Chapter 39
The Blessed One having said this, the venerable Subhūti then inquired of him, “Blessed Lord, what are the characters of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible? What are their indications? What are their signs? How should we know that such bodhisattva great beings are irreversible?”
The venerable Subhūti having thus inquired, the Blessed One said to him, “In this regard, Subhūti, the level of ordinary people, the level of the śrāvakas, the level of the pratyekabuddhas, the level of the bodhisattvas, and the level of the tathāgatas—all these levels that have been explained—are, in the real nature, unchanging, nonconceptual, not two things, and not to be divided into two. They enter into that real nature just as it is, which is to say, they do not conceive of that real nature, and so they enter into it without conceptualization. Having entered into it in that manner, having heard about the real nature just as it is, they transcend the levels and do not entertain the slightest doubt that in the real nature there may be each separately, both, or neither.965
“They do not prattle incoherently. They speak words that are meaningful. They do not speak meaninglessly. They do not look upon what others have and have not done. They seek to give voice to the good. Subhūti, one should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, those indications, and those signs are irreversible.”
“Blessed Lord, through being in possession of which characters, which indications, and which signs are bodhisattva great beings known to be irreversible?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti, all phenomena are without characters, without indications, and without signs,” replied the Blessed One.
“Blessed Lord,” asked Subhūti, “if all phenomena are without characters, without indications, and without signs, what phenomena do bodhisattva great beings turn back from so that they are taught to be ‘irreversible’?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “you should know that bodhisattva great beings who have turned back from physical forms, turned back from feelings, turned back from perceptions, turned back from formative predispositions, and turned back from consciousness; who have turned back from the eyes, turned back from the ears, turned back from the nose, turned back from the tongue, turned back from the body, and turned back from the mental faculty; who have turned back from sights, turned back from sounds, turned back from odors, turned back from tastes, turned back from tangibles, and turned back from mental phenomena; who have turned back from visual consciousness, turned back from auditory consciousness, turned back from olfactory consciousness, turned back from gustatory consciousness, turned back from tactile consciousness, and turned back from mental consciousness; who have turned back from visually compounded sensory contact, turned back from aurally compounded sensory contact, turned back from nasally compounded sensory contact, turned back from lingually compounded sensory contact, turned back from corporeally compounded sensory contact, and turned back from mentally compounded sensory contact; who have turned back from feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, turned back from feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, turned back from feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, turned back from feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, turned back from feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and turned back from feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; who have turned back from the earth element, turned back from the water element, turned back from the fire element, turned back from the wind element, turned back from the space element, and turned back from the consciousness element; who have turned back from ignorance, turned back from formative predispositions, turned back from consciousness, turned back from name and form, turned back from the six sense fields, turned back from sensory contact, turned back from sensation, turned back from craving, turned back from grasping, turned back from the rebirth process, turned back from birth, and turned back from aging and death; who have turned back from the perfection of generosity, turned back from the perfection of ethical discipline, turned back from the perfection of tolerance, turned back from the perfection of perseverance, turned back from the perfection of meditative concentration, and turned back from the perfection of wisdom; who have turned back from the emptiness of internal phenomena, turned back from the emptiness of external phenomena, turned back from the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, turned back from the emptiness of emptiness, turned back from the emptiness of great extent, turned back from the emptiness of ultimate reality, turned back from the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, turned back from the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, turned back from the emptiness of the unlimited, turned back from the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, turned back from the emptiness of nonexclusion, turned back from the emptiness of inherent nature, turned back from the emptiness of all phenomena, turned back from the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, turned back from the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, turned back from the emptiness of nonentities, turned back from the emptiness of essential nature, and turned back from the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; who have turned back from the applications of mindfulness, turned back from the correct exertions, turned back from the supports for miraculous ability, turned back from the faculties, turned back from the powers, turned back from the branches of enlightenment, and turned back from the path; who have turned back from the truths of the noble ones, turned back from the meditative concentrations, turned back from the immeasurable attitudes, turned back from the formless absorptions, turned back from the liberations, turned back from the serial steps of meditative absorption, turned back from the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, turned back from the extrasensory powers, turned back from the meditative stabilities, and turned back from the dhāraṇī gateways; who have turned back from the powers of the tathāgatas, turned back from the fearlessnesses, turned back from the kinds of exact knowledge, turned back from great loving kindness, turned back from great compassion, and turned back from the distinct qualities of the buddhas; and who have turned back from the levels of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, have turned back from the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and have turned back from unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment––they, Subhūti, are the bodhisattva great beings who will not turn back.
“If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because physical forms in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, feelings in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, perceptions in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, formative predispositions in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, and consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; the eyes in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the ears in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the nose in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the tongue in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the body in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and the mental faculty in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; sights in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, sounds in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, odors in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, tastes in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, tangibles in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, and mental phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature; visual consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, auditory consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, olfactory consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, gustatory consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, tactile consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and mental consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; visually compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, aurally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, nasally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, lingually compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, corporeally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and mentally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, and feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature; the earth element in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the water element in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the fire element in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the wind element in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the space element in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and the consciousness element in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; ignorance in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, formative predispositions in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, consciousness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, name and form in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the six sense fields in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, sensory contact in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, sensation in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, craving in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, grasping in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the rebirth process in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, birth in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and aging and death in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature; the perfection of generosity in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the perfection of ethical discipline in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the perfection of tolerance in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the perfection of perseverance in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the perfection of meditative concentration in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and the perfection of wisdom in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; the emptiness of internal phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of external phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of emptiness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of great extent in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of ultimate reality in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of the unlimited in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of nonexclusion in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of inherent nature in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of all phenomena in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of nonentities in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the emptiness of essential nature in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature; the applications of mindfulness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the correct exertions in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the supports for miraculous ability in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the faculties in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the powers in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the branches of enlightenment in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, and the noble eightfold path in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature; the truths of the noble ones in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the meditative concentrations in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the immeasurable attitudes in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the formless absorptions in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the eight liberations in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the emptiness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the signlessness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the wishlessness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the extrasensory powers in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the meditative stabilities in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, and the dhāraṇī gateways in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature; the ten powers of the tathāgatas in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the four fearlessnesses in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, the four kinds of exact knowledge in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature, great loving kindness in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, great compassion in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas in which bodhisattva great beings could be established have no essential nature; and the fruit of having entered the stream in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the fruit of once-returner in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the fruit of non-returner in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, arhatship in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, individual enlightenment in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, the knowledge of the aspects of the path in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature, and all-aspect omniscience in which bodhisattva great beings could be established has no essential nature.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings do not gaze on the face of virtuous ascetics or brahmins of other persuasions, thinking, ‘Those virtuous ascetics and brahmins know what should be known, see what should be seen, and expound an exposition of the correct view.’ That would be impossible. They do not harbor doubt, do not overestimate their ethical discipline and ascetic practices, do not fall into wrong views, do not impute purity to auspicious ceremonies and omens, do not pay homage to other gods, and do not offer them flowers, garlands, perfume, unguents, powders, clothing, parasols, victory banners, or ribbons, nor do they consider doing so. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, those indications, and those signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible will not be reborn in the hells, will not be reborn in the animal realm, will not be reborn in the world of Yama, will not be reborn among the long-lived gods, will not be reborn among mentally impaired deaf mutes who do not practice the Dharma, will not be reborn among criminal barbarians in a remote border area, will not be reborn in a family with wrong views, and will not be reborn where the word Buddha, the word Dharma, and the word Saṅgha are not proclaimed. That is to say, they will not be reborn in those eight states that lack freedom. Nor will they take on being a woman. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“They themselves abstain from sexual misconduct, encourage others to abstain from sexual misconduct, praise abstention from sexual misconduct, and when others abstain from sexual misconduct give them praise and approval.
“They themselves abstain from verbal abuse, encourage others to abstain from verbal abuse, praise abstention from verbal abuse, and when others abstain from verbal abuse give them praise and approval.
“They themselves abstain from nonsensical chatter, encourage others to abstain from nonsensical chatter, praise abstention from nonsensical chatter, and when others abstain from nonsensical chatter give them praise and approval.
“They themselves abstain from covetousness, encourage others to abstain from covetousness, praise abstention from covetousness, and when others abstain from covetousness give them praise and approval.
“They themselves abstain from wrong views, encourage others to abstain from wrong views, praise abstention from wrong views, and when others abstain from wrong views give them praise and approval.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible do not apprehend the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions, even in their dreams, let alone when they are awake. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, those indications, and those signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible dwell in the perfection of generosity, they undertake their acts of generosity for the sake of all beings. When they dwell in the perfection of ethical discipline, they maintain their ethical discipline for the sake of all beings. When they dwell in the perfection of tolerance, they cultivate tolerance for the sake of all beings. When they dwell in the perfection of perseverance, they undertake perseverance for the sake of all beings. When they dwell in the perfection of meditative concentration, they are absorbed in meditative concentration for the sake of all beings. And when they dwell in the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate wisdom for the sake of all beings. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, those indications, and those signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible master the discourses, the sayings in prose and verse, the prophetic declarations, the verses, the statements made for a purpose, the introductions, the accounts, the tales of past lives, the most extensive teachings, the marvelous events, the narratives, and the established instructions, for the purpose of making a gift of those scriptural doctrines, and give the gift of the Dharma, thinking, ‘May the wishes of all beings be fulfilled by means of this gift of the Dharma,’ they make common cause with all beings and dedicate that gift of the Dharma to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, those indications, and those signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are not unsure about the profound Dharma; they have no doubt and are not of two minds.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, why are bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible not unsure about the profound Dharma? Why are they without doubt and not of two minds?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “it is because bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible do not observe any phenomenon at all about which they might be unsure, have doubt, or be of two minds. That is to say, they do not observe physical forms about which they might be unsure, have doubt, or be of two minds; or feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness; or the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, or the mental faculty; or sights, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, or mental phenomena; or visual consciousness, auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, or mental consciousness; or visually compounded sensory contact, aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact, or mentally compounded sensory contact; or feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, or feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact; or the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, or the consciousness element; or ignorance, formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, birth, or aging and death; or the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, or the perfection of wisdom; or the emptiness of internal phenomena, the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, the emptiness of emptiness, the emptiness of great extent, the emptiness of ultimate reality, the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, the emptiness of the unlimited, the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, the emptiness of nonexclusion, the emptiness of inherent nature, the emptiness of all phenomena, the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, the emptiness of nonentities, the emptiness of essential nature, or the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; or the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties, the powers, the branches of enlightenment, or the path; or the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the liberations, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, or the dhāraṇī gateways; or the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, or the distinct qualities of the buddhas; or the fruit of having entered the stream, the fruit of once-returner, the fruit of non-returner, arhatship, individual enlightenment, the knowledge of the aspects of the path, or unsurpassed complete enlightenment. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible undertake gentle physical actions, gentle verbal actions, and gentle mental actions. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible undertake physical actions imbued with kindness, verbal actions imbued with kindness, and mental actions imbued with kindness. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible do not dwell with the five obscurations: longing for sense objects, malice, dullness and sleepiness, agitation and regret, and doubt.966 Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are in every respect without any of the latent impulses. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, whether bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are going or coming, they do not go with a distracted mind and they do not come with a distracted mind. Whether they are going or coming, they go with the application of mindfulness, and they come with the application of mindfulness. They go mindfully and they come mindfully. They walk mindfully, stand mindfully, sit mindfully, and lie down mindfully. They do not raise their foot from the ground hastily, and they do not put their foot on the ground hastily. They raise their foot from the ground mindfully, they put their foot on the ground mindfully, and they move while looking where they are going. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the robes worn by bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are impeccable. Subhūti, the conduct of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible is pure. They are clean and do not stink and have few ailments. They are free from dust and stains. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the bodies of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are not infested anywhere at all or in any way at all by the eighty thousand kinds of worms that are present within the bodies of humans, consuming those very bodies. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the roots of virtue of bodhisattva great beings surpass all worlds, and are supreme in all worlds. For this reason, the bodies of those bodhisattva great beings are not infested by the clew of those eighty thousand worms. Subhūti, the more those roots of virtue of bodhisattva great beings increase, the more those bodhisattva great beings acquire a body that is thoroughly purified, acquire speech that is thoroughly purified, and acquire a mind that is thoroughly purified. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.”
The Blessed One having said this, the venerable Subhūti then inquired of him, “Blessed Lord, how is a bodhisattva great being’s body thoroughly purified, speech thoroughly purified, and mind thoroughly purified?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “the more those bodhisattva great beings’ roots of virtue increase, the more will those roots of virtue thoroughly purify deviousness of body, speech, and mind and crookedness of body, speech, and mind, and the more they will practice the three modes of excellent physical conduct, will practice the four modes of excellent verbal conduct, and will practice the three modes of excellent mental conduct. This is the thorough purification of the bodhisattva great beings’ body, speech, and mind. With the thorough purification of body, speech, and mind they transcend the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas, but they do not actualize the very limit of reality. Subhūti, you should know this indeed is the thorough purification of the bodhisattva great beings’ body, speech, and mind. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are not attached to profit, service, or verses of praise. They are not attached to begging for alms, not attached to wearing only cast-off rags, not attached to eating meals in a single sitting, not attached to not receiving alms later in the day, not attached to whatever alms they have obtained, not attached to the forest, not attached to the base of a tree, not attached to exposed places, not attached to charnel grounds, not attached to no lying down, not attached to staying wherever they happen to be, and not attached owning only the three robes—but still they perfectly take up and practice those twelve ascetic practices. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, in bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible, thoughts of miserliness do not arise, thoughts of poor ethical discipline do not arise, thoughts of agitation do not arise, thoughts of indolence do not arise, thoughts of distraction do not arise, and thoughts of intellectual stupidity do not arise. Thoughts of envy do not arise. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible are of steadfast intelligence and of profound intelligence. They respectfully listen to the Dharma from others, and whatever doctrines they hear from others, they perfectly accomplish them all through the perfection of wisdom. All those activities that are mundane, as many as there are, they perfectly accomplish through the reality of phenomena, thanks to the perfection of wisdom. They do not observe any sort of phenomenon at all that is not integrated within the realm of phenomena. They observe that they are all also integrated with the perfection of wisdom. Subhūti, you should know these to be the defining characteristics of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible.
“Subhūti, in that regard, if malign Māra were to conjure up the eight great hells in the presence of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible, and were to conjure up and reveal in each of these great hells many hundreds of bodhisattvas, many thousands of bodhisattvas, many hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, many tens of millions of bodhisattvas, many hundreds of ten millions of bodhisattvas, many tens of billions of bodhisattvas, many hundred thousands of ten millions of bodhisattvas, many hundred thousands of ten million billions of bodhisattvas being burned and cooked, and experiencing unbearable sufferings, pains, and sensations of heat, and were then to say to those bodhisattvas, ‘These bodhisattva great beings have been prophesied by the tathāgatas to be irreversible, but they have been reborn here in the great hells. You too, who have been prophesied by the tathāgatas to be irreversible, are prophesied to become denizens of the hells. Right now, you should reject this mind set on enlightenment and you will not be reborn in the hells. Having done so, you will proceed to the exalted realms.’ Subhūti, if even then the minds of those bodhisattva great beings are not disturbed, if they are not unsure, and if they are free from doubt, they should know that they have indeed been prophesied by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the past. Those bodhisattva great beings are destined; they dwell in the realm of the irreversible ones. Subhūti, it is impossible, there is no chance, that bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible will be reborn in the hells, or in the animal realms, or in the world of Yama. That is an impossibility. Subhūti, you should know that bodhisattva great beings who possess those characters, indications, and signs are irreversible.
“Moreover, Subhūti, if malign Māra, in the guise of a virtuous ascetic, were to arrive in the presence of bodhisattva great beings who are irreversible and say, ‘Confess that all you have heard is wrong, namely, that you yourself should refine the perfection of generosity in this manner; that you yourself should refine the perfection of ethical discipline in this manner; that you yourself should refine the perfection of tolerance in this manner; that you yourself should refine the perfection of perseverance in this manner; that you yourself should refine the perfection of meditative concentration in this manner; and that you yourself should refine the perfection of wisdom in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of internal phenomena in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of external phenomena in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of external and internal phenomena in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of emptiness in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of great extent in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of ultimate reality in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of conditioned phenomena in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of the unlimited in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of nonexclusion in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of inherent nature in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of all phenomena in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of nonentities in this manner; that you yourself should refine the emptiness of essential nature in this manner; and that you yourself should refine the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities in this manner; that you yourself should refine the applications of mindfulness in this manner; that you yourself should refine the correct exertions in this manner; that you yourself should refine the supports for miraculous ability in this manner; that you yourself should refine the faculties in this manner; that you yourself should refine the powers in this manner; that you yourself should refine the branches of enlightenment in this manner; and that you yourself should refine the noble eightfold path in this manner; that you yourself should refine the truths of the noble ones in this manner; that you yourself should refine the meditative concentrations in this manner; that you yourself should refine the immeasurable attitudes in this manner; that you yourself should refine the formless absorptions in this manner; that you yourself should refine the liberations in this manner; that you yourself should refine the serial steps of meditative absorption in this manner; that you yourself should refine emptiness in this manner; that you yourself should refine signlessness in this manner; that you yourself should refine wishlessness in this manner; that you yourself should refine the extrasensory powers in this manner; that you yourself should refine the meditative stabilities in this manner; and that you yourself should refine the dhāraṇī gateways in this manner; that you yourself should refine the powers of the tathāgatas in this manner; that you yourself should refine the fearlessnesses in this manner; that you yourself should refine the kinds of exact knowledge in this manner; that you yourself should refine great loving kindness in this manner; that you yourself should refine great compassion in this manner; and that you yourself should refine the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas in this manner; and that you yourself should refine omniscience in this manner; that you yourself should refine the knowledge of the aspects of the path in this manner; that you yourself should refine all-aspect omniscience in this manner; and that you yourself should fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment in this manner.
“ ‘You should also confess and reject each of your rejoicings in all those roots of virtue, as many as there are, of the past, future, and present tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas, along with their śrāvakas, from when they first set their mind on enlightenment, for as long as their Dharma remained. That which you have heard is not the word of the buddhas. It has not been said by the perfectly complete buddhas—it has been made up by someone. But that which I am teaching you is the word of the buddhas. It has been said by the tathāgatas.’ You should know that if bodhisattva great beings are disturbed, become unsure, and harbor doubt, they have not been prophesied by the tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas of the past. Those bodhisattva great beings are not destined, and do not dwell in the realm of the irreversible ones.
“If, on the other hand, these bodhisattvas are not disturbed, are not unsure, and do not harbor doubt, then, thanks to the reality of phenomena and thanks to nonconditioning and nonarising, they do not place their confidence in others and others have no influence on the perfection of generosity, others have no influence on the perfection of ethical discipline, others have no influence on the perfection of tolerance, others have no influence on the perfection of perseverance, others have no influence on the perfection of meditative concentration, and others have no influence on the perfection of wisdom; others have no influence on the emptiness of internal phenomena, others have no influence on the emptiness of external phenomena, others have no influence on the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, others have no influence on the emptiness of emptiness, others have no influence on the emptiness of great extent, others have no influence on the emptiness of ultimate reality, others have no influence on the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, others have no influence on the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, others have no influence on the emptiness of the unlimited, others have no influence on the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, others have no influence on the emptiness of nonexclusion, others have no influence on the emptiness of inherent nature, others have no influence on the emptiness of all phenomena, others have no influence on the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, others have no influence on the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, others have no influence on the emptiness of nonentities, others have no influence on the emptiness of essential nature, and others have no influence on the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; others have no influence on the applications of mindfulness, others have no influence on the correct exertions, others have no influence on the supports for miraculous ability, others have no influence on the faculties, others have no influence on the powers, others have no influence on the branches of enlightenment, and others have no influence on the noble eightfold path; others have no influence on the truths of the noble ones, others have no influence on the meditative concentrations, others have no influence on the immeasurable attitudes, others have no influence on the formless absorptions, others have no influence on the eight liberations, others have no influence on the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, others have no influence on the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, others have no influence on the extrasensory powers, others have no influence on the meditative stabilities, and others have no influence on the dhāraṇī gateways; others have no influence on the ten powers of the tathāgatas, others have no influence on the four fearlessnesses, others have no influence on the four kinds of exact knowledge, others have no influence on great loving kindness, others have no influence on great compassion, and others have no influence on the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and others have no influence on the fruit of having entered the stream, others have no influence on the fruit of once-returner, others have no influence on the fruit of non-returner, others have no influence on arhatship, others have no influence on individual enlightenment, and others have no influence on unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.