Chapter 52
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of generosity?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings who abide in the perfection of ethical discipline do not, owing to the vows pertaining to body, or speech, or mind, make contact with1076 the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, they do not kill beings, do not steal, do not engage in sexual misconduct because of lust, do not tell falsehoods, do not slander, do not verbally abuse, do not chatter irresponsibly, do not covet, do not bear malice, and do not hold wrong views. Abiding in this perfection of ethical discipline, they are generous, offering food to those who need food, drink to those who need drink, vehicles to those who need vehicles, clothing to those who need clothing, flowers to those who need flowers, garlands to those who need garlands, incense to those who need incense, unguents to those who need unguents, seats and beds to those who need seats and beds, lodging to those who need lodging, sustenance to those who need sustenance, resources to those who need resources, up to and offer whatever other resources humans might need to the humans who need those other resources, whatever they are.1077 When they offer those gifts in that manner, they dedicate those gifts, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, so of course, with these dedications the dedication is such that it will not be to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. It is this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of generosity.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of tolerance?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, even if all beings were to approach bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, cut off their limbs and minor limbs, and then depart, those bodhisattva great beings would not get angry at them, nor would they entertain even a single malicious thought. Rather, they would think, ‘I have excellently gained a benefit from all these beings who have cut off my limbs and minor limbs and then departed. Through my quitting this rotten body, I shall attain a tathāgata’s divine body made of vajra-like material.’1078 It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of tolerance.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of perseverance?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, thinking, ‘I shall liberate all beings from cyclic existence. I shall establish them in the realm of deathlessness,’ do not let their physical or mental perseverance weaken. They also dedicate those roots of virtue to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, so of course they make this dedication in such a way that it will not be with the threefold awareness of one who makes the dedication, of that which is the dedication, and of that to which the dedication is made. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of perseverance.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of meditative concentration?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “at the time when bodhisattva great beings become absorbed in the first meditative concentration, become absorbed in the second meditative concentration, become absorbed in the third meditative concentration, become absorbed in the fourth meditative concentration, become absorbed in loving kindness, become absorbed in compassion, become absorbed in empathetic joy, become absorbed in equanimity, become absorbed in the meditative absorption of the sphere of infinite space, become absorbed in the meditative absorption of the sphere of infinite consciousness, become absorbed in the meditative absorption of the sphere of nothing-at-all, become absorbed in the meditative absorption of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, and become absorbed in the cessation absorption, they do not focus on1079 the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Rather, they think, ‘Abiding in this perfection of meditative stability, I shall liberate all beings from cyclic existence.’ It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of meditative concentration.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline do not see any phenomena at all as conditioned and do not see them as unconditioned, they do not see entities as conditioned and do not see nonentities as unconditioned, and they do not see things with a mental image as conditioned and do not see things without a mental image as unconditioned. Rather, no phenomenon at all goes beyond the real nature, and beyond that they do not observe any phenomena at all as existent or nonexistent. Through this perfection of wisdom and skill in means they do not fall to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of ethical discipline, incorporate the perfection of wisdom.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of generosity?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “when bodhisattva great beings, starting from their first setting of the mind, up to being seated at the site of enlightenment, are generous with gifts, if all beings scold and abuse them and even cut off their limbs and minor limbs, those bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, think about them, ‘I should be generous toward those beings with gifts. I should not stop being generous with gifts.’ They give food to those beings who need food, drinks to those who need drinks, vehicles to those who need vehicles, clothing to those who need clothing, flowers to those who need flowers, garlands to those who need garlands, incense to those who need incense, unguents to those who need unguents, bedding to those who need bedding, sanctuary to those who need sanctuary, sustenance to those who need sustenance, up to and including all manner of things that are useful to human beings, to those who are in need of resources. Making common cause with all beings, they indeed dedicate those roots of virtue to all-aspect omniscience, so of course they make this dedication in such a way that it will not be with the threefold awareness of one who makes the dedication, of that which is the dedication, and of that to which the dedication is made. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of generosity.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of ethical discipline?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings, starting from their first setting of the mind, up to being seated at the site of enlightenment, do not kill any being, do not steal, do not engage in sexual misconduct because of lust, do not tell falsehoods, do not slander, do not verbally abuse, do not chatter irresponsibly, do not covet, do not bear malice, do not hold wrong views, and indeed, their minds are not occupied with the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. They dedicate these roots of virtue, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, so of course they make this dedication in such a way that it will not be with the threefold awareness of one who makes the dedication, of that which is the dedication, and of that to which the dedication is made. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of ethical discipline.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of perseverance?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of tolerance, starting from their first setting of the mind, up to being seated at the site of enlightenment, generate perseverance, and make an effort at perseverance, thinking, ‘I must travel for a yojana, or a hundred yojanas, or a thousand yojanas, or a hundred thousand yojanas, or ten million yojanas, or a billion yojanas, or ten billion yojanas, or a hundred billion yojanas or a quintillion yojanas—or through a hundred world systems, or a thousand world systems, or a hundred thousand world systems or ten million world systems, or a billion world systems, or ten billion world systems, or a hundred billion world systems, or a quintillion world systems—and establish at least a few beings in taking refuge or in training, or establish them in the forbearances, or in the fruit of having entering the stream, or in the fruit of once-returner, or in the fruit of non-returner, or in arhatship, or in individual enlightenment, or in unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.’ They dedicate these roots of virtue, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of perseverance.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of meditative concentration?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of tolerance achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, which is detached from sense objects, is detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from detachment; they achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration, achieve and maintain the third meditative concentration, and achieve and maintain the fourth meditative concentration; they achieve and maintain loving kindness, achieve and maintain compassion, achieve and maintain empathetic joy, and achieve and maintain equanimity; and they achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite space, achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite consciousness, achieve and maintain the sphere of nothing-at-all, achieve and maintain the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, and achieve and maintain the cessation absorption. They also dedicate whatever attributes of the mind and mental factors that have arisen in association with the roots of virtue to all-aspect omniscience, so of course, at that time they make this dedication in such a way that they do not apprehend the meditative concentrations or the branches of meditative concentration. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of meditative concentration.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of tolerance, when they dwell, viewing the ultimate attribute in phenomena in its void aspect, peaceful aspect, and inexhaustible aspect, do not actualize that reality of phenomena up until they are seated at the site of enlightenment. And even seated at the site of enlightenment, still, they attain all-aspect omniscience, and arising from their seat turn the wheel of the Dharma. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of tolerance, incorporate the perfection of wisdom.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of generosity?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of perseverance are physically and mentally indefatigable. They think, ‘It is not going to happen that I will not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. I definitely will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.’ For the sake of beings, they travel for a yojana, or a hundred yojanas, or a thousand yojanas, or a hundred thousand yojanas—or through a world system, or a hundred world systems, or a thousand world systems, or a hundred thousand world systems, or ten million world systems, or a billion world systems, or ten billion world systems, or a quintillion world systems. Keeping at the perfection of perseverance they at least establish a single being in enlightenment. If they do not encounter an individual who follows the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, they establish an individual who follows the vehicle of the śrāvakas at the level of the śrāvakas. They establish an individual who follows the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas at the level of the pratyekabuddhas. At the very least they will establish a single being on the paths of the ten virtuous actions. Having given these gifts of the Dharma, they satisfy beings with material gifts. They still do not at all dedicate these roots of virtue to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Rather, they dedicate them, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of generosity.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of ethical discipline?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of perseverance, starting from their first setting of the mind, up to being seated at the site of enlightenment, themselves abstain from killing, encourage others to abstain from killing, praise abstention from killing, and when others abstain from killing give them praise and approval. They themselves abstain from stealing, encourage others to abstain from stealing, praise abstention from stealing, and when others abstain from stealing give them praise and approval. 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 falsehood, encourage others to abstain from falsehood, praise abstention from falsehood, and when others abstain from falsehood give them praise and approval. They themselves abstain from slander, encourage others to abstain from slander, praise abstention from slander, and when others abstain from slander 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 malice, encourage others to abstain from malice, praise abstention from malice, and when others abstain from malice 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.
“This perfection of ethical discipline does not cause them to stay in the realm of desire, does not cause them to stay in the realm of form, and does not cause them to stay in the realm of formlessness. It does not cause them to stay at the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Rather, they dedicate these roots of virtue, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, so of course they make this dedication in such a way that it will not be with the threefold awareness of one who makes the dedication, of that which is the dedication, and of that to which the dedication is made. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of ethical discipline.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of tolerance?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, starting from bodhisattva great beings first setting their mind, up to being seated at the site of enlightenment, if humans or nonhumans have disturbed their mind, or have even cut off their limbs and minor limbs and departed, carrying them off, while abiding in the perfection of perseverance they do not think about this, ‘Someone has cut something off me. Someone has chopped something off me. Someone is carrying something of mine off.’ Rather, they think, ‘I have excellently gained a benefit from their having come here for my consummate body and cut and chopped off my limbs and minor limbs and departed, carrying them off.’ They have indeed paid attention to the essential nature of phenomena and do not dedicate these roots of virtue to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Rather, they dedicate them, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of tolerance.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of meditative concentration?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, bodhisattva great beings achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, which is detached from sense objects, is detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from detachment. Having pacified the initial mental application and the sustained mental application, with inner serene confidence—which is to say, a mind that has become single-pointed—they achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from meditative stability. On account of having no attachment to the joy, dwelling with mindfulness and alertness in equanimity they experience the bliss with their bodies and achieve and maintain the third meditative concentration devoid of joy, about which the noble ones say, ‘They are mindful, abiding in bliss, and equanimous.’ On account of having earlier abandoned the bliss, abandoned suffering, and caused mental happiness and mental unhappiness to subside, they achieve and maintain the fourth meditative concentration without bliss or suffering, and in which equanimity and mindfulness are utterly purified.
“They achieve and maintain immeasurable loving kindness by paying attention to beings with the idea of their happiness. They achieve and maintain immeasurable compassion by paying attention to beings with the idea of their being free from suffering. They achieve and maintain immeasurable empathetic joy by paying attention to beings with the idea of their being joyful. They achieve and maintain immeasurable equanimity by paying attention to beings with the idea of their being free from suffering and happiness.
“They achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite space by paying attention to the idea that physical forms are coarse and the idea that space is at peace. They achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite consciousness by paying attention to the idea that space is coarse and to the idea that consciousness is at peace. They achieve and maintain the sphere of nothing-at-all by paying attention to the idea that consciousness is coarse and to the idea that nothing-at-all is at peace. They achieve and maintain the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception by paying attention to the idea that nothing-at-all is coarse and to the idea that the state of neither perception nor nonperception is at peace. They do not appropriate the maturation of those meditative concentrations, immeasurable attitudes, and formless absorptions. Rather, they are reborn for the sake of beings, to bring beings to maturity in all these six perfections—the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom—in order to cultivate the roots of virtue, to venerate the lord buddhas, and to go from buddhafield to buddhafield. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of meditative concentration.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, do not observe the perfection of generosity as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the perfection of ethical discipline as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the perfection of tolerance as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the perfection of perseverance as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the perfection of meditative concentration as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; and do not observe the perfection of wisdom as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign.
“They do not observe the emptiness of internal phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of external phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of external and internal phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of emptiness as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of great extent as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of ultimate reality as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of conditioned phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of the unlimited as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of nonexclusion as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of inherent nature as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of all phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of nonentities as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness of essential nature as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; and do not observe the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign.
“They do not observe the four applications of mindfulness as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four correct exertions as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four supports for miraculous ability as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the five faculties as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the five powers as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the seven branches of enlightenment as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; and do not observe the noble eightfold path as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign
“They do not observe the four truths of the noble ones as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four meditative concentrations as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four immeasurable attitudes as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four formless absorptions as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the eight liberations as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the nine serial steps of meditative absorption as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the extrasensory powers as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the meditative stabilities as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; and do not observe the dhāraṇī gateways as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign.
“They do not observe the ten powers of the tathāgatas as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four fearlessnesses as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the four kinds of exact knowledge as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe great loving kindness as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe great compassion as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; and do not observe the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddha as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign.
“They do not observe omniscience as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; do not observe the knowledge of the aspects of the path as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign; and do not observe all-aspect omniscience as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign, which is to say, they do not observe any phenomena as an entity, as a substance, or as a sign and therefore they do not fashion any phenomenon as a dwelling place and they do as they say. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of perseverance, incorporate the perfection of wisdom.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of generosity?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, bodhisattva great beings achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, which is detached from sense objects, is detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from detachment. Having pacified the initial mental application and the sustained mental application, with inner serene confidence—which is to say, a mind that has become single-pointed—they achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from meditative stability. On account of having no attachment to the joy, dwelling with mindfulness and alertness in equanimity they experience the bliss with their bodies and achieve and maintain the third meditative concentration devoid of joy, about which the noble ones say, ‘They are mindful, abiding in bliss, and equanimous.’ On account of having earlier abandoned the bliss, abandoned suffering, and caused mental happiness and mental unhappiness to subside, they achieve and maintain the fourth meditative concentration without bliss or suffering, and in which equanimity and mindfulness are utterly purified.
“Having completely transcended the perception of physical forms so that perceptions of obstruction have subsided, they do not direct their attention to perceptions of diversity and achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite space, thinking, ‘Space is infinite.’ Having completely transcended the sphere of infinite space in all respects, they achieve and maintain the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking, ‘Consciousness is infinite.’ Having completely transcended the sphere of infinite consciousness in all respects, they achieve and maintain the sphere of nothing-at-all, thinking, ‘There is nothing at all.’ Having completely transcended the sphere of nothing-at-all in all respects, they achieve and maintain the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception.
“Abiding in this perfection of meditative concentration, with an undistracted mind, they are generous with the gift of material things and the gift of the Dharma, encourage others to give material things and give the Dharma, praise giving material things and giving the Dharma, and when others give material things and give the Dharma, give them praise and approval. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of generosity.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of ethical discipline?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration do not entertain thoughts of desire, do not entertain thoughts of hatred, do not entertain thoughts of delusion, and do not entertain thoughts of violence. Rather, they practice with their attention directed to all-aspect omniscience and do not dedicate these roots of virtue to the level of the śrāvakas or to the level of the pratyekabuddhas; instead, making common cause with all beings, they dedicate them to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of ethical discipline.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of tolerance?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration discern physical forms as resembling foam, discern feelings as resembling a water bubble, discern perceptions as resembling a mirage, discern formative predispositions as resembling a hollow plantain tree, and discern consciousness as resembling an illusion. In that manner they investigate each of the five acquisitive aggregates and avail themselves of the perception of them as essenceless, thinking, ‘Even though my limbs and minor limbs are being cut and chopped off, who is doing the cutting and who is being cut?1080 As for the body, whose body is it? As for feelings, whose feelings? As for perceptions, whose perceptions? As for formative predispositions, whose formative predispositions? And as for consciousness, whose consciousness?’ When they investigate each in that manner, they think, ‘When someone has been scolded and abused, what scolding is there anyway, and what abuse is there anyway, of the sort that would give rise to malicious thoughts?’ It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of tolerance.”
“Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of perseverance?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, which is detached from sense objects, is detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from detachment. Having pacified the initial mental application and the sustained mental application, with inner serene confidence—which is to say, a mind that has become single-pointed—they achieve and maintain the second meditative concentration endowed with the joy and bliss that arise from meditative stability. On account of having no attachment to the joy, dwelling with mindfulness and alertness in equanimity they experience the bliss with their bodies and achieve and maintain the third meditative concentration devoid of joy, about which the noble ones say, ‘They are mindful, abiding in bliss, and equanimous.’ On account of having earlier abandoned the bliss, abandoned suffering, and caused mental happiness and mental unhappiness to subside, they achieve and maintain the fourth meditative concentration without bliss or suffering, and in which equanimity and mindfulness are utterly purified. And yet, they do not grasp those meditative concentrations or the branches of the meditative concentrations through mental images.
“Since they are endowed with a mind in such meditative equipoise, they experience many facets of miraculous ability. They may even cause this mighty earth to shake. They can be one and become many. They can be many and become one. They can also experience themselves as appearing and as disappearing. They can move directly through walls. Unobstructed, they go right through walls, right through enclosures, and right through mountains, as they would through the sky. They can also move through space like a bird on the wing. They also emerge up onto the earth and sink down into it, as they would do in water. They can walk on water, without sinking, as if on solid ground. They can also emit smoke and flames of fire, like a big bonfire. However miraculous, powerful, and mighty the sun and the moon might be, they can stroke them with their hands, extending their power, up to Brahmaloka, with their physical bodies.
“Since they have the refined divine ears, which surpass those of human beings, they can hear the voices of gods and humans, near or far. They can correctly cognize with their own minds the minds of other beings and the minds of other persons, exactly as they are. They correctly cognize greedy minds as greedy minds, and they correctly cognize minds free from desire as minds free from desire. They correctly cognize minds with hatred as minds with hatred, and they correctly cognize minds free from hatred as minds free from hatred. They correctly cognize minds with delusion as minds with delusion, and they correctly cognize minds free from delusion as minds free from delusion. They correctly cognize minds with craving as minds with craving, and they correctly cognize minds free from craving as minds free from craving. They correctly cognize minds with grasping as minds with grasping, and they correctly cognize minds free from grasping as minds free from grasping. They correctly cognize minds that are composed as minds that are composed, and they correctly cognize minds that are distracted as minds that are distracted. They correctly cognize minds that are circumscribed as minds that are circumscribed, and they correctly cognize minds that are expanded as minds that are expanded. They correctly cognize minds that are broad as minds that are broad. They correctly cognize minds that are unlimited as minds that are unlimited. They correctly cognize minds that are in absorption as minds that are in absorption, and they correctly cognize minds that are not in absorption as minds that are not in absorption. They correctly cognize minds that are liberated as minds that are liberated, and they correctly cognize minds that are unliberated as minds that are unliberated. They correctly cognize minds that are contaminated as minds that are contaminated, and they correctly cognize minds that are uncontaminated as minds that are uncontaminated. They correctly cognize minds with a blemish as minds with a blemish, and they correctly cognize minds without a blemish as minds without a blemish. They correctly cognize minds that are surpassed as minds that are surpassed, and they correctly cognize minds that are unsurpassed as minds that are unsurpassed.
“They recollect many facets of past lives. That is to say, they recollect one thought, or they recollect anything from that up to a hundred thoughts. They recollect one day, or they recollect anything from that up to a hundred days. They recollect one month, or they recollect anything from that up to a hundred months. They recollect one year, or they recollect anything from that up to a hundred years. They recollect one eon, or they recollect anything from that up to a hundred eons. They recollect even many thousands of eons. They recollect even many hundreds of thousands of eons. They recollect even many quintillions of eons. ‘I was in such and such a place, named so-and-so, in such and such a lineage, with such and such a birth status, following such and such a diet, with an allotted lifespan of such and such a duration, living for such and such a length of time. Thus, having died there I was born in such and such places, up to and having died there then I took birth here.’ In this way, they can recollect in many details their own past lives and those of others, along with their conditions, the reasons for them, and the bad they foretell.1081
“They cognize through their refined divine eye of clairvoyance, surpassing that of humans, those beings who are dying, those who are reborn, those who are beautiful, those who are ugly, those who are excellent, those who are vile, those who dwell in the lower realms, and those who dwell in blissful realms. They cognize, ‘These beings conduct themselves badly with their bodies, these conduct themselves badly with their speech, and these conduct themselves badly with their mind. They deprecate sublime beings. Due to the causes and conditions of adopting wrong views, when they have died, they will be reborn in inferior realms, falling into the lower abodes, as denizens of the hells. These beings are endowed with noble physical conduct. They are endowed with noble verbal conduct, and they are endowed with noble mental conduct. They do not deprecate sublime beings. Due to the causes and conditions of adopting correct views, when they have died, they will be reborn within the blissful and exalted realms.’ So it is that they correctly cognize the births and deaths of all those included within the six classes of beings in all world systems of all ten directions within the whole infinity of the realm of phenomena and the very reaches of the realm of space.
“Abiding in these five extrasensory powers, they travel from buddhafield to buddhafield to devote themselves to the lord buddhas and make inquiries and ask questions, develop the roots of virtue, bring beings to maturity, and refine a buddhafield. They do not dedicate these roots of virtue to the level of the śrāvakas or the level of the pratyekabuddhas. Rather, they dedicate these roots of virtue, making common cause with all beings, to unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment, so of course they make this dedication in such a way that it will not be with the threefold awareness of one who makes the dedication, of that which is the dedication, and of that to which the dedication is made. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of perseverance.”
“Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, incorporate the perfection of wisdom?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, do not apprehend physical forms, do not apprehend feelings, do not apprehend perceptions, do not apprehend formative predispositions, and do not apprehend consciousness. They do not apprehend the eyes, do not apprehend the ears, do not apprehend the nose, do not apprehend the tongue, do not apprehend the body, and do not apprehend the mental faculty. They do not apprehend sights, do not apprehend sounds, do not apprehend odors, do not apprehend tastes, do not apprehend tangibles, and do not apprehend mental phenomena. They do not apprehend visual consciousness, do not apprehend auditory consciousness, do not apprehend olfactory consciousness, do not apprehend gustatory consciousness, do not apprehend tactile consciousness, and do not apprehend mental consciousness. They do not apprehend visually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend aurally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend nasally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend lingually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not apprehend mentally compounded sensory contact. They do not apprehend feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, do not apprehend feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and do not apprehend feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact. They do not apprehend the earth element, do not apprehend the water element, do not apprehend the fire element, do not apprehend the wind element, do not apprehend the space element, and do not apprehend the consciousness element. They do not apprehend ignorance, do not apprehend formative predispositions, do not apprehend consciousness, do not apprehend name and form, do not apprehend the six sense fields, do not apprehend sensory contact, do not apprehend sensation, do not apprehend craving, do not apprehend grasping, do not apprehend the rebirth process, do not apprehend birth, and do not apprehend aging and death. They do not apprehend the perfection of generosity, do not apprehend the perfection of ethical discipline, do not apprehend the perfection of tolerance, do not apprehend the perfection of perseverance, do not apprehend the perfection of meditative concentration, and do not apprehend the perfection of wisdom. They do not apprehend the emptiness of internal phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of external phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of emptiness, do not apprehend the emptiness of great extent, do not apprehend the emptiness of ultimate reality, do not apprehend the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of the unlimited, do not apprehend the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, do not apprehend the emptiness of nonexclusion, do not apprehend the emptiness of inherent nature, do not apprehend the emptiness of all phenomena, do not apprehend the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, do not apprehend the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, do not apprehend the emptiness of nonentities, do not apprehend the emptiness of essential nature, and do not apprehend the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities. They do not apprehend the four applications of mindfulness, do not apprehend the four correct exertions, do not apprehend the four supports for miraculous ability, do not apprehend the five faculties, do not apprehend the five powers, do not apprehend the seven branches of enlightenment, and do not apprehend the noble eightfold path. They do not apprehend the four truths of the noble ones, do not apprehend the four meditative concentrations, do not apprehend the four immeasurable attitudes, do not apprehend the four formless absorptions, do not apprehend the eight liberations, do not apprehend the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, do not apprehend the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, do not apprehend the extrasensory powers, do not apprehend the meditative stabilities, and do not apprehend the dhāraṇī gateways. They do not apprehend the ten powers of the tathāgatas, do not apprehend the four fearlessnesses, and do not apprehend the four kinds of exact knowledge, do not apprehend great compassion, and do not apprehend the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. They do not apprehend the fruit of having entered the stream, do not apprehend the fruit of once-returner, do not apprehend the fruit of non-returner, do not apprehend arhatship, do not apprehend individual enlightenment, do not apprehend the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and do not apprehend all-aspect omniscience. They do not apprehend the realm of the conditioned, and they do not apprehend the realm of the unconditioned.
“Since in that manner they do not apprehend anything, they do not condition anything, and since they do not condition anything, they neither cause anything to arise, nor do they cause anything to cease. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because, whether the tathāgatas appear or whether they do not appear, the reality of phenomena as it pertains to phenomena remains, and the realm of phenomena remains as it is. It neither arises nor ceases, so, with undistracted minds, bodhisattva great beings are inseparable from the object of their attention connected with all-aspect omniscience, and it is in this way, Subhūti, that, abiding in the perfection of meditative concentration, they incorporate the perfection of wisdom.”
“Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings, abiding in the perfection of wisdom, incorporate the perfection of generosity?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they observe that all phenomena are ‘empty.’ ”