Chapter 64: The Teaching on Sameness
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings realize well1311 the intrinsic defining characteristic of a phenomenon as it pertains to all phenomena?”
The Blessed One replied, “An emanation acts1312 without desire, hatred, or delusion. It acts without latent impulses or obsessions. It acts without external or internal phenomena. It acts without contaminated or uncontaminated phenomena. It acts without conditioned or unconditioned phenomena. It acts without physical forms, it acts without feelings, it acts without perceptions, it acts without formative predispositions, and it acts without consciousness. It acts without the eyes, it acts without the ears, it acts without the nose, it acts without the tongue, it acts without the body, and it acts without the mental faculty. It acts without sights, it acts without sounds, it acts without odors, it acts without tastes, it acts without tangibles, and it acts without mental phenomena. It acts without visual consciousness, it acts without auditory consciousness, it acts without olfactory consciousness, it acts without gustatory consciousness, it acts without tactile consciousness, and it acts without mental consciousness. It acts without visually compounded sensory contact, it acts without aurally compounded sensory contact, it acts without nasally compounded sensory contact, it acts without lingually compounded sensory contact, it acts without corporeally compounded sensory contact, and it acts without mentally compounded sensory contact. It acts without feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact, it acts without feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, it acts without feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, it acts without feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, it acts without feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, and it acts without feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact. It acts without the earth element, it acts without the water element, it acts without the fire element, it acts without the wind element, it acts without the space element, and it acts without the consciousness element. It acts without dependent origination. It acts without ignorance, it acts without formative predispositions, it acts without consciousness, it acts without name and form, it acts without the six sense fields, it acts without sensory contact, it acts without sensation, it acts without craving, it acts without grasping, it acts without the rebirth process, it acts without birth, and it acts without aging and death. It acts without the perfection of generosity, it acts without the perfection of ethical discipline, it acts without the perfection of tolerance, it acts without the perfection of perseverance, it acts without the perfection of meditative concentration, and it acts without the perfection of wisdom. It acts without the emptiness of internal phenomena, it acts without the emptiness of external phenomena, it acts without the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, it acts without the emptiness of emptiness, it acts without the emptiness of great extent, it acts without the emptiness of ultimate reality, it acts without the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, it acts without the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, it acts without the emptiness of the unlimited, it acts without the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, it acts without the emptiness of nonexclusion, it acts without the emptiness of inherent nature, it acts without the emptiness of all phenomena, it acts without the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, it acts without the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, it acts without the emptiness of nonentities, it acts without the emptiness of essential nature, and it acts without the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities. It acts without the applications of mindfulness, it acts without the correct exertions, it acts without the supports for miraculous ability, it acts without the faculties, it acts without the powers, it acts without the branches of enlightenment, and it acts without the noble eightfold path. It acts without the truths of the noble ones, it acts without the meditative concentrations, it acts without the immeasurable attitudes, it acts without the formless absorptions, it acts without the eight liberations, it acts without the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, it acts without the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, it acts without the extrasensory powers, it acts without the meditative stabilities, and it acts without the dhāraṇī gateways. It acts without the ten powers of the tathāgatas, it acts without the four fearlessnesses, it acts without the four kinds of exact knowledge, it acts without great loving kindness, it acts without great compassion, and it acts without the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. It acts without the fruit of having entered the stream, it acts without the fruit of once-returner, it acts without the fruit of non-returner, it acts without arhatship, it acts without individual enlightenment, it acts without the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and it acts without all-aspect omniscience. Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings too act without any phenomena. It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings realize well the intrinsic defining characteristic of a phenomenon as it pertains to all phenomena.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, what is the path cultivated by an emanation, since having resorted to the cultivation of a path, it does not become defiled, does not become purified, and does not reside in saṃsāra with its five classes of beings?”
“Subhūti,” asked the Blessed One in return, “do you think that there is any real basis, a basis such that, having resorted to it, an emanation of a tathāgata would become defiled, or become purified, or appear within saṃsāra with its five classes of beings?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” replied Subhūti. “There is no real basis, Blessed Lord, no basis such that, having resorted to it, an emanation of a tathāgata would become defiled, or become purified, or appear within cyclic existence with its five classes of beings.”
“It is in this way, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “that bodhisattva great beings realize well the mode of a phenomenon as it pertains to all phenomena.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, are all physical forms like an emanation, are all feelings like an emanation, are all perceptions like an emanation, are all formative predispositions like an emanation, and are all consciousnesses like an emanation?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “all physical forms are like an emanation, all feelings are like an emanation, all perceptions are like an emanation, all formative predispositions are like an emanation, and all consciousnesses are like an emanation.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if all physical forms are like an emanation, all feelings are like an emanation, all perceptions are like an emanation, all formative predispositions are like an emanation, and all consciousnesses are like an emanation, and if, Blessed Lord, an emanation has no physical forms, has no feelings, has no perceptions, has no formative predispositions, and has no consciousness, is not defiled and is not purified, and if there is no saṃsāra with its five classes of beings from which it will be liberated, how then do bodhisattva great beings act effectively?”1313
“Subhūti,” asked the Blessed One in return, “when bodhisattva great beings engage in the conduct of a bodhisattva, do you think that they apprehend any being whom they should liberate from the hells, or from the animal realm, or from the world of Yama, or from among the gods and human beings?”
“No, Blessed Lord,” replied Subhūti.
“It is so, Subhūti, it is so,” said the Blessed One. “Bodhisattva great beings do not apprehend any being at all whom they should liberate from the three realms. If you ask why, it is because they know, see, and realize that all phenomena are like an illusion. They know, see, and realize that all phenomena are like a magical display.”
“Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti, “if bodhisattva great beings know, see, and realize that all phenomena are like an illusion, and know, see, and realize that they are like a magical display, for what purpose do bodhisattva great beings practice the six perfections, practice the four meditative concentrations, practice the four immeasurable attitudes, practice the four formless absorptions, practice the five extrasensory powers, practice the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, practice the four truths of the noble ones, practice the eight liberations, practice the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, practice the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, practice all the meditative stabilities, practice all the dhāraṇī gateways, practice the ten powers of the tathāgatas, practice the four fearlessnesses, practice the four kinds of exact knowledge, practice great compassion, and practice the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddha, up to why do bodhisattva great beings practice the path to enlightenment, refine a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “if beings of their own accord were to know that all phenomena are like emanations, then bodhisattva great beings would not indeed engage in the conduct of a bodhisattva over countless eons for the sake of beings. But, Subhūti, it is because beings do not know of their own accord that all phenomena are like emanations that bodhisattva great beings do engage in the six perfections for their sake over countless eons, do bring beings to maturation, and also do refine a buddhafield.”
Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are like a dream, like an echo, like a mirage, like an optical aberration, like an illusion, and like a magical display, where, Blessed Lord, are beings entrenched such that bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom to cause them to move up?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “it is because beings are entrenched in the imagination of unreal names and mental images that bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom to cause them to move up from those names and mental images.”
“Blessed Lord, what are names and what are mental images?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “these ‘names’ or ‘mental images’ are adventitious superimpositions1314 in words, that is to say, ‘names,’ or ‘mental images’; ‘physical forms,’ ‘feelings,’ ‘perceptions,’ ‘formative predispositions,’ or ‘consciousness’; ‘women,’ ‘men,’ ‘boys,’ or ‘girls’; ‘hell,’ ‘the animal realm,’ ‘the world of Yama,’ ‘gods,’ or ‘human beings’; ‘conditioned phenomena’ or ‘unconditioned phenomena’; or ‘the fruit of having entered the stream,’ ‘the fruit of once-returner,’ ‘the fruit of non-returner,’ ‘arhatship,’ ‘individual enlightenment,’ or ‘complete enlightenment’ are superimpositions by magically displayed1315 words. As for names, Subhūti, all are a designation as the meaning of the name.1316 All conditioned phenomena to which foolish ordinary people form attachments are mere names. When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they encourage them with skill in means, saying, ‘All names have originated from imagination and you should not be attached to imagined nonentities, which are empty of essential nature. The learned do not become fixated on any of these phenomena, which are empty.’ It is in this manner, Subhūti, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they teach the Dharma to beings with skill in means.
“Subhūti, if you ask what mental images are, the mental images to which foolish ordinary people become attached are two. If you ask what the two are, they are mental images of form and mental images of the formless. Subhūti, if you ask what mental images of form are, they are all the momentary phenomena grasped through imagination––forms of the past, future, and present, coarse or subtle, positive or negative, far or near. These are called mental images of form.
“Subhūti, if you ask what mental images of the formless are, they are any formless phenomena whatsoever imagined through being grasped as a mental image that gives rise to an afflictive mental state. These are called mental images of the formless.
“Therefore, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they will through skill in means release beings from those mental images and establish and secure them in the realm of signlessness, so of course they establish and secure them in such a way that they do not fall into duality, thinking, ‘This is a mental image’ or ‘That is the absence of a mental image.’ It is in this manner, Subhūti, that when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, through skill in means they release beings from those mental images and secure them in the realm of signlessness.”
Subhūti asked, “If all these phenomena are finally mere names, which is to say, are finally mere names and mental images—if they are finally mere designations, which is to say, originate from imagination—then when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, how do they themselves attain the distinguished virtuous attributes, and how do they secure others in the attainment of the distinguished virtuous attributes, and by means of those roots of virtue cause them to complete the levels, from one to the next? And how do they connect beings with the three vehicles?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “were there to have been a real basis or a mental image of a real basis, Subhūti, in that case, when bodhisattva great beings practiced the perfection of wisdom, they would not themselves have attained distinction and they would not have connected others with distinction. But it is because there is neither such a mental image of a real basis, nor a real basis, that, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they complete the perfection of meditative concentration by way of signlessness, complete the perfection of perseverance by way of signlessness, complete the perfection of tolerance by way of signlessness, complete the perfection of ethical discipline by way of signlessness, and complete the perfection of generosity by way of signlessness; complete the four meditative concentrations by way of signlessness, complete the four immeasurable attitudes by way of signlessness, and complete the four formless absorptions by way of signlessness; complete the four applications of mindfulness by way of signlessness, complete the four correct exertions by way of signlessness, complete the four supports for miraculous ability by way of signlessness, complete the five faculties by way of signlessness, complete the five powers by way of signlessness, complete the seven branches of enlightenment by way of signlessness, and complete the noble eightfold path by way of signlessness; complete the emptiness of internal phenomena by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of external phenomena by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of external and internal phenomena by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of emptiness by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of great extent by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of ultimate reality by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of conditioned phenomena by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of the unlimited by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of nonexclusion by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of inherent nature by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of all phenomena by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of nonentities by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness of essential nature by way of signlessness, and complete the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities by way of signlessness; complete the eight liberations by way of signlessness, complete the nine serial steps of meditative absorption by way of signlessness, complete the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation by way of signlessness, complete the extrasensory powers by way of signlessness, complete the meditative stabilities by way of signlessness, and complete the dhāraṇī gateways by way of signlessness; and complete the ten powers of the tathāgatas by way of signlessness, complete the four fearlessnesses by way of signlessness, complete the four kinds of exact knowledge by way of signlessness, complete great loving kindness by way of signlessness, complete great compassion by way of signlessness, and complete the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas by way of signlessness. Having completed these virtuous attributes, they then, by way of signlessness, connect others with these virtuous attributes as well.
“Subhūti, were there to have been even the slightest mental image measuring a mere fraction of the tip of a strand of hair,1317 when bodhisattva great beings practiced the perfection of wisdom they would not have attained full awakening to all phenomena free from mental images, free from recollection, and free from attention, nor would they have secured beings in true reality and in uncontaminated phenomena. Subhūti, all uncontaminated phenomena are free from mental images, free from recollection, and free from attention. Therefore, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they act for the sake of all beings through uncontaminated phenomena.”
“Blessed Lord,” said Subhūti, “if all phenomena are free from mental images, free from recollection, and free from attention, in that case, Blessed Lord, how do you calculate, ‘These are virtuous attributes and these are nonvirtuous attributes; these are mundane attributes and these are supramundane attributes; these are contaminated attributes and these are uncontaminated attributes; these are conditioned attributes and these are unconditioned attributes; these are attributes shared in common and these are attributes not shared in common; and these are the attributes of śrāvakas, these the attributes of pratyekabuddhas, these the attributes of bodhisattvas, and these the attributes of buddhas’?”
“Subhūti, do you think that signlessness is one thing and the attributes of the śrāvakas are another?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord,” replied Subhūti.
“Subhūti, do you think that signlessness is one thing and the attributes of the pratyekabuddhas are another, that signlessness is one thing and the attributes of the bodhisattvas are another, and that signlessness is one thing and the attributes of the buddhas are another?” asked the Blessed One.
“No, Blessed Lord,” replied Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “just signlessness is the fruit of having entered the stream, it is the fruit of once-returner, it is the fruit of non-returner, it is arhatship, it is individual enlightenment, it is the attributes of the bodhisattvas, and it is the attributes of the buddhas.”
“It is so, Blessed Lord. It is so, Sugata.” replied Subhūti.
“For that reason, Subhūti,” said the Blessed One, “you should know in the same manner that all phenomena are without mental images. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who train in all phenomena without mental images are enhanced by many virtuous phenomena. They are enhanced by 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; by 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, and the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; by the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path; by the four truths of the noble ones, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight liberations, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, the five extrasensory powers, all the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways; and by the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and all the boundless attributes of the buddhas apart from these.
“If you ask why, it is because apart from training in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, there is nothing else in which bodhisattva great beings should train. If you ask why, it is because there are no virtuous phenomena that are not gathered in these three gateways to liberation, because the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics is this emptiness gateway to liberation, the absence of mental images is this signlessness gateway to liberation, and the absence of conditioning1318 is this wishlessness gateway to liberation. Bodhisattva great beings who train in these three gateways to liberation train in the five aggregates, train in the twelve sense fields, train in the eighteen sensory elements, and train in the twelve links of dependent origination; train in the perfection of generosity, train in the perfection of ethical discipline, train in the perfection of tolerance, train in the perfection of perseverance, train in the perfection of meditative concentration, and train in the perfection of wisdom; train in the emptiness of internal phenomena, train in the emptiness of external phenomena, train in the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, train in the emptiness of emptiness, train in the emptiness of great extent, train in the emptiness of ultimate reality, train in the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, train in the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, train in the emptiness of the unlimited, train in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, train in the emptiness of nonexclusion, train in the emptiness of inherent nature, train in the emptiness of all phenomena, train in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, train in the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, train in the emptiness of nonentities, train in the emptiness of essential nature, and train in the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities; train in the four applications of mindfulness, train in the four correct exertions, train in the four supports for miraculous ability, train in the five faculties, train in the five powers, train in the seven branches of enlightenment, and train in the noble eightfold path; train in the four truths of the noble ones, train in the four meditative concentrations, train in the four immeasurable attitudes, train in the four formless absorptions, train in the eight liberations, train in the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, train in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, train in the five extrasensory powers, train in all the meditative stabilities, and train in all the dhāraṇī gateways; train in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, train in the four fearlessnesses, train in the four kinds of exact knowledge, train in great loving kindness, train in great compassion, and train in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas; and train in omniscience, train in the knowledge of the aspects of the path, and train in all-aspect omniscience.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, how—in what sort of manner—do they train in the five acquisitive aggregates?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “here when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they know physical forms, which is to say, they know how physical forms arise, how physical forms cease, and what the real nature of physical forms is like.
“If you ask how they know physical forms, to give an illustration, they know them to be like an essenceless mass of foam, like a pipe through which dirty water passes,1319 utterly porous, and utterly essenceless. It is in this way that they know physical forms.
“If you ask how they know the arising and perishing of physical forms, they know that inasmuch as physical forms neither come from anywhere nor go anywhere, they have neither a coming from anywhere nor a going anywhere, so they have not come from anywhere and have not gone anywhere. It is in this way that they know the arising and perishing of physical forms.
“If you ask how they know what the real nature of physical forms is, the real nature of physical forms neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and is neither diminished nor enhanced, that is to say, it remains without error, it is like that,1320 and therefore it is called the real nature. It is in this way that they know what the real nature of physical forms is.
“If you ask how they know feelings, to give an illustration, they know them to be like a hollow bubble on water arising and ceasing. It is in this way that they know feelings. If you ask how they know the arising and perishing of feelings, they know that inasmuch as feelings neither come from anywhere nor go anywhere, they have neither a coming from anywhere nor a going anywhere, so they have not come from anywhere and have not gone anywhere. It is in this way that they know the arising and perishing of feelings. If you ask how they know what the real nature of feelings is, the real nature of feelings neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and is neither diminished nor enhanced, that is to say, it remains without error, it is like that, and therefore it is called the real nature. It is in this way that they know what the real nature of feelings is.
“If you ask how they know perceptions, to give an illustration, they know them as they do the water in a mirage that they utterly do not apprehend. It is in this way that they know perceptions. If you ask how they know the arising and perishing of perceptions, they know that inasmuch as perceptions neither come from anywhere nor go anywhere, they have neither a coming from anywhere nor a going anywhere, so they have not come from anywhere and have not gone anywhere. It is in this way that they know the arising and perishing of perceptions. If you ask how they know what the real nature of perceptions is, the real nature of perceptions neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and is neither diminished nor enhanced, that is to say, it remains without error, it is like that, and therefore it is called the real nature. It is in this way that they know what the real nature of perceptions is.
“If you ask how they know formative predispositions, to give an illustration, they know them as they do the core of a plantain tree that they utterly do not apprehend when the outer layers are peeled away. It is in this way that they know formative predispositions. If you ask how they know the arising and perishing of formative predispositions, they know that inasmuch as formative predispositions neither come from anywhere nor go anywhere, they have neither a coming from anywhere nor a going anywhere, so they have not come from anywhere and have not gone anywhere. It is in this way that they know the arising and perishing of formative predispositions. If you ask how they know what the real nature of formative predispositions is, the real nature of formative predispositions neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and is neither diminished nor enhanced, that is to say, it remains without error, it is like that, and therefore it is called the real nature. It is in this way that they know what the real nature of formative predispositions is.
“If you ask how they know consciousness, to give an illustration, they know it as they do a massive army with its four cohorts conjured up by an illusionist. It is in this way that they know consciousness. If you ask how they know the arising and perishing of formative predispositions, they know that inasmuch as consciousness neither comes from anywhere nor goes anywhere, it has neither a coming from anywhere nor a going anywhere, so it has not come from anywhere and has not gone anywhere. It is in this way that they know the arising and perishing of consciousness. If you ask how they know what the real nature of consciousness is, the real nature of consciousness neither arises nor ceases, neither comes nor goes, is neither defiled nor purified, and is neither diminished nor enhanced, that is to say, it remains without error, it is like that, and therefore it is called the real nature. It is in this way that they know what the real nature of consciousness is.
“If you ask how they know the sense fields, they know that internal phenomena are empty of internal phenomena and that external phenomena are empty of external phenomena. It is in this way that they know the sense fields.
“If you ask how they know the sensory elements, they know that the sensory element of the eyes is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of the eyes, that the sensory element of sights is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of sights, and that the sensory element of visual consciousness is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of visual consciousness; that the sensory element of the ears is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of the ears, that the sensory element of sounds is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of sounds, and that the sensory element of auditory consciousness is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of auditory consciousness; that the sensory element of the nose is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of the nose, that the sensory element of odors is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of odors, and that the sensory element of olfactory consciousness is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of olfactory consciousness; that the sensory element of the tongue is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of the tongue, that the sensory element of tastes is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of tastes, and that the sensory element of gustatory consciousness is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of gustatory consciousness; that the sensory element of the body is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of the body, that the sensory element of tangibles is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of tangibles, and that the sensory element of tactile consciousness is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of tactile consciousness; and that the sensory element of the mental faculty is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of the mental faculty, that the sensory element of mental phenomena is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of mental phenomena, and that the sensory element of mental consciousness is empty of the essential nature of the sensory element of mental consciousness. It is in this way that they know the sensory elements.
“If you ask how they know dependent origination, they know that dependent originations do not arise, and they similarly know that dependent originations do not cease, are neither annihilated nor eternal, are neither one nor manifold, neither come nor go, are free from conceptual elaboration, and are at peace. It is in this way that they know dependent origination.
“If you ask how they know the truths of the noble ones, they know the noble truth of suffering, and they know the noble truths of the origin, the cessation, and the path that leads to cessation. If you ask how they know the noble truth of suffering, they know suffering, they know truth, and they know the truth of the noble ones. They know that liberation from duality is the truth of the noble ones, that is to say, that nonduality is called the truth of the noble ones.1321 They know the noble truths of the origin, the cessation, and the path that leads to cessation in the same way. It is in this way that they know the truths of the noble ones.
“If you ask how they know what the real nature of the truths of the noble ones is, they know, ‘The real nature of suffering is unmistaken.’1322 They know the real nature of the noble truths of the origin, the cessation, and the path that leads to cessation in the same way. It is in this way that they know the real nature of the truths of the noble ones.”
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, if they know in this manner phenomena that are different from one another, would the realm of phenomena not be disrupted by that?”
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “if there were any phenomena existing apart from1323 the realm of phenomena it would be disrupted, but, Subhūti, no other phenomena apart from the realm of phenomena are apprehended at all. If they were to be apprehended, the realm of phenomena would indeed be disrupted. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because neither the tathāgatas, nor the bodhisattvas, nor the pratyekabuddhas, nor the śrāvakas of the tathāgatas1324 apprehend any phenomena apart from the realm of phenomena. Since they do not, in that manner, apprehend them, they do not label them ‘different phenomena apart from the realm of phenomena.’ It is in this way, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom should train in the realm of phenomena.”
“Blessed Lord, in what will bodhisattva great beings who train in the realm of phenomena become trained?” asked Subhūti.
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who practice the realm of phenomena become trained in all phenomena. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because all phenomena are the realm of phenomena.”1325
“Blessed Lord, why are all phenomena the realm of phenomena?” asked Subhūti.
“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “whether the tathāgatas appear or whether they do not appear, the realm of phenomena as it pertains to phenomena remains as it is, indivisible.1326 Subhūti, that realm of phenomena is all phenomena—phenomena that are virtuous and nonvirtuous, phenomena that are mundane and supramundane, phenomena that are contaminated and uncontaminated, phenomena that are a basic transgression and not a basic transgression, and phenomena that are conditioned and unconditioned. So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom come to train in all phenomena by training in the realm of phenomena.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are the realm of phenomena, how should bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom train in physical forms, how should they train in feelings, how should they train in perceptions, how should they train in formative predispositions, and how should they train in consciousness? How should they train in the sense fields, how should they train in the sensory elements, and how should they train in dependent origination? How should they train in the perfection of generosity, how should they train in the perfection of ethical discipline, how should they train in the perfection of tolerance, how should they train in the perfection of perseverance, how should they train in the perfection of meditative concentration, and how should they train in the perfection of wisdom? How should they train in the emptiness of internal phenomena, how should they train in the emptiness of external phenomena, how should they train in the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, how should they train in the emptiness of emptiness, how should they train in the emptiness of great extent, how should they train in the emptiness of ultimate reality, how should they train in the emptiness of conditioned phenomena, how should they train in the emptiness of unconditioned phenomena, how should they train in the emptiness of the unlimited, how should they train in the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, how should they train in the emptiness of nonexclusion, how should they train in the emptiness of inherent nature, how should they train in the emptiness of all phenomena, how should they train in the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, how should they train in the emptiness of that which cannot be apprehended, how should they train in the emptiness of nonentities, how should they train in the emptiness of essential nature, and how should they train in the emptiness of an essential nature of nonentities? How should they train in the four applications of mindfulness, how should they train in the four correct exertions, how should they train in the four supports for miraculous ability, how should they train in the five faculties, how should they train in the five powers, how should they train in the seven branches of enlightenment, and how should they train in the noble eightfold path? How should they train in the four truths of the noble ones, how should they train in the four meditative concentrations, how should they train in the four immeasurable attitudes, how should they train in the four formless absorptions, how should they train in the eight liberations, how should they train in the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, how should they train in the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness gateways to liberation, how should they train in the six extrasensory powers, how should they train in all the meditative stabilities, and how should they train in all the dhāraṇī gateways? How should they train in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, how should they train in the four fearlessnesses, how should they train in the four kinds of exact knowledge, how should they train in great loving kindness, how should they train in great compassion, how should they train in great empathetic joy, how should they train in great equanimity, and how should they train in the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas? How should they train in actualizing the thirty-two major marks of a great person, and the eighty excellent minor signs?
“How should they train to be reborn in great and lofty royal families, how should they train to be reborn in among great and lofty priestly families, and how should they train to be reborn in great and lofty householder families? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the Caturmahārājakāyika realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Trāyastriṃśa realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Yāma realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Tuṣita realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Nirmāṇarati realm, and how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Paranirmitavaśavartin realm? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the Brahmakāyika realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Brahmapurohita realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Brahmapārṣadya realm, and how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Mahābrahmā realm? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the Parīttābha realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Apramāṇābha realm, and how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Ābhāsvara realm? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the Parīttaśubha realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Apramāṇaśubha realm, and how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Śubhakṛtsna realm? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the Parīttavṛha realm, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Apramāṇavṛha realm, and how should they train to be reborn as a god of the Vṛhatphala realm? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the Asaṃñisattva realm?1327 How should they train to reborn as a god of the Pure Abodes? How should they train to be reborn as a god of the sphere of infinite space, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the sphere of infinite consciousness, how should they train to be reborn as a god of the sphere of nothing-at-all, and how should they train to be reborn as a god of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception?
“How should they train in the first setting of the mind [on enlightenment], how should they train in the second setting of the mind, how should they train in the third setting of the mind, how should they train in the fourth setting of the mind, how should they train in the fifth setting of the mind, how should they train in the sixth setting of the mind, how should they train in the seventh setting of the mind, how should they train in the eighth setting of the mind, how should they train in the ninth setting of the mind, and how should they train in the tenth setting of the mind?
“How should they train in the level of the śrāvakas, how should they train in the level of the pratyekabuddhas, how should they train in a bodhisattva’s full maturity, how should they train in bringing beings to maturity, how should they train in the refinement of a buddhafield, and how, while training in the path to enlightenment, should they train in the path to enlightenment to know all phenomena in all their aspects?