Chapter 27: The Essence12271228
Then the venerable Śāriputra said to the venerable Subhūti, “Ah! Venerable Subhūti, any bodhisattva great being who goes about life in this transcendent state of wisdom goes about life in the essence.”1229
At this, the venerable Subhūti said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Ah! Venerable Śāriputra, any bodhisattva great being who goes about life in this transcendent state of wisdom goes about life in the essenceless.”12301231
Then many thousands of gods of the desire realm had the thought, “We should pay homage to those sentient beings who have accomplished the mindset for unsurpassed, perfect awakening.1232 Those who go about life in such a profound transcendent state of wisdom never actualize the pinnacle of reality at the level of a disciple or a solitary realizer, because they go about life that way.1233 For this very reason, one can know that these bodhisattva great beings are going about life in the true nature of things, but they do not actualize that true nature of things.”1234
Then the venerable Subhūti knew in his mind the mental ruminations of the many thousands of gods of the desire realm, and said to them, “Gods, a bodhisattva great being has no difficulty that is because of not actualizing the pinnacle of reality. Rather, the only difficulty that a bodhisattva great being has—which is an extreme difficulty—is that he or she dons the armor in order to help immeasurable, innumerable, and measureless sentient beings attain complete nirvāṇa, but he or she finds there to be absolutely no sentient beings.1235 Since he or she does not find those sentient beings thanks to their voidness, that bodhisattva great being also does not mentally perceive them. Thus, the bodhisattva great being finds absolutely no disciples to be tamed, even though he or she sets out to realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening with the conception, ‘I will tame sentient beings.’1236 Gods, one should think of those sentient beings to be tamed as being like space. Why is that? Because, gods, one should understand sentient beings to be void in the same way that space is void.1237 For this very reason, gods, when a bodhisattva great being performs such difficult noble deeds, he or she equips him- or herself with the great armor in order to benefit sentient beings, who are neither being found nor mentally perceived.1238 And, gods, anyone who considers themselves to have donned the great armor for the benefit of sentient beings should also consider themselves to be in a struggle with space, because the armor that he or she has donned for the benefit of sentient beings is also just that.1239 It has been taught by the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened Tathāgata that a bodhisattva great being’s freedom from any mental perception of sentient beings is the absolute nature of everything. So this freedom from any mental perception should also be understood as the voidness of sentient beings. And the voidness of bodhisattvas should simply be understood as the voidness of the disciples to be tamed.1240 If a bodhisattva great being is not disheartened by what is being taught in this way, then, gods, one can know that this bodhisattva great being goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom.1241 How so?1242 Because in this way the voidness of physical forms should be known as the voidness of sentient beings. Likewise, the voidness of feelings, conceptions, conditioning factors, and consciousness should be known as the voidness of sentient beings. In fact, everything up to the voidness of all things should be known as the voidness of sentient beings.1243 In this way, gods, a bodhisattva great being should see the voidness of all things. And thus, gods, a bodhisattva great being is not disheartened when the voidness of all things is being described.1244 Since the bodhisattva great being is not disheartened, he or she goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom.”1245
Then the Blessed One, who was already aware of this exchange, asked the venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, what is the reason that a bodhisattva great being is not disheartened when the voidness of all things is being taught?”
Subhūti said, “Blessed One, a bodhisattva great being is not disheartened because of voidness. For this reason, Blessed One, when the voidness of all things is being taught, he or she is not disheartened, nor is a thing disheartened.1246 Why is that? Because, Blessed One, a bodhisattva great being does not mentally perceive a thing able to be disheartened.1247 Nor, Blessed One, does he or she mentally perceive a thing by which any thing could be disheartened.”1248
“Yes, Subhūti, that is true,”1249 said the Blessed One. “Nevertheless, when this is being described, taught, explicated, or expounded in this way, if a bodhisattva great being is not disheartened, dejected, sunk in despondency, deflated, or depressed, and if his or her mental attitude does not become discouraged, shattered, frightened, terrified, or stricken with terror, then he or she goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom.”1250
“So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sugata,” replied Subhūti. “If a bodhisattva great being goes about life like this, he or she goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom. All the gods—including Indra, Brahmā, the earth lords, and Īśāna—and all the sages, together with their male and female followers, will pay homage from a distance with their hands cupped in respect to any bodhisattva great being going about life in this way.”
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, not only will all the gods—including Indra, Brahmā, the earth lords, and Īśāna—and all the sages, together with their male and female followers, pay homage from a distance with their hands cupped in respect to any bodhisattva great being going about life in this way. But also, Subhūti, the gods of the Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, and Brahmapārṣadyā heavens, and the gods of the heavens of Mahābrahma, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Asaṃjñisattva, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha, all will pay homage from a distance with their hands cupped in respect to the bodhisattva great being going about life in this way. Also, Subhūti, those worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas who presently reside, stay, and spend time as blessed buddhas in immeasurable and innumerable world systems will look with their buddha eyes upon the bodhisattva great being going about life in this way. They will offer their support and keep in mind any bodhisattva great being going about life in this way.1251 Nonetheless, Subhūti, one should remember that when a bodhisattva great being beyond regressing from unsurpassed, perfect awakening is supported and kept in mind by the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgatas, then neither Māra nor anyone else can create obstacles for him or her. Why is that? Subhūti, suppose that all the sentient beings in a billionfold, great order world system were to become pernicious Māras. And, Subhūti, suppose also that each pernicious Māra magically created the same number of armies of Māras. Subhūti, even these pernicious Māras would not be able to create an obstacle to the unsurpassed, perfect awakening for a bodhisattva great being who goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom, because he or she is kept in mind by these buddhas. So, Subhūti, set aside all the sentient beings in one billionfold, great order world system being pernicious Māras. Suppose that all the sentient beings in all the billionfold, great order world systems equal in number to the grains of sand in the River Ganges were to become Māras. Even this number of Māras would not be able to create any obstacle to the unsurpassed, perfect awakening of a bodhisattva great being who goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom, because he or she is kept in mind by the buddhas.
“Subhūti, there are two qualities that make a bodhisattva great being unassailable by the pernicious Māra or his demon cohort. What are these two? To be precise, these qualities are that he or she does not abandon any sentient beings, and that he or she regards all things from the perspective of emptiness. Subhūti, any bodhisattva great being endowed with these two qualities is unassailable by the pernicious Māra or his demon cohort.
“Subhūti, there are two other qualities that make a bodhisattva great being unassailable by the pernicious Māra or his demon cohort. What are these two? To be precise, these qualities are that a bodhisattva great being does as he or she says, and that he or she is kept in mind by the blessed buddhas. Subhūti, any bodhisattva great being endowed with these two other qualities is unassailable by the pernicious Māra or his demon cohort.
“Subhūti, even the gods will think that they should get closer to a bodhisattva great being going about life in this way. When they do, they will want to ask questions, fully pursue their questions with him or her, and serve him or her. They will also encourage that bodhisattva great being, saying, ‘Noble son or daughter, you will quickly realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Therefore, noble son or daughter, you should abide in this very state, this transcendent state of wisdom. Why is that? Because, noble son or daughter, if you abide in this very state, you will become a protector for those sentient beings without a protector; a shelter for those without shelter; a refuge for those without a refuge; a sanctuary for those without a sanctuary; an ultimate resort for those without an ultimate resort; an island for those without an island; a light for those in darkness; a leader for those without a leader; a resting place for those without rest; and a reference point and guide along the path for those without any reference point who have lost their way.’ Saying things like this, those gods will encourage him or her. For what reason? It is because the blessed buddhas presently residing, staying, and spending time in immeasurable and innumerable world systems, surrounded by their saṅgha of monks and attended by their community of bodhisattvas, will teach the Dharma to such a bodhisattva great being abiding in this transcendent state of wisdom. They will also utter proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of those bodhisattva great beings who abide in the transcendent state of wisdom and go about life with these kinds of positive qualities, namely, the positive qualities of abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom.1252
“Subhūti, it is just as, for example, the way that I presently teach the Dharma and utter proclamations, announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of the bodhisattva great being Ratnaketu, the bodhisattva great being Śikhin, and of other bodhisattva great beings who are presently going about their lives engaged in spiritual practice in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Akṣobhya. Likewise, Subhūti, those blessed buddhas are also now teaching the Dharma and uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of those bodhisattva great beings in my buddhafield who are presently going about their lives engaged in spiritual practice and abiding in this transcendent state of wisdom.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed One, are those blessed buddhas teaching the Dharma and uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of absolutely all bodhisattva great beings?”
The Blessed One said, “No, Subhūti, those blessed buddhas are not teaching the Dharma and uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of all bodhisattva great beings. Rather, those blessed buddhas are teaching the Dharma and uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of only those bodhisattva great beings beyond regressing and devoid of all attachments.”1253
Subhūti asked, “Blessed One, aside from any bodhisattva great being beyond regressing, are there any other bodhisattva great beings to whom those blessed buddhas teach the Dharma and about whom they utter proclamations by announcing their names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms?”
The Blessed One said, “Subhūti, aside from the bodhisattva great beings beyond regressing, the blessed buddhas are teaching the Dharma to those persons on the bodhisattva path with certain abilities from helpful external factors.1254 The blessed buddhas are also uttering proclamations by announcing their names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms. But, who are they? Subhūti, they are persons on the bodhisattva path presently performing the practices of a bodhisattva and abiding by training in the bodhisattva’s way of going about life in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Akṣobhya. Subhūti, they are also other persons on the bodhisattva path presently performing the practices of a bodhisattva and abiding by training in the bodhisattva’s way of going about life in the presence of the bodhisattva Ratnaketu. So, aside from those bodhisattva great beings beyond regressing, the blessed buddhas are teaching them the Dharma and uttering proclamations by announcing their names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms.1255
“Also, beyond just those, Subhūti, there are bodhisattva great beings going about life in the transcendent state of wisdom who, despite not yet having reached the stage of accepting that all things are free of arising, have the firm conviction that all things are free of arising. There are also bodhisattva great beings who, despite not having advanced to the level beyond regressing where they attain mastery over everything, have firm conviction in all things subsiding.1256 Subhūti, the blessed buddhas also are uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of those bodhisattva great beings abiding even in these states.
“However, Subhūti, those blessed buddhas are teaching the Dharma just to those who have eschewed the levels of disciples and solitary realizers in favor of only attaining the level of a buddha, so that they too will be foreordained for unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Those blessed buddhas are also uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of those bodhisattva great beings. Why is that? Because, Subhūti, the blessed buddhas are teaching the Dharma and uttering proclamations by announcing the names, familial lineages, powers, good qualities, and forms of those bodhisattvas going about life in the transcendent state of wisdom in that way.
“Furthermore, Subhūti, once those bodhisattva great beings listen to this profound transcendent state of wisdom being taught, they will have firm conviction and not become confused, worried, or doubtful. They will listen fully with firm conviction, thinking, ‘It is exactly the way the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened Tathāgata is teaching.’ Also, they will develop the proper mindset, thinking, ‘We should listen fully to this transcendent state of wisdom in the presence of the worthy, perfectly and completely awakened tathāgata Akṣobhya.’ Then, they will listen to this profound transcendent state of wisdom while going about life engaged in spiritual practice in the buddhafield of Akṣobhya, surrounded by persons on the bodhisattva path, and they will have firm conviction in it. Because of their firm conviction in this transcendent state of wisdom, those bodhisattva great beings will also have firm conviction in the way that the Tathāgata taught it, and they will reside in the state beyond regressing. Subhūti, I am saying that even just listening to the transcendent state of wisdom is extremely helpful—how much more so is having firm conviction in it! With such firm conviction, those bodhisattva great beings will adhere to the actual nature and progress along the path toward the actual nature. After adhering to the actual nature and progressing along the path toward it, they will come to reside in that actual nature. After residing in the actual nature and the state of complete knowing, they will teach the Dharma.”
Subhūti asked, “Blessed One, if one does not mentally perceive any thing other than the actual nature, then, Blessed One, what thing will reside in the actual nature? What is it that will realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening? And what is it that will teach this Dharma?”1257
At this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Subhūti, “Subhūti, what you asked is this: ‘If one does not mentally perceive any thing other than the actual nature, then what thing will reside in the actual nature? What is it that will realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening? And what is it that will teach this Dharma?’ Subhūti, apart from the actual nature, one mentally perceives no other thing that will reside in the actual nature. First of all, Subhūti, since one does not mentally perceive the actual nature itself, how much less so someone residing in that actual nature. Next, Subhūti, the actual nature does not realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Subhūti, one does not even mentally perceive any thing that has realized unsurpassed, perfect awakening, is realizing it, or will realize it. Finally, Subhūti, the actual nature does not teach the Dharma. Subhūti, one does not mentally perceive even a thing that could teach it.”
Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the transcendent state of wisdom is profound. Blessed One, the bodhisattva great being performs difficult noble deeds wishing for unsurpassed, perfect awakening. Why is that? Because, Blessed One, no thing, in fact, resides in the actual nature, nor does any thing realize unsurpassed, perfect awakening, nor does anyone teach the Dharma. And yet, a bodhisattva great being does not become deflated, worried, or confused about this.”
Then the venerable Subhūti said to Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, “Kauśika, what you said is that the bodhisattva great beings who perform difficult noble deeds are not worried or confused when these profound teachings are being taught. Since all things are empty, Kauśika, who is it that becomes worried or confused about them?”
Śakra said, “Anything whatsoever that the noble Subhūti explicates is about emptiness. He never gets caught up in anything.1258 It is just, as an analogy, like an arrow shot into midair; it does not get caught up in anything. In this very same way, the noble Subhūti’s explication of the Dharma does not get caught up in anything.”
1259Then Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in light of the way the noble Subhūti is speaking and explicating, I hope that I may become someone who presents what has been taught by the Tathāgata and speaks the truth, and that I may reveal whatever is conducive to the Dharma.”1260
At this, the Blessed One said to Śakra, powerful lord of the gods, “Kauśika, what you are saying is so. It is so, Kauśika, it is so. You are presenting what has been taught by the Tathāgata and speaking the truth. You are revealing what is conducive to the Dharma. Why is that? It is because anything that the noble Subhūti illuminates, he illuminates about emptiness. Why is that? Because, Kauśika, the elder Subhūti neither sees nor identifies even so much as the transcendent state of wisdom—how much less so one who goes about life in the transcendent state of wisdom? He does not mentally perceive even so much as awakening—how much less so one who will realize awakening? He does not mentally perceive even so much as the state of complete knowing—how much less so one who will attain the state of complete knowing? He does not mentally perceive even so much as the actual nature—how much less so one who will become a tathāgata? He does not mentally perceive even so much as the freedom from arising—how much less so one who will actualize freedom from arising? He does not mentally perceive even so much as a bodhisattva—how much less so one who will realize awakening? He does not mentally perceive even so much as the powers—how much less so one who will become equipped with the powers? He does not mentally perceive even so much as the states of self-confidence—how much less so one who will become self-confident? He does not mentally perceive even so much as the Dharma—how much less so one who will teach the Dharma? This is because, Kauśika, the elder Subhūti is abiding in the state void of all things and free of mental conceptions about all things.1261 But, Kauśika, the elder Subhūti’s state devoid of all things and free of mental conceptions of them does not come close in worth to one hundredth, one thousandth, one hundred thousandth, one ten millionth, one billionth, one ten billionth, one trillionth, or even one ten trillionth, Kauśika, of the state of a bodhisattva great being going about life and abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom.1262 Nor would any calculation, any fraction, any quantification, any metaphor, any analogy, any equivalence, or any comparison even be adequate for comparing them. This is because, leaving aside the Tathāgata, Kauśika, the state of a bodhisattva great being going about life and abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom surpasses all other states.1263 Kauśika, this state is called the foremost, the best, the most distinguished, the most eminent, the preeminent, the most prominent, the excellent, the unexcelled, the most excellent, the unequaled, and the equal to the unequaled. This state of a bodhisattva great being going about life and abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom surpasses the states of the disciples and solitary realizers. Therefore, Kauśika, any son or daughter who wishes to reach the foremost, the best, the most distinguished, the most eminent, the preeminent, the most prominent, the excellent, the unexcelled, the most excellent, the unequaled, and the equal to the unequaled should abide in this state of the bodhisattva great being going about life and abiding in the transcendent state of wisdom.”
This ends the chapter “The Essence,” the twenty-seventh chapter in “The Noble Transcendent State of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.”