Chapter 54: Teaching the Cultivation of Skillful Means
第五十四品：教導方便善巧的修習
54.1Then venerable Subhūti inquired of the Lord, “Lord, how do bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom fully master emptiness and how do they become absorbed in the emptiness meditative stabilization? How do they fully master signlessness and how do they become absorbed in the signlessness meditative stabilization? How do they fully master wishlessness and how do they become absorbed in the wishlessness meditative stabilization? How do they master … up to the eightfold noble path? How do they cultivate the eightfold noble path? How do they master the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening? How do they cultivate the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening?”
54.1爾時尊者須菩提問世尊言：「世尊，菩薩摩訶薩修行般若波羅蜜多，云何圓滿空，云何入於空三昧？云何圓滿無相，云何入於無相三昧？云何圓滿無願，云何入於無願三昧？云何圓滿乃至八正道，云何修行八正道？云何圓滿三十七菩提分法，云何修行三十七菩提分法？」
54.2Venerable Subhūti having said this, the Lord replied to him, “Subhūti, here bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should understand analytically ‘ form is empty,’ and should understand analytically ‘feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are empty.’ Similarly, connect this with each, up to they should understand analytically ‘the desire realm is empty.’ They should understand analytically ‘the form realm and the formless realm are empty.’ And, one way or the other, when they understand this analytically, such an analytical understanding should be without mental distraction. Without mental distraction they do not see the phenomenon that is the phenomenon to be actualized, and not seeing that phenomenon they do not [F.219.a] actualize it. And why? Because they are well trained in phenomena that are empty of their own marks, so they see that all those phenomena—an actualizer, something to be actualized, and something through which there is actualization—are not joined and are not disjoined.”
54.2尊者須菩提如此說已，世尊回答他說：「須菩提，這裡菩薩摩訶薩修習般若波羅蜜多，應當分析性地理解『色是空的』，並應當分析性地理解『受、想、行、識是空的』。同樣地，將此與各個相連接，直到他們應當分析性地理解『欲界是空的』。他們應當分析性地理解『色界和無色界是空的』。並且，以某種方式或另一種方式，當他們分析性地理解這些時，這樣的分析性理解應當不帶有心的掉舉。不帶有心的掉舉，他們就不會看見應當成就的現象，不看見那個現象，他們就不會成就它。為什麼呢？因為他們在無自性的法上得到了良好的訓練，所以他們看見所有那些法——成就者、被成就之物和通過其成就的東西——是不相聯繫的，也是不相分離的。」
54.3The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti asked him, “Lord, in regard to what the Lord has said, ‘Bodhisattva great beings should not actualize emptiness,’ how do bodhisattva great beings stand in emptiness but not actualize emptiness?”
54.3世尊說完這些話後，尊者須菩提問他說：「世尊，關於世尊所說的『菩薩摩訶薩不應該成就空』，菩薩摩訶薩如何安住在空中卻不成就空呢？」
54.4The Lord responded, “When bodhisattva great beings contemplate emptiness furnished with the best of all aspects, they do not contemplate that they should actualize it; rather, they contemplate that they should master it. They contemplate that it is not the time it should be actualized, but rather it is the time it should be mastered. When not in actual meditative equipoise, bodhisattva great beings attach their minds to an objective support and without letting the dharmas on the side of awakening lessen, in the meantime do not actualize the extinction of outflows. And why? Because the bodhisattva great beings are endowed with such prodigious knowledge that they remain with the dharmas on the side of awakening, understanding that it is thus the time for mastery, and it is not the time for actualization.
54.4世尊說：「菩薩摩訶薩觀察具足最勝一切相的空性時，不觀察應當成就空性，而是觀察應當通達空性。觀察這不是應當成就的時候，而是應當通達的時候。菩薩摩訶薩不在禪定中時，將心依靠所緣而安住，同時不使覺分法減少，在此期間不成就漏的滅盡。為什麼呢？因為菩薩摩訶薩具備如此殊勝的智慧，安住於覺分法中，了知現在是通達的時候，不是成就的時候。」
54.5“Subhūti, there bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom thus understand analytically that it is the time for the perfection of giving; that it is the time for the perfection of morality, patience, perseverance, [F.219.b] concentration, and wisdom; that it is the time to cultivate the applications of mindfulness, up to that it is the time to cultivate the eightfold noble path; that it is the time to cultivate the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness meditative stabilizations; that it is the time to acquire the ten tathāgata powers; that it is the time to acquire the four fearlessnesses and the four detailed and thorough knowledges; that it is the time to acquire great love and great compassion; and that it is not the time to actualize the result of stream enterer, up to that it is not the time to actualize the state of a worthy one; that it is not the time to actualize a pratyekabuddha’s awakening; and that it is not the time to acquire and to master all-knowledge.
54.5「須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩在此修習般若波羅蜜多，應當深入分析，現在是修習檀那波羅蜜多的時候；現在是修習尸羅波羅蜜多、忍辱波羅蜜多、精進波羅蜜多、禪定波羅蜜多和般若波羅蜜多的時候；現在是修習念處的時候，直到現在是修習八正道的時候；現在是修習空、無相和無願三昧的時候；現在是獲得十力的時候；現在是獲得四無所畏和四無礙解的時候；現在是獲得大悲和大愛的時候；而不是成就須陀洹果的時候，直到不是成就阿羅漢位的時候；不是成就辟支佛菩提的時候；也不是獲得和掌握一切智的時候。」
54.6“Thus, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom master emptiness, and persisting with emptiness master signlessness and wishlessness. Persisting with signlessness and wishlessness, they cultivate the eightfold noble path but still do not actualize the result of stream enterer, up to the state of a worthy one. Similarly, connect this with they cultivate the applications of mindfulness and persist in the applications of mindfulness but still do not actualize it. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings thus master the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, cultivate the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, and persist in the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, but still do not actualize it.
54.6「因此，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩修行般若波羅蜜多，成就空，以空而住，成就無相和無願。以無相和無願而住，他們修習八正道但仍然不成就須陀洹果，直至阿羅漢位。同樣地，將此連接到他們修習念處並安住於念處但仍然不成就它。須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩如是成就三十七菩提分法，修習三十七菩提分法，並安住於三十七菩提分法，但仍然不成就它。」
54.7“To illustrate, Subhūti, a brave, heroic , firmly grounded, physically beautiful, handsome, good-looking [F.220.a] person endowed with the finest, clearest, most deeply imbued beautiful skin color, an expert archer holding hardened weapons who is thoroughly established in the sixty-four vocational arts, knowing as much as can be known about all crafts and vocations, giving pleasure to and loved by many persons, gains great wealth from whatever work they undertake and with that wealth respects, reveres, honors, and worships many people. Having made them feel immense rapture, delight, joy, and happiness, for some purpose or other they lead the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, into a hair-raising jungle terrifying to simple folk. That person, after having led them there, inspires the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, to be fearless, saying, ‘Do not be scared, do not be scared, I will quickly free you from this terrifying, scary place.’ When enemies, murderers, and opponents of that person come close in that jungle, because that person has the ultimate power of wisdom, they get those mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, out of that jungle, leading them to freedom. Having reached a settlement, or market town, or city, or other spot uninjured and unharmed, they occasion a feeling of joy and mental happiness in them, but they do not poison their minds against those beings who are enemies and opponents. What is the reason for this? It is because they have expertise in all the vocational arts, so they magically produce immensely more and braver opponents with even more hardened weapons than the enemies and opponents in that jungle, getting rid of those beings who are enemies and opponents by scaring them. Then, having easily freed their parents, sons, and daughters, [F.220.b] that person lives at ease.
54.7「須菩提，比如有一位勇敢、英勇、意志堅定、身體美好、容貌英俊、相貌莊嚴的人，具備最精緻、最清淨、最深層浸潤的美麗膚色，是一位精通硬化武器的射箭能手，徹底精通六十四種職業技藝，對所有手工藝和職業知識無所不曉，能使許多人感到喜悅並受到人們的喜愛。無論從事什麼工作都獲得巨大的財富，用這些財富尊敬、禮拜、尊重、供養許多人。使他們感受到巨大的狂喜、欣喜、歡樂和幸福之後，為了某種目的，帶領父母、兒子、女兒進入一個令凡夫恐怖的可怕叢林。那個人帶他們進去後，激勵父母、兒子、女兒不要害怕，說『不要害怕，不要害怕，我很快會把你們從這個恐怖、可怕的地方救出來。』當那個人的敵人、殺害者、對手在叢林裡逼近時，因為那個人具有勝義慧力，他們把父母、兒子、女兒從叢林救出來，把他們帶向解脫。到達聚落、市集、城市或其他地方，毫髮無損、完好無傷，在他們心中產生歡樂和心理上的幸福感，但卻不會對那些作為敵人和對手的眾生心生怨恨。這是什麼原因呢？因為他精通所有的職業技藝，所以他用魔幻之力製造出數量更多、更勇敢、武器更加硬化的對手，比叢林中的敵人和對手還要可怕，藉由嚇唬他們來消滅那些作為敵人和對手的眾生。之後，他輕易地救出了他的父母、兒子和女兒，那個人便安心生活。」
54.8“Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings radiate out loving thoughts with all beings as the objective support—compassionate, joyful, and balanced thoughts with all beings as the objective support—and while doing so bodhisattva great beings in the interim do not employ a causal sign as a conventional label. They do not actualize that signlessness meditative stabilization on account of which, were they to have actualized it, they would stand on the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha level.
54.8「同樣地，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩以一切有情為所緣，放射慈愛心——以一切有情為所緣，放射大悲心、喜心和捨心——而在此期間，菩薩摩訶薩不以相作為世俗名言而運用。他們不成就那個無相三昧，若他們成就了，就會安住在聲聞或辟支佛地。」
54.9“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a winged bird glides through the air without falling to the ground, but even though it glides through the air in the sky it does not stand and take up a position there. Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings also master emptiness and practice emptiness, also master signlessness and wishlessness and make a practice of signlessness and the wishlessness, but they do not actualize those emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness meditative stabilizations on account of which, were they to have actualized them, they would fall to the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha level before completing any of the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, great love, great compassion, or any of those infinite buddhadharmas, having practiced which they would reach the knowledge of all aspects.
54.9「再舉例來說，須菩提，有一隻有翅膀的鳥在空中滑翔而不落到地面，但即使它在天空中滑翔，也不會停留在那裡確立一個位置。同樣地，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩也掌握空，也實踐空，也掌握無相和無願，也實踐無相和無願，但他們不成就那些空、無相和無願三昧，因為如果他們成就了這些三昧，在完成十力、四無所畏、四無礙解、大愛、大悲，或任何那些無邊佛法之前，他們就會墮入聲聞或辟支佛地——但實踐這些佛法後他們才能達到一切相智。」
54.10“To illustrate further, Subhūti, a person, a powerful master archer well trained in archery, shoots an arrow far into the sky. Having shot the arrow far into the sky they again shoot with a series of other, later arrows going after the earlier, not letting them fall to earth. Those arrows do not fall to earth for as long as that person does not want them to. Then, thinking, ‘Let those arrows fall to earth,’ [F.221.a] they do not shoot a later arrow up into the sky and that leading series of arrows falls to earth. Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom assisted by skillful means do not actualize the final limit of reality for as long as the wholesome roots of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening have not matured, but when the wholesome roots of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening have matured, they then actualize the final limit of reality.
54.10「再進一步舉例說明，須菩提，有一個人，一位強大的射箭高手，經過良好的射箭訓練，把箭射向天空很遠的地方。射出箭後，他又連續射出其他後來的箭，讓它們追隨前面的箭，不讓它們掉落到地上。這些箭只要那個人不想讓它們掉落，就不會掉到地上。然後，他想著『讓這些箭掉落到地上吧』，就不再向天空射出後面的箭，那一連串領先的箭才掉落到地上。同樣地，須菩提，修習般若波羅蜜多的菩薩摩訶薩，以方便善巧相助，只要無上正等正覺的善根還沒有成熟，就不成就實際的終極邊界，但當無上正等正覺的善根已經成熟時，他們就成就實際的終極邊界。」
54.11“Therefore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom should ponder the true dharmic nature of those dharmas like that.”
54.11「因此，須菩提，修行般若波羅蜜多的菩薩摩訶薩應當像這樣思考那些法的真實法性。」
54.12The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti said to him, “Those who do what is difficult, Lord, are the bodhisattva great beings who train in this true nature of dharmas, train in the very limit of reality, train in suchness, train in the dharma-constituent, train in the emptiness of what transcends limits, up to train in the emptiness of its own mark, up to train in the three gateways to liberation but do not, in the interim, fall away from unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. Lord, it is amazing! Sugata, it is amazing!”
54.12尊者須菩提對世尊說道：「世尊，那些菩薩摩訶薩所做的確實是困難的事。他們修學法性，修學實際，修學如性，修學法界，修學無始無終空，乃至修學自相空，乃至修學三解脫門，但在此期間卻不會從無上正等正覺中退失。世尊，這真是不可思議啊！善逝，這真是不可思議啊！」
54.13“Subhūti,” said the Lord, “it is because the bodhisattva great beings do not forsake all beings and, Subhūti, because they find and produce within themselves the thought of a bodhisattva great being, Subhūti, who has not forsaken all beings—this type of special prayer: ‘I will not forsake these ignorant beings, these beings who are deceived because they perceive nonexistent phenomena as existing. I [F.221.b] should not forsake all those ignorant beings. I have not forsaken all beings, so I should also free all these beings caught up in nonexistent phenomena.’ When those bodhisattva great beings find and produce within themselves the emptiness meditative stabilization gateway to liberation, find and produce within themselves the signlessness meditative stabilization gateway to liberation, and find and produce within themselves the wishlessness meditative stabilization gateway to liberation, but in the interim, before reaching the knowledge of all aspects, do not actualize the very limit of reality, you should know that at that time they are endowed with skillful means.
54.13「須菩提，」世尊說，「正是因為菩薩摩訶薩不捨棄一切眾生，且須菩提，因為他們在自己心中發現和產生菩薩摩訶薩的思想，須菩提，這種未曾捨棄一切眾生的特殊願力：『我不會捨棄這些無明眾生，這些眾生因為執著不存在的現象為存在而被欺迷。我應該不捨棄所有這些無明眾生。我還沒有捨棄一切眾生，所以我也應該解脫所有這些陷入不存在的現象中的眾生。』當那些菩薩摩訶薩在自己心中發現和產生空解脫門三摩地，發現和產生無相解脫門三摩地，以及發現和產生無願解脫門三摩地，但在達到一切相智之前的這段時間，不成就實際的最深處，你應該知道在那時他們具足了方便善巧。
54.14“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who want to understand analytically those deep, deep places—namely, inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and the four applications of mindfulness and three gateways to liberation—find and produce within themselves the thought, ‘These beings have been involved for a long time in a false apprehension of facts because of perceiving a self, perceiving a being, up to perceiving someone who knows and someone who sees, so in order to eliminate their view falsely apprehending facts I will fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening and teach the Dharma.’ Then when the bodhisattva great beings become absorbed in the emptiness meditative stabilization, they still do not actualize that very limit of reality on account of which, were they to have actualized it, they would have reached the result of stream enterer, up to would have reached a pratyekabuddha’s awakening. Subhūti, when the bodhisattva great beings become absorbed in the signlessness meditative stabilization and wishlessness meditative stabilization gateways to liberation, the bodhisattva great beings meditate and become absorbed [F.222.a] but still do not actualize the very limit of reality on account of which, were they to have actualized it, they would have reached the result of stream enterer, up to would have reached the state of a worthy one and a pratyekabuddha’s awakening.
54.14「而且，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩想要分析理解那些極其深遠的地方——即內空，乃至無自性空，以及四念處和三解脫門——他們在心中生起這樣的思想：『這些眾生因為執著自我、執著眾生，乃至執著知者和見者，長期以來一直陷入對事實的錯誤執著。為了消除他們對事實的錯誤見解，我應當證悟無上正等正覺，並為他們講說佛法。』那時，菩薩摩訶薩進入空三昧時，因為不成就那實際之極，他們仍然沒有達到須陀洹果，乃至沒有達到辟支佛的菩提。須菩提，當菩薩摩訶薩進入無相解脫門三摩地和無願解脫門三摩地時，菩薩摩訶薩冥想並進入定境，然而仍然沒有成就那實際之極，因為如果他們成就了它，就會達到須陀洹果，乃至會達到阿羅漢位和辟支佛的菩提。」
54.15“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing like that are endowed with those wholesome roots and do not actualize the very limit of reality, but still on account of the production of that thought they do not fall away from the four concentrations, four immeasurables, four formless absorptions, or four applications of mindfulness; up to the eightfold noble path; the emptiness, signlessness and wishlessness meditative stabilizations; the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, or four detailed and thorough knowledges; great love; or great compassion. At that time bodhisattva great beings are endowed with the thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening and do not fall away from them. Assisted by skillful means they grow in the wholesome dharmas and their faculties are also not like those of śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas but are keener.
54.15「須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩這樣修行，具足了那些善根，並且不證實現實的終極，但是仍然由於產生了那個思想，他們不會遠離四禪、四無量心、四無色定或四念處；直到八正道；空、無相和無願三昧；十力、四無所畏或四無礙解；大愛；或大悲。此時菩薩摩訶薩具足了三十七菩提分法，並且不會遠離它們。藉由方便善巧的幫助，他們在善法中增長，他們的根機也不像聲聞或辟支佛的根機，而是更加敏銳。」
54.16“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings think, ‘The minds of these beings have been distorted for a long time by the fourfold erroneous perception of permanence, perception of happiness, perception of the pleasant, and perception of a self, so I will practice for awakening for their sake, and having thus fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening will teach them so that one way or the other they do not practice with the idea of “permanent,” or the idea of “happiness,” or the idea of “pleasant,” or the idea of “self,” but rather with the idea of “impermanent,” the idea of “unpleasant,” the idea of “suffering,” [F.222.b] and the idea of “selfless.” ’ Bodhisattva great beings who have produced that thought and practice the perfection of wisdom with skillful means do not enter into absorption in a buddha’s meditative stabilization until they have completed the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, great love, and great compassion. During that time, they meditate on and become absorbed in the wishlessness meditative stabilization but do not actualize the very limit of reality until they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
54.16「再者，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩這樣想：『這些眾生的心意長久以來被四種顛倒知見所扭曲，即常想、樂想、可意想和我想，所以我將為了他們的緣故而修行以求菩提，這樣完全覺悟無上正等正覺後，就能教導他們，使得他們無論如何都不會以「常」的觀念、「樂」的觀念、「可意」的觀念或「我」的觀念來修行，而是以「無常」的觀念、「不淨」的觀念、「苦」的觀念和「無我」的觀念來修行。』菩薩摩訶薩產生了這樣的想法，以方便善巧修行般若波羅蜜多，在尚未完成十力、四無所畏、四無礙解、大愛和大悲之前，不會進入佛的禪定等持中。在此期間，他們冥想並安住於無願三昧中，但在完全覺悟無上正等正覺之前，不會成就實際的極限。」
54.17“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings think, ‘For a long time these beings have been involved in a false apprehension of facts with the idea of “a self,” or the idea of “a being,” up to or the idea of “one who knows” and “one who sees,” and the idea of “ form ,” or the idea of “feeling,” or the idea of “perception,” or the idea of “volitional factors,” or the idea of “consciousness,” or the idea of “aggregates,” or the idea of “constituents,” or the idea of “sense fields,” or the idea of “four concentrations,” or the idea of “four immeasurables,” or the idea of “four formless absorptions.” When I fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, one way or the other I will make it so that they will not have these faults of beings who falsely apprehend facts.’ Bodhisattva great beings with the production of those thoughts who practice the perfection of wisdom with skillful means do not actualize the very limit of reality until they have completed the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, great love, and great compassion, and at that time they [F.223.a] complete the cultivation of the emptiness meditative stabilization gateway to liberation.
54.17「此外，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩作如是念：『這些眾生長期以來一直執著於「我」的思想，或執著於「眾生」的思想，乃至執著於「知者」和「見者」的思想，以及執著於「色」的思想，或執著於「受」的思想，或執著於「想」的思想，或執著於「行」的思想，或執著於「識」的思想，或執著於「蘊」的思想，或執著於「界」的思想，或執著於「處」的思想，或執著於「四禪定」的思想，或執著於「四無量心」的思想，或執著於「四無色定」的思想。當我證得無上正等正覺時，我將使這些眾生不再具有這些虛妄執著事實的過失。』菩薩摩訶薩以此發心，以方便善巧修習般若波羅蜜多，在完成十力、四無畏、四無礙解、大愛和大悲之前，不會成就實際，此時他們完成了空解脫門三摩地的修習。」
54.18“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom think, ‘For a long time these beings have been practicing a practice with causal signs: the causal sign for woman, the causal sign for man, the causal sign for form, the causal sign for formless. When I fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, one way or the other I will make it so that beings will not have such faults as these.’ When bodhisattva great beings who produce those thoughts and also with skillful means practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not, in the interim, actualize the very limit of reality until they have completed the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, great love, and great compassion. Endowed with that production of the thought they complete the cultivation of the signlessness meditative stabilization gateway to liberation.
54.18「此外，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩修習般若波羅蜜多時心想：'這些眾生長期以來一直在以因相而修習其實踐：女人的因相、男人的因相、色的因相、無色的因相。當我證得無上正等正覺時，我必定會以某種方式使眾生不再具有這些過失。'菩薩摩訶薩如此發心而又以方便善巧修習般若波羅蜜多時，在此期間不成就實際，直到圓滿十力、四無所畏、四無礙解、大愛、大悲後，以此發心具足而圓滿修習無相解脫門三摩地。」
54.19“Furthermore, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom think, ‘For a long time these beings have been practicing a practice while making wishes—that is, they have harbored a strong liking for Śatakratu, Brahmā, a world protector, or a wheel-turning emperor; they have harbored a strong liking for form , feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness; up to they have harbored a strong liking for the knowledge of all aspects—so for their sake, fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, one way or the other I will teach the doctrine so that beings will not have these [F.223.b] wish-making faults.’
54.19「此外，須菩提，修習般若波羅蜜多的菩薩摩訶薩們思惟：『長期以來，這些眾生一直在帶著願望而修習——也就是說，他們對帝釋、梵天、世界保護者或轉輪聖王懷有強烈的喜愛；他們對色、受、想、行和識懷有強烈的喜愛；直到他們對一切相智懷有強烈的喜愛——所以為了他們的緣故，我將證得無上正等正覺，然後用種種方式教導教法，使得眾生不再有這些[F.223.b]帶著願望而修習的過失。』」
54.20“Thus, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who produce those thoughts and also with skillful means practicing the perfection of wisdom complete the cultivation of the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness meditative stabilization gateways to liberation, and do not, in the interim, actualize the very limit of reality for as long as the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, great love, and great compassion are still not completed, and until they have fully awakened to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening.
54.20「因此，須菩提，菩薩摩訶薩發起那些心念，並且以方便善巧修行般若波羅蜜多，圓滿修習空、無相、無願三昧解脫門，在十力、四無所畏、四無礙解、十八不共法、大愛、大悲還未圓滿之前，暫時不證得實際，直到他們成就無上正等正覺為止。」
54.21“Subhūti, it is impossible and there is no chance that bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections; practicing inner emptiness, up to the emptiness that is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature; practicing the applications of mindfulness; practicing the emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness meditative stabilizations; practicing the ten tathāgata powers, up to and practicing the four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, great love, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha—it is impossible that those bodhisattva great beings practicing and mastering them with such knowledge could fall into the absence of volitional activity or inhabit the three realms.
54.21「須菩提，修習六波羅蜜、修習內空直至無自性空、修習念處、修習空無相無願三昧、修習十力直至修習四無所畏、四無礙解、大愛、大悲和十八不共法的菩薩摩訶薩，不可能以這樣的智慧修習並掌握這些法而墮入無有作用的狀態或住於三界，這是不可能的，絕無此理。」
54.22“Subhūti, you should ask bodhisattva great beings thus practicing mastery of those thirty-seven dharmas on the side of awakening, ‘How do bodhisattva great beings who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening cultivate the perfection of wisdom when they master those dharmas [F.224.a] with a realization that does not cause them to actualize emptiness; does not cause them to realize the very limit of reality; and does not cause them to actualize the signlessness, wishlessness, not occasioning anything, nonproduction, or the absence of an existing thing which would otherwise lead to the attainment of the result of stream enterer, up to or the state of a worthy one or a pratyekabuddha’s awakening?’ If, Subhūti, when a bodhisattva great being has asked bodhisattva great beings about that, they respond, ‘Those bodhisattva great beings must pay attention to emptiness, must pay attention to signlessness, must pay attention to wishlessness, and must pay attention to not occasioning anything, to nonproduction, and to the absence of an existing thing,’ then, Subhūti, the bodhisattva great being should know that the lord buddhas have prophesied the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of those bodhisattva great beings. And why? Subhūti, it is because they pronounce on, point out, and sort out the mastery of bodhisattva great beings irreversible from awakening. But if, Subhūti, when asked they respond, ‘They should not pay attention to emptiness, and they should not pay attention to signlessness, wishlessness, not occasioning anything, nonproduction, or the absence of an existing thing,’ then, Subhūti, the bodhisattva great being should know that the lord buddhas have not prophesied the unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening of those bodhisattva great beings. And why? [F.224.b] Subhūti, it is because they do not pronounce on, point out, or sort out the mastery of irreversible bodhisattva great beings, and do not pronounce on, do not point out, and do not sort out the Dharma of irreversible bodhisattva great beings. In regard to them, that bodhisattva great being should know that those bodhisattva great beings are not like irreversible bodhisattva great beings who, having achieved mastery, have stepped onto the irreversible level, passing beyond the Tanū level.”
54.22「須菩提，你應當這樣問正在修習那三十七菩提分法的菩薩摩訶薩：『想要圓滿證得無上正等正覺的菩薩摩訶薩，在掌握這些法的時候，如何修習般若波羅蜜多？他們的領悟不會使他們實現空性；不會使他們證得實際的極限；不會使他們實現無相、無願、不作事、不生忍，或無有——這些本來會導致他們證得須陀洹果，乃至阿羅漢位或辟支佛的菩提的。』須菩提，當一個菩薩摩訶薩這樣問其他菩薩摩訶薩時，如果他們回答說：『那些菩薩摩訶薩必須關注空性，必須關注無相，必須關注無願，必須關注不作事、不生忍和無有』，那麼須菩提，這個菩薩摩訶薩就應該知道，諸佛已經為那些菩薩摩訶薩授記了無上正等正覺。為什麼呢？須菩提，因為他們闡述、指示並詳細說明了不退轉於菩提的菩薩摩訶薩的掌握。但是，須菩提，如果被問及時，他們回答說：『他們不應當關注空性，也不應當關注無相、無願、不作事、不生忍或無有』，那麼須菩提，這個菩薩摩訶薩就應該知道，諸佛沒有為那些菩薩摩訶薩授記無上正等正覺。為什麼呢？須菩提，因為他們沒有闡述、指示或詳細說明不退轉菩薩摩訶薩的掌握，也沒有闡述、指示或詳細說明不退轉菩薩摩訶薩的教法。對於他們，那個菩薩摩訶薩應該知道，那些菩薩摩訶薩不像已經成就掌握、踏入不退轉地、超越薄地的不退轉菩薩摩訶薩。」
54.23“Would there then, Lord, be ways in which the bodhisattva great beings would be irreversible from awakening?” asked Subhūti.
54.23「世尊，那麼菩薩摩訶薩會有不退轉於菩提的方式嗎？」須菩提問道。
54.24“There would be, Subhūti,” said the Lord. “It would be if the bodhisattva great beings, whether or not they have heard of the six perfections, give an answer just like an irreversible bodhisattva great being.”
54.24「須菩提，會有的。就是菩薩摩訶薩，無論是否聽聞過六波羅蜜，如果給予的答案就像不退轉菩薩一樣，就會有這樣的情況。」世尊說。
54.25“Therefore, Lord,” said Subhūti, “those bodhisattva great beings who practice for awakening are many, but levels that have been cleansed or levels that have not been cleansed do not appear—those bodhisattva great beings who give an answer just like an irreversible bodhisattva great being are few.”
54.25「因此，世尊，」須菩提說，「那些為了菩提而修行的菩薩摩訶薩很多，但清淨的地和未清淨的地都不顯現——那些給出如同不退轉菩薩摩訶薩一樣答案的菩薩摩訶薩很少。」
54.26“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” replied the Lord. “Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings of whom the irreversible knowledge level has been prophesied are few. Those who are prophesied are those who will give such an answer, and you should know that those who will give such an answer are those with cleansed wholesome roots. [F.225.a] The world with its gods, humans, and asuras cannot steal those bodhisattva great beings away.”
54.26「正是如此，須菩提，正是如此！」世尊回答道，「須菩提，那些已經獲得授記不退轉智慧地位的菩薩摩訶薩是很少的。被授記的就是那些會給出這樣回答的人，你應該知道那些會給出這樣回答的人就是具有清淨善根的人。世間天人阿修羅無法把這些菩薩摩訶薩奪走。」
54.27This was the fifty-fourth chapter, “Teaching the Cultivation of Skillful Means,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.” [B40]
54.27（結尾）