Dissimilar Defining Characteristics

28.1Then the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! When all things are indivisible, signless, and empty of their own defining characteristics, how could the cultivation of the six transcendent perfections be fulfilled? How could they be differently designated? How could they be differentiated? Reverend Lord! When all things are gathered in the transcendent perfection of wisdom, how could the transcendent perfection of generosity exist? [F.311.b] Similarly, how could the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, and the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration exist; in the same vein, how could [all other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, exist? Reverend Lord! When all things are without defining characteristics, how could a single defining characteristic be designated?”

28.2The Blessed One replied to the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom dispense their generosity toward all sentient beings, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike, and similarly, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom. Similarly, they maintain their ethical discipline, cultivate tolerance, undertake perseverance, become absorbed in the meditative concentrations, and cultivate wisdom.

28.3“The five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike are without defining characteristics. Similarly, the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom are without defining characteristics. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because a dream is without any essential nature, and an echo, an optical aberration, a mirage, a magical display, and a phantom are without any essential nature. Anything that is without essential nature is also without defining characteristics. That which is without defining characteristics has the sole defining characteristic that it is without defining characteristics.

28.4“Therefore, Su­bhūti, for this reason you should know that the transcendent perfection of generosity is without defining characteristics, the dispenser of generosity is without defining characteristics, and the recipient is without defining characteristics. Those who, knowing this, dispense generosity [and so forth], [F.312.a] do not transgress the transcendent perfection of generosity, the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, the transcendent perfection of tolerance, the transcendent perfection of perseverance, the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, or the transcendent perfection of wisdom. Abiding in these six transcendent perfections, they perfect the four meditative concentrations, and similarly, they perfect the four immeasurable aspirations and the four formless absorptions. Similarly, they perfect the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, and the three gateways to liberation. Similarly, they perfect the emptiness of internal phenomena. Similarly, they perfect the other aspects of emptiness, from the emptiness of external phenomena and the emptiness of non-entities up to the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics. Similarly, they perfect the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the five extrasensory powers, the five hundred dhāraṇī gateways, the five hundred gateways of meditative stability, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

28.5“Abiding in these attributes, which arise from the maturation of past actions and are sublime and free from contaminants, they traverse the world systems of the eastern direction [and so forth], numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and then venerate the lord buddhas, and serve them with all resources. They always work for the sake of all sentient beings. They attract by their generosity those sentient beings who are attracted by generosity. [F.312.b] They attract by wisdom [and so forth] those sentient beings who are attracted by ethical discipline, tolerance, perseverance, meditative concentration, and wisdom. They attract by all the roots of virtuous action those sentient beings who are attracted by all the roots of virtuous action. Endowed with mastery over all things, they participate in cyclic existence but are untainted by the defects of cyclic existence. For the sake of sentient beings, they hold and accept the excellent resources of gods and humans. Endowed with these, they attract sentient beings with the material things that attract them. Understanding that all things are without defining characteristics, they then think that they should subsequently attain omniscience. So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings know that all things are without defining characteristics, and then go on to attain omniscience.

28.6“Moreover, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike. Similarly, they perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a magical display, like a mirage, and like a phantom. Knowing the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike, these great bodhisattva beings perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline which is without defining characteristics. Similarly, knowing the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom, they perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline which is without defining characteristics‍— non-degenerate , faultless, uncontaminated, unsullied, free from dogmatic assumptions, abundant in splendor, praised by the learned, utterly perfect, excellently adopted, [F.313.a] included in the sublime path free from contaminants, and supramundane.

28.7“Maintaining these [attributes], they adopt the precepts and maintain the conventional ethical disciplines. Similarly, they acquire the precepts on the basis of actual reality, maintaining the ethical discipline associated with mental restraint, and the ethical discipline of habitual conduct. Endowed with such disciplines, they do not assert the supremacy of anything at all, and so they do not think, ‘Through this ethical discipline, may I be reborn equal in fortune to the royal class, standing out like a tall sāl tree!’ Similarly, they do not think, ‘May I be reborn equal in fortune to the priestly class, standing out like a tall sāl tree, or among the householder class, standing out like a great sāl tree!’ Similarly, they do not think, ‘May I be reborn as a universal monarch‍— lord of the four continents !’ Similarly, they do not think, ‘Through this ethical discipline, may I be reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Catur­mahā­rāja­kāyika realm!’ Similarly, they do not think, ‘May I be reborn equal in fortune to the gods of the Trayas­triṃśa realm, to those of the Tuṣita realm, those of the Nirmāṇa­rata realm, and those of the Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin realm!’ Similarly, they do not think, ‘Through this ethical discipline, may I attain the fruit of one who has entered the stream, or the fruit of one tied to one more rebirth, or the fruit of one who is no longer subject to rebirth, or arhatship, or the fruit of individual enlightenment, or the maturity of the bodhisattvas, or unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment!’

28.8“If you ask why, it is because it is absolutely, firmly established that all things are without defining characteristics. Things that are without defining characteristics cannot acquire things that are without defining characteristics. Nor can things that have dissimilar defining characteristics acquire things that have dissimilar defining characteristics. Nor can things without defining characteristics acquire things with dissimilar defining characteristics. Nor can things with dissimilar defining characteristics acquire things without defining characteristics. [F.313.b] So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom will perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline that is without defining characteristics, and, having embarked on the maturity of the bodhisattvas, will accept that phenomena are non-arising.

28.9“Thereupon, they will attain the five extrasensory powers which arise through the maturation of past actions, and they will also attain the five hundred dhāraṇī gateways, the five hundred gateways of meditative stability, and the four kinds of exact knowledge. Then they will venerate the lord buddhas, bring sentient beings to maturation, and also refine the buddhafields. They will move from buddhafield to buddhafield. Then, even if they frequent cyclic existence with its five classes of living beings, they will not be sullied at all by the faults of cyclic existence. Just as a phantom may stand, sit, move, walk, and even lie down, but remains unsullied by the positive and negative effects of past actions, in the same way they may also act on behalf of sentient beings, without apprehending sentient beings or even the designation of sentient beings. Just as a tathāgata, arhat, genuinely perfect buddha, who is said to be utterly calm, and who, after turning the wheel of the sacred doctrine, no longer apprehends anyone foreordained to attain unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, may then let go of the formative predispositions of his [current] lifespan , having sent forth an emanation, and pass into final nirvāṇa in the expanse of nirvāṇa, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates, in the same way, great bodhisattva beings may even act on behalf of sentient beings, without apprehending sentient beings or even the designation of sentient beings. So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom perfect the transcendent perfection of ethical discipline. [F.314.a] [B28]

28.10“Moreover, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom perfect the transcendent perfection of tolerance, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike, and maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like a phantom, and so on.

28.11“Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings perfect the transcendent perfection of tolerance in two ways. If you ask what these two are, they comprise the tolerance of suffering and the tolerance that understands the profound nature of phenomena . Among them, the tolerance of suffering implies that, from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment until they are seated at the Focal Point of Enlightenment, even if all sentient beings were to arrive in the presence of those great bodhisattva beings and reprimand and rebuke them with harsh words, or strike them with clods of earth, clubs, weapons, or tools, these great bodhisattva beings, seeking to perfect the transcendent perfection of tolerance, would not have even the slightest thought imbued with anger or malice, but they would discern those beings, thinking, ‘O! These sentient beings are tormented by the ailments of afflicted mental states. Above all, I should exercise compassion, and I should not have negative thoughts. I have put an end to the grasping of those five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which revert to hostility.’ When they act accordingly, with loving kindness and compassion, this is called the tolerance of suffering.

28.12“If you ask what is the tolerance that understands the profound nature of phenomena , it is as follows: Since even those sentient beings who presently assume such [inimical forms] are ultimately non-apprehensible, [bodhisattvas] should think, ‘Who is scolding or reprimanding me with harsh words? Who is beating me with clubs, striking me with weapons, [F.314.b] and whipping me? All formative predispositions are illusion-like. They are void, hollow, vacuous, and like space. They are without a self, sentient beings, living creatures, lives, individuals, humankind, and human beings. All conceptualizing is unreal. Since they derive from imagination, who in fact is scolding or striking me? Owing to the emptiness of essential nature and owing to the emptiness of ultimate reality, I should not conceptualize in these ways.’ When they think accordingly, this is called the tolerance that understands phenomena . When they cultivate, comprehend, and investigate these two modes of tolerance, they accept that phenomena are non-arising, and indeed perfect the transcendent perfection of tolerance.”

28.13Then the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! What is acceptance that phenomena are non-arising? What is its extent? What is its cognition?”

The Blessed One replied to the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, for those great bodhisattva beings not even the slightest negative phenomenon will arise. There is no egotism or possessiveness. They acquire the definitive tolerance of all formative predispositions which are dreamlike, and the definitive tolerance of all [other exemplars of the formative predispositions], up to and including formative predispositions that are like a phantom. This therefore is called the acceptance that phenomena are non-arising.”

28.14Then the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! What are the distinctions or differences between the following three kinds of acceptance: the acceptance which śrāvakas acquire with respect to the truth that phenomena are non-arising, the acceptance which pratyekabuddhas acquire [with respect to the truth that phenomena are non-arising], and the acceptance which bodhisattvas acquire with respect to [the truth] that phenomena are non-arising?” [F.315.a]

28.15The Blessed One replied to the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings includes the cognition and correct exertion of those who enter the stream. Similarly, the acceptance of great bodhisattva beings includes the cognition and correct exertion of those who are tied to one more rebirth, those who are no longer subject to rebirth, and those who are arhats. The acceptance of great bodhisattva beings includes the cognition and correct exertion of those who are pratyekabuddhas. This then is the distinction and difference between the acceptance of the śrāvakas, the acceptance of the pratyekabuddhas, and the acceptance of the bodhisattvas.

28.16“Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who possess such acceptance surpass all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Abiding in this acceptance, they perfect the understanding of the aspects of the path. When they possess this understanding of the aspects of the path, they will not lack the thirty-seven aspects of enlightenment, and similarly, they will not lack the meditative stabilities of emptiness, signlessness, and aspirationlessness, or of the five extrasensory powers that arise through the maturation of past actions. Possessing these extrasensory powers [and so forth], they will travel from buddhafield to buddhafield, and they will venerate those lord buddhas, honoring them with all resources, and they will also bring sentient beings to maturation and refine the buddhafields. Consequently, having brought sentient beings to maturation and refined the buddhafields, they will attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, by means of instantaneous wisdom. [F.315.b] So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom perfect the transcendent perfection of tolerance, which is without defining characteristics.

28.17“Moreover, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom exert physical and mental perseverance, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike, and maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like a phantom, and so on. Through physical perseverance they actualize miraculous abilities. Those endowed with miraculous abilities will traverse the world systems of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, and then venerate the lord buddhas, and honor them with all resources. They will also work for the sake of sentient beings and refine the buddhafields.”

28.18“Through physical perseverance they will bring sentient beings to maturation, encourage them to unite with the three vehicles, and establish them thereon. In addition, one who possesses mental perseverance, which is included within the path and the branches of the path free from contaminants, will perfect the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the three gateways to liberation, the four immeasurable aspirations, the four formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four kinds of exact knowledge, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and all virtuous attributes.

28.19“Great bodhisattva beings who practice accordingly should perfect omniscience, and having perfected that, [F.316.a] they will abandon all involuntary reincarnation through propensities. Having abandoned that, they will achieve the power of absorption in consummate perfection, without defining characteristics, and turn the wheel of the sacred doctrine in the three times and in its twelve aspects. Though this turning [of the wheel] the world systems of the great trichiliocosm will shake, shake more intensely, and shake with utmost intensity in six ways; they will rock, rock more intensely, and rock with utmost intensity; and they will quake, quake more intensely, and quake with utmost intensity.

28.20“All world systems of the great trichiliocosm will be permeated with luminosity. The words of the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas will resonate, causing them to be heard, and those sentient beings who are present in the world systems of the great trichiliocosm will indeed listen. All of them will attain emancipation through the three vehicles. Su­bhūti, this transcendent perfection of perseverance, with which great bodhisattva beings are endowed, is esteemed in this manner. Abiding in the transcendent perfection of perseverance, great bodhisattva beings will perfect all the attributes of the buddhas and attain omniscience.

28.21“Moreover, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom perfect the transcendent perfection of meditative stability, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike, and they perfect the transcendent perfection of meditative stability, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like a phantom, and so on.

28.22“Su­bhūti, [F.316.b] when great bodhisattva beings perfect the transcendent perfection of meditative stability, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates‍—from those that are dreamlike to those that are like a phantom‍—Su­bhūti, those great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom will achieve and maintain the first meditative concentration, and then they will achieve and maintain [all the other meditative concentrations], up to and including the fourth meditative concentration. They will also achieve and maintain loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity, alongside the [formless absorptions], from the sense field of infinite consciousness up to and including the sense field of neither perception nor non-perception. They will cultivate the meditative stabilities of emptiness, signlessness, and aspirationlessness.

28.23“Leaving aside the meditative stabilities of the tathāgatas‍—the meditative stability that resembles lightning , the authentic meditative stability, and the adamantine meditative stability‍—they will also achieve and maintain whichever other meditative stabilities are appropriate‍—the meditative stability of the śrāvakas, the meditative stability of the pratyekabuddhas, or any other categories of meditative stability, having suffused them all with their bodies. But they will not relish these meditative stabilities or the fruits of these meditative stabilities. If you ask why, it is because great bodhisattva beings understand that the defining characteristics of those meditative stabilities have an essential nature of non-entity . Just as anything without defining characteristics cannot relish an attribute that is without defining characteristics, and just as a non-entity cannot relish a non-entity, they do not relish [these meditative stabilities], and so they will not be reborn in the world system of desire, in the world system of form, or the world system of formlessness through any of these meditative stabilities. If you ask why, it is because they do not apprehend those world systems, and so they do not apprehend anything at all‍—neither anyone entering into absorption, nor that by which they would enter into absorption. Since all things are non-apprehensible, they will perfect the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration that is without defining characteristics. Through the transcendent perfection of meditative stability, they will transcend the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas.” [F.317.a]

28.24“Reverend Lord! How do great bodhisattva beings transcend the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas through the transcendent perfection of meditative stability?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings have been well trained in the emptiness of internal phenomena, and they have been well trained in [all the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of intrinsic defining characteristics, but they do not apprehend anything at all apart from those aspects of emptiness. Since they abide in accordance with those [aspects of emptiness], wherever they abide they do not apprehend anything at all that would attain the fruit of entering the stream, or the fruit of being tied to one more rebirth, or the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, or arhatship, or individual enlightenment. They even consider omniscience to be emptiness. Endowed with those aspects of emptiness, they will transcend the level of the śrāvakas and the level of the pratyekabuddhas, and enter into the maturity of the bodhisattvas.”

28.25“Reverend Lord! What is the immaturity of the bodhisattvas, and what is the maturity of the bodhisattvas?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, all apprehension constitutes the immaturity of the bodhisattvas. The absence of all apprehension constitutes the maturity of the bodhisattvas.”

28.26“Reverend Lord! What is apprehension? What is non-apprehension?”

The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, physical forms constitute apprehension for great bodhisattva beings. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness constitute apprehension for great bodhisattva beings. Similarly, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mental faculty constitute apprehension for bodhisattvas. [F.317.b] Similarly, sights, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental phenomena constitute apprehension for bodhisattvas. In the same vein, [all causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including omniscience, constitute apprehension for bodhisattvas. Non-apprehension denotes the state in which these phenomena are non-dynamic, that is to say, in which no phenomena are apprehensible‍—no physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions or consciousness, and similarly, no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mental faculty, and similarly, no sights, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, or mental phenomena, and similarly, no sensory element of the eyes, sensory element of sights or sensory element of visual consciousness, and similarly, no sensory element of the ears, sensory element of sounds, sensory element of auditory consciousness, sensory element of the nose, sensory element of odors, sensory element of olfactory consciousness, sensory element of the tongue, sensory element of tastes, sensory element of gustatory consciousness, sensory element of the body, sensory element of tangibles, sensory element of tactile consciousness, sensory element of the mental faculty, sensory element of mental phenomena or sensory element of mental consciousness, and similarly, no four applications of mindfulness, and in the same vein, [no other causal attributes], up to and including the noble eightfold path, and similarly, no ten powers of the tathāgatas, and in the same vein, [no other fruitional attributes], up to and including the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and similarly, [no attainments], up to and including omniscience.

28.27“If you ask why, Su­bhūti, it is because whatever is the essential nature of physical forms, it is indescribable. Similarly, whatever is the essential nature of feelings, whatever is the essential nature of perceptions, whatever is the essential nature of formative predispositions, and whatever is the essential nature of consciousness is indescribable; in the same vein, whatever is the essential nature [of all the other causal and fruitional attributes], up to and including omniscience, these are all indescribable. [F.318.a] Since [bodhisattvas] indeed perfect all the meditative concentrations and formless absorptions but will not be reborn on account of these experiences, how could they possibly be reborn on account of desire, hatred, and delusion? That would be impossible! There is no possibility for them to actualize the karma of falling into cyclic existence, with its five classes of living beings, by assuming any rebirth or actualizing any karma. On the contrary, having precisely established that formative predispositions resemble an illusion, they always work for the benefit of sentient beings, but, on account of the essential nature, they do not apprehend sentient beings, nor do they even apprehend illusion. Since they apprehend neither sentient beings nor illusion, they may indeed bring sentient beings to maturation and refine the buddhafields. So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom perfect the transcendent perfection of meditative concentration, and then turn the wheel of the sacred doctrine, which is without apprehension.

28.28“Moreover, Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are dreamlike, and maintaining the five acquisitive psycho-physical aggregates which are like a phantom, and so on, definitively perceive all things in the manner of a dream, and all things in the manner of a phantom, and so on.”

28.29Then the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! When great bodhisattva beings practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, how do they definitively comprehend that all things are like a dream, and that all things are like a phantom, and so on?”

28.30The Blessed One replied, “Su­bhūti, great bodhisattva beings [F.318.b] who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom do not dream dreams and they are not dreamers of dreams; they do not hear echoes and they are not hearers of echoes; and they do not see optical aberrations and they are not viewers of optical aberrations. Similarly, [they do not see and] they are not viewers of mirages, magical displays, or phantoms. If you ask why, it is because dreams, and similarly, echoes, optical aberrations, mirages, magical displays, or phantoms are the erroneous [misconceptions] of ordinary people, whereas, Su­bhūti, the arhats who are free from contaminants do not dream dreams, nor are they dreamers of dreams. Similarly, they do not see phantoms, nor are they viewers of phantoms, and so forth. Similarly, the pratyekabuddhas, the bodhisattvas, and the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas do not dream dreams and they are not dreamers of dreams, and so on. They do not see phantoms and they are not viewers of phantoms. If you ask why, Su­bhūti, since all things are unactualized and unoriginated, how could great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom acquire the notion of an entity, or the notion of genuine origination, or the notion of something that is authentic? That would be impossible!

28.31“If you ask why, it would not be the transcendent perfection of wisdom if one were to apprehend its essential nature, or likewise if one were to apprehend its actualization or genuine origin. So it is that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom are not attached to physical forms, and similarly they are not attached to [the other aggregates], up to and including consciousness. Similarly, they are not attached to the world system of desire, they are not attached to the world system of form, and they are not attached to the world system of formlessness. Similarly, they are not attached to any of the meditative concentrations, the [gateways to] liberation, [F.319.a] the meditative stabilities, or the [formless] absorptions. They are not attached to the thirty-seven aspects of enlightenment. They are not attached to the three gateways to liberation. They are not attached to the six transcendent perfections.

28.32“They perfect the first [bodhisattva] level, without any longing for it arising. If you ask why, since they do not apprehend even that first level, how could longing for it arise? Similarly, they perfect the other [bodhisattva] levels, up to and including the tenth level, without any longing for them arising. If you ask why, since they do not apprehend those [bodhisattva levels], up to and including the tenth level, how could longing for them arise? Just as they do not apprehend this transcendent perfection of wisdom while practicing the transcendent perfection of wisdom, so when practicing the transcendent perfection of wisdom, they perceive that all things are gathered within this transcendent perfection of wisdom, but they do not apprehend any of those things. If you ask why, it is because these things and the transcendent perfection of wisdom are non-dual and indivisible. If you ask why, there are no particulars at all with respect to any things. Indeed, all things have an undifferentiated nature because they denote the expanse of reality and because they denote the finality of existence.”

28.33Then the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! Since all things are undifferentiated, how are things established as virtuous or non-virtuous, specified or unspecified? Similarly, how are things established as contaminated or uncontaminated, as mundane or supramundane, and as conditioned or unconditioned?”

The Blessed One replied, [F.319.b] “Su­bhūti, do you think that with regard to the reality of all things, there exists the description of anything‍—virtuous or non-virtuous, specified or non-specified, contaminated or uncontaminated, mundane or supramundane, conditioned or unconditioned, or similarly, pertaining to the fruit of entering the stream, or the fruit of being tied to one more rebirth, or the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, or arhatship, individual enlightenment, or genuinely perfect enlightenment?”

28.34“No, Reverend Lord!”

The Blessed One replied, “For that reason, Su­bhūti, you should know that all things are undifferentiated, without defining characteristics, and they neither arise nor cease. Su­bhūti, formerly, when I engaged in the conduct of a bodhisattva, I did not apprehend the essential nature of anything at all‍—from physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, consciousness, conditioned phenomena, unconditioned phenomena, or the fruit of entering the stream, and so on, up to and including genuinely perfect enlightenment. So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, from the time when they first begin to set their mind on enlightenment until they are seated at the Focal Point of Enlightenment, should be skillful with regard to the essential nature of all things. Skillful with regard to the essential nature of all things, great bodhisattva beings refine the path to enlightenment, and also bring sentient beings to maturation, refine the buddhafields, attain manifestly perfect buddhahood in unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment, turn the wheel of the sacred doctrine, and then in various ways [F.320.a] they instruct sentient beings so that they will no longer wander in the three impure realms, subject to rebirth. So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom should train according to this approach, which is without defining characteristics.”

28.35Thereupon, the venerable Su­bhūti asked the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! Since all things are dreamlike non-entities, with the essential nature of non-entity and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics, how then can it be established that these are virtuous phenomena, those are non-virtuous phenomena, these are specified, those are non-specified, these are contaminated, those are uncontaminated, these are mundane, those are supramundane, these are conditioned phenomena, those are unconditioned phenomena, these attributes actualize the fruit of entering the stream, these actualize the fruit of being tied to one more rebirth, these actualize the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, these actualize the fruit of arhatship, these are conducive to individual enlightenment, and these attributes are conducive to genuinely perfect enlightenment? Similarly, in the manner of things that are dreamlike, with regard to things that resemble an echo, things that resemble an optical aberration, that resemble a mirage, and that are baseless non-entities, with the essential nature of non-entity , and empty of intrinsic defining characteristics, how can it be established that these are virtuous attributes, those are non-virtuous attributes, and so on. How can it be established that all these things are conducive to genuinely perfect enlightenment?” [F.320.b]

28.36The Blessed One replied to the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, ordinary people who are unskilled apprehend dreams and they apprehend the dreamer of dreams. Similarly, they apprehend phantoms, and so forth, and they also apprehend the viewers of phantoms, and so forth. By apprehending dreams and dreamers, and similarly by apprehending phantoms and the viewers of phantoms, and so forth, they indeed actualize the formative predispositions of mistaken, non-virtuous actions through their body, speech, and mind, and they also actualize the formative predispositions of virtuous actions through their body, speech, and mind. Similarly, they also actualize formative predispositions of the meritorious, non-meritorious, and neutral sorts through their body, speech, and mind.

28.37“Great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, after investigating conditioned phenomena through the twofold emptiness and having become established in this twofold emptiness, then teach the sacred doctrine to ordinary people. What, you may ask, is the twofold emptiness in which they have become established, when they are teaching? It comprises the emptiness of the unlimited and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end. What, you may ask, is the sacred doctrine that they then teach? They teach that physical forms are empty of notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ and similarly, that feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness are empty of notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ Similarly, the sense fields are empty of notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ Similarly, the sensory elements are empty of notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’

28.38“‘O! These psycho-physical aggregates are like a dream, like a phantom, and so forth. These sense fields are like a dream, like a phantom, and so forth. These sensory elements are like a phantom, and so forth. O! Therein the psycho-physical aggregates, the sense fields, and the sensory elements do not at all exist. Therein there is no dream or a dreamer of dreams. [F.321.a] There is no echo or a hearer of echoes. There is no optical aberration or a viewer of optical aberrations. Similarly, there is no viewer of mirages, magical displays, or phantoms. All things are non-entities and of the essential nature of non-entity . You simply perceive psycho-physical aggregates when there are no psycho-physical aggregates! You perceive sensory elements when there are no sensory elements! You perceive sense fields when there are no sense fields! Since all these phenomena arise erroneously from dependent origination, and have been grasped through the maturation of past actions, what other cause can there be for your perception of non-entities as entities!’

28.39“Great bodhisattva beings who are skilled in means turn miserly sentient beings away from miserliness, and cause them to engage in the transcendent perfection of generosity. The dispensing of generosity by those sentient beings is then conducive to great resources. But turning them away from such [indulgence], the bodhisattvas then commit them to ethical discipline. The adopting of ethical discipline by those sentient beings is then conducive to rebirth in the higher realms. But turning them away from such [indulgence], the bodhisattvas then commit them to the meditative stabilities. The meditative stabilities of those sentient beings, too, are conducive to rebirth in the worlds of Brahmā. But, in the same way, the bodhisattvas turn them away from the first meditative concentration, and establish them in the second meditative concentration. They turn them away from the second meditative concentration and establish them in the third meditative concentration. They turn them away from the third meditative concentration and establish them in the fourth meditative concentration. They turn them away from the fourth meditative concentration and establish them in the [formless] absorption of the sense field of infinite space. In the same vein, according to circumstances, they induce and establish them in the absorption of the sense field of neither perception nor non-perception. [F.321.b] Then, turning them away from such [indulgences], the bodhisattvas establish them in the three vehicles.

28.40“Thereupon, they turn some sentient beings away from generosity and the fruit of generosity, and induce them to enter and become established in the expanse of nirvāṇa, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates. They turn some sentient beings away from the aggregate of ethical discipline, and induce them to enter and become established in the expanse of nirvāṇa, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates. Through many ways, they also turn some sentient beings away from the meditative concentrations and the fruit of the meditative concentrations, and, reversing their resolve, induce them to enter and become established in the expanse of nirvāṇa, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates. Through many ways, they also turn some sentient beings away from the meditative stabilities, the [formless] absorptions, the fruit of the meditative stabilities and the fruit of the [formless] absorptions, and, reversing their resolve, induce them to enter and become established in the expanse of nirvāṇa, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates.

28.41“They then induce some sentient beings to enter and become established in the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the three gateways to liberation, the eight aspects of liberation, and the nine serial steps of meditative absorption. Then they induce some sentient beings to enter and become established in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.

28.42“Then, since sentient beings have contaminants which are unrevealed and unimpeded, they establish some of these sentient beings in the fruit of entering the stream. [F.322.a] They establish some in the fruit of being tied to one more rebirth, and they establish some in the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, some in arhatship, and some in individual enlightenment. They then describe and reveal the path of perfect enlightenment to those who are earnestly intent upon unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment. They encourage those sentient beings, and cause them to rejoice. So it is, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom determine those things which are dreamlike, those things which are like a phantom, and so forth, those things that are non-entities, those that have an essential nature of non-entity, and those that are empty of intrinsic defining characteristics.”

28.43Then the venerable Su­bhūti said to the Blessed One, “Reverend Lord! How wonderful it is that great bodhisattva beings who practice this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom should determine, when all things are dreamlike non-entities, with non-entity as their essential nature, and endowed with the emptiness of the unlimited and the emptiness of that which has neither beginning nor end, that these are virtuous phenomena, those are non-virtuous phenomena, these are specific, those are non-specific, these are contaminated, those are uncontaminated, these are mundane, those are supramundane, these are conditioned, and those are unconditioned phenomena!”

28.44The Blessed One replied to the venerable Su­bhūti as follows: “Su­bhūti, so it is! [F.322.b] It is exactly as you have said. It is a wonderful and marvelous attribute of great bodhisattva beings that great bodhisattva beings who practice this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom can determine how all things are. If, Su­bhūti, you appreciate that the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas lack the wonderful and marvelous attributes of great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, [you will understand that] it is consequently not easy for all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to repay the favors of those great bodhisattva beings.”

28.45“Reverend Lord! What are the wonderful and marvelous attributes of great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, which are unknown to all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas?”

The Blessed One replied, “Pay attention! I will explain the wonderful and marvelous attributes of great bodhisattva beings who practice this profound transcendent perfection of wisdom. Su­bhūti, when great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom abide in the six transcendent perfections, which arise through the maturation of past actions, and when they are established in the five extrasensory powers, the thirty-seven aspects of enlightenment, the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four assurances, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, they may traverse the world systems of the ten directions, they may attract by their generosity those sentient beings who are attracted by generosity, and they may attract by wisdom [and the other transcendent perfections] those sentient beings who are attracted by ethical discipline, who are attracted by tolerance, [F.323.a] who are attracted by perseverance, who are attracted by meditative concentration, and who are attracted by wisdom.

28.46“Similarly, they may attract by the noble eightfold path and [the other causal attributes] those sentient beings who are attracted by the four immeasurable aspirations, the four meditative concentrations, and the four formless absorptions, as well as those who are attracted by the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four supports for miraculous ability, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path.

28.47“Similarly, they may attract by the meditative stability of aspirationlessness, [and so forth], those who are attracted by the meditative stability of emptiness, those who are attracted by the meditative stability of signlessness, and those who are attracted by the meditative stability of aspirationlessness.

28.48“Su­bhūti, if you ask how great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom, abiding in the six transcendent perfections which arise through the maturation of past actions, and similarly, established in the five extrasensory power and the four kinds of exact knowledge, attract by their generosity those sentient beings who are attracted by generosity, it is the case, Su­bhūti, that great bodhisattva beings who practice the transcendent perfection of wisdom dispense their generosity toward sentient beings. That is to say, they give food to those who need food, drink to those who need drink, vehicles to those who need vehicles, clothing to those who need clothing, flowers to those who need flowers, garlands to those who need garlands, perfume to those who need perfume, unguents to those who need unguents, bedding to those who need bedding, asylum to those who need asylum, lamps to those who need lamps, [F.323.b] and [everything else] to those who need anything else‍—from medicine to cure the sick, to [all the other] necessities of humankind, whatever they happen to be. Just as they make offerings to the tathāgatas, arhats, genuinely perfect buddhas, they also give religious robes, alms, bedding, medicines to cure the sick, and necessities to śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. They give flowers, garlands, perfume, unguents, powders, parasols, victory banners, ribbons, butter, grain-seed oils, and lamps. Just as they dispense generosity toward those who maintain ethical discipline, so they also dispense generosity toward those of degenerate morality. In the same way they dispense generosity toward human beings, and likewise they dispense generosity toward non-human beings. They do not discriminate between those who are worthy recipient s and those who are unworthy. Rather, they dispense their generosity, having established the notion that all sentient beings are undifferentiated. If you ask why, since they realize that all things are undifferentiated, having comprehended and actualized this, they dispense generosity that is undifferentiated, and so they attain that which is undifferentiated‍—that is to say, omniscience.

28.49“Su­bhūti, if, when great bodhisattva beings perceive a living creature who has been born in the animal realm, they were to think, ‘The worthy recipient of my generosity is the genuinely perfect Buddha, but not a living creature born in the animal realm,’ they would lack the attributes of a bodhisattva. If you ask why, it is because when their own minds are purified, they [also] purify the worthy recipients of the bodhisattvas’ generosity. Great bodhisattva beings should rather think, ‘When I have attracted these impoverished sentient beings by my generosity, they will not steal the property of others, they will be contented, [F.324.a] and they will then also dispense generosity toward others. Similarly, when I attract them by my generosity, they will not take the life of living creatures. Similarly, when I attract them by my generosity, they will not lie, they will not slander, they will not speak harsh words, and they will not speak nonsensical words. On these bases, after they have passed away, they will be reborn as a householder within the royal class, like a mighty sāl tree. Similarly, they will be reborn as a householder within the priestly class, like a mighty sāl tree. They will be reborn as a householder within the householder [or mercantile] class, like a mighty sāl tree. On this basis, by means of the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, or the vehicle of the genuinely perfect buddhas, they will attain final nirvāṇa in the expanse of nirvāṇa, where there is no residue of the psycho-physical aggregates.’

28.50“But great bodhisattva beings should not cultivate disparate thoughts of vacillation, thinking, ‘Perhaps I should not keep my former vow to become the protector of unprotected sentient beings, to become a sanctuary for those without sanctuary, and to become a guide for who those without a guide?’ Or, even if others, assailants or assassins, were to demand the body of a great bodhisattva being, they should not think, ‘Should I give it or not give it?’ Rather, with an unagitated mind, they should give their own bodies to those assailants and assassins. If you ask why, it is because they have indeed set out toward unsurpassed, genuinely perfect enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, for their spiritual and temporal well-being, and not for the sake of their own bodies or lives. If they were to discriminate, thinking, ‘Should I give it or not give it?’, then the lord buddhas, great bodhisattva beings, the pratyekabuddhas, [F.324.b] the other classes of sublime individuals apart from them, and the worlds of gods, humans, and antigods could indeed reproach them with the words, ‘You should keep this pledge that you made in former lives, when someone asked you, and you vowed, ‘I will become a refuge, sanctuary, protector, ally, and guide to all sentient beings!’”

28.51This completes the twenty-eighth chapter from “The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom in Ten Thousand Lines,” entitled “Dissimilar Defining Characteristics.”