The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom
in Eighteen Thousand Lines - 379
Daśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā
– Chapter 79 - Not grasping at any ultimate reality either –
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]
79. TEACHING THE NON-EXISTENCE OF AN INTRINSIC NATURE – Not grasping-at / getting-attached-to any ultimate / absolute reality either.
(i.e. Résumé: Not grasping at any ultimate / absolute reality either – ex. at Suchness / Ground / Basis / Source / Buddha-nature / Genuine-emptiness / Union of the Two Truths.
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'Things as they really are' / the Ground / Basis / Source / Suchness / Buddha-nature / Genuine emptiness free from all extremes & middle: All appearing dharmas [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T]. All dharmas – ex. the three spheres of any relation / action, the apparent opposites of any duality / triad / quad / etc, even the two truths themselves, even the Union of the Two Truths or Ground / Basis / Source – are empty of inherent existence [T2] <==> because dependently co-arisen (interdependent) relatively functional ever-changing impermanent appearances / tools / adapted skillful means [T1], merely labeled / imputed by the mind in dependence of its conditioning / karma [U3S]. And vice versa; one aspect / truth implies / proves / enables the other (<==>) [U2T]. These dharmas are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, magical tricks: 'There, but not there.' These dharmas are not really existent, not completely non-existent, not both together, not neither; not 'this', not 'non-this', not both together, not neither – for whatever 'this' is.
So, Bodhisattvas can use those dharmas but without apprehending anything, without settling down on anything, without any attachment / fixation / absolutes, without falling into any extreme or middle, without accepting or rejecting anything in absolute terms. That is called 'using without using' those dharmas.
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Ex. Bodhisattvas use concepts like the four noble truths / the two truths / the three Jewels / the three kayas / 'suchness' / 'intrinsic nature' / 'things as they really are' / 'dharma-constituent' / 'the very limit of reality' / Ground / Basis / Source / Buddha-nature / Genuine-emptiness / the Union of the Two Truths / the Union of the three spheres / the Union of opposites / the Middle Way … but never in absolute terms, never grasping them, never getting attached to them, never becoming slave to them. These are mere pointers to the inconceivable; they are also empty of inherent existence <==> because dependently co-arisen, merely labeled / imputed by the mind, and vice versa. They are also not really existent, not completely non-existent, not both together.
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"Bodhisattvas see like this — that all dharmas [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T].
But even though they see with such an insight that 'all dharmas [T1] are empty [T2] [U2T],'
they still do not see an intrinsic nature [U2T] on which they might stand and fully awaken to awakening;
they see no such intrinsic nature [T1, T2, 2T, 1T, or U2T] at all.")
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord,
"Lord, if those dharmas are the bodhisattva dharmas,
well then, Lord, what are the buddha-dharmas?"
The Lord replied,
"Again, Subhūti, in regard to what you have asked — 'If those dharmas are the bodhisattva dharmas what, then, are the buddha-dharmas?' —
Subhūti, just those bodhisattva dharmas are the buddha-dharmas as well.
When bodhisattva great beings have completely awakened to those dharmas in all aspects and have reached the knowledge of all aspects, they eliminate all the residual impression connections.
They will fully awaken to those, but tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have fully awakened to all dharmas through the wisdom of the unique single instant.
That, Subhūti, is the difference between bodhisattva great beings and the tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas."To illustrate, Subhūti, even though a candidate is one thing and a result-recipient another, still both are not not the highest person.
Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings stand on the unobstructed path, but tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas have reached a knowledge of all dharmas without obscurations.
That, Subhūti, is the difference between bodhisattva great beings and tathāgatas, worthy ones, perfectly complete buddhas."
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti inquired further of him,
"Lord, if all dharmas [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T],
how can you apprehend specific features
in all dharmas that are empty of their own marks and make the distinctions,
'This is a being in hell, this is one in the animal world, this is one in the world of Yama, this is a god, this is a human, this one is on the Gotra level, this one is an Aṣṭamaka, this is a stream enterer, this is a once-returner, this is a non-returner, this is a worthy one, this is a pratyekabuddha, this is a bodhisattva, and this is a tathāgata, worthy one, perfect complete buddha'?Lord, just as those persons [T1] cannot be apprehended [T2] [U2T],
so too karma [T1] cannot be apprehended, and just as karma cannot be apprehended [T2] [U2T],
so too the maturation [T1] cannot be apprehended either [T2] [U2T]."
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him,
"Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!
It is exactly as you say!
Karma and the maturation of karma [T1] cannot be apprehended [T2] [U2T]
in all dharmas [T1] that are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T].
Those who do not understand that all dharmas are empty of their own marks
behave badly or behave well, or accumulate karma with outflows or without outflows.
Through the karma from behaving badly they fall into the three terrible forms of life;
through the karma from behaving well they are born among gods and humans;
through wholesome karma without flaws they are born in the form realm and the formless realm.
There the bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of giving, up to practice the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha [T1], producing those bodhisattva dharmas in a practice without flaws [T2] [U2T].
Having produced them, they become absorbed in the vajropama meditative stabilization endowed with the surrounding limbs of awakening, and fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
Having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, they work for the welfare of beings. Because they have worked for their welfare they are not lost, and because they are not lost, they do not from then on take birth in the five forms of life in saṃsāra."
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti asked him,
"Lord, does the Lord, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening,
apprehend the five forms of life in saṃsāra?"
"No, Subhūti."
"Lord, does a tathāgata apprehend bright, or dark, or bright and dark, or neither bright nor dark dharmas?"
"No, Subhūti."
"Lord, if they have not apprehended them,
how have they designated hell, the animal world, and the world of Yama; how have they designated gods and humans; how have they designated stream enterer;
how have they designated once-returner, non-returner, worthy one, and pratyekabuddha;
how have they designated bodhisattva; and
how have they designated tathāgata, worthy one, perfect complete buddha?"
"Subhūti, do these beings know that phenomena [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T]?"
"No, Lord."
"Subhūti, if these beings were thus to know 'phenomena [T1] are empty of their own marks, [T2] [U2T]' bodhisattva great beings would not set out to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and would not, when they have entered into unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, free beings from the three terrible forms of life, up to the five forms of life in saṃsāra.
But, Subhūti, these beings do not thus know that phenomena [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T],
and because they do not know, they are not freed from the three terrible forms of life, and the five forms of life in saṃsāra.
Therefore, bodhisattva great beings, having heard from those lord buddhas that 'phenomena [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T],' set out to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening for the sake of beings."These phenomena do not exist [T2] in the way that foolish ordinary people have settled down on them [T1].
These beings, having themselves constructed unreal phenomena and apprehended them, have the perception of a being where there is no being, the perception of form where there is no form, the perception of feeling . . . , perception . . . , volitional factors . . . , and consciousness where there is no consciousness, up to the perception of compounded and uncompounded dharmas where there are no compounded and uncompounded dharmas. With their minds distorted because of the error of constructing the unreal, they accumulate physical, verbal, and mental karma and are not freed from the five forms of life in saṃsāra.
Therefore, bodhisattva great beings, having included all wholesome dharmas in the practice of the perfection of wisdom, pursue the bodhisattva practice, and pursuing that fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, they free beings from the five forms of life in saṃsāra."
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti asked him,
"Lord, if all phenomena [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T],
well then, how do bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening
and free beings from the five forms of life in saṃsāra?"
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings, having fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, expound, explain, set forth, and establish the four noble truths — suffering, the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
Included in these four noble truths are all the wholesome dharmas on the side of awakening, as many as there are, and through those dharmas on the side of awakening there is a presentation of the Three Jewels (which three? — these, namely, the Buddha Jewel, Dharma Jewel, and Saṅgha Jewel), and when the Three Jewels have appeared, beings are freed from the five forms of life in saṃsāra."
Then venerable Subhūti asked the Lord,
"Lord, will beings pass into complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing suffering
or will they pass into complete nirvāṇa on account of suffering?
Will they come to be in complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing the origination of suffering
or will they come to be in complete nirvāṇa on account of the origination of suffering?
Will they come to be in complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing the cessation of suffering
or will they come to be in complete nirvāṇa on account of the cessation of suffering?
Will they come to be in complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing the path leading to the cessation of suffering
or will they come to be in complete nirvāṇa on account of the path leading to the cessation of suffering?"
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti, they will not pass into complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing suffering, nor on account of suffering;
not on account of knowing the origination of suffering, nor on account of the origination of suffering;
not on account of knowing the cessation of suffering, nor on account of the cessation of suffering;
and they will not pass into complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing the path leading to the cessation of suffering nor on account of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
Subhūti, I have said that they will pass into complete nirvāṇa on account of the sameness of the noble truths [U2T-4T]
— they will not pass into complete nirvāṇa on account of knowing suffering, nor on account of suffering;
not on account of knowing the origination of suffering, nor on account of the origination of suffering;
not on account of knowing the cessation of suffering, nor on account of the cessation of suffering;
and not on account of knowing the path leading to the cessation of suffering nor on account of the path leading to the cessation of suffering."
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti asked him,
"Lord, what is the sameness of the four noble truths? [U2T-4T]"
"Subhūti," he replied,
"it is where there is no knowledge of suffering and no suffering;
where there is no knowledge of the origination of suffering and no origination of suffering;
where there is no knowledge of the cessation of suffering and no cessation of suffering; and
where there is no knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering and no path leading to the cessation of suffering."Furthermore, Subhūti, whether the tathāgatas arise or whether the tathāgatas do not arise,
the suchness of the four noble truths [U2T-4T],
their unmistaken suchness and unaltered suchness,
the true nature of dharmas,
the certification of dharmas,
and the establishment of dharmas remain as just the dharma-constituent.
Such a dharma-constituent is a natural state not robbed of mindfulness,
the true nature of dharmas that is never ruined.
Bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom practice the truths in order to awaken, one way or the other, to the truths." 829
The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti asked him,
"Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom practice in order to awaken to the truths?
How, while practicing, do they awaken to the truths?
How, having awakened, do they practice for suchness?
And how, having practiced, do they not fall to the śrāvaka level, not fall to the pratyekabuddha level, but rather enter into the secure state of a bodhisattva?"
Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord said to him,
"Subhūti, there is no dharma the limit of which bodhisattva great beings do not see.
When they do not see any dharma, they then do not apprehend it. 830
Not apprehending anything they see that all dharmas are empty;
they see that all those dharmas [T1] included in the truths or not included in the truths 831 are empty [T2] [U2T].
Seeing like that, they enter into the secure state of a bodhisattva and stand at the Gotra level [U2T].
Those bodhisattvas standing at the Gotra level [T1] do not fall onto a peak [T2] [U2T] 832 — a peak that, when fallen on, would be a fall to the śrāvaka level or the pratyekabuddha level."Standing at the Gotra level, those bodhisattva great beings generate the four concentrations, and generate the four immeasurables and the four formless absorptions.
Standing at that calm abiding 833 level they make a detailed examination of all dharmas and also realize the four noble truths.
Even though they comprehend suffering [T1], they do not produce any thought with suffering as its objective support [T2] [U2T];
they abandon the origination of suffering [T1], but they do not produce any thought with origination as its objective support [T2] [U2T];
they actualize the cessation of suffering [T1], but they do not produce any thought with cessation as its objective support [T2] [U2T];
they cultivate the path to the cessation of suffering [T1], but they do not produce any thought with the path as its objective support [T2] [U2T].
On the contrary, with a thought inclined to awakening, they see all dharmas for what they really are [U2T]."
"Lord, what are 'all dharmas as they really are'?"
"Subhūti, it is seeing all dharmas [T1] as emptiness [T2] [U2T]."
"Lord, how do they see all dharmas as empty?"
"Subhūti, they see like this — that all dharmas [T1] are empty of their own marks [T2] [U2T].
But even though they see with such an insight that 'all dharmas [T1] are empty [T2] [U2T],'
they still do not see an intrinsic nature [U2T] on which they might stand and fully awaken to awakening;
they see no such intrinsic nature [T1, T2, 2T, 1T, or U2T] at all."
"In that case, Lord, is awakening [U2T] a non-existent thing?"
"Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!
It is exactly as you say!
Awakening is a non-existent thing.
It has not been made by buddhas, it has not been made by pratyekabuddhas, it has not been made by worthy ones, and it has not been made by those bodhisattva great beings who are practicing for it.
On the contrary, it is because beings do not know and do not see things as they really are that bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom with skillful means teach the doctrine to beings."
This was the seventy-ninth chapter, "Teaching the non-existence of an Intrinsic Nature," 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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