At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the venerable Pūrṇa, son of Maitrāyaṇī, “O Venerable Pūrṇa, the physical form of an illusory person is neither fettered nor liberated. Likewise, Venerable Pūrṇa, the feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness of an illusory person are neither fettered nor liberated. Venerable Pūrṇa, the actual nature of an illusory person’s physical form is neither fettered nor liberated. Likewise, the actual nature of an illusory person’s feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness is neither fettered nor liberated. Why is that? Since the actual nature is not really existent, it is neither fettered nor liberated. Since it is void, it is neither fettered nor liberated. Since it has not arisen, it is neither fettered nor liberated.166 For a bodhisattva great being who has donned the great armor, who has set out on the great journey, and who has mounted the great vehicle, this is the great armor free of any armor.”167
At this, the venerable Pūrṇa, son of Maitrāyaṇī, became silent.
168Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, the bodhisattva great being who has donned the great armor in this way has set out on the great journey and has mounted the great vehicle. But what is that great vehicle? How should someone who has set out on that great journey be recognized? From where will that great path go beyond cyclic existence? By what means has that great vehicle set out? Where will the great vehicle come to dwell? Who will go beyond cyclic existence by means of this great vehicle?”169
At this, the Blessed One said to Subhūti, “The great vehicle, Subhūti, is the epithet of something immeasurable. Subhūti, it is immeasurable, because it is beyond measure. Subhūti, what you also asked is, ‘How can someone who has set out on the great journey be recognized? From where will that great path go beyond cyclic existence? Who has set out on the great journey? Where will the great vehicle come to dwell? Who will go beyond cyclic existence by means of this great vehicle?’170 Someone who has set out on the journey can be recognized by means of the transcendent states. From whatever belongs to the three realms, the great path will go beyond cyclic existence. He or she who is beyond the scope of perception has set out upon the journey. The great vehicle will come to dwell in the state of complete knowing. The bodhisattva great being will go beyond cyclic existence, but he or she will not go beyond cyclic existence from any location, nor will anyone even set out on a journey. He or she will not come to dwell in any state. But, by not dwelling anywhere, he or she will come to dwell in the state of complete knowing. By means of this great vehicle, no one has gone beyond cyclic existence, no one will go beyond cyclic existence, and no one is going beyond cyclic existence. Why is that? It is because those two things—that is, someone going beyond cyclic existence and some means by which to go beyond it—are neither found nor mentally perceived. Since these two are not to be found as such, what will go beyond cyclic existence by means of what?”171
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, it is called a great vehicle because by means of it a bodhisattva great being will surpass the world with its gods, humans, and asuras, and hence will go beyond cyclic existence.172 It is a great vehicle that is equal to space. Just as there is room in space for immeasurable and innumerable beings, just so, O Blessed One, there is room in this vehicle for immeasurable and innumerable beings.173 It is from this perspective that it is the great vehicle of the bodhisattva great beings. It is not seen coming. It is not seen going. It is not mentally perceived dwelling. Likewise, O Blessed One, the beginning point, the middle point, and the end point of this great path are not mentally perceived. O Blessed One, this path is the same in all three times. Therefore, it is called the great path.”
Then indeed the Blessed One commended Subhūti: “Excellent, excellent, Subhūti. It is as you say, Subhūti, it is as you say. In this way, it is the great path of bodhisattva great beings. Having trained in this, bodhisattva great beings have attained, are attaining, and will attain the state of complete knowing.”
174Then the venerable Pūrṇa, son of Maitrāyaṇī, said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, this elder Subhūti, who was asked about the transcendent state of wisdom, considers that the great path is the topic to be expounded.”
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, I was not speaking of the great path to the neglect of the transcendent state of wisdom.”175
The Blessed One said, “Absolutely not, Subhūti. You are expounding the great path in conformity with the transcendent state of wisdom, Subhūti.”176
At this, Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, it is through the Buddha’s miraculous power.177 Nevertheless, O Blessed One, a bodhisattva does not go close to either any beginning point, any end point, or any middle point. Why not? This is because, insofar as physical forms are limitless, a bodhisattva should be known as limitless.178 Likewise, insofar as feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are limitless, a bodhisattva should be known as limitless. He or she does not go close to the thought, ‘Bodhisattvas are physical forms.’ Even this thought is not found and not mentally perceived. Likewise, he or she does not go close to the thought, ‘Bodhisattvas are feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness.’ Even this thought is not found and not mentally perceived. O Blessed One, since I am not mentally perceiving any such thing called a ‘bodhisattva’ anywhere at all or in any way at all, I do not identify this thing designated to be a ‘bodhisattva.’179 Nor do I identify or mentally perceive the transcendent state of wisdom. Nor do I identify or mentally perceive the state of complete knowing. O Blessed One, since I myself am neither mentally perceiving nor identifying that thing anywhere at all by any means at all, what thing should I instruct and guide in what thing by means of what thing? O Blessed One, this ‘buddha’ is a mere designation. O Blessed One, this ‘bodhisattva’ is a mere designation. O Blessed One, this ‘transcendent state of wisdom’ is a mere designation. But these designations have not truly come into being.180 O Blessed One, it is just like the fact that the word self is said, but a self absolutely has not truly come into being.181 Similarly, all things have the inherent nature of lacking any state of being.182 What are those physical forms that have not truly come into being and cannot be grasped? What are those feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness that have not truly come into being and cannot be grasped? The condition for all these things to be free of inherent nature in this way is their not truly coming into being, and yet those things’ not truly coming into being is not those things themselves. How then shall I instruct and guide someone who is not truly coming into being in the transcendent state of wisdom that also is not truly coming into being?183 O Blessed One, no things—whether they be things constituting buddhas, constituting bodhisattvas, or constituting anyone who might practice to awaken—are mentally perceived anywhere other than in their not truly coming into being.
“O Blessed One, when it is described in this way, taught in this way, and expounded in this way, if a bodhisattva great being’s mindset does not become deflated, depressed, dejected, or sunk in despondency, and if his or her mental attitude does not become discouraged, shattered, frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror, then in this way it should be known that this bodhisattva great being goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom, this bodhisattva great being cultivates the transcendent state of wisdom, and this bodhisattva great being reflects upon the transcendent state of wisdom. The bodhisattva great being meditates upon the transcendent state of wisdom. Why is that? It is because at the time when a bodhisattva investigates these things in the transcendent state of wisdom, he or she neither goes close to physical forms, nor arrives at them, nor identifies their arising, nor identifies their cessation. Likewise, he or she neither goes close to feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, or consciousness, nor arrives at them, nor identifies their arising, nor identifies their cessation.184 Why is that? To explain, the characteristic of not arising that belongs to physical forms is not the same as the physical forms.185 The characteristic of not ceasing that belongs to physical forms is not the same as the physical forms.186 This being said, the characteristic of not arising and the physical forms are something free of duality, and free from creating duality.187 Also, the characteristic of not ceasing and the physical forms are something free of duality, and free from creating duality.188 Again, saying ‘physical forms’ is to quantify something free of duality.189
“Likewise, the characteristic of not arising that belongs to feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness is not the same as the so-called feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness. The characteristic of not ceasing that belongs to feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness is not the same as the so-called consciousness. This being said, the characteristic of not arising and the feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are something free of duality, and free from creating duality. Also, the characteristic of not ceasing and the feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are something free of duality, and free from creating duality. Again, saying ‘feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness’ is to quantify something free of duality.
“Therefore, O Blessed One, at the time when a bodhisattva is deeply reflecting upon all things as all the aspects in the transcendent state of wisdom, he or she does not go close to physical forms, arrive at physical forms, identify their arising, or identify their cessation. Likewise, he or she does not go close to feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, or consciousness, arrive at them, identify their arising, or identify their cessation. Why is that? To explain, physical forms’ nature of not arising is not the same as the so-called physical forms. Physical forms’ nature of not ceasing is not the same as the so-called physical forms. This being said, the characteristic of not arising and the physical forms are something free of duality, and free from creating duality. Also, the characteristic of not ceasing and the physical forms are something free of duality, and free from creating duality. Again, saying ‘physical forms’ is to quantify something free of duality.
“Likewise, the characteristic of not arising of feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness is not the same as the so-called feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness. The characteristic of not ceasing of feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness is not the same as the so-called feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness. This being said, the characteristic of not arising and the feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are something free of duality, and free from creating duality. Also, the characteristic of not ceasing and the feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness are something free of duality, and free from creating duality. Again, saying ‘feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness’ is to quantify something free of duality.”
Then the venerable Śāriputra said this: “To explain the meaning of Venerable Subhūti’s teaching as I understand it, even bodhisattvas are free of arising. That said, Subhūti, if even bodhisattvas are free of arising, then how can they go about life performing difficult noble deeds? How are they able to subject themselves to those sufferings, to which they subject themselves for the sake of beings?”190
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the venerable Śāriputra, “I do not hold that a bodhisattva great being is going about life performing difficult noble deeds, or that a bodhisattva great being is someone who goes about life with a conception of any noble deeds as difficult. Why not? To explain, it is not possible to bring about the benefit of immeasurable and innumerable beings after developing the conception of noble deeds as difficult. Rather, it is only after developing the conception of them as easy. That is to say, it is only after developing the conception of all beings—male or female—as mothers, fathers, daughters, or sons that a bodhisattva great being goes about life performing the noble deeds of a bodhisattva. Based on that, a bodhisattva great being should develop the conception of all beings as mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters until finally he or she develops the conception of them as his or her very own self, thinking, ‘Just as I must liberate myself from all sufferings by absolutely every means and in absolutely every way, just so I must liberate all sentient beings from all sufferings by absolutely every means and in absolutely every way. Likewise, I must develop this conception with respect to all sentient beings and I shall not desert any of them. I must liberate all these beings from immeasurable amounts of sufferings and I must not develop a mindset that is hostile toward them, even if I am being cut to pieces a hundred times over!’
“In precisely this way, a bodhisattva great being should develop the proper mindset. Furthermore, if he or she comes to abide with a mindset like this, then he or she will not abide with a conception of noble deeds as difficult.
“Furthermore, a bodhisattva great being should develop the proper mindset, thinking, ‘Just as a self is neither found nor mentally perceived anywhere by any means or in any manner, every thing is neither found nor mentally perceived anywhere by any means or in any manner.’ In this way, a bodhisattva should develop the conception of all internal and external things. If he or she goes about life with a mindset like this, then he or she will neither go about life conceiving of noble deeds as difficult, nor abide conceiving of noble deeds as difficult. As Venerable Śāriputra has also said, ‘A bodhisattva is free of arising.’ It is so, Venerable Śāriputra, it is so. A bodhisattva is free of arising.”191
At this, the venerable Śāriputra said to the venerable Subhūti, “O Venerable Subhūti, if even a bodhisattva is something free of arising, if even the qualities of a bodhisattva are free of arising, if even the state of complete knowing is free of arising, if even the qualities of the state of complete knowing are free of arising, and if even an ordinary person and the qualities of an ordinary person are free of arising, then certainly, Venerable Subhūti, a bodhisattva has already attained the state of complete knowing.”193
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the venerable Śāriputra, “O Venerable Śāriputra, I am asserting neither the attainment nor the realization of a thing that has not arisen. Furthermore, a thing that has not arisen does not attain an attainment that has not arisen.”
Śāriputra: “Then, Venerable Subhūti, is it the case that an attainment that has not arisen is attained by a thing that has not arisen? Or, is it the case that an attainment that has not arisen is attained by a thing that has arisen?”
Subhūti: “Venerable Śāriputra, has a thing that has not arisen, arisen? Or has a thing that has not arisen simply not arisen?”
Śāriputra: “Venerable Subhūti, is it illuminating for you to speak of a thing that is even free of arising?”
Subhūti: “Venerable Śāriputra, the utterance is simply something free of arising. Venerable Śāriputra, precisely what is free of arising is illuminating. Venerable Śāriputra, the illumination is simply free of arising. In this way, it is absolutely illuminating.”196
At this, Śāriputra said this: “The venerable Subhuti should be considered the foremost among Dharma teachers. Why so? Because the elder Venerable Subhuti comes through on every topic that one fully pursues one’s own questions about. And yet, he does not deviate from the true nature of things, nor does he go against that true nature of things.”
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the venerable Śāriputra, “O Venerable Śāriputra, this is the true nature of things for the Blessed One’s disciples who are free of depending on things. On whatever topic they are cross-examined, they come out on top; they do not go against the true nature of things nor do they depart from the true nature of things. Why is that? Because, evidently, no things are depended upon.”
Subhuti replied, “O Venerable Śāriputra, only the transcendent state of wisdom, which is common to all the vehicles, is the transcendent state that does not depend on any things, because it is free from depending on any things.197 Therefore, when this profound transcendent state of wisdom is being described, taught, and expounded in this way, a bodhisattva great being—whose mindset is not despondent, worried, confused, or sidetracked—should be known as a bodhisattva great being who is abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom and is never lacking that attentiveness.”
Śāriputra then asked the venerable Subhūti, “O Venerable Subhūti, how could a bodhisattva great being who is abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom never be lacking attentiveness? For if a bodhisattva great being were never lacking attentiveness, Venerable Subhūti, then he or she would be lacking the abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom. Conversely, Venerable Subhūti, if a bodhisattva great being were never lacking the abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom, then he or she would be lacking attentiveness. For, Venerable Subhūti, if it were the case that a bodhisattva great being both never lacked attentiveness and also never lacked the abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom, then no sentient beings would ever lack the abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom. Why? Because all sentient beings would abide without lacking attentiveness.”198
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Excellent, Venerable Śāriputra, excellent. But still, I must criticize you, Venerable Śāriputra, for having apprehended the topic just asserted as referring to a real thing. Why is that? Because, Venerable Śāriputra, it must be recognized that, insofar as a sentient being has no nature, attentiveness has no nature.199 Venerable Śāriputra, it must be recognized that, insofar as a sentient being has no real existence, attentiveness has no real existence. Venerable Śāriputra, it must be recognized that, insofar as a sentient being is void, attentiveness is void. Venerable Śāriputra, it must be recognized that insofar as a sentient being is not conceivable, attentiveness is not conceivable. Venerable Śāriputra, it must be recognized that, insofar as a sentient being is not an object of awakened understanding, attentiveness is not an object of awakened understanding.200 Venerable Śāriputra, it must be recognized that, insofar as the bodhisattva great being’s awakened understanding is that a sentient being is an object not in accordance with reality, his or her attentiveness involves the awakened understanding that an object is not in accordance with reality.201 So, Venerable Śāriputra, I am asserting that a bodhisattva great being abides in the state of this kind of attentiveness.”202
This ends the chapter “Going About Life in the Knowing of All Aspects,” the first chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”