Chapter 9: Praise571572
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, this ‘transcendent state of wisdom’ is a mere name.573 Its name is not mentally perceived as such, insofar as what is called a ‘name’ simply consists in a sound;574 nor is the transcendent state of wisdom itself either found or mentally perceived.575 The transcendent state of wisdom is exactly the same as a name, and a name is exactly the same as the transcendent state of wisdom. Neither of the two things is found or mentally perceived. So, Blessed One, after realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening, why will the bodhisattva great being Maitreya discuss this transcendent state of wisdom using these very terms, words, and syllables in precisely this location?”
The Blessed One replied to the venerable Subhūti, “It is because, Subhūti, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya will awaken with the conviction, ‘Physical forms are not permanent, not impermanent. Physical forms are not fettered and not liberated. They are absolutely pure.’ Likewise, he will awaken with the conviction, ‘Feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are not permanent, not impermanent. Feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are not fettered and not liberated. They are absolutely pure.’ For this reason, Subhūti, after the bodhisattva great being Maitreya realizes unsurpassed, perfect awakening, he will discuss this very transcendent state of wisdom using these very terms, words, and syllables in precisely this location.”
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Ah! Blessed One, this transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure!”
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because physical forms are completely pure. Likewise, Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are completely pure.
“Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because the nonarising, nonceasing, nondefilement, and nonpurification of physical forms are completely pure. The same is true for feelings, conceptions, and conditioning factors. Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because the nonarising, nonceasing, nondefilement, and nonpurification of consciousness are completely pure.
“Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because space is completely pure. Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because physical forms are free of stains and free of apprehending.576 In the same way, Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are free of stains and free of apprehending.
“Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because space and an echo are inexpressible, inexpressive, and free of mental perception.577 Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is completely pure because it is not stained by anything that is a stain or a nonstain.”
In response, the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Ah! Blessed One, any noble son or daughter who comes to be even within earshot of this transcendent state of wisdom will profit greatly. How much more so those who take it in, keep it in mind, chant it, master it, pass it on, teach it, expound it, explain it, and recite it. They will have no eye disease, no ear disease, no nose disease, no tongue disease, and no body disease. They will not become confused and will not die through taking poison. They will have many thousands of gods at their back following them from behind. Wherever a Dharma teacher who is a noble son or daughter discusses the transcendent state of wisdom on the eighth, the fourteenth, or the fifteenth day, he or she will earn a tremendous amount of merit.”
In response, the Blessed One said to the venerable Subhūti, “So it is, Subhūti, so it is. Subhūti, those noble sons or daughters will have many thousands of gods at their back following them from behind. Many thousands of gods will come to that place, all wishing to hear the Dharma. They will safeguard, defend, and protect the Dharma teacher who is discussing this transcendent state of wisdom. Why so? Because, Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom is a jewel unsurpassed in the world of gods, humans, and asuras. Hence, Subhūti, a noble son or daughter will earn a tremendous amount of merit in connection with it. Nevertheless, Subhūti, while this profound transcendent state of wisdom is being written, taken in, kept in mind, chanted, mastered, passed on, taught, expounded, explained, and recited, there will be many interruptions. Why is that? Because, Subhūti, there are many opponents to such great jewels. The greater a jewel’s value, the more formidable its opponents. And, Subhūti, this great jewel—namely, the transcendent state of wisdom—is unsurpassed in the world and practiced for the welfare and happiness of the world.578 One attends to it in a manner free of dissolution, because everything is free of arising, free of ceasing, and free of emotional defilement.579 That is to say, Subhūti, the transcendent state of wisdom does not cling to anything, does not defile anything, and does not apprehend anything.580 Why not? Because, Subhūti, all those things are neither experienced nor mentally perceived. That is to say, Subhūti, because it is free of mental perception, the transcendent state of wisdom is unstained.581 Subhūti, what is unstained is just the transcendent state of wisdom. To explain, Subhūti, inasmuch as physical forms lack stains, the transcendent state of wisdom is unstained. The same is true for feelings, conceptions, and conditioning factors. Subhūti, inasmuch as consciousness lacks stains, the transcendent state of wisdom is unstained. Subhūti, if a bodhisattva great being does not conceive of it even as such, then he or she goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom. However, Subhūti, this very transcendent state of wisdom is certainly not entering or settling down in anything, not revealing or demonstrating anything, and not leading toward or leading away from anything.”582
Then, in the sky, many thousands of gods roared with cheers of excitement while waving their garments in applause, and exclaimed,583 “Ah! We are witnessing the wheel of Dharma being set in motion a second time on the Jambu continent!”
Then the Blessed One said to the elder Subhūti, “Subhūti, this is not the wheel of Dharma being set in motion a second time. Nor is there a setting in motion of any Dharma, or any causing of it to stop. It is in this way, Subhūti, that a bodhisattva great being possesses the transcendent state of wisdom.”
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is a great transcendent state that belongs to that bodhisattva great being who has no attachment to any things. That bodhisattva great being wishes to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening but does not awaken to any Dharma, and hence, he or she will neither set in motion a wheel of Dharma, nor reveal any Dharma. Why not? Because no Dharma is mentally perceived, nor is any Dharma indicated, nor is any Dharma set in motion.584 Why not? Because, Blessed One, absolutely no Dharma has come into being, nor will any Dharma be caused to stop. Why not? Because, Blessed One, from the beginning absolutely no things have come into being, insofar as all things are void by nature.”585
In response, the Blessed One said to the venerable Subhūti, “You are right, Subhūti, you are right. The empty state neither starts nor stops. The state free of signs neither starts nor stops. The state free of inclinations neither starts nor stops.586 Subhūti, this sort of teaching—which is a teaching about all things—is not taught by anyone, or learned by anyone, or accepted by anyone.587 It also has not been actualized by anyone, nor is it actualized by anyone, nor will it be actualized by anyone. Also, through this Dharma teaching, no one has attained complete nirvāṇa, will attain complete nirvāṇa, or is attaining complete nirvāṇa. Furthermore, through this Dharma teaching, no one has been made a venerable person.”588
589At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, from the perspective of the nonexistence of space, it is a nonexistent transcendent state.590 Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from the mental perception of any things, it is a transcendent state equal to the unequaled.591 Blessed One, from the perspective of its absolute emptiness, it is a void transcendent state.592 Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from the mental perception of any things, it is a transcendent state that cannot be harmed.593
“Blessed One, from the perspective of its not being mental or physical, it is a transcendent state free of any footing. Blessed One, from the perspective of its neither coming nor going, it is a transcendent state free of inherent nature. Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from conceptualizing any things, it is a transcendent state free of speaking. Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from the mental perception of any constituents underlying the clinging to existence, it is a transcendent state free of naming.594
“Blessed One, from the perspective of the fact that no things are moving, it is an unmoving transcendent state. Blessed One, from the perspective of all things being ungraspable, it is an unseizable transcendent state. Blessed One, from the perspective of having the quality of not dissipating, it is a transcendent state that is nondissipating. Blessed One, from the perspective of things not coming into being, it is a transcendent state that does not arise.595
“Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from the mental perception of any doer, it is a transcendent state free of doing.596 Blessed One, from the perspective of the fact that no things have a self, it is a transcendent state free of a knower.597 Blessed One, from the perspective of its lack of death and rebirth, it is a transcendent state free of transmigration.598 Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from the mental perception of past, present, or future objects, it is a transcendent state beyond taming.599 Blessed One, from the perspective of its causing discernment of nonarising, it is a transcendent state like a dream, an echo, a reflected image, a mirage, and a magical illusion.600 Blessed One, from the perspective of its not having the nature of attachment, hatred, or confusion, it is an undefiled transcendent state.601 Blessed One, from the perspective of there being no mental perception of its basis, it is a nonpurifying transcendent state.602 Blessed One, from the perspective of space being free of stains, it is an unstained transcendent state.603 Blessed One, from the perspective of its going beyond thinking of any things, it is an unproliferating transcendent state.604 Blessed One, from the perspective of its unmoving quality, it is a transcendent state free of developing conceits.605 Blessed One, from the perspective of its remaining in the ultimate realm of things, it is an unshaken transcendent state.606
“Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from any false nature of all things, it is a transcendent state free of attachment.607 Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from conceptualizing all things, it is a transcendent state that is free of origination.608 Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from mentally perceiving signs of any things, it is a null transcendent state.609 Blessed One, from the perspective of the transcendent state of positive qualities, it is a transcendent state free of faults.610 Blessed One, from the perspective of its absence of imagination, it is a transcendent state free of emotional defilements.611 Blessed One, from the perspective of the pinnacle of reality, it is a transcendent state free of a sentient being.612
“Blessed One, from the perspective of there being no cause for the cause of all things, it is a transcendent state beyond measure.613 Blessed One, from the perspective of its not fixating on all things, it is a transcendent state not conforming to the two extremes.614 Blessed One, from the perspective of its not differentiating any things, it is an undivided transcendent state.615 Blessed One, from the perspective of its not wishing for any levels of the disciples or solitary realizers, it is an unaffected transcendent state.616 Blessed One, from the perspective of the equality of conceptualizations, it is a nonconceptual transcendent state.617 Blessed One, from the perspective of the true nature of things beyond measure, it is an immeasurable transcendent state.618 Blessed One, from the perspective of its freedom from attachment to any things, it is an unattached transcendent state.619
“Blessed One, from the perspective of all things being unconditioned, it is a transcendent state of the impermanent.620 Blessed One, from the perspective of the true nature of things being like space, it is a transcendent state of suffering.621 Blessed One, from the perspective of all things not being mentally perceived, it is a transcendent state of the empty.622 Blessed One, from the perspective of its not fixating upon any things, it is a transcendent state of no-self.623 Blessed One, from the perspective of no things coming into being, it is a transcendent state without any characteristic.624
“Blessed One, from the perspective of its being infinite and limitless, it is a transcendent state of all the emptinesses.625 Blessed One, from the perspective of their not being mentally perceived, it is a transcendent state of the factors in awakening, beginning with the applications of mindfulness and so on.626
“Blessed One, from the perspective of the three gateways to complete liberation not being mentally perceived, it is an empty, signless, and uninclined transcendent state. Blessed One, from the perspective of its not being mentally perceived, it is a transcendent state of complete liberation.627 Blessed One, from the perspective of the first meditative state and so on not being mentally perceived, it is a transcendent state of the nine incremental states of abiding.628 Blessed One, from the perspective of suffering and so on not being mentally perceived, it is a transcendent state of the four truths.629 Blessed One, from the perspective of the transcendent state of generosity and so on not being mentally perceived, it is the transcendent state of the ten.630
“Blessed One, from the perspective of its inability to be harmed, it is a transcendent state of power.631 Blessed One, from the perspective of its absolutely not being deflated, it is a transcendent state of self-confidence.632 Blessed One, from the perspective of its lack of attachment or enmity toward the state of complete knowing, it is a transcendent state of experiential knowledge.633 Blessed One, from the perspective of its having transcended quantification, it is a transcendent state of all the distinctive qualities of a buddha.634 Blessed One, from the perspective of all the teachings not being false, it is a transcendent state of the actual nature of the Tathāgata.635 Blessed One, from the perspective of all things lacking inherent nature, it is a transcendent state of self-existence.636 Blessed One, from the perspective of its complete knowing of all aspects of all things, it is a transcendent state of the knowing of someone who has complete knowing, namely, the transcendent state of wisdom.”637
This ends the chapter “Praise,” the ninth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”