The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom
in Eighteen Thousand Lines - 365
Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā
– Chapter 65 - Worshiping, Serving, and Attending on Spiritual Friends as Skillful Means –
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]
65. WORSHIPING, SERVING, AND ATTENDING ON SPIRITUAL FRIENDS AS SKILLFUL MEANS
(i.e. Résumé:
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti then asked him,
"Lord, you say 'bodhisattva's practice' again and again. Lord, what are the words bodhisattva's practice for?"
"Subhūti, a 'bodhisattva's practice' is a practice practiced for bodhi (i.e the state of enlightenment), therefore it is called a bodhisattva's practice."
"Lord, where is that practice — that bodhisattva great beings' practice practiced for awakening?"
"Subhūti," replied the Lord,
"they practice 'form is empty,' but pursue the practice without dividing awakening into two.
They practice 'feeling . . . ,' 'perception . . . ,' 'volitional factors . . . ,' and 'consciousness is empty'; and similarly,
they practice 'the constituents . . . ,' 'the sense fields . . . ,' and 'inner and outer dharmas are empty';
they practice 'the perfection of giving . . . ,' 'the perfection of morality . . . ,' 'the perfection of patience . . . ,' 'the perfection of perseverance . . . ,' 'the perfection of concentration . . . ,' and 'the perfection of wisdom is empty';
they practice 'inner emptiness is empty';
they practice 'outer emptiness . . . ,' 'inner and outer emptiness is empty,' and similarly, connect this with each,
up to they practice 'the emptiness of its own mark is empty';
they practice 'the first, second, third, and fourth concentration . . . ,' 'love . . . ,' 'compassion . . . ,' 'joy . . . ,' and 'equanimity is empty';
they practice 'the station of endless space . . . ,' 'the station of endless consciousness . . . ,' 'the station of nothing-at-all . . . ,' and 'the station of neither perception nor nonperception is empty';
they practice 'the four applications of mindfulness are empty,'
they practice 'the four right efforts are empty,'
they practice 'the four legs of miraculous power are empty,'
they practice 'the five faculties are empty,'
they practice 'the five powers are empty,'
they practice 'the seven limbs of awakening are empty,' and
they practice 'the eightfold noble path is empty';
they practice 'the emptiness, signless, and wishless gateways to liberation . . . ,' 'the absorptions . . . ,' 'the ten tathāgata powers . . . ,' 'the four fearlessnesses . . . ,' 'the four detailed and thorough knowledges . . . ,' 'the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha . . . ,' and 'the purification of a buddhafield is empty';
they practice 'bringing beings to maturity is empty';
they practice 'the confidences 674 are empty';
they practice 'accomplishing the letters is empty';
they practice 'entrance into all letters is empty';
they practice 'entrance into all for which there are no letters is empty';
they practice 'the compounded element is empty'; and
they practice 'the uncompounded element is empty,' but pursue the practice without dividing awakening into two.
Subhūti, when practicing the perfection of wisdom like that bodhisattva great beings' lives are lived for awakening."
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti then asked him,
"Lord, you say 'buddha' again and again. Lord, what is the word buddha for?"
"Subhūti,
true reality is called buddha. 275
Also, Subhūti, there are those who have fully awakened to the true Dharma, therefore they are called buddha.
Also, Subhūti, there are those who have a penetrating realization of true reality, therefore they are called buddha.
Also, Subhūti, there are those who have fully awakened to all dharmas as they really are, therefore they are called buddha."
"Lord, you say 'awakening' again and again. Lord, what is the word awakening for?"
"Subhūti,
awakening is a word for [Genuine-]emptiness,
it is a word for suchness,
it is a word for perfect,
it is a word for the very limit of reality,
and it is a word for dharma-constituent.
Also, Subhūti, awakening is a word for mere designation.
Also, Subhūti, awakening means true reality. 676
Also, Subhūti, awakening is suchness, unmistaken suchness, unaltered suchness, and unaltered nature, therefore it is called awakening.
Also, Subhūti, that awakening is a realization that all dharmas are a mere designation and causal sign, therefore it is called awakening.
Also, Subhūti, that awakening is the awakening of the lord buddhas, therefore it is called awakening.
Also, Subhūti, the lord buddhas have fully awakened to it, therefore it is called awakening."
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti then asked him,
"Lord, if bodhisattva great beings who practice for this awakening practice the six perfections, up to practice the knowledge of all aspects, what wholesome root of theirs will be accumulated or diminished, decreased or increased, produced or stopped, or defiled or purified?"
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti,
bodhisattva great beings who practice for this awakening,
practice the six perfections,
up to and practice the knowledge of all aspects
do not practice to accumulate or to diminish,
to decrease or to increase,
to produce or to stop,
or to defile or purify any dharma at all.
And why?
Because the awakening of bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom
is not available in the manner of an objective support that has to be accumulated or diminished,
has to be decreased or increased, has to be produced or stopped, or has to be defiled or purified."
"Lord, if the awakening of bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom is not available as any dharma in the manner of an objective support,
how will bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom fully grasp the perfection of giving,
and similarly, up to and fully grasp the perfection of wisdom;
how will they practice inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature;
how will they practice the concentrations, immeasurables, and formless absorptions;
how will they practice the four applications of mindfulness, up to the eightfold noble path;
how will they practice the emptiness, signless, and wishless gateways to liberation;
up to how will they practice the ten tathāgata powers;
up to practice great compassion;
and how will they practice the ten bodhisattva levels,
transcend the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha levels,
and enter into the secure state of a bodhisattva?"
Venerable Subhūti having thus inquired, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings undertake the bodhisattva practices
they do not practice the perfection of giving in a dualistic way,
and similarly, connect this with each, up to they do not practice the perfection of wisdom in a dualistic way,
up to and they do not practice the knowledge of all aspects in a dualistic way.
In that way, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom,
they fully grasp the perfection of giving,
up to they fully grasp the perfection of wisdom,
up to and they gain the knowledge of all aspects."
"Lord, if they do not practice the perfection of giving in a dualistic way, and similarly, up to do not practice the knowledge of all aspects in a dualistic way, how will the bodhisattva great beings, starting from the production of the first thought, grow and flourish on wholesome roots, and how will they grow and flourish on wholesome roots up to the production of the last thought?"
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti, those who practice dualistically do not grow and flourish on wholesome roots.
And why?
Subhūti, those who resort to dualism are all foolish ordinary people. They do not grow and flourish on wholesome roots.
The bodhisattva great beings who do not practice dualistically, starting from the production of the first thought,
grow and flourish on account of the wholesome dharmas,
and up to the last thought they grow and flourish on account of the wholesome dharmas.
The world with its gods, humans, and asuras cannot suppress those wholesome roots of theirs.
Were those unwholesome roots to suppress them they would fall to the śrāvaka level or the pratyekabuddha level, and they would be captured by other unwholesome roots as well.
Captured by those, even while practicing the perfection of giving they would not grow and flourish on wholesome roots, up to while practicing the knowledge of all aspects they would not grow and flourish on wholesome roots.
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of wisdom like that."
"Lord, do bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom for the sake of wholesome roots?" he asked.
"Subhūti, they do not.
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the sake of wholesome roots,
and of course they do not practice the perfection of wisdom for the sake of unwholesome roots,
but still bodhisattva great beings who have not attended on the lord buddhas, or have not brought the wholesome roots to completion, or have not been assisted by spiritual friends cannot gain the knowledge of all aspects."
"Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings who have attended on the lord buddhas, have brought the wholesome roots to completion, and have been assisted by spiritual friends gain the knowledge of all aspects?"
"Subhūti," replied the Lord, "here, starting from the production of the first thought,
bodhisattva great beings attend on the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas,
fully grasp whatever teachings there are of those lord buddhas — the discourses, melodious narrations, predictions, verses, summaries, introductions, tales, accounts, birth stories, expanded texts, marvels, and expositions —
and, having taken them up, thoroughly mastered the words, investigated them with their thinking minds,
and penetrated them with insight, acquire the dhāraṇī.
Having acquired the dhāraṇī, they engender detailed and thorough knowledge.
Having produced detailed and thorough knowledge, even after departing that life, up until gaining the knowledge of all aspects, they do not ever let those doctrines get lost.
There they plant wholesome roots in relation to those tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas, and, protected by those wholesome roots, never 677 take birth in the terrible forms of life or in places that preclude a perfect human birth.
With those wholesome roots they protect the purity of aspiration, an aspiration that causes purification of a buddhafield and causes beings to be brought to maturity.
Protected by those wholesome roots, they are never separated from those spiritual friends, lord buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, and śrāvakas who sing the praises of the Buddha Vehicle.
Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom like that
should thus attend on the lord buddhas, look after the wholesome roots, and rely on spiritual friends."
This was the sixty-fifth chapter, "Worshiping, Serving, and Attending on Spiritual Friends as Skillful 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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