / absolute causality / karma / change / defilement & purification,
no independent objective support & result; no absolute cause, causality, effect;
just conventionally / relatively / intersubjectively.
The three spheres of causality / karma are not existent, not completely non-existent, not both together, not neither;
they are dependently co-arisen / interdependent <==> thus empty of inherent existence <==> merely labeled / imputed by the mind.
The Middle Way about karma: one should not accept causality / karma / defilement & purification in absolute terms, nor reject causality / karma / defilement & purification in absolute terms.
The Middle Way about karma: one should not accept causality / karma / defilement & purification in absolute terms, nor reject causality / karma / defilement & purification in absolute terms.)
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so how could karma happen with an objective support,
and not happen without an objective support,
and how could intention happen with an objective support,
and not happen without an objective support?" asked Śāriputra.
"Venerable Śāriputra," replied Subhūti,
"ordinary beings, having made each separate one into a causal sign, 567 pile up karmas [T1],
so karma happens only with an objective support, not without an objective support;
intention happens only with an objective support, not without an objective support [T1]."
Venerable Subhūti having said that, venerable Śāriputra asked him,
"Venerable Subhūti,
if bodhisattva great beings in a dream give gifts, guard morality, cultivate patience,
make an effort at perseverance, become absorbed in concentration, cultivate wisdom,
and have also turned over those wholesome roots to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening,
would they have been turned over to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening?"
"Venerable Śāriputra," said Subhūti,
"you should ask this of Maitreya,
the bodhisattva great being interrupted by a single birth,
prophesied by the Lord to be irreversible from awakening,
who has direct witness of this.
He will respond with the answer."
Then venerable Śāriputra said to the bodhisattva great being Maitreya,
"Son of a good family, the elder Subhūti has said this: 'You should ask this of Maitreya, the bodhisattva great being interrupted by a single birth, prophesied by the Lord to be irreversible from awakening, who has direct witness of this. He will respond with the answer.' "
Venerable Śāriputra having said this, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya said to him,
"Venerable monk Śāriputra, what do you think, will this — the designation 'Maitreya the bodhisattva great being' — respond with the answer; or will form respond with the answer; or will feeling, perception, volitional factors, or consciousness respond with the answer; or even will that emptiness of form respond with the answer, or will that emptiness of feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness respond with the answer?
They cannot do so.
I see no [T2] dharma [T1] [U2T] at all that responds with the answer,
no answer that is the response, and no one to be responded to with an answer.
I also see no [T2 dharma [T1] [U2T] of which unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening has been prophesied,
none by which it has been prophesied, and none the prophecy is about.
All those dharmas are not two and cannot be divided into two,
so I do not see [T2 those dharmas [T1] [U2T]."
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(i.e. Solution: Acting / practicing / perceiving / knowing without acting / practicing / perceiving / knowing, without apprehending anything, without any attachment / fixation / absolutes, with the bodhicitta motivation, without falling into any extreme or middle, without accepting or rejecting anything in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / intersubjectively, without any di-vision between apparent opposites, or between the three spheres, or between the two truths.)
Then venerable Śāriputra asked the bodhisattva great being Maitreya,
"Son of a good family,
have you had direct witness of those dharmas in the way you have explained them to be?"
"Venerable monk Śāriputra," said Maitreya,
"I do not directly witness [T2] those dharmas [T1] [U2T] in the way I have explained them to be."
Then it occurred to venerable Śāriputra to think,
"Ah! The bodhisattva great being Maitreya has a deep wisdom, exhibited in this exposition of how he has practiced the practice of the perfection of giving, perfection of morality, perfection of patience, perfection of perseverance, perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom —
practicing these [T1] without apprehending anything [T2] [U2T]."
Then the Lord asked venerable Śāriputra,
"Venerable Śāriputra, what do you think,
do you see that dharma on account of which you come to be known as a worthy one?"
"Lord, I do not," replied Śāriputra.
"Similarly, Śāriputra," said the Lord,
"it also does not occur to bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom to think,
'This dharma has been prophesied to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening,
this is the dharma that is being prophesied, and this is the dharma that will be prophesied.'
Bodhisattva great beings practicing like that are practicing the perfection of wisdom."They are not anxious, thinking, 'May it not be that I do not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.'
They do fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that are practicing the perfection of wisdom.
Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that do not tremble, feel frightened, or become terrified, thinking, 'May it not be that I do not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.'
They do fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening."
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord,
"Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings complete the perfection of wisdom (the six perfection)
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects?"
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(i.e. Solution: Acting / practicing / perceiving / knowing without acting / practicing / perceiving / knowing, without apprehending anything, without any attachment / fixation / absolutes, with the bodhicitta motivation, without falling into any extreme or middle, without accepting or rejecting anything in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / intersubjectively, without any di-vision between apparent opposites, or between the three spheres, or between the two truths.)
Venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of giving see hungry beings, or see thirsty beings, or the badly clothed, or those with threadbare shawls, or thin mats, or without any mats at all,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the perfection of giving such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, those beings will not face those disadvantages, they will not occur in any way at all, and so that in that buddhafield those beings will have the possessions and enjoyments of the Cāturmahārājika gods, of the Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Paranirmitavaśavartin gods, the possessions and enjoyments just as they have them.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of giving like that
complete the perfection of giving."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of morality see beings who are killing, or see . . . up to beings with wrong views, or see those with a short lifespan, who are ugly, have little autonomy, a lot of trouble, few enjoyments, little charisma, in a disadvantaged family, or with missing limbs,
they reflect deeply, thinking, 'One way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, may those beings not have those faults, may they not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the perfection of morality."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of patience see beings bearing malice toward each other, striking with sticks, stones, and weapons, threatening each other's lives,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice for awakening so that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, those beings will not have those faults, they will not occur in any way at all, and so that they think all beings are like parents, think all beings are like brothers and sisters, and have loving and beneficial thoughts.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the perfection of patience
and get close to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of perseverance see beings lacking in perseverance, lazy, not taking pleasure in the three vehicles, turning their backs on the three vehicles, far from entering into the Śrāvaka Vehicle, or Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or Buddha Vehicle,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the perfection of perseverance so that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, those beings will not have those faults, they will not occur in any way at all, and so that all beings will make a vigorous, stable attempt to pass into complete nirvāṇa in the Śrāvaka Vehicle, or Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or Great Vehicle, whichever is suitable.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the perfection of perseverance
and get close to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of concentration see beings obscured by the five obscurations — desire for sense gratification, malice, drowsiness and dozing, gross mental excitement and uneasiness, and doubt — or see those under the influence of the five obscurations, or see those separated from the first concentration, up to separated from the fourth concentration, or see those separated from love, compassion, joy, and equanimity, or from the absorption in the station of endless space, absorption in the station of endless consciousness, absorption in the station of nothing-at-all, and absorption in the station of neither perception nor nonperception,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the perfection of concentration, I must purify a buddhafield, I must bring beings to maturity so that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, those beings will not have those faults, they will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the perfection of concentration
and get close to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom see beings who are intellectually confused or separated from ordinary and extraordinary right view, saying action has no effect, saying things exist and saying things do not exist, saying things are annihilated and saying things are eternal,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice in such a way that I practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity so that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, those beings will not have those faults, they will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the perfection of wisdom
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects. [B39]"Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see the three masses of beings — those destined for the perfect state, those destined to be wrong, and those not necessarily destined —
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will not even be words for those destined to be wrong, and those not necessarily destined; they will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings in the hells, and see beings in the animal world, and the world of Yama,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will not even be words for the three terrible forms of life, they will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see stumps, thorns, crevices, crevices in cliffs, precipices, runoff from gutters, and pools of excrement on the face of the earth,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will not be those faults, they will not occur in any way at all, and it will be smooth like the palm of a baby's hand.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see the face of the earth made of a clay without gold and silver,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, the face of the earth will be completely covered with golden sand.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings who have become acquisitive,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will be no beings who become acquisitive, they will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see the four castes (royal caste, brahmin caste, business caste, and low caste),
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will not even be words for the four castes, they will not be made known in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see privileged, middling, and deprived beings, or see beings from low families, bad families, and good families,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening beings, will not have such faults, they will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great being practicing the six perfections see beings who are different colors,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, beings will not be different colors; rather, beings will all stand out, be beautiful and good looking, and endowed with an excellent, clear, splendid color.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see a ruler,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, no one will be designated ruler other than the Dharma king, the tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete Buddha; it will not occur in any other way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings in different forms of life,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will be no different forms of life — as beings in hell, in the animal world, the world of Yama, or as gods or humans — they will not occur in any way at all. Rather, all beings will have the same work and will be inseparable from the four applications of mindfulness, up to the four detailed and thorough knowledges.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see the four birthplaces of beings — birth from an egg, birth from a womb, birth from warmth and moisture, and miraculous birth —
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will take none other than miraculous birth, and there will be no birth from an egg, birth from a womb, or from warmth and moisture; those will not occur in any way at all.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings lacking the five clairvoyances,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will have the five clairvoyances.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see the feces and urine of beings,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will come to live on joy.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings who do not radiate light,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will radiate self-originated light.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see the months of all beings, as well as the half-months, seasons, and the cycle of years,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will not even be words for the months, half-months, seasons, or cycle of years of all beings.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings who live short lives,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will have infinite life.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings who do not have the major marks,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will have the thirty-two major marks of a great person.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings who have not planted wholesome roots,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will have planted wholesome roots, and on account of having planted those wholesome roots will remain in the presence of the lord buddhas.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings afflicted by disease,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will not have the four diseases that come from wind disorder, bile disorder, phlegm disorder, or disorder of the three in combination.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings who have become afflicted by the three afflictions,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, all beings will not be afflicted by the three afflictions — greed, hatred, and confusion — and all beings will be free from greed, free from hate, and free from confusion.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects.Similarly, connect this with the rest at full length, just as it has been connected in the first section. 568
"Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings with deficient belief,
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, even the words for the two vehicles — Śrāvaka Vehicle and Pratyekabuddha Vehicle — will not be made known, and all beings will come to have set out directly for the knowledge of all aspects.'"Furthermore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections see beings with pride in being superior
they reflect deeply, 'I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, even the words for pride in being superior will not be made known; rather, all beings will have no pride in being superior.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections
produce the thought, 'If, in my buddhafield, life is finite, light is finite, and the community of monks is finite, I will not, for the time being, fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Rather, I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that one way or the other in my buddhafield, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, there will be infinite life, infinite light, and an infinite community of monks.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections
reflect deeply, 'If at that time my buddhafield is a single one I will not, for the time being, fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Rather, I must practice the six perfections, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity such that when I have gained awakening, one way or the other there will be as many buddhafields as there are sand particles in the Gaṅgā River.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great being practicing the six perfections
should reflect deeply,
'Oh! Saṃsāra is long. Oh! The world of beings is limitless.'
And they should properly pay attention to this:
'Oh! This saṃsāra is boundless like space.
Oh! This world of beings is also boundless like space.
Here there is nobody in saṃsāra, and there is nobody liberated either.'
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that complete the six perfections
and get close to the knowledge of all aspects."
This was the fifty-second chapter, "Completion of Means," 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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