Chapter 16: The Actual Nature843
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Ah! Blessed One, this truth is taught to be free from the mental perception of any things.844 Ah! Blessed One, this truth is not obstructed in any direction. Ah! Blessed One, this truth has an unobstructed nature, because, insofar as it is like space, it is free from the mental perception of any places.845 Ah! Blessed One, this truth is beyond any simile, because it has no counterpart.846 Ah! Blessed One, this truth has an unopposed nature because it lacks any opposition.847 Ah! Blessed One, this truth is not a locatable thing, because it has not truly come into being.848 Ah! Blessed One, this truth is not an arising, because all births are free of birth.849 Ah! Blessed One, this truth is not a pathway, because it is free from the mental perception of all paths.”850
Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, and Brahmā, the earth protector, and those gods of the desire and form realms said to the Blessed One, “Ah! Blessed One, the elder disciple noble Subhūti is born after the Blessed One.851 How so? Because, Blessed One, whenever the noble elder Subhūti teaches a truth, he teaches that truth from the starting point of emptiness.”852
Then the venerable Subhūti addressed Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, Brahmā, the earth protector, and the gods of the desire and form realms as follows: “Gods, you are saying that this elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata.853 In being unborn, the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata.854 That is to say, the elder Subhūti has followed after the Tathāgata’s actual nature.855 Just as the Tathāgata’s actual nature has neither come nor gone, just so, Subhūti’s actual nature has neither come nor gone. In this very way, Subhūti has followed after the Tathāgata’s actual nature. From the very beginning, the elder Subhūti has followed after the Tathāgata’s actual nature.856 How so? The Tathāgata’s actual nature is the same as all things’ actual nature. All things’ actual nature is the same as the Tathāgata’s actual nature. Also, both the actual nature belonging to the Tathāgata and the actual nature belonging to all things is the very same actual nature that belongs to the elder Subhūti. That is the actual nature that the elder Subhūti has followed after and because of which he is born after the Tathāgata.857 That said, while the Tathāgata’s actual nature is not the actual nature that is followed after, the elder Subhūti is indeed born after the Tathāgata,858 insofar as the continuum of the Tathāgata is the same as the continuum of the actual nature.859 The elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata with that continuum. Just as the Tathāgata’s actual nature is unchanging, free of change, nonconceptual, and free of conceptualization, so too Subhūti’s actual nature is unchanging, free of change, nonconceptual, and free of conceptualization.860 Hence, insofar as he is unchanging, free of change, nonconceptual, and free of conceptualization, the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata with that actual nature.
“Furthermore, just as the Tathāgata’s actual nature—in being unchanging, free of change, nonconceptual, and free of conceptualization—is not obstructed anywhere, so too the actual nature of all things is not obstructed anywhere.861 How so? There is only one single actual nature belonging to the Tathāgata and belonging to all things, that is to say, the nondual actual nature that is free of duality and free from creating duality.862 That actual nature is not in anything. That actual nature is not the result of anything. Also, that actual nature is not a property of anything.863 Since that actual nature is not a property of anything, it is a nondual actual nature free of duality and free from creating duality. Thus, it is because of an uncreated actual nature that the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata. Such an uncreated actual nature never becomes anything that is not the actual nature. Since that actual nature never becomes anything that is not the actual nature, it is a nondual actual nature free of duality and free from creating duality.864 In this way, too, the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata.
“Just as the Tathāgata’s actual nature is nonconceptual and free of conceptualization about anything anywhere, so too Subhūti’s actual nature is nonconceptual and free of conceptualization about anything anywhere.865 It is true that Subhūti has been miraculously created out of the Tathāgata’s actual nature, but the actual nature of Subhūti and the Tathāgata is neither split up nor divided, because no divider is mentally perceived. In this way, too, the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata.
“Just as the Tathāgata’s actual nature is not anywhere different from the actual nature of everything, so too Subhūti’s actual nature is not anywhere different from the actual nature of everything.866 Something that is not anywhere different from the actual nature of everything is not an actual nature that belongs to anything. It is merely the actual nature, that is to say, the actual nature of everything. The elder Subhūti has arrived at such an actual nature by becoming similar to that actual nature that is not anywhere different.867 But, in doing so, no one has arrived at any similarity to anything.868 In this way, too, the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata.
“Just as the Tathāgata’s actual nature is neither past, nor present, nor future, so too all things’ actual nature is neither past, nor present, nor future. Likewise, the elder Subhūti is said to be born after that actual nature and born after the Tathāgata, because it is due to the Tathāgata’s actual nature that he has assimilated to the actual nature. That is to say, it is due to the Tathāgata’s actual nature that he has assimilated to the past actual nature, and it is due to the past actual nature that he has assimilated to the Tathāgata’s actual nature. It is due to the Tathāgata’s actual nature that he has assimilated to the future actual nature, and it is due to the future actual nature that he has assimilated to the Tathāgata’s actual nature. It is due to the Tathāgata’s actual nature that he has assimilated to the present actual nature, and it is due to the present actual nature that he has assimilated to the Tathāgata’s actual nature. It is due to the Tathāgata’s actual nature that he has assimilated to the past, present, and future actual nature, and it is due to the past, present, and future actual nature that he has assimilated to the Tathāgata’s actual nature. Thus, indeed, Subhūti’s actual nature—which is the past, present, and future actual nature—and the Tathāgata’s actual nature are free of duality and free from creating duality. Likewise, Subhūti’s actual nature and all things’ actual nature is free of duality and free from creating duality. The actual nature that belonged to the Blessed One as a bodhisattva is the very same actual nature that belonged to the Blessed One when he realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Since it is due to that very same actual nature that this bodhisattva great being completely realized complete, perfect awakening, he comes to be called by the name ‘Tathāgata.’ ”869
Just at the very moment when the Tathāgata’s actual nature was being explicated, the earth underwent six changes, displaying the eighteen great signs870 of a tathāgata realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening.871 That is to say, the earth shook, shuddered, and juddered. Then, the earth rocked, reeled, and tottered. Then, the earth creaked, crackled, and cracked. Then, the earth rattled, clattered, and crashed. Then, the earth lurched, careened, and convulsed. Finally, the earth rumbled, roared, and thundered.
Again, the elder Subhūti addressed the gods: “Gods, Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata in this very way. Nevertheless, the elder Subhūti is not born after physical forms. He is not born after feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, or consciousness. He is not born after the fruition of a stream enterer, the fruition of a once-returner, the fruition of a non-returner, the fruitional state of a worthy one, the fruitional state of a solitary realizer, or the fruitional state of a buddha. Why not? Because no things are observed or mentally perceived that could be born after a tathāgata, or that could cause him to be born after themselves.872 In this way, too, the elder Subhūti is born after the Tathāgata.”
Then the venerable Śāriputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is a profound way of going about life, this actual nature.”873
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Śāriputra, “True. Śāriputra, it is true. It is a profound way of going about life, this actual nature.”
Right when this explication of the actual nature was being given, the mindsets of three hundred monks became free of clinging and liberated from worldly influences. The Dharma eye concerning things of five hundred nuns became purified, free from passion, and free from impurities. Also, five thousand gods, who had previously prepared themselves for it, attained the state of acceptance that all things are free of arising. Also the mindsets of the bodhisattvas became free of clinging and liberated from worldly influences.
Śāriputra then knew that the mindsets of the bodhisattvas had become free of clinging and liberated from worldly influences. So he asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the cause or condition for the mindsets of these bodhisattvas to become free of clinging and liberated from worldly influences?”
The Blessed One said, “Śāriputra, it is that these bodhisattvas previously served five hundred buddhas, and they practice generosity, preserve ethical discipline, engage in tolerant acceptance, undertake heroic perseverance, and attain the meditative states. But, they were not supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and lacked the skill in means. Śāriputra, even though these bodhisattvas had a path that was emptiness, went about life in the freedom from signs, and paid attention in the freedom from inclinations, they came to actualize the pinnacle of reality and went beyond cyclic existence at the level of a disciple, not at the level of a buddha, because they lacked the skill in means.
“Śāriputra, suppose, as an analogy, that a massive bird—with a physical body two hundred miles, four hundred miles, six hundred miles, eight hundred miles, or one thousand miles long—was living among the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, but wished to go to the Jambu continent, even though its wings were unformed, atrophied, or broken. With this intention to set out for the Jambu continent, suppose that the bird were to depart from the assembly of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. But after initially descending, suppose that it were to get stuck midway in the intermediate space between heaven and earth and then think, ‘Oh no! I should return to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.’ What do you think, Śāriputra? Would that massive bird have the strength to return to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three?”
“Definitely not, Blessed One,” replied the venerable Śāriputra.
The Blessed One said, “Suppose instead it were to think, ‘Alas! I can still continue uninjured and unharmed to the Jambu continent.’ What do you think, Śāriputra? Should that massive bird set out for the Jambu continent?”
“Definitely not, Blessed One,” replied Śāriputra. “He would become injured and harmed. He would fall to the Jambu continent either to meet his death or to suffer on the brink of death. Why is that? Blessed One, the fact is that his physical form is massive, his wings are inadequate, and he is falling from a high place.”
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Śāriputra, “You are right, Śāriputra. You are right. Śāriputra, a bodhisattva great being could develop the proper mindset for unsurpassed, perfect awakening and then remain for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the River Ganges, practicing generosity, preserving ethical discipline, engaging in tolerant acceptance, undertaking heroic perseverance, and attaining the meditative states. With the development of the proper mindset, he or she could even set out on the great journey for unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Nevertheless, if such a bodhisattva great being is not supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and lacks the skill in means, then he or she will fall to the level of a disciple or the level of a solitary realizer.
“Furthermore, such a bodhisattva great being pays attention to the ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and seeing the knowing of liberation of the past, future, and present blessed buddhas. But such a bodhisattva great being maintains these by means of signs, and hence does not understand or see the ethical discipline of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas. He or she also does not understand or see the concentration, the wisdom, the liberation, or the seeing the knowing of liberation of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas. Because he or she does not understand or see them, such a bodhisattva great being does not hear the word emptiness. Or else, he or she mentally turns the word into a conventional sign and, after doing so, wishes to dedicate everything to unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Because of this, one can be sure that he or she will become stuck on the level of a disciple or the level of a solitary realizer. Why is that? Because, Śāriputra, such a bodhisattva great being is not supported by the transcendent state of wisdom and lacks the skill in means.”
Śāriputra said, “As I understand the implication of what the Blessed One is saying, it is doubtful, Blessed One, that any bodhisattva great being who is not supported by the transcendent state of wisdom, lacks the skill in means, and lacks a virtuous friend will attain unsurpassed, perfect awakening, even if he or she possesses the great requisite of merit.874 Therefore, Blessed One, any bodhisattva great being wishing to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening should cultivate the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means.”875
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Yes, Śāriputra. Yes. It is doubtful, Śāriputra, that any bodhisattva great being who is not supported by the transcendent state of wisdom, lacks the skill in means, and lacks a virtuous friend will attain unsurpassed, perfect awakening, even if he or she possesses the great requisite of merit. Therefore, Śāriputra, any bodhisattva great being wishing to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening should cultivate the transcendent state of wisdom and the skill in means.”
Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, together with those gods of the desire realm and the earth protector Brahmā, and together with those in the form realm, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the transcendent state of wisdom is profound. Blessed One, unsurpassed, perfect awakening is difficult to attain. Blessed One, realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening is something extremely difficult to attain.”
At this, the Blessed One said to those gods of the desire realm headed by Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, and to those gods of the form realms headed by the earth protector, great Brahmā, “Yes, gods. Yes. The transcendent state of wisdom is profound. Gods, unsurpassed, perfect awakening is difficult to attain. Gods, realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening is something extremely difficult to attain for those who have inferior wisdom, lackluster perseverance, insufficient conviction, no skill in means, and unvirtuous friends that they closely attend to.”
Then the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “As the Blessed One has said, the transcendent state of wisdom is profound. Unsurpassed, perfect awakening is difficult to attain. Realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening is something extremely difficult to attain. But, Blessed One, how could perfect awakening be difficult to attain? How could realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening be something extremely difficult to attain, given that no one is awakened in it? Why not? Since, Blessed One, all things are empty, nothing is observed or able to become awakened. That is to say, Blessed One, all things are empty. This Dharma was taught in order to relinquish a thing that is not observed. Likewise, anyone who could know or realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and anything that could be known or realized—all these things are empty. Therefore, Blessed One, from this perspective, it seems to me that unsurpassed, perfect awakening is easy to attain, not difficult to attain.”
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, since unsurpassed, perfect awakening is a nonoccurrence, it is difficult to attain. Subhūti, since unsurpassed, perfect awakening is not really existent, it is difficult to attain. Subhūti, since unsurpassed, perfect awakening is nonconceptual, it is difficult to attain. Subhūti, since unsurpassed, perfect awakening is unfabricated, it is difficult to attain. Realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening is something extremely difficult to attain.”
Then the venerable Śāriputra said to the venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, from this perspective, unsurpassed, perfect awakening is difficult to attain. Realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening is extremely difficult to attain. Why is that? Venerable Subhūti, space does not think, ‘I will realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.’ Yet, in this way, such things are to be realized. How is this so? Because, Venerable Subhūti, all things are like space. Also, if, Venerable Subhūti, unsurpassed, perfect awakening were easy to attain, then as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in the River Ganges would not be turning away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening. But since as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in the River Ganges are turning away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening, Subhūti, it is understood that unsurpassed, perfect awakening is difficult to attain. Realizing unsurpassed, perfect awakening is extremely difficult to attain.”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, is it the actual nature of physical forms that turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, is it the actual nature of feelings, the actual nature of conceptions, the actual nature of conditioning factors, or the actual nature of consciousness that turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, is the thing that turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening somewhere other than the actual nature of physical forms?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, is the thing that turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening somewhere other than the actual nature of feelings, the actual nature of conceptions, the actual nature of conditioning factors, or the actual nature of consciousness?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, does the actual nature of physical forms realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, does the actual nature of feelings, the actual nature of conceptions, the actual nature of conditioning factors, or the actual nature of consciousness realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, does a thing somewhere other than the actual nature of physical forms realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, does a thing somewhere other than the actual nature of feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, or consciousness realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, should the actual nature of physical forms be realized in unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, should the actual nature of feelings, the actual nature of conceptions, the actual nature of conditioning factors, or the actual nature of consciousness be realized in unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, should a thing somewhere other than the actual nature of physical forms be realized in unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, Venerable Śāriputra, should anything anywhere other than the actual nature of feelings, the actual nature of conceptions, the actual nature of conditioning factors, or the actual nature of consciousness be realized in unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, what do you think, Venerable Śāriputra? Does the actual nature turn away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
Subhūti asked, “Then, what do you think, Venerable Śāriputra? Is there anything in the actual nature that turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
“Then what, Venerable Śāriputra, is the thing that turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening?” asked Subhūti. “What is it that dwells in that true nature of things alone by the method of being free from dwelling on anything?876 Furthermore, Śāriputra, what is the thing that is the actual nature? Or, Venerable Śāriputra, might it be the actual nature that is turned away?”
Subhūti then asked, “Venerable Śāriputra, among all the things that are not being mentally perceived as a reality or as a continuum, what is the thing that is turned away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
At this, the venerable Śāriputra said to the venerable Subhūti, “From the perspective of the reality of things, through which the elder, the venerable Subhūti, explicates the topic, nothing turns away from unsurpassed, perfect awakening.877 Nonetheless, Venerable Subhūti, the Tathāgata described three persons belonging to the bodhisattva path. According to the venerable Subhūti’s explication, these three persons are not separately established, because only one single path, namely, the path of the buddha, is the path of the bodhisattva.”
Subhūti asked in return, “Venerable Śāriputra, in the actual nature of the actual nature, do you identify even a single bodhisattva who belongs to a disciple path, a path of a solitary realizer, or a great path?”
“Definitely not, Venerable Subhūti,” said Śāriputra. “The actual nature is not even mentally perceived as having three aspects—how much less as a bodhisattva.”
Subhūti asked, “Venerable Śāriputra, although a quality of a bodhisattva is not being mentally perceived as a reality or as a continuum, why do you have the idea that this person belongs to the disciple path, that person to the path of a solitary realizer, and another person to the great path? Venerable Śāriputra, if a bodhisattva great being hears that these three persons who appear distinct are not different, are free of distinctions, and are undifferentiable in terms of their actual nature, but his or her mindset does not become deflated, depressed, or discouraged, then one can be sure that he or she will go beyond cyclic existence by means of awakening.”
Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Subhūti, “Excellent, Venerable Subhūti, excellent. It is exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so. Subhūti, just as it is illuminating to you through the Tathāgata’s miraculous power and you are eloquently explaining it through the Tathāgata’s blessings, just so, if a bodhisattva great being hears that these three persons who appear distinct are not different, are free of distinctions, and are undifferentiable in terms of their actual nature, but his or her mindset does not become deflated, depressed, or discouraged, then one can be sure that he or she will go beyond cyclic existence by means of awakening.”
Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, by means of what awakening will such a bodhisattva great being go beyond cyclic existence?”
The Blessed One said, “Śāriputra, such a bodhisattva great being will go beyond cyclic existence by means of unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, if any bodhisattva great being wishes to go beyond cyclic existence to unsurpassed, perfect awakening, then how should that bodhisattva great being dwell? How should that bodhisattva great being train?”878
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, if any bodhisattva great being wishes to go beyond cyclic existence to unsurpassed, perfect awakening, then that bodhisattva great being should dwell in impartiality toward all beings. He or she should develop an impartial mindset toward all beings. He or she should not regard others with an unimpartial mindset. He or she should regard others with a benevolent mindset. He or she should regard others with the mindset of benefiting.
“That bodhisattva great being should regard others with a positive mindset. He or she should regard others with a humble mindset. He or she should regard others without a hateful mindset. He or she should regard others without a harmful mindset. He or she should regard others without a hurtful mindset.
“That bodhisattva great being should regard others by affectionately conceiving of them as a mother, father, son, or daughter. In this very way, the bodhisattva great being who wishes to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening should dwell in such regard for all beings. He or she should train with the thought, ‘I am the protector of all beings.’ Also, he or she should dwell in ending wrongdoing by him- or herself. He or she should practice generosity, preserve ethical discipline, engage in tolerant acceptance, undertake heroic perseverance, attain the meditative states, get familiar with wisdom, and examine dependent arising, in order and in reverse. He or she should also incite others to take on these practices, speak highly of them, and show them approval for doing so. In this way, he or she should dwell in the attainment of a bodhisattva’s irreversible fault-free state and in the maturing of beings up to the point of realizing the noble truths.879 Then, he or she should also incite others to take on these practices, speak highly of them, and show them approval for doing so. In this way, a bodhisattva who yearns for this, and trains in it, will encounter no obstructions in anything from physical forms up to the continuum of Dharma.”
This ends the chapter “The Actual Nature,” the sixteenth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”