Chapter 19: The Noble Lady Gaṅgadevī961962
Then the venerable Subhūti asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, does a bodhisattva great being realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening because of the first mindset of awakening to arise?963 Or does a bodhisattva great being realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening because of the last mindset of awakening to arise? That is to say, Blessed One, the first mindset that arises does not coexist with the last mindset that arises, so, Blessed One, how could there be any accumulation of the roots of virtue by a bodhisattva great being?”964
At this, the Blessed One asked the venerable Subhūti in return, “Subhūti, what do you think? In the burning out of an oil lamp, does the first flame to strike the wick burn it up or does the last flame to strike the wick burn it up?”965
“Blessed One, certainly neither,” replied Subhūti. “Blessed One, the wick is not burned up because of the first flame striking it, and yet the wick cannot be burned up without the cause of that first flame striking it. Blessed One, the wick is not burned up because of the last flame striking it, and yet the wick cannot be burned up without the cause of that last flame striking it.”
The Blessed One asked, “But, Subhūti, what do you think? Does the wick get burned up?”
“Blessed One, it does get burned up,” said Subhūti. “Sugata, it does get burned up.”
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, in the same way, the first mindset to arise does not cause the bodhisattva great being to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and yet he or she does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening without the cause of the first mindset having arisen. The last mindset to arise does not cause the bodhisattva great being to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and yet he or she does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening without the cause of the last mindset having arisen. He or she awakens neither because of those mindsets arising nor because of anything other than those mindsets arising—and yet the bodhisattva great being does realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”966
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, such a dependent arising is profound.967 Blessed One, the bodhisattva great being certainly does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening because of the first proper mindset arising, and yet he or she certainly does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening without the cause of the first proper mindset having arisen. He or she also certainly does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening because of the last proper mindset arising, and yet he or she certainly does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening without the cause of the last proper mindset having arisen. He or she certainly awakens neither because of those mindsets arising nor without those mindsets arising—and yet the bodhisattva great being does realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
At this, the Blessed One asked the venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, what do you think? Will his or her mindset that has ceased come to arise again?”
“Blessed One, definitely not,”968 said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Does his or her mindset that has arisen have the quality of cessation?”
“Yes, Blessed One, it does have the quality of cessation,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Will his or her mindset that has the quality of cessation come to cease?”
“Blessed One, definitely not,”969 said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Does that mindset that has not arisen have the quality of cessation?”970
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Does the mindset that has the quality of cessation cease?”
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Will the mindset that has the qualities of neither arising nor ceasing cease?”971
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Will such a quality—which naturally has nothing but cessation as its essential nature—cease?”972
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Will this true nature of things cease?”973
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Will the actual nature remain as it is?”
“Blessed One, the actual nature will remain as it is,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? If the actual nature will remain as it is, then would it not remain unchanging?”974
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Is the actual nature profound?”
“Blessed One, it is profound,”975 said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Is there a mindset in the actual nature?”976
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Is the mindset the actual nature?”977
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Is the mindset something other than the actual nature?”978
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, do you see the actual nature?”979
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Does someone going about life this way go about life in something profound?”
“Blessed One, someone going about life this way does not go about life in anything whatsoever,” said Subhūti. “Why not? Because for that person those practices do not arise and are not practiced.”980
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, when a bodhisattva great being goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom, what does he or she go about life in?”
“Blessed One, he or she goes about life in the ultimate reality,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? When a bodhisattva great being goes about life in the ultimate reality, does he or she go about life in a conventional sign?”
“Blessed One, definitely not,”981 said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? Is any conventional sign unabandoned by him or her?”982
“Blessed One, definitely not,” said Subhūti.
The Blessed One asked, “Subhūti, what do you think? When a bodhisattva great being goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom, has he or she abandoned any conventional sign?”
Subhūti said, “Blessed One, a bodhisattva great being does not go about life thinking, ‘While practicing the bodhisattva’s way of going about life, how can I succeed in abandoning conventional signs in this very life?’ Still, if he or she were to succeed in it, he or she would become a disciple who had not accomplished any of the qualities of a buddha.983 Therefore, Blessed One, a bodhisattva great being has skill in means.984 He or she knows what a conventional sign and a characteristic is, and intensively cultivates the freedom from signs.”985
986Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the venerable Subhūti, “Venerable Subhūti, when a bodhisattva great being cultivates the three gateways to complete liberation—namely, emptiness, freedom from signs, and freedom from inclinations—does the transcendent state of wisdom thrive in his or her dreams?”
Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāriputra, when the transcendent state of wisdom thrives for him or her because he or she cultivates it in the daytime, then it also thrives for him or her in a dream.987 How so? Because, Venerable Śāriputra, the Blessed One taught both daytime and dreaming to be indistinguishable. If a bodhisattva great being were to arrive at the transcendent state of wisdom and go about life in that transcendent state of wisdom day in and day out, then because he or she repeatedly practices it, the transcendent state of wisdom would extend also into that bodhisattva great being’s dreams.”988
Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāriputra, since the Blessed One said that all things are like dreams, that person would not incur or accrue any karmic deed.990 However, suppose, Venerable Śāriputra, that after waking from a dream that person were to think about it and develop a particular conception about having killed someone in a dream. Then he or she would incur or accrue the karmic deed of so doing. How, Venerable Śāriputra, would that person think about and develop a particular conception of their having killed someone? Suppose that after committing the murder in the dream, he or she were to be woken up and to think to him- or herself, ‘Hooray, he has been killed! It is great that he has been killed! It is for good reason that he has been killed! And I killed him!’991 Thinking like this while awake, he or she develops a particular conception about having killed someone.”992
Śāriputra said, “Venerable Subhūti, suppose that a man were to be woken up and to think, ‘Hooray, he has been killed! It is great that he has been killed! It is for good reason that he has been killed! And I killed him!’ Does he incur or accrue a karmic deed? A blessed buddha also develops a particular conception about his own dissolution, so would he incur or accrue a karmic deed too?”993
Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāriputra, definitely not. Why is that? It is because a tathāgata has let go of all thinking and conceptualizing.994 Venerable Śāriputra, he is, as an analogy, just like pure space. Without an objective basis, karmic deeds do not arise. Without an objective basis, a mindset does not arise. That is to say, Venerable Śāriputra, karmic deeds arise only with an objective basis, not without an objective basis. A mindset arises only with an objective basis, not without an objective basis. Venerable Śāriputra, the mind moves toward things seen, heard, thought, and discerned. In those things, some minds apprehend defilement, whereas other minds apprehend purification. It is then because of this, Venerable Śāriputra, that mental activity arises only with an objective basis, not without an objective basis.995 Karmic deeds arise only with an objective basis, not without an objective basis.”
Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāriputra, first, an objective basis that is not found is turned into a conventional sign and turned into an objective basis.997 Next, a mental activity arises with that objective basis and not without that objective basis.998 Venerable Śāriputra, that mental activity is void and that conventional sign also is void. Likewise, the karmic conditioning caused by ignorance also is void. The consciousness caused by karmic conditioning factors also is void. The same is true up to aging and death caused by birth—all are also void.999 In this very same way, Venerable Śāriputra, all objective bases are void. Mental activity devoid of conventional signs is said to arise on account of worldly conventions.”1000
Śāriputra said, “Venerable Subhūti, suppose that a bodhisattva great being were to give a gift in a dream and dedicate that gift to unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Would such a gift be described as something ‘dedicated’?”
Subhūti said, “Venerable Śāriputra, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya is standing right here. He has been foreordained by the Tathāgata for unsurpassed, perfect awakening and bears direct bodily witness to the facts of the matter. You should ask him and he will respond to the question at hand.”1001
Then the venerable Śāriputra said to the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, “The elder Subhūti has said that the bodhisattva great being Maitreya is here and he will respond to the question at hand. So please, Venerable Unconquerable One, respond to this question.”1002
Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya said to Subhūti, “The elder Subhūti has said that the bodhisattva great being Maitreya is here and he will respond to the question at hand. But, Venerable Subhūti, what is it that has the designation ‘Maitreya’? Will it respond to the question at hand? Or, will its physical forms respond? Will its feelings, its conceptions, its conditioning factors, or perhaps its consciousness respond? Or else will its color or perhaps its shape respond? Or else, will its emptiness of physical forms respond? Or else, will its emptiness of feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, or consciousness respond? Certainly, Subhūti, its emptiness of physical forms has no capacity to respond. Certainly, likewise, its emptiness of feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness has no capacity to respond. Furthermore, Venerable Subhūti, I do not identify anything that can respond. Nor do I identify anything to which I can respond. Nor do I identify anything by means of which I can respond. Nor do I identify anything to whom I can respond. Nor do I identify anything foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”1003
Maitreya said, “Venerable Śāriputra, I have not actualized these things in the manner that I verbally describe them. Nor, Venerable Śāriputra, do I even find, mentally perceive, or identify these things the way that I verbally describe or mentally consider them. Certainly, Venerable Śāriputra, these things cannot be physically encountered, or verbally described, or mentally focused upon. All things are by nature like this, because they lack any inherent nature.”
Then Śāriputra thought to himself, “Oh! This bodhisattva great being Maitreya is someone with profound wisdom. He explicates the transcendent state of wisdom as though he has gone about life in it for a long time.”
Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Śāriputra as follows: “Śāriputra, why did you think, ‘Oh, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya is someone with profound wisdom?’ Are you revealing that you identify a thing that a worthy one is endowed with?”1005
“Definitely not, Blessed One,” said Śāriputra.
The Blessed One said, “Likewise, Śāriputra, a bodhisattva great being going about life in the transcendent state of wisdom does not think, ‘This thing has previously been foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening’; ‘This thing is now being foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening’; ‘This thing will soon be foreordained’; or ‘This thing will ever realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.’1006 Any bodhisattva great being who goes about life in this way is going about life in the transcendent state of wisdom. And while going about life in this way, he or she is not frightened, not terrified, and not stricken with terror. He or she engages in meditation knowing that he or she possesses a reserve of strength, so it is not the case that he or she will not become completely awakened.1007 If he or she goes about life in this way, then he or she goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom.
“Moreover, if a bodhisattva great being were in a wilderness area infested with carnivorous animals, he or she would not be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror.1008 Why not? Because that bodhisattva great being would have completely given up everything for the sake of all sentient beings. He or she would develop the proper mindset, thinking, ‘If carnivorous animals eat me, let me give that gift of myself wholly to them, so that I perfect the transcendent state of generosity and approach unsurpassed, perfect awakening. I will do this, so that when I have realized that unsurpassed, perfect awakening, in my buddhafield there will be no sentient beings born as animals and none known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner. Instead, all beings there will live on divine food.’1009
“Moreover, if a bodhisattva great being were in a wilderness area infested with thieves, he or she would not be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror. Why not? Because a bodhisattva great being delights in the roots of virtue by completely giving up all his or her possessions.1010 He or she would have offered up even his or her body and completely given up all other requisites or other means of subsistence. Thus, he or she would develop the proper mindset, thinking, ‘If any beings were to steal from me all the requisites and other means of subsistence, let me give that gift of myself wholly to them. If they even were to take my life, I resolve never to develop malevolence, anger, or rage toward them and also never to harm them physically, verbally, or mentally. In this way, at that time, I will perfect the transcendent state of generosity, the transcendent state of ethical discipline, and the transcendent state of tolerant acceptance as I approach unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Also, I will do this and apply myself so that, when I have realized unsurpassed awakening, in my buddhafield there will be no wildernesses infested with thieves and none will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner. In this way, I will strive to purify my buddhafield, so that when I have realized unsurpassed awakening, in my buddhafield there will be no defects such as these or others, and none will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner.’1011
“Moreover, if a bodhisattva great being were in a wilderness area that lacked drinkable water, he or she would not be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror. Why not? Because a bodhisattva great being has the quality of not being terrified or afraid. Hence, he or she would develop the proper mindset, thinking, ‘I should train for the sake of eliminating any thirst that sentient beings may have.’ Also, a bodhisattva great being would not be be frightened, not be terrified, and not be stricken with terror with the idea that if he or she were to die from thirst, his or her next rebirth would be in the hungry ghost realm. Instead, he or she would develop the proper mindset of great compassion, thinking, ‘Alas, these poor sentient beings must have little merit for them to know a world with wilderness areas lacking any drinkable water like these. Again, I will do this and apply myself so that when I have realized unsurpassed awakening, in my buddhafield there will be no wilderness areas lacking drinkable water, and none will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner. Furthermore, I will load all beings up with merit, so that they will find drinkable water endowed with the eight qualities.1012 I will apply myself with unwavering heroic perseverance and with respect toward all sentient beings, so that, at that time, I will perfect the transcendent state of heroic perseverance.’
“Moreover, if a bodhisattva great being were in a wilderness area that lacked food, he or she would not be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror. For this reason, he or she would don the armor, thinking, ‘I will apply myself with unwavering heroic perseverance and purify my own buddhafield so that when I have realized unsurpassed awakening, in my buddhafield there will be no wilderness areas without food like these, and none will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner. Those sentient beings will only ever be comfortable, bestowed every delight, and filled with happiness.1013 Also, I will do this so that absolutely anything that sentient beings wish for and absolutely anything that their hearts desire will come to manifest for them. It will be just like, as an analogy, everything manifesting for the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, just by their thinking about it. With such unwavering heroic perseverance, I will apply myself so that everything will manifest and come to be had by sentient beings, just by their thinking about it. Furthermore, I will strive to purify my own mind for the sake of all sentient beings, so that, at that time, I can perfect the transcendent state of meditation to ensure that their spiritual aspirations are fulfilled and no sentient being anywhere ever lacks life’s necessities in any way.’
“Moreover, if a bodhisattva great being were in a wilderness area plagued with disease, he or she would not be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror. Instead, he or she would reflect upon, contemplate, and consider there to be no thing that is afflicted by disease and no thing that has the name disease. Thus, he or she would consider it to be empty and would be neither frightened by it, nor terrified by it, nor stricken with terror about it.
“Furthermore, such a bodhisattva great being would never develop a mindset that thinks it will take ‘a long time’ to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening—nor at such a thought would he or she be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror. Why not? Because a moment of thought involves a limitation that is a point in time with no beginning, which is to say, it is beyond any point in time. So, that bodhisattva great being would never form the notion of it being difficult, somehow thinking this point in time with no beginning takes so much time or takes such a long time.1014 For inasmuch as this idea is associated with a single moment of thought, that is a point in time with no beginning, which is to say, it is beyond any point in time.1015 In this way, Śāriputra, the bodhisattva great being would never be frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror, thinking he or she will realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening ‘in a long time.’1016 But, Śāriputra, if a bodhisattva great being is neither frightened, nor terrified, nor stricken with terror about these dangers or other sources of fear, whether they be seen, heard, considered, or known, then one can be sure, Śāriputra, that such a noble son or daughter is able to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening.
“Finally, Śāriputra, in this way the bodhisattva great being would don the great armor, thinking, ‘I will do this and apply myself with unwavering heroic perseverance so that when I have realized unsurpassed awakening, in my buddhafield all sentient beings will be free of all disease, and no disease will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner. Also, I will do this so that I can teach what the tathāgatas taught and act in accord with what they taught. Furthermore, I will cultivate the transcendent state of wisdom for the sake of all sentient beings, so that, at that time, I will perfect the transcendent state of wisdom.’ ”
1017Then a certain woman who had come and taken her seat in that assembly stood up from her seat. She put her upper robe over one shoulder, placed her right knee on the ground, and then prostrated to the Blessed One with her hands cupped together in reverence. She then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I am not frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror in such places.1018 Without being terrified or frightened, I shall teach the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings.”
Then, at that moment, the Blessed One appeared with a golden-colored smile that emanated light to the infinite, limitless world systems. The light shone up as far as the Brahmā world, returned once again, circled the Blessed One to the right three times, and then disappeared into the Blessed One’s forehead. Immediately after the Blessed One appeared with that smile, the woman took yellow flowers and showered them upon the Blessed One and scattered them around. But the yellow flowers remained suspended in midair without touching him.
Then the venerable Ānanda stood up from his seat. He put his upper robe over one shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, and then prostrated to the Blessed One with his hands cupped together in reverence. After that, he said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas do not smile without a cause or conditions. So, what is the cause and what are the conditions for you smiling?”
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, this is the woman Gaṅgadevī. In the future she will become the tathāgata named Yellow-Flowered.1019 She will be a worthy, well-gone, perfect buddha. She will be perfected in both knowledge and appropriate conduct. She will have the supreme knowledge of the world. As a blessed buddha, she will be a leader among those people to be tamed and will teach gods and humans alike. She will appear in the world during the Star-Like eon and realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Ānanda, the noble lady Gaṅgadevī will leave behind her female form, take on a male form after she has passed away from here, and be reborn in the Abhirati buddhafield world system belonging to the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Akṣobhya. Once reborn there in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Akṣobhya, she will engage in spiritual practice. Then, when she passes away from there, she will travel from that buddhafield to the next buddhafield without losing sight of the tathāgata. Again, from that buddhafield to other buddhafields, she will travel without ever being separated from the blessed buddhas. As an analogy, it will be just like a universal emperor traveling from palace to palace throughout his whole life, without the soles of his feet ever stepping on the surface of the earth. Just as that universal emperor, up to his time of death, would pass away without ever stepping upon the earth with the soles of his feet, Ānanda, just so the noble lady Gaṅgadevī too will travel from buddhafield to buddhafield without ever being separated from the blessed buddhas, all the way up until she realizes unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
Then the Blessed One knew in his mind the kind of ruminations that the venerable Ānanda was having and said to him, “Yes, Ānanda, it is true. Ānanda, any bodhisattva great beings who escape the saṃsāric mud and engage in spiritual practice in the buddhafield of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Akṣobhya should be known as close to actualizing awakening.1021 But, Ānanda, this worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Yellow-Flowered will have a community of disciples that no measure could capture. Why not? Ānanda, since there would be no measuring the number of disciples surrounding him, those disciples will instead be reckoned to be immeasurable or innumerable.1022 Furthermore, Ānanda, during the time when this buddhafield is present, there will be no wilderness areas infested with carnivorous animals or with thieves. There will be no wilderness areas without drinkable water, without food, or plagued with disease. Ānanda, there will be no unpleasant wilderness areas such as these or others, and none will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner. Ānanda, at the time when the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Yellow-Flowered has realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening, there will not be any of these types of dangerous and frightening wilderness areas, and none will be known to exist absolutely anywhere in any form or manner.”
At this, the venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in the presence of which tathāgata did the noble lady Gaṅgadevī plant the root of virtue by first developing the proper mindset aimed at unsurpassed, perfect awakening?”
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, the noble lady Gaṅgadevī planted the root of virtue by first developing the proper mindset and dedicated it to unsurpassed, perfect awakening in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Dīpaṃkara.1023 While praying for unsurpassed, perfect awakening, she showered the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Dīpaṃkara with nothing but yellow flowers. When I myself showered the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Dīpaṃkara with the five blue lotuses, I attained the state of acceptance that all things are free of arising, and after that I was foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening by the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Dīpaṃkara. He said, ‘In the future, young man, you will become the tathāgata named Śākyamuṇi. You will be a worthy, well-gone, perfect buddha. You will be perfected in both knowledge and appropriate conduct. You will have supreme knowledge of the world. As a blessed buddha, you will be a leader of persons to be tamed and a teacher to gods and humans alike.’ At the time, the noble lady heard his foreordainment of me and she developed the proper mindset, thinking, ‘Aha! Just as this young man was foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening, so too must I become foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening.’ And thus, Ānanda, in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Dīpaṃkara, the noble lady came to plant the root of virtue by first developing the proper mindset aimed at unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
At this, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “Ah! Blessed One, it is because she has achieved the preliminary practices and has gone to the very end that the noble lady Gaṅgadevī is foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening.”
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Yes, Ānanda, it is true what you say: ‘It is because she has achieved the preliminary practices and has gone to the end that the noble lady Gaṅgadevī is foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening.’ ”1024
This ends the chapter “The Noble Lady Gaṅgadevī,” the nineteenth chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”