Chapter 9
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is the four applications of mindfulness. If you ask what these four are, they are the application of mindfulness to the body, the application of mindfulness to feelings, the application of mindfulness to the mind, and the application of mindfulness to phenomena.
“If you ask what the application of mindfulness to the body is, in this respect, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with the body. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with the body. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the outer and inner body, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with the body.
“Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing inner feelings, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with feelings. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing outer feelings, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with feelings. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing outer and inner feelings, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with feelings.
“Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the inner mind, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with mind. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the outer mind, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with mind. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the outer and inner mind, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with mind.
“Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing inner phenomena, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with phenomena. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing outer phenomena, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with phenomena. Bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing outer and inner phenomena, without apprehending anything and without forming conceptual thoughts to do with phenomena.
“Subhūti, if you ask how bodhisattva great beings practice observing the inner body, in this respect, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings are moving, they are fully aware that they are moving. When they are standing upright, they are fully aware that they are standing upright. When they are sitting, they are fully aware that they are sitting. When they are lying down, they are fully aware that they are lying down. When the body is comfortable or uncomfortable, and in whatever ways the body changes its posture, they are fully aware. Subhūti, it is in such ways that bodhisattva great beings who are diligent, alert, and mindful, and have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings dwell in a body observing the inner body without apprehending anything. They remain alert, whether they are going out or returning. They remain alert, whether they are looking or peering. They remain alert, whether they are bending in or stretching out. They remain alert, whether they are wearing an upper robe503 or carrying an alms bowl. They remain alert, whether they are eating, drinking, chewing, or tasting. They remain alert, whether they are lying down or warding off the fatigue of sleep.504 They remain alert, whether they are going or coming. They remain alert, whether they are standing or sitting. They remain alert, whether they are falling asleep or not falling asleep. They remain alert, whether they are speaking or not speaking. And they also remain alert inside, settled in meditation. Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they are fully aware that when they breathe in mindfully, they are breathing in mindfully.505 They are fully aware that when they breathe out mindfully, they are breathing out mindfully. They are fully aware that when they breathe in a long breath, they are breathing in a long breath. They are fully aware that when they breathe out a long breath, they are breathing out a long breath. They are fully aware that when they breathe in a short breath, they are breathing in a short breath. They are fully aware that when they breathe out a short breath, they are breathing out a short breath. Subhūti, this resembles, as an analogy, a skilled potter turning a wheel or a skilled apprentice of a potter turning a wheel. They are fully aware that when they are turning the wheel in a long whirl, they are turning the wheel in a long whirl, and they are fully aware that when they are turning the wheel in a short whirl, they are turning the wheel in a short whirl. Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they are fully aware that when they breathe in mindfully, they are breathing in mindfully. They are fully aware that when they breathe out mindfully, they are breathing out mindfully. They are fully aware that when they breathe in a long breath, they are breathing in a long breath. They are fully aware that when they breathe out a long breath, they are breathing out a long breath. They are fully aware that when they breathe in a short breath, they are breathing in a short breath. They are fully aware that when they breathe out a short breath, they are breathing out a short breath. Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they correctly examine how this body has various elements—how it has the element of earth, and also has the element of water, the element of fire, and the element of wind. Subhūti, as an analogy, just as a skilled butcher of bulls or a skilled apprentice of a butcher of bulls slays a bull with a sharp instrument, cuts it into four parts, and then examines the quartered carcass, as they stand or sit, in the same way bodhisattva great beings who practice the perfection of wisdom also examine how this same body has various elements—how it has the element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire, and the element of wind. Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways, as they stand or sit, that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they correctly examine how this same body is full of manifold impurities, from the soles of the feet upward, from the hair and the brain downward, and from the nails, body hair, and skin inward. That is to say, they correctly examine how this body has the hairs of the head, the hairs of the body, nails, epidermal skin, inner skin, flesh,506 ligaments, blood, bones, marrow, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, large intestine, small intestine, colon, viscera,507 urinary tract, excrement, tears, sweat, fat, mucus, nasal mucus, pus, bile, phlegm, serum, saliva, filthy excretions,508 brain tissue, cerebral secretions, eye mucus, and ear wax. Subhūti, this is just like when the grain bins of a farmer have been filled with sesame, mustard seeds, lentils, beans, barley, wheat, rice, and diverse grains, and an observant passer-by, on opening them and looking at the contents, would know that these are sesame, these are mustard seeds, these are lentils, these are beans, these are barley, these are wheat, these are rice, and these are grains other than those. Subhūti, in the same way, bodhisattva great beings correctly examine how this very body is full of manifold impurities, from the soles of the feet upward, from the hair and the crown of the head downward, and from the nails, body hair, and skin inward. That is to say, they correctly examine how this body has the hairs of the head, the hairs of the body, nails, epidermal skin, inner skin, flesh, ligaments, blood, bones, marrow, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, large intestine, small intestine, colon, viscera, urinary tract, excrement, tears, sweat, fat, mucus, nasal mucus, pus, bile, phlegm, serum, saliva, filthy excretions, brain tissue, cerebral secretions, eye mucus, and ear wax.
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing corpses that have been discarded in a charnel ground—those lying on a bier; those that have been dead for one day, dead for two days, dead for three days, dead for four days, or dead for five days; and those that are bloated, blue-black, putrefied, chewed on, or dismembered—they compare these circumstances to their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing corpses that have been discarded in a charnel ground, dead for six days, dead for seven days, being eaten by various sorts of wild creatures—ravens, crows, hawks, vultures, wolves, foxes, dogs, or any other of the various kinds of creatures—they compare these circumstances to their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing corpses that have been discarded in a charnel ground, chewed up, foul, festering, and rotten, they compare these circumstances to their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing the bones in a charnel ground, complete skeletons with fragments of flesh, smears of blood, tenuously joined together by tendons, they compare these to the circumstances of their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing the skeletal bones in a charnel ground, devoid of flesh and blood, without the adhesion of tendons, the color of conch shells, they compare these to the circumstances of their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing the bones in a charnel ground, scattered in the cardinal and intermediate directions, in one the foot bones, in another the shin bones, in another the thigh bones, in another the hip bones, in another the wrist bones, in another the rib bones, in another the neck bones, and in another the skull bones, they compare these to the circumstances of their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing the bones in a charnel ground, many years old, weathered by the wind and the sun, the color of conch shells, they compare these to the circumstances of their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’ Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything.
“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, on seeing the bones in a charnel ground, many years old, appearing indistinctly,509 bluish grey like the color of a pigeon, scattered about in smelly small pieces, vying with the dust on the ground,510 they compare these to the circumstances of their own bodies: ‘This body too has attributes such as these. It has a nature such as these. It does not go beyond this reality.’
“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, it is in such ways that they are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner body, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer body, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner and outer body, without apprehending anything.
“They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing inner feelings, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing outer feelings, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing inner and outer feelings, without apprehending anything.
“They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner mind, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the outer mind, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing the inner and outer mind, without apprehending anything.
“They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing inner phenomena, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing outer phenomena, without apprehending anything. They are diligent, alert, and mindful, have eliminated covetousness and unhappiness with respect to the world, and practice observing inner and outer phenomena, without apprehending anything.
“This indeed, Subhūti, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the four correct exertions. If you ask what these four are, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, without apprehending anything, they resolve, endeavor, strive, develop tenacity, and rightly aspire to cause negative and nonvirtuous phenomena that have not yet arisen to not arise. Without apprehending anything, they resolve, endeavor, strive, develop tenacity, and rightly aspire to renounce negative and nonvirtuous phenomena that have previously arisen. Without apprehending anything, they resolve, endeavor, strive, develop tenacity, and rightly aspire to cause virtuous phenomena that have not yet arisen to arise. Without apprehending anything, they resolve, endeavor, strive, develop tenacity, and rightly aspire that virtuous phenomena that have previously arisen might remain stable, be repeatedly cultivated, be undiminished, and be fully completed. This too, Subhūti, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the four supports for miraculous ability. If you ask what these four are, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate the resolve that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. They cultivate the perseverance that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. They cultivate the mind that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. And they cultivate the scrutiny511 that is a support for miraculous ability endowed with meditative stability and the formative force of exertion based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the five faculties. If you ask what these five are, they are the faculty of faith, the faculty of perseverance, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of meditative stability, and the faculty of wisdom. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the five powers. If you ask what these five are, they are the power of faith, the power of perseverance, the power of mindfulness, the power of meditative stability, and the power of wisdom. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the seven branches of enlightenment. If you ask what these seven are, they are the correct mindfulness branch of enlightenment, the correct analysis of phenomena512 branch of enlightenment, the correct perseverance branch of enlightenment, the correct delight branch of enlightenment, the correct pliability branch of enlightenment, the correct meditative stability branch of enlightenment, and the correct equanimity branch of enlightenment.
“If you ask what the correct mindfulness branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct mindfulness branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what the correct analysis of phenomena branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct analysis of phenomena branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what the correct perseverance branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct perseverance branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what the correct delight branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct delight branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what the correct pliability branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct pliability branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what the correct meditative stability branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct meditative stability branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what the correct equanimity branch of enlightenment is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, the correct equanimity branch of enlightenment based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. This too, Subhūti, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the noble eightfold path. If you ask what the noble eightfold path is, it is correct view, correct thought, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct mindfulness, and correct meditative stability. If, among them, you ask what correct view is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct view based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If, among them, you ask what correct thought is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct thought based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what correct speech is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct speech based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what correct action is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct action based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what correct livelihood is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct livelihood based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what correct effort is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct effort based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what correct mindfulness is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct mindfulness based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. If you ask what correct meditative stability is, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they cultivate, by way of not apprehending it, correct meditative stability based on seclusion, based on detachment, based on cessation, and maturing in release. This too, Subhūti, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the three meditative stabilities. If you ask what these three are, they are the meditative stability of emptiness, the meditative stability of signlessness, and the meditative stability of wishlessness. In this regard, if you ask what the meditative stability of emptiness is, that stability of mind when all phenomena are understood analytically513 to be empty of their own defining characteristics is the emptiness gateway to liberation called the meditative stability of emptiness. In this regard, if you ask what the meditative stability of signlessness is, that stability of mind when all phenomena are understood analytically to be devoid of signs is the signlessness gateway to liberation called the meditative stability of signlessness. In this regard, if you ask what the meditative stability of wishlessness is, that stability of mind when not conditioning any karma because ‘all phenomena cannot be conditioned by karma’ is the wishlessness gateway to liberation called the meditative stability of wishlessness.514 They should be mindful of these three gateways to liberation, without becoming discouraged. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the eleven knowledges. If you ask what these eleven are, they are knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the origin, knowledge of the cessation, knowledge of the path, knowledge of the extinction, knowledge that contaminants will not arise again, knowledge of phenomena, knowledge of phenomena that is subsequently realized,515 knowledge of the conventional, knowledge of mastery, and knowledge of sounds as they are.
“In this regard, if you ask what knowledge of suffering is, it is the knowledge that suffering does not arise. In this regard, if you ask what knowledge of the origin is, it is the knowledge that the origin has been eliminated. In this regard, if you ask what knowledge of the cessation is, it is the knowledge that suffering has ceased. In this regard, if you ask what knowledge of the path is, it is the knowledge of the noble eightfold path. In this regard, if you ask what knowledge of the extinction is, it is the knowledge that desire, hatred, and delusion have been extinguished. In this regard, if you ask what knowledge of nonregeneration is, it is the knowledge that the continuum of suffering existence516 will not be regenerated. If you ask what knowledge of phenomena is, it is the knowledge that fully understands that the five aggregates are illusory.
“If you ask what knowledge of phenomena that is subsequently realized is, it is the knowledge that the eyes are impermanent, the knowledge that the ears are impermanent, the knowledge that the nose is impermanent, the knowledge that the tongue is impermanent, the knowledge that the body is impermanent, and the knowledge that the mental faculty is impermanent; the knowledge that sights are impermanent, the knowledge that sounds are impermanent, the knowledge that odors are impermanent, the knowledge that tastes are impermanent, the knowledge that tangibles are impermanent, and the knowledge that mental phenomena are impermanent; the knowledge that the sensory element of the eyes is impermanent, the knowledge that the sensory element of sights is impermanent, and the knowledge that the sensory element of visual consciousness is impermanent; the knowledge that the sensory element of the ears is impermanent, the knowledge that the sensory element of sounds is impermanent, and the knowledge that the sensory element of auditory consciousness is impermanent; the knowledge that the sensory element of the nose is impermanent, the knowledge that the sensory element of odors is impermanent, and the knowledge that the sensory element of olfactory consciousness is impermanent; the knowledge that the sensory element of the tongue is impermanent, the knowledge that the sensory element of tastes is impermanent, and the knowledge that the sensory element of gustatory consciousness is impermanent; the knowledge that the sensory element of the body is impermanent, the knowledge that the sensory element of tangibles is impermanent, and the knowledge that the sensory element of tactile consciousness is impermanent; the knowledge that the sensory element of the mental faculty is impermanent, the knowledge that the sensory element of phenomena is impermanent, and the knowledge that the sensory element of mental consciousness is impermanent; and the knowledge that ignorance is impermanent, the knowledge that formative predispositions are impermanent, the knowledge that consciousness is impermanent, the knowledge that name and form are impermanent, the knowledge that the six sense fields are impermanent, and the knowledge that contact is impermanent; the knowledge that sensation is impermanent, the knowledge that craving is impermanent, the knowledge that grasping is impermanent, the knowledge that the rebirth process is impermanent, the knowledge that birth is impermanent, and the knowledge that aging and death are impermanent.
“If you ask what knowledge of the conventional is, it is the knowledge, through the mind, of the minds of other beings and of other persons. If you ask what knowledge that is masterful is, it is that by which there is knowledge of the path and knowledge of mastery.517 If you ask what knowledge of semantics is, it is the transcendental knowledge518 of an all-aspect omniscient one that the tathāgatas have. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the three faculties. If you ask what these three are, they are the faculty of coming to understand what one has not yet understood, the faculty of fully understanding, and the faculty of knowing one has fully understood.519
“If you ask what the faculty of coming to understand what one has not yet understood is, the faculty of faith, the faculty of perseverance, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of meditative stability, and the faculty of wisdom of those trainees who are individuals without realization—which have not appeared520—are called the faculty of coming to understand what one has not yet understood.
“If you ask what the faculty of fully understanding is, the faculty of faith, the faculty of perseverance, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of meditative stability, and the faculty of wisdom of those trainees who are individuals who have comprehension are called the faculty of fully understanding.
“If you ask what the faculty of knowing one has fully understood is, the faculty of faith, the faculty of perseverance, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of meditative stability, and the faculty of wisdom of those not in training who are arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, or tathāgatas, Subhūti, are called the faculty of knowing one has fully understood. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the three meditative stabilities. If you ask what these three are, they are the meditative stability with an initial mental application and with a sustained mental application, the meditative stability without an initial mental application but with just a sustained mental application, and the meditative stability without an initial mental application and without a sustained mental application.
“In this regard, Subhūti, if you ask what the meditative stability with an initial mental application and with a sustained mental application is, bodhisattva great beings achieve and then maintain the first meditative concentration that is detached from sense objects, detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and the bliss that arise from detachment. This is the meditative stability with an initial mental application and with a sustained mental application.
“In this regard, if you ask what the meditative stability without an initial mental application but with just a sustained mental application is, between the first meditative concentration and the second meditative concentration is the meditative stability without an initial mental application but with just a sustained mental application.
“In this regard, if you ask what the meditative stability without an initial mental application and without a sustained mental application is, the second meditative concentration, the third meditative concentration, the fourth meditative concentration, the meditative absorption into the sphere of infinite space, the meditative absorption into the sphere of infinite consciousness, the meditative absorption into the sphere of nothing-at-all, the meditative absorption into the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, and the meditative absorption into the cessation of perceptions and feelings are called the meditative stability without an initial mental application and without a sustained mental application. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the ten mindfulnesses. If you ask what these ten are, they are the mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, mindfulness of the Saṅgha, mindfulness of ethical discipline, mindfulness of giving away, mindfulness of the gods, mindfulness of disillusionment, mindfulness of the inhalation and exhalation of breath, mindfulness of death, and mindfulness of the body. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight liberations, and the nine serial steps of meditative absorption.
“If, among them, you ask what the four meditative concentrations are, in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration that is detached from sense objects, detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and the 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 ārya beings 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, with equanimity and mindfulness they achieve and maintain, by way of not apprehending anything, the utterly pure fourth meditative concentration without bliss and suffering. These are the four meditative concentrations.
“If, among them, you ask what the four immeasurable attitudes are, in this regard, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they permeate the world systems in the ten directions, within the whole infinity of the realm of phenomena and the very reaches of space, with a mind endowed with loving kindness that is vast, extensive, nondual, immeasurable, without enmity, free from harm, without rivalry, perfected, and well cultivated, remaining intent on and maintaining it. They permeate the world systems in the ten directions, within the whole infinity of the realm of phenomena and the very reaches of space, with a mind endowed with compassion that is vast, extensive, nondual, immeasurable, without enmity, free from harm, without rivalry, perfected, and well cultivated, remaining intent on and maintaining it. They permeate the world systems in the ten directions, within the whole infinity of the realm of phenomena and the very reaches of space, with a mind endowed with empathetic joy that is vast, extensive, nondual, immeasurable, without enmity, free from harm, without rivalry, perfected, and well cultivated, remaining intent on and maintaining it. They permeate the world systems in the ten directions, within the whole infinity of the realm of phenomena and the very reaches of space, with a mind endowed with equanimity that is vast, extensive, nondual, immeasurable, without enmity, free from harm, without rivalry, perfected, and well cultivated, remaining intent on and maintaining it, by way of not apprehending anything. These are the four immeasurable attitudes.
“If, among them, you ask what the four formless absorptions are, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, having completely transcended the perception of physical forms in all respects so that perceptions of obstruction have subsided, they do not direct their attention to diverse perceptions 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. These are the four formless absorptions.
“If, among them, you ask what the eight liberations are, those with physical forms observe physical forms.521 This is the first liberation. Those with the perception of no internal physical forms observe external physical forms. This is the second liberation. They are intent on pleasant states. This is the third liberation. Having completely transcended the perception of physical forms in all respects so that perceptions of obstruction have subsided, those who do not direct their attention to diverse perceptions 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. Having completely transcended the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception in all respects, they achieve and maintain the cessation of perceptions and feelings, by way of not apprehending anything. Those are the eight liberations.
“If, among them, you ask what the nine serial steps of meditative absorption are, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration that is detached from sense objects, detached from negative and nonvirtuous attributes, has an initial mental application and a sustained mental application, and is endowed with the joy and the 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 ārya beings 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, with equanimity and mindfulness they achieve and maintain the utterly pure fourth meditative concentration without bliss and suffering. Having completely transcended the perception of physical forms in all respects so that perceptions of obstruction have subsided, they do not direct their attention to diverse perceptions 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. Having completely transcended the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception in all respects, they achieve and maintain the cessation of perceptions and feelings, by way of not apprehending anything. Those are the nine serial steps of meditative absorption.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the ten powers of the tathāgatas. If you ask what these ten are, in this regard, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they have definitive knowledge that phenomena that are possible are indeed possible, and definitive knowledge that phenomena that are impossible are indeed impossible.
“They recollect multiple past abodes. Recollecting one lifetime, they recollect a hundred lifetimes, a thousand lifetimes, a hundred thousand lifetimes, ten million527 lifetimes, a hundred ten million lifetimes, a thousand ten million lifetimes, a hundred thousand ten million lifetimes, and hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of lifetimes528. Recollecting one eon, they recollect a hundred eons, a thousand eons, a hundred thousand eons, up to hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of billions of eons. They recollect multiple past abodes: ‘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,’ along with the conditions, the bare ground on which the corpses were laid, and the reasons.
“They know through their refined divine eye of clairvoyance surpassing that of humans those beings who are dying and those who are reborn; they know the extent to which they proceed in accord with their actions—those who are beautiful, those who are ugly, those who are excellent, those who are vile, those who dwell in blissful realms, and those who dwell in the lower realms. They know: ‘These beings have misconduct of body, these have misconduct of speech, these have misconduct of mind, these deprecate sublime beings, and these have wrong views, and, because of those causes and those conditions, when they have died they will be reborn in inferior realms, falling into the lower abodes, as denizens of the hells. These beings have noble conduct of body, these have noble conduct of speech, these have noble conduct of mind, these do not deprecate sublime beings, and these have correct views, and, because of those causes and those conditions, when they have died they will reborn among the gods of the blissful and exalted realms.’
“Through their own extrasensory powers they have actualized, achieved, and dwell in the liberation of mind and the liberation of wisdom in the state that is free of contaminants because all contaminants have ceased. They have definitive knowledge that, ‘My rebirths have come to an end. I have lived the holy life.529 I have done what needed to be done. I will experience no other rebirths apart from this one.’
“This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the four fearlessnesses. If you ask what these four are, when I claim to have attained perfectly complete buddhahood, I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else here in the world to argue in accordance with the Dharma that these are not manifestly enlightened qualities, and, because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā530 that no one in the world—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else—can turn in accordance with the Dharma.
“When I claim that I am one whose contaminants have ceased, I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else here in the world to argue with me in accordance with the Dharma that those contaminants have not ceased, and, because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one in the world—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else—can turn in accordance with the Dharma.
“For any of those phenomena I have explained to be obstacles, it is impossible that, having resorted to them, such phenomena as those would not become obstacles. Therefore, I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else here in the world to argue about that with me in accordance with the Dharma, and, because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one in the world—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else—can turn in accordance with the Dharma.
“For those paths of the noble ones that I have taught, conducive to emancipation and realization and the genuine cessation of suffering, it is impossible to say that it will not be the case that suffering will genuinely cease for those who have practiced them. Therefore, I observe no reason for any virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else here in the world to argue about that with me in accordance with the Dharma, and, because I do not see any reason, I dwell in a feeling of security about that, without trepidation, with fearlessness. I claim my exalted place as the great leader. I rightly roar the lion’s roar in the midst of the assembly. I turn the wheel of Brahmā that no one in the world—no virtuous ascetic, brahmin priest, god, demon, Brahmā, or anyone else—can turn in accordance with the Dharma.
“This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.
“Moreover, Subhūti, the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings is also the four kinds of exact knowledge. If you ask what these four are, they are the exact knowledge of meanings, the exact knowledge of dharmas,531 the exact knowledge of lexical explanations, and the exact knowledge of inspired eloquence. This too, Subhūti, by way of not apprehending anything, is the Great Vehicle of bodhisattva great beings.