Chapter 42
Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra asked the venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, when certain bodhisattva great beings are absorbed in the three meditative stabilities of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness in their dreams, are they enhanced by the perfection of wisdom?”
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “if they are enhanced by cultivating it during the day, they would also be enhanced by cultivating it in their dreams. If you ask why, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is because they do not conceive of a dream and a daytime. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom during the day do cultivate the perfection of wisdom, then bodhisattva great beings will also be cultivating the perfection of wisdom in dreams.”
“Venerable Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings have done an action in a dream, will that action accumulate or diminish?”992 asked Śāradvatīputra.
Subhūti replied, “If, as the Blessed One has said, all phenomena are like dreams, then there would be no accumulation or diminution there. If you ask why, it is because the accumulation or diminution of a dream phenomenon is never apprehended at all.”
“Venerable Subhūti, if, on waking up, they think about it, would there be an accumulation or diminution?”993 asked Śāradvatīputra.
Subhūti asked in return, “If someone has committed an act of killing by day, and someone has committed an act of killing in a dream and were to think, ‘I have killed. It is right that I have killed,’ Venerable Śāradvatīputra, what would you say about the action?”
“Venerable Subhūti,” replied Śāradvatīputra, “no action will occur without an objective support. No intention will occur without an objective support.”
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it is so!” said Subhūti. “No action will occur without an objective support. No intention will occur without an objective support. Action occurs with an objective support, but not without an objective support. Intention occurs with an objective support, but not without an objective support. The mind engages with phenomena that are seen, heard, thought of, and known. The mind does not engage with phenomena that are unseen, unheard, not thought of, and unknown. There some minds grasp defilement, and some minds grasp purification. Therefore, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, actions occur with an objective support, but not without an objective support. Intention occurs with an objective support, but not without an objective support.”
Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Subhūti, if, as the Blessed One has said, all action and all intention is void, how then does an action occur with an objective support, but not without an objective support? How does an intention occur with an objective support, but not without an objective support?”
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “having created a mental image, an action occurs with an objective support, but not without an objective support. An intention occurs with an objective support, but not without an objective support.”
Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Subhūti, if bodhisattva great beings in a dream have undertaken acts of generosity, maintained ethical discipline, practiced tolerance, undertaken perseverance, become absorbed in meditative concentration, and cultivated wisdom, and also dedicated those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, would they have dedicated them to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment?”
“Venerable Śāradvatīputra,” replied Subhūti, “since the bodhisattva great being Maitreya is bound by a single birth, has been prophesied by the Blessed One as irreversible, and has appeared, you should ask him, and he will answer.”
Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, “Son of a good family, this elder Subhūti has said, ‘The bodhisattva great being Maitreya who has become manifest is bound by a single birth and has been prophesied by the Blessed One as irreversible. You should ask him, and he will answer.’ ”
The venerable Śāradvatīputra having said this, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya then said to him, “Will this one with the name ‘the bodhisattva great being Maitreya’ answer? Or will physical forms answer? Or will feelings answer? Or will perceptions answer? Or will formative predispositions answer? Or will consciousness answer?
“Or will the emptiness of physical forms answer? Or will the emptiness of feelings answer? Or will the emptiness of perceptions answer? Or will the emptiness of formative predispositions answer? Or will the emptiness of consciousness answer?
“Or will the real nature of physical forms answer? Or will the real nature of feelings answer? Or will the real nature of perceptions answer? Or will the real nature of formative predispositions answer? Or will the real nature of consciousness answer?
“The emptiness of physical forms has no ability to answer. The emptiness of feelings has no ability to answer. The emptiness of perceptions has no ability to answer. The emptiness of formative predispositions has no ability to answer. The emptiness of consciousness has no ability to answer.
“The real nature of physical forms has no ability to answer. The real nature of feelings has no ability to answer. The real nature of perceptions has no ability to answer. The real nature of formative predispositions has no ability to answer. The real nature of consciousness has no ability to answer.
“I do not observe any phenomenon who answers, by which an answer is given, with respect to which an answer is given, or to whom an answer is given. I do not observe any phenomenon that is the one making the prophecy of an attainment of unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, on account of which the prophecy is made, or who is the one being prophesied. All those phenomena are not two things and are not to be divided into two.”
Śāradvatīputra then asked, “Have you realized those phenomena in the way that you have explained those phenomena?”
“I have not realized those phenomena in the way that I have explained those phenomena,” replied Maitreya.
Then the venerable Śāradvatīputra thought, “This bodhisattva great being Maitreya is endowed with profound wisdom because he indeed reveals that he has practiced, over a long period of time, the perfection of generosity, practiced the perfection of ethical discipline, practiced the perfection of tolerance, practiced the perfection of perseverance, practiced the perfection of meditative concentration, and practiced the perfection of wisdom, and reveals that he practiced without apprehending anything.”
Then the Blessed One asked the venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, do you think you can observe any phenomenon on account of which you are declared to be an arhat?”
“I do not, Blessed Lord,” replied Śāradvatīputra.
“Śāradvatīputra, so it is!” said the Blessed One. “Bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom do not think, ‘This is the Dharma that is prophecy. This is the Dharma that has been prophecy. This is the Dharma that will be prophecy. This is the Dharma that will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.’ Bodhisattva great beings practicing in that manner practice the perfection of wisdom. They do not harbor doubt and do not think that they themselves will not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment—rather, that they themselves will undoubtedly fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. Śāradvatīputra, those who practice in that manner practice the perfection of wisdom. Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will not be afraid, will not be frightened, and will not be terrified. They will not think that they themselves will not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, but rather will think that they themselves will undoubtedly fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.”
The venerable Subhūti then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings complete the six perfections and also approach all-aspect omniscience?”
The venerable Subhūti having asked this, the Blessed One said to him, “Here, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity, if they see beings who are hungry, or see beings who are thirsty, with poor clothing, or lacking food, clothing, or bedding, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of generosity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all these problems that beings face will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that the enjoyments and felicity of that buddhafield will come to be like the enjoyments and felicity of the gods of the Cāturmahārājika realm, the gods of the Trayastriṃśa realm, the gods of Yāma realm, the gods of the Tuṣita realm, the gods of the Nirmāṇarati realm, and the gods of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the perfection of generosity and will also approach unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of ethical discipline, if they see beings who kill, or see beings who steal, or see beings who engage in sexual misconduct, or see beings who tell falsehoods, or see beings who slander, or see beings who verbally abuse, or see beings who chatter irresponsibly, or see beings who covet, or see beings with malice, or see beings who hold wrong views—or if they see beings who are short-lived, or see beings who are sickly, or see beings who are ugly, or see beings who are weak, or see beings with few enjoyments, or see beings of low status, or see beings without limbs or minor limbs—they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of ethical discipline in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all these problems that beings face will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that all beings will be established in the paths of the ten virtuous actions.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the perfection of ethical discipline.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of tolerance, if they see beings bearing malice toward one another, and throwing, hitting, and killing with stones, with clubs, and with swords, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of tolerance in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all these problems that beings face will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that all beings will think of all other beings as their mother, think of them as their father, think of them as their brother, think of them as their sister, think of them with loving kindness, and think to be of benefit to them.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the perfection of tolerance and will also approach unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of perseverance, if they see beings who have weak perseverance and are lazy, and who have turned against the three vehicles—namely, the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the vehicle of the buddhas—they should reflect, ‘One way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, may all these problems that beings face not occur in any way at all and not exist, and may all beings persevere resolutely and attain final nirvāṇa through the three vehicles.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the perfection of perseverance and will also approach unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of meditative concentration, if they see beings who are obstructed by the five obscurations—namely, craving for sense objects, malice, dullness and sleep, agitation and regret, and doubt—or see them lacking the first meditative concentration, or see them lacking the second meditative concentration, or see them lacking the third meditative concentration, or see them lacking the fourth meditative concentration; or see them lacking loving kindness, or see them lacking compassion, or see them lacking empathetic joy, or see them lacking equanimity; or see them lacking absorption in the sphere of infinite space, or see them lacking absorption in the sphere of infinite consciousness, or see them lacking absorption in the sphere of nothing-at-all, or see them lacking absorption in the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of meditative concentration, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all these problems that beings face will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that all beings will attain the four meditative concentrations, will attain the four immeasurable attitudes, and will attain the four formless absorptions.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the perfection of meditative concentration and will also approach unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they see beings who are intellectually stupid and without the mundane or supramundane right view, who propound inaction, who propound nonexistence,994 who propound nihilism, who propound eternalism, or who propound anything as a being,995 they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of wisdom, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all these problems that beings face will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that all beings will abandon all the aspects of wrong view and dwell in the perfection of wisdom.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the perfection of wisdom and will also approach unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings belonging to the three categories—those who are destined, those whose destiny is uncertain, and those destined to be wrong996—they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, at the very least, there will not even be the sound of the words those whose destiny is uncertain, and those destined to be wrong. It will not be possible.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings in the hells, or if they see beings in the animal realm or beings in the world of Yama, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity so that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, at the very least, there will not even be the sound of the words three lower realms. It will not be possible.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see on this great earth tree stumps, thorn bushes, dense undergrowth,997 ravines, precipices, or pits of sewage and animal waste, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all these problems that beings face will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that this buddhafield of mine will be level like the palm of a hand.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see that this great earth is made of clay, and lacking in gold and silver, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of wisdom, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, this great earth is fashioned of blue beryl, and strewn with sands of gold.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings who claim things as ‘mine’ and hold on to them, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, beings who claim things as “mine” and hold on to them will not occur in any way at all and will not exist, and so that all beings are without possessiveness and without acquisitiveness.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see the four social classes—namely, the royal class, the priestly class, the merchant class, and the class of the masses998—they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of wisdom, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, at the very least, there will not even be the sound of the words four social classes. It will not be possible.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see higher, average, and lower beings, and beings from higher families and lower families, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of wisdom, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, these problems that beings face will not occur and will not exist.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings who are different colors, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the perfection of wisdom, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, beings who are different colors will not occur and will not exist. Rather, all beings will be attractive, pleasing, beautiful to behold, and endowed with the finest, bright, glowing color.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see that beings have an overlord,999 they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, someone designated overlord will not occur and will not exist. Rather, there will be the Dharma kings—tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly complete buddhas.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see the different pathways of beings, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, there will not be the different pathways of beings—the beings who are gods and humans, or the beings in the hells, born in the animal realm, and in the world of Yama—and they will not exist. Rather, all beings will have a single task and will not be separated from the four applications of mindfulness, will not be separated from the four correct exertions, will not be separated from the four supports for miraculous ability, will not be separated from the five faculties, will not be separated from the five powers, will not be separated from the seven branches of enlightenment, will not be separated from the noble eightfold path, will not be separated from the four truths of the noble ones, will not be separated from the four meditative concentrations, will not be separated from the four immeasurable attitudes, will not be separated from the four formless absorptions, will not be separated from the eight liberations, will not be separated from the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, will not be separated from the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, will not be separated from the five extrasensory powers, will not be separated from the meditative stabilities, will not be separated from the dhāraṇī gateways, will not be separated from the ten powers of the tathāgatas, will not be separated from the four fearlessnesses, will not be separated from the four kinds of exact knowledge, will not be separated from great loving kindness, will not be separated from great compassion, and will not be separated from the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings born in the four distinct modes of birth—namely, oviparous birth, viviparous birth, birth from heat and moisture, and miraculous1000—they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, oviparous birth, viviparous birth, and birth from heat and moisture will not occur and will not exist. Rather, all beings will be born miraculously.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings lacking the five extrasensory powers, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will be endowed with the five extrasensory powers.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see the excrement and urine of beings, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will partake of the nourishment of the Dharma, delight, and meditative concentration.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings who are not endowed with luminosity, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will emit luminosity right from themselves.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see the days and nights and months, the more or less than a moment, and the seasons and the years of beings, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, there will not even be the sound of the words the days and nights and months, the more or less than a moment, or the seasons and the years of beings. It will not be possible.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings bereft of a long life, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will become those with an inestimable lifespan.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings bereft of the major marks, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will possess the thirty-two major marks of a great person.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings bereft of roots of virtue, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will become those who, on account of possessing roots of virtue, devote themselves to the lord buddhas.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings afflicted by disease, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, all beings will become those who do not have the four kinds of disease, namely, wind disorders, bile disorders, phlegm disorders, and combined humoral disorders.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings afflicted by the three afflicted mental states, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, the three afflicted mental states of desire, hatred, and delusion will not occur for beings, and all beings will indeed become free from desire, free from hatred, and free from delusion.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see beings with inferior resolute belief, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, there will not even be the sound of the words for the two vehicles—the vehicle of the śrāvakas and the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas—and all beings will have set out for all-aspect omniscience.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, if they see conceited beings, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, there will not even be the sound of the word conceit. Rather, all beings will understand true reality and be without conceit.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, they should reflect, ‘I will practice the six perfections, I will refine a buddhafield, and I will bring beings to maturity in such a way that, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, I will not have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment merely with a lifespan that has a measure, a luminosity that has a measure, or a community of monks that has a measure. Rather, one way or the other, in that buddhafield where I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, I will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment with an immeasurable lifespan, an immeasurable luminosity, and an immeasurable community of monks.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, they should reflect, ‘I will not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment merely by a few worlds transforming into my buddhafield. Rather, one way or the other, when I have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, world systems numerous as the grains of sand of the River Gaṅgā will transform into my one buddhafield.’ They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, they should reflect, ‘Alas! This saṃsāra is long. Alas! This world of beings is limitless.’ They should focus their attention correctly, thinking, ‘Alas! This saṃsāra is infinite like space. Alas! This world of beings is infinite like space. Here there is neither saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa. Rather, being, saṃsāra, and nirvāṇa are simply used conventionally as conventional terms for things.’1001 They should reflect like that. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that manner will indeed complete the six perfections and will also approach all-aspect omniscience.”
This completes the forty-second chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines.”