Chapter 64: Perfectly Displayed

64.1The Lord having said this, venerable Subhūti said to him, “Deep, Lord, is the perfection of wisdom. Those who do what is difficult, Lord, are those bodhisattva great beings who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening. They have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening for the sake of beings even though a being is not apprehended and the designation of a being is not apprehended.

64.2“To illustrate, a person who wants to grow a cutting in space, where there is no firm ground‍—like that, Lord, is a bodhisattva great being who wants to reach the knowledge of all aspects for the sake of beings.”

64.3“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” replied the Lord. “Those who do what is difficult are those bodhisattvas who set out for the knowledge of all aspects for the sake of beings and, having awakened to that knowledge of all aspects, liberate all beings from attachment. To illustrate, Subhūti, a person who wants to grow a cutting , without knowing its root, bud, leaf, and flower, still would grow a trunk from that cutting and, having grown it, tend and water it from time to time. Gradually there would be an abundance of branches from that trunk, there would be an abundance of leaves, there would be an abundance of flowers, [F.14.b] there would be an abundance of fruit, and they would make use of the leaves and so on. Similarly, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings who have set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening for the sake of all beings practice the six perfections, gain the knowledge of all aspects, and as leaves, flowers, and fruit, as it were, provide sustenance to all beings. Subhūti, there, having resorted to the bodhisattva leaf, as it were, beings are liberated from the three terrible forms of life; and, having resorted to the bodhisattva flower, as it were, beings take birth in great sāla tree–like royal families, great sāla tree–like brahmin families, great sāla tree–like business families, and among the Cāturmahā­rājika gods, up to and take birth among the Naiva­saṃjñā­nāsaṃjñāyatana gods. Similarly, bodhisattva great beings gain the knowledge of all aspects and establish those beings in the result of stream enterer, establish them in the result of once-returner, establish them in the result of non-returner, establish them in the state of a worthy one, and establish them in a pratyekabuddha’s awakening. They resort to those bodhisattva great beings, gain the knowledge of all aspects, and, having gained the knowledge of all aspects, as leaves, flowers, and fruit, as it were, also provide sustenance to all beings.

64.4“All those who give gifts for religious services performed to them will gradually pass into complete nirvāṇa in the three vehicles, namely the Śrāvaka Vehicle, or the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the Great Vehicle, and fully awaken to unsurpassed, [F.15.a] perfect, complete awakening, and even though a being is not apprehended and the designation of a being does not exist there, they liberate those beings from self-grasping.

64.5“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should train in the perfection of wisdom like that, thinking, ‘Here the beings or the designation of beings for the sake of whom I will gain the knowledge of all aspects cannot be apprehended at all.’ ”

64.6The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti said to him, “Lord, bodhisattva great beings should indeed be known as tathāgatas. And why? Because thanks to bodhisattva great beings the continuums of all the hells are cut, of all the birthplaces of the animal world are cut, of all the worlds of Yama are cut, of all the places that preclude a perfect human birth are cut, the continuum of all destitution is cut, the continuums of all forms of life that are wanting are cut, the continuum of all the desire realm is cut, the continuum of all the form realm is cut, and the continuum of all the formless realm is cut.”

64.7“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” replied the Lord. “Bodhisattva great beings should indeed be known as tathāgatas realized ones. And why? Subhūti, it is because if bodhisattva great beings were not to set out for unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, past, future, and present lord buddhas would not fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, pratyekabuddhas would not appear in the world, worthy ones would not appear in the world, [F.15.b] up to stream enterers would not appear in the world, up to the continuum of hells would not be cut, up to the continuums of the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm would not be cut.

64.8“Again, Subhūti, what you have said, that ‘bodhisattva great beings should indeed be known as tathāgatas ,’ is exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! Bodhisattva great beings should indeed be known as tathāgatas. And why? Subhūti, it is because that suchness, on account of which tathāgatas are labeled, is just the suchness on account of which pratyekabuddhas are labeled, is just the suchness on account of which all noble beings are labeled, is just the suchness on account of which form is labeled, up to is just the suchness on account of which consciousness is labeled, up to is just the suchness on account of which the compounded element and the uncompounded element are labeled, and is just the suchness on account of which the suchness of all beings and the suchness of the tathāgatas is labeled.

64.9“Why, Subhūti, is suchness called suchness ? Standing in this suchness, bodhisattva great beings gain the knowledge of all aspects, therefore it is called suchness . In this way, Subhūti, having taken suchness as their authority, bodhisattva great beings should indeed be known as tathāgatas. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should train like that in suchness, the perfection of wisdom.

64.10“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings have trained thus in suchness, the perfection of the wisdom, they become skilled in the faculties of all beings and gain skill in the completion of the faculties. They understand that the work of all beings is their own responsibility. When they understand that the work of all beings is their own [F.16.a] responsibility, they complete knowledge from prayer. When they complete knowledge from prayer, they purify the knowledge of the three time periods; when they have cleansed the knowledge of the three time periods, they undertake the bodhisattva practices and work for the welfare of beings; when they work for the welfare of beings they purify a buddhafield; when they have purified a buddhafield, they gain the knowledge of all aspects; when they have gained the knowledge of all aspects, they turn the wheel of the Dharma; when they have turned the wheel of the Dharma, they establish beings in the three vehicles, and having established beings in the three vehicles, they will pass into complete nirvāṇa in the element of nirvāṇa without any aggregates left behind.

64.11“Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings seeing all the good qualities and benefits like that should produce the thought of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening, and should inspire others to produce the thought of unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening as well.”

64.12Then venerable Subhūti said to the Lord, “Lord, the world with its gods, humans, and asuras should bow down to those bodhisattva great beings practicing this deep perfection of wisdom as it has been taught.”

64.13“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so! It is exactly as you say!” replied the Lord. “Subhūti, the world with its gods, humans, and asuras should bow down to those bodhisattva great beings practicing this deep perfection of wisdom as it has been taught.”

64.14“Lord, how much merit do bodhisattva great beings create, who have produced the first thought, and who want to fully awaken to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening [F.16.b] for the sake of all beings?”

64.15Venerable Subhūti having asked that, the Lord asked him in return, “Subhūti, were all the beings, as many as there are in a thousandfold world system, to be located on the śrāvaka level or the pratyekabuddha level, would those beings create a lot of merit?”

64.16“A lot, Lord; a lot, Sugata,” he replied. “It would be infinite, Lord; beyond measure, Sugata.”

64.17“Subhūti,” he continued, “of the two‍—the bases of meritorious action of beings, as many as there are included in a thousandfold world system, in the Śrāvaka Vehicle or in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and the bases of meritorious action of one bodhisattva great being who has produced the first thought‍—the bases of meritorious action of those in the Śrāvaka Vehicle or in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle in a thousandfold world system does not approach the bases of meritorious action of one bodhisattva great being who has produced the first thought by a hundredth part, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part. And why? Because those in the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha Vehicles are born from bodhisattva great beings, but bodhisattva great beings are not born from śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. Similarly, connect this with each, up to all those beings in the Śrāvaka Vehicle or in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle in a great billionfold world system do not approach even…, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part of the merit of bodhisattva great beings who have produced the first thought.

64.18“Subhūti, let alone beings in a great billionfold world system in the Śrāvaka Vehicle or in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, Subhūti, even if all the beings who are in the great billionfold world system were standing on the Śuklavipaśyanā level, their merit [F.17.a] would not approach even…, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part of the merit of one bodhisattva great being who has produced the first thought. Subhūti, let alone those standing on the Śuklavipaśyanā level, Subhūti, even if all the beings included in the great billionfold world system were standing on the Gotra level, their merit would not approach even…, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part of the merit of one bodhisattva great being who has produced the first thought. Similarly, connect this with each, up to the merit of those who have entered onto the Aṣṭamaka level, the Darśana level, the Tanū level, the Vītarāga level, the Kṛtāvin level, up to or the Pratyekabuddha level would not approach even…, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part of the merit of one bodhisattva great being who has produced the first thought.

64.19“Subhūti, even if all the beings included in the great billionfold world system were to have entered into the secure state of a bodhisattva, their merit would not approach even…, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part of the merit of bodhisattva great beings who are candidates for awakening. Subhūti, even if all the beings who are in the great billionfold world system were to be candidates for awakening, their merit would not approach even…, up to a hundred thousand one hundred millionth part of the merit of a tathāgata, worthy one, perfectly complete buddha.”

64.20“Lord, what should bodhisattva great beings who have produced the first thought pay attention to?” he asked.

64.21“Subhūti,” he replied, “bodhisattva great beings who have produced the first thought should pay attention to the knowledge of all aspects.”

64.22“Lord, [F.17.b] what sort of thing is the knowledge of all aspects‍—what is the objective support, what is the dominant factor, what is the aspect, and what is the defining mark?”

64.23“Subhūti,” he replied, “the knowledge of all aspects is a nonexistent thing that is without a defining mark, without a causal sign, without effort , unproduced, and not appearing. As for what you asked, Subhūti‍—‘What is the objective support of the knowledge of all aspects, what is the dominant factor, what is the aspect, and what is the defining mark?’‍—Subhūti, the objective support of the knowledge of all aspects is a nonexistent thing; the dominant factor is mindfulness; the aspect is calmness; and the defining mark is the absence of a defining mark. Subhūti, that is the objective support of the knowledge of all aspects, that is the dominant factor, that is the aspect, and that is the defining mark.”

64.24He then inquired further, “Lord, is only the knowledge of all aspects a nonexistent thing, or is form also a nonexistent thing? Are feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness also nonexistent things? Similarly, are inner and outer dharmas also nonexistent things? And are the four concentrations, four immeasurables, four formless absorptions, four applications of mindfulness, four right efforts, four legs of miraculous power, five faculties, five powers, seven limbs of awakening, and eightfold noble path; the emptiness meditative stabilization, signlessness meditative stabilization, and wishlessness meditative stabilization; the eight deliverances, nine serial absorptions, ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, and eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha; great love, great compassion, great joy, [F.18.a] and great equanimity; the first clairvoyance, and the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth clairvoyance; and the compounded element and uncompounded element also nonexistent things?”

64.25“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “the knowledge of all aspects is a nonexistent thing; form , feeling, perception, volitional factors, and consciousness are also nonexistent things; up to the compounded element and uncompounded element are also nonexistent things. And why? Subhūti, that knowledge of all aspects has no intrinsic nature.”

64.26“Lord, why does the knowledge of all aspects have no intrinsic nature?” he asked.

“Subhūti,” he replied, “something that has arisen from a union has no intrinsic nature, and anything arisen from a union with no intrinsic nature is a nonexistent thing. Subhūti, in this way all phenomena are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature. Subhūti, all phenomena also have emptiness for their intrinsic nature, and all phenomena have signlessness and wishlessness for their intrinsic nature. Subhūti, all phenomena also have suchness for their intrinsic nature, all phenomena have the very limit of reality for their intrinsic nature, and all phenomena have the dharma-constituent for their intrinsic nature. Subhūti, also from just this explanation, you should know that all phenomena are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature.”

64.27The Lord having said that, venerable Subhūti then inquired further of him, “Lord, if all dharmas are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, with what skillful means do bodhisattva great beings who have produced the first thought of awakening practice the perfection of giving, purify a buddhafield, and bring beings to maturity? How do they practice the perfection of morality, perfection [F.18.b] of patience, perfection of perseverance, perfection of concentration, and perfection of wisdom, from the first concentration, up to the fourth concentration; from love, up to equanimity; from absorption in the station of endless space, up to the station of neither perception nor nonperception; from inner emptiness, up to the emptiness of its own mark; and from the applications of mindfulness, up to the eightfold noble path, emptiness meditative stabilization, signlessness meditative stabilization, and wishlessness meditative stabilization, eight deliverances, nine serial absorptions, ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, great love, great compassion, and knowledge of all aspects, and purify a buddhafield and bring beings to maturity?”

64.28“Subhūti,” replied the Lord, “you should know that the skillful means of bodhisattva great beings is mastering all phenomena that are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, purifying a buddhafield, and bringing beings to maturity, all the while knowing that the buddhafield as well as those beings are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature. Practicing the perfection of giving, those bodhisattva great beings master the awakening path; practicing the perfection of morality they master the awakening path; practicing the perfection of patience they master the awakening path; practicing the perfection of perseverance they master the awakening path; [F.19.a] practicing the perfection of concentration they master the awakening path; and practicing the perfection of wisdom they master the awakening path; similarly, connect this with each, up to and practicing the knowledge of all aspects they master the awakening path. But they should understand that the awakening path is the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature too.

64.29“Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings practicing the six perfections keep on mastering that awakening path for as long as they are not fully endowed with the ten tathāgata powers, four fearlessnesses, four detailed and thorough knowledges, eighteen distinct attributes of a buddha, great love, great compassion, and the knowledge of a knower of all aspects. Subhūti, these are the awakening path. They complete the perfections with these awakening paths, and having completed the perfections gain the knowledge of all aspects through the wisdom of the single unique instant. At that time they eliminate all residual impressions, connections, and afflictions through an elimination in which states of existence are not produced. As they look down with the buddha eye they do not even apprehend the great billionfold world system as a nonexistent thing, let alone as an existent thing. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings should practice the perfection of wisdom like that, where all phenomena are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature. Subhūti, that too is the skillful means of bodhisattva great beings‍—that they do not apprehend something that exists, never mind something that does not exist.

64.30“Subhūti, those bodhisattva great beings practicing the perfection of wisdom give gifts. When they give a gift, they do not think about it in a certain way, making it into a causal sign, and they do not pay attention to it as an existent thing or as a nonexistent thing. [F.19.b] They do not think about recipients in a certain way and make them into a causal sign, and do not pay attention to them as an existent thing or as a nonexistent thing. They do not think about givers in a certain way and make them into a causal sign, and do not pay attention to them as an existent thing or as a nonexistent thing. They also do not apprehend that thought of awakening, do not make it into a causal sign, do not make it into an objective support, and do not see it. They do not think about…, up to the perfection of wisdom in a certain way as an existent thing or as a nonexistent thing and do not make it into a causal sign. They do not pay attention to…, up to the knowledge of all aspects as an existent thing or as a nonexistent thing, do not think about it in a certain way, and do not pay attention to it. They do not make…, up to unsurpassed, perfect, complete awakening into an objective support, and do not make it into a causal sign. They also do not perceive one who becomes fully awakened, or something by means of which one becomes fully awakened as an existent thing or as a nonexistent thing. And why? Because all phenomena thus are the nonexistence of an intrinsic nature, and that nonexistence has not been made by buddhas, śrāvakas, or pratyekabuddhas. All phenomena are unchanging and are separated from a maker.”

64.31“Lord, are phenomena separated from the phenomena themselves?” he asked.

“Exactly so, Subhūti, exactly so!” replied the Lord. “The phenomena are separated from the phenomena themselves.”

64.32“Lord,” he asked further, “if the phenomena themselves are separated from the phenomena, how is it appropriate that a separated phenomenon knows a separated phenomenon as an existent thing or a nonexistent thing? It is not appropriate that a nonexistent phenomenon knows an existent phenomenon; it is not appropriate that an existent phenomenon knows a nonexistent phenomenon; it is not appropriate that a nonexistent phenomenon knows a nonexistent phenomenon; and it is not appropriate that an existent phenomenon [F.20.a] knows an existent phenomenon. So, in regard to all phenomena that are thus unknown, however could bodhisattva great beings be teaching that they are ‘nonexistent things’ or ‘existent things’?”

64.33“Bodhisattva great beings teach that they are ‘a nonexistent thing’ or ‘an existent thing’ based on ordinary convention, but not ultimately.”

64.34“Lord, is ordinary convention one thing and the ultimate another?” he asked.

“Subhūti,” he replied, “ordinary convention is not one thing and the ultimate another. Just that suchness of ordinary convention is the suchness of the ultimate. These beings do not know and see that suchness, which is why ‘an existent thing’ or ‘a nonexistent thing’ are taught as the bodhisattvas’ ordinary convention.

64.35“Furthermore, Subhūti, these beings have the notion that these five aggregates are existent things. They are unaware that they are nonexistent things. So, thinking, ‘What can I do so they will realize they are nonexistent things?’, bodhisattva great beings teach like that for their sake, based on a division of dharmas. Subhūti, they should practice the perfection of wisdom like that.”

64.36This was the sixty-fourth chapter, “Perfectly Displayed,” of “The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines.”