Chapter 66

66.1Then the venerable Subhūti thought, “When bodhisattva great beings thus don such armor, what is the path to enlightenment of bodhisattva great beings?”

66.2Then the Blessed One, comprehending the thoughts in the mind of the venerable Subhūti, addressed him as follows: “Subhūti, the six perfections constitute the path of bodhisattva great beings. Subhūti, all the aspects of emptiness constitute the path of bodhisattva great beings. The thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment constitute the path of bodhisattva great beings. Subhūti, the four truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways constitute the path of bodhisattva great beings. The ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas constitute the path of bodhisattva great beings. Furthermore, Subhūti, all phenomena constitute the path of bodhisattva great beings. [F.295.a]

66.3“Subhūti, do you think that there is anything in which bodhisattva great beings should not train, and is there anything even without training in which they will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? Subhūti, there is nothing at all in which bodhisattva great beings should not train. Without having trained in all phenomena, bodhisattva great beings cannot attain all-aspect omniscience.”

66.4Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are empty, in what manner should bodhisattva great beings train? Blessed Lord, would they conceptually elaborate that which is without conceptual elaboration when they say, ‘There are so many of these but [not] of those,’ or ‘These are mundane attributes. These are supramundane attributes. These are contaminated attributes. These are uncontaminated attributes. {Ki.VIII: 120} These are conditioned attributes. These are unconditioned attributes. These are the attributes of ordinary people. These are the attributes of one who has entered the stream to nirvāṇa. These are the attributes of one destined for only one more rebirth, one no longer subject to rebirth, or an arhat. These are the attributes of pratyekabuddhas. These are the attributes of bodhisattvas. These are the attributes of the buddhas’?”

66.5“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “All phenomena are empty. Subhūti, if all phenomena were not empty of inherent existence, bodhisattva great beings, even after training in all phenomena, [F.295.b] would not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Subhūti, you also said that if all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, would bodhisattva great beings differentiate phenomena, saying, ‘There are so many of these but [not] of those,’ or ‘These are mundane attributes. These are supramundane attributes. These are contaminated attributes. These are uncontaminated attributes. These are conditioned attributes. These are unconditioned attributes. These are the attributes of ordinary people. These are the attributes of one who has entered the stream to nirvāṇa. These are the attributes of one destined for only one more rebirth, one no longer subject to rebirth, or an arhat. These are the attributes of pratyekabuddhas. These are the attributes of bodhisattvas. These are the attributes of the buddhas’? As far as that is concerned, Subhūti, do beings know that all phenomena are empty? If they did know that, even bodhisattva great beings would not train in all phenomena and then attain all-aspect omniscience. However, Subhūti, it is because these beings do not know that all phenomena are empty that bodhisattva great beings do attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, and then establish the Dharma and teach the Dharma to beings.

66.6“In this regard, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, [F.296.a] when they practice the bodhisattva path, should at the outset make the following observation: ‘Herein there is nothing at all apart from conditioning that can be apprehended in terms of the essential nature.’ Since they realize the essential nature of all phenomena in that manner, they do not become fixated on anything at all‍—whether it be the perfections, all the aspects of emptiness, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, the distinct qualities of the buddhas, the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment , or [the goals], up to and including unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because all phenomena are empty of essential nature, and emptiness does not become fixated on emptiness. Since they do not apprehend even emptiness, how could they possibly be fixated on emptiness! {Ki.VIII: 121} So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings engage with all phenomena, but are without fixation with respect to all phenomena.

66.7“Maintaining this training, they examine the conduct of all beings. [F.296.b] Wondering what these beings are practicing, they think, ‘Alas! These beings are engaged in grasping at that which does not exist! Alas! It makes it difficult if these beings are to be freed from grasping at that which does not exist.’

66.8“At that time, while maintaining the perfections, through skill in means they instruct them as follows: ‘Come here, beings! Dispense generosity and you will have resources! Do not give rise to conceits on account of these resources! They lack even the slightest essence!’ Similarly, they should instruct them in ethical discipline, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Keep [the vows of] ethical discipline, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that ethical discipline. It lacks even the slightest essence!’ Similarly, they should instruct them in tolerance, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate tolerance, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that tolerance. It lacks even the slightest essence!’ Similarly, they should instruct them in perseverance, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Undertake acts of perseverance, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that perseverance. It lacks even the slightest essence!’ Similarly, they should instruct them in meditative stability, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Be absorbed in meditative stability, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that meditative stability. It lacks even the slightest essence!’ Similarly, they should instruct them in wisdom, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate wisdom, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that wisdom. It lacks even the slightest essence!’

66.9“Similarly, they should instruct them in all the aspects of emptiness, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate emptiness, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that emptiness. It lacks even the slightest essence!’ Similarly, they should instruct them in the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, saying, ‘Come here, beings! [F.297.a] Cultivate the factors conducive to enlightenment, and do not give rise to conceits on account of those factors conducive to enlightenment. They lack even the slightest essence!’

66.10“Similarly, they should instruct them in the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate the dhāraṇī gateways [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits on account of those dhāraṇī gateways [and so forth]. They lack even the slightest essence!’

66.11“Similarly, they should instruct them in the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate the distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits on account of those distinct qualities of the buddhas [and so forth]. They lack even the slightest essence!’

66.12“Similarly, they should instruct them in the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, and do not give rise to conceits on account of that fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa. It lacks lack even the slightest essence!’

66.13“Similarly, they should instruct them in the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, and individual enlightenment , saying, ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate individual enlightenment [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits on account of that individual enlightenment [and so forth]. They lack even the slightest essence!’

66.14“Similarly, they should instruct them in [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, saying, [F.297.b] ‘Come here, beings! Cultivate all-aspect omniscience [and so forth], and do not give rise to conceits on account of that all-aspect omniscience [and so forth]. They lack even the slightest essence!’

66.15“Instructing and advising beings accordingly, they continue to practice the path of the bodhisattvas but do not become fixated on anything at all. If you ask why, it is because all phenomena are without fixation. Owing to the essential nature of emptiness, they have no essential nature by which bodhisattvas would become fixated.

66.16“So it is, Subhūti, that bodhisattva great beings practice the path of enlightenment, but do not dwell in anything at all. In a nondwelling manner, they practice the perfection of generosity but do not dwell in it, and they practice the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom, but do not dwell in them.

66.17“They become absorbed in the first meditative concentration, but they do not dwell in it. If you ask why, it is because the first meditative concentration is empty of the inherent existence of meditative concentration, while those who become absorbed in it are also empty of inherent existence, and the aspects [of it] through which they become absorbed are also empty of inherent existence. {Ki.VIII: 122} They become absorbed in the second meditative concentration, the third meditative concentration, and the fourth meditative concentration; they become absorbed in loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity; they become absorbed in the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception; [F.298.a] and they become absorbed in the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the extrasensory powers, but they do not dwell in them. If you ask why, it is because the extrasensory powers [and so forth] are empty of the inherent existence of the extrasensory powers [and so forth], while those who become absorbed in them are also empty of inherent existence, and the aspects [of them] through which they become absorbed are also empty of inherent existence.

66.18“They attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa, but they do not dwell in it. They attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, and arhatship, but they do not dwell in them. Similarly, they attain individual enlightenment , but they do not dwell in it.”

66.19“Why do they not dwell in them?”

“They do not dwell in them for two reasons,” replied the Blessed One. “What are those two, you may ask? They are the essential nature and the absence of essential nature. Owing to these two, the fruits are nonexistent, be they [fruits] in which one might dwell, by which one might dwell, or which themselves dwell. Just because of that they are not satisfied by them. If you ask why, it is because they think, ‘I should not attain the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa! I should not dwell in it. I should not attain the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, or arhatship. I should not dwell in them. I should not attain [the levels], up to and including the level of the pratyekabuddhas. I should not dwell in them. I should attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, [F.298.b] commencing from the time when I first begin to set my mind on enlightenment, I will not develop any thoughts whatsoever, apart from setting the mind on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, commencing from the first [bodhisattva] level, up to the tenth [bodhisattva] level, I will not develop any thoughts whatsoever, apart from setting the mind on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Commencing from [the other levels], up to and including the tenth level, I will not develop any thoughts whatsoever, apart from setting the mind on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. Having entered upon the maturity of the bodhisattvas, I will not develop any thoughts whatsoever, apart from setting the mind on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.’

66.20“Subhūti, whatever the actions in which bodhisattva great beings undistractedly engage with body, {Ki.VIII: 123} speech, and mind, they do not cease to engage with the mind set on enlightenment. Abiding in the mind set on enlightenment, those bodhisattva great beings achieve the path of enlightenment without distraction.”

66.21“Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are nonarising, how will bodhisattva great beings achieve the path of enlightenment?”

“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “All phenomena are nonarising. If you ask how that is so, all phenomena are nonarising for those who do not effect conditioning.”

66.22“On the other hand, Blessed Lord, is it not the case that, whether the tathāgatas have appeared or whether the tathāgatas have not appeared, the reality of phenomena dwells in that manner?”

“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. [F.299.a] “Whether the tathāgatas have appeared or whether the tathāgatas have not appeared, the abiding nature of phenomena dwells in that manner. And yet, for the sake of those who do not know this abiding nature of phenomena, bodhisattva great beings develop the path of enlightenment. Through that path they liberate beings from cyclic existence.”

66.23“Blessed Lord, is enlightenment then attained by a path that arises?”

“No!” replied the Blessed One.

66.24“Well then, Blessed Lord, is enlightenment attained by a path that does not arise?”

“No!” replied the Blessed One.

66.25“Well then, Blessed Lord, is enlightenment attained by a path that both arises and does not arise?”

“No!” replied the Blessed One.

66.26“Well then, Blessed Lord, is enlightenment attained by a path that neither arises nor does not arise?”

“No!” replied the Blessed One.

66.27“Well then, Blessed Lord, how is enlightenment attained?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “enlightenment will not be attained by means of the path, nor will it be attained by means of that which is not the path. Enlightenment itself is the path and the path itself is enlightenment.” {Ki.VIII: 124}

66.28“Blessed Lord, if enlightenment itself is the path and the path itself is enlightenment, then bodhisattva great beings will have already attained enlightenment, so why then is it taught that the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas are described in accordance with the thirty-two major marks of a great person, [F.299.b] the eighty excellent minor marks, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas?”

66.29“Subhūti, do you think that the buddhas attain enlightenment?” asked the Blessed One.

“No, Blessed Lord! The buddhas do not attain enlightenment. The buddhas are themselves enlightenment, and enlightenment is itself the buddhas.”

66.30“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “you just said bodhisattva great beings will have already attained enlightenment. In this regard, Subhūti, after perfecting the perfections; after perfecting all the aspects of emptiness; after perfecting the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; after perfecting the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways; and after perfecting the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, bodhisattva great beings will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, through the unique instant of wisdom that is the vajra-like meditative stability. And in the period after they have attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, [F.300.a] those bodhisattvas are said to be omniscient tathāgatas who have mastered all phenomena.”

66.31Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are devoid of inherent existence, how do bodhisattva great beings refine the buddhafields?”

“In this regard, Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “commencing from their setting of the mind on enlightenment, bodhisattva great beings purify themselves and others of the factors of body, speech, and mind that take on negative states. {Ki.VIII: 125} Through those acts of purification they refine the buddhafields.” [B73]

66.32“Blessed Lord, what are the factors of the body that take on negative states, the factors of speech that take on negative states, and the factors of mind that take on negative states?”

The Blessed One replied, “Physical nonvirtuous actions‍—the killing of living creatures, the stealing of what is not given, and sexual misconduct due to desire‍—constitute factors of the body that take on negative states for a bodhisattva. Verbal nonvirtuous actions‍—the telling of lies, slander, verbal abuse, and irresponsible chatter‍—constitute factors of speech that take on negative states for a bodhisattva. Mental nonvirtuous actions‍—covetousness, malice, and wrong views‍—constitute factors of mind that take on negative states for a bodhisattva.

66.33“Moreover, Subhūti, thoughts of miserliness are factors of mind that take on negative states for a bodhisattva. Thoughts of degenerate morality, thoughts of agitation, [F.300.b] thoughts of indolence, thoughts of distraction, thoughts of noncomposure, and thoughts of stupidity are factors of mind that take on negative states for a bodhisattva.

66.34“Moreover, Subhūti, impure ethical discipline is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The lack of the four applications of mindfulness is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The lack of 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 is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The lack of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva.

66.35“Moreover, Subhūti, the actualizing of or longing for the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The actualizing of or longing for the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The actualizing of or longing for the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The actualizing of or longing for arhatship is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. The actualizing of or longing for individual enlightenment is a factor that takes on negative states for a bodhisattva. {Ki.VIII: 126}

66.36“Moreover, Subhūti, any notion of physical forms constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, or consciousness constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. [F.301.a] Any notion of the eyes constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of the ears, nose, tongue, body, or mental faculty constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of sights constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, or mental phenomena constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of visual consciousness constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, or mental consciousness constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of visually compounded sensory contact constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of aurally compounded sensory contact, nasally compounded sensory contact, lingually compounded sensory contact, corporeally compounded sensory contact, or mentally compounded sensory contact constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of feelings conditioned by visually compounded sensory contact constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of feelings conditioned by aurally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by nasally compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by lingually compounded sensory contact, feelings conditioned by corporeally compounded sensory contact, or feelings conditioned by mentally compounded sensory contact constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of the earth element constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, or the consciousness element constitutes a factor that takes on negative states.

66.37“Any notion of ignorance constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of formative predispositions, consciousness, name and form, the six sense fields, sensory contact, sensation, craving, grasping, the rebirth process, actual birth, or aging and death constitutes a factor that takes on negative states.

66.38“Any notion of women constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. [F.301.b] Any notion of men constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of the realm of desire constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of the realm of form or the realm of formlessness constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. Any notion of virtuous phenomena, any notion of nonvirtuous phenomena, any notion of mundane phenomena, any notion of supramundane phenomena, any notion of contaminated phenomena, any notion of uncontaminated phenomena, any notion of conditioned phenomena, or any notion of unconditioned phenomena constitutes a factor that takes on negative states. These, Subhūti, constitute the factors of the body that take on negative states, the factors of speech that take on negative states, and the factors of mind that take on negative states.

66.39“When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they have abandoned all these aspects of the factors that take on negative states. They themselves dispense generosity and they also encourage others to [dispense] generosity. That is to say, they give food to those who need food, they give drink to those who need drink, they give clothing to those who need clothing, and they give [other gifts], up to and including all human necessities and resources whatsoever, to those who need them. They also encourage others to [give those gifts], up to and including all human necessities and resources whatsoever, and establish them there. {Ki.VIII: 127} Making common cause with all beings, they then dedicate all these roots of virtuous action, as many as there are, so that the buddhafields might be refined.

66.40“They themselves maintain ethical discipline and they also encourage others to maintain ethical discipline. They themselves cultivate tolerance and they also encourage others to [cultivate] tolerance. They themselves undertake acts of perseverance and they also encourage others to [undertake] acts of perseverance. They themselves are absorbed in meditative concentration and they also encourage others to [be absorbed in] meditative concentration. [F.302.a] They themselves cultivate wisdom and they also encourage others to [cultivate] wisdom, and they settle, discipline, and establish them there. Making common cause with all beings, they then dedicate these roots of virtuous action so that the buddhafields might be refined. They fill the world systems of the great trichiliocosm with the seven precious materials, and offer them to the Three Precious Jewels, indeed thinking, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may this buddhafield of mine be fashioned of the seven precious materials!’

66.41“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings play divine music in the presence of the buddhas or alongside the reliquary stūpas of the buddhas, while thinking, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may the pleasant sound of divine music always arise, without interruption, in this buddhafield of mine!’

66.42“Moreover, Subhūti, they fill the world systems of the great trichiliocosm with divine perfumes, and they worship the buddhas or the reliquary stūpas of the buddhas, while thinking, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may the fragrance of divine perfume always arise, without interruption, in this buddhafield of mine!’

66.43“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings make offerings of food with a hundred flavors to the tathāgatas or to the śrāvakas of the tathāgatas, while thinking, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may I attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, in this buddhafield of mine, and may foods with a hundred flavors materialize for the saṅgha of śrāvakas!’ [F.302.b]

66.44“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings make offerings of divine unguents to the tathāgatas or to the reliquary stūpas of the tathāgatas, while thinking, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may all beings of this buddhafield where I attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment possess divine unguents.’ {Ki.VIII: 128}

66.45“Moreover, Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings, simply through the good intentions that arise in their minds, think that they should make offerings and donate pleasant sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangibles to the lord buddhas, the śrāvakas, and all beings, and when they have such thoughts, they further think, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may I attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, in this buddhafield of mine, and, simply through the good intentions that arise in my mind, may the saṅgha of śrāvakas and all beings, too, acquire pleasant sights, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangibles!’

66.46“Moreover, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they think, ‘Now I should become absorbed in the first meditative concentration. I should also establish all beings in the first meditative concentration. Now I should become absorbed in the second, third, and fourth meditative concentrations. I should also establish all beings in the fourth meditative concentration [and so forth]. [F.303.a] Now I should become absorbed in loving kindness. I should also establish all beings in loving kindness. Now I should be absorbed in compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. I should also establish all beings in equanimity [and so forth]. Now I should be absorbed in the sphere of infinite space. I should also establish all beings in the sphere of infinite space. Now I should be absorbed in the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. I should also establish all beings in the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception [and so forth].

66.47“ ‘Now I should cultivate the applications of mindfulness. I should also establish all beings in the applications of mindfulness. Now I should cultivate the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path. I should also establish all beings in the noble eightfold path [and so forth]. Now I should cultivate the gateways of liberation‍—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. I should also establish all beings in the gateways of liberation‍—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.’

66.48“When they think in that manner, they should also reflect, ‘Through these roots of virtuous action, may all beings of this buddhafield where I attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment not be separated from the four meditative concentrations, may they not be separated from the four immeasurable attitudes, and may they not be separated from the four formless absorptions, [F.303.b] the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, {Ki.VIII: 129} or the gateways of liberation‍—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness!’

66.49“Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom in that manner, they will refine the buddhafields. They will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment until all these wishes have been fulfilled. They themselves will possess all the roots of virtuous action, and they will also cause all those beings to possess the roots of virtuous action. Their own body will be beautiful and the beings who have been brought to maturation by those bodhisattva great beings will also manifest a noble, beautiful, and pleasant physical appearance because they have been favored by their merits. Subhūti, bodhisattva great beings will refine the buddhafields in that manner, such that by any means even the concept of ‘three lower realms’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘false views’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘ desire , hatred, and delusion’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘women and men’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘the two vehicles’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘impermanence, suffering, and nonself’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘recipient’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘I and mine’ will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘latent impulses and obsessions’ [F.304.a] will no longer exist; even the concept of ‘erroneous views’ will no longer exist; and even the concept of the ‘fruits’ will no longer exist. On the other hand, in accordance with the wishes of all those beings, the sound of emptiness, the sound of signlessness, the sound of wishlessness, the sound of nonarising and nonceasing, the sound of the nonessential nature of all phenomena, and the sound of all phenomena that are empty of all phenomena will emerge from the rustling of trees by the wind and from external and internal objects, as will the expression that the essential nature of all phenomena is definitively devoid of essential nature. ‘Whether the tathāgatas appear, or whether the tathāgatas do not appear, all phenomena are empty of all phenomena. That which is empty is signless, and that which is signless is wishless.’ Day and night, the sound of the teaching of the Dharma in expressions such as these will emerge without interruption and at all times, whether they are walking, whether they are standing, whether they are sitting, or whether they are lying down. It is in that manner that they will refine the buddhafields.

66.50“And in such buddhafields, once these [bodhisattvas] have indeed attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, all the lord buddhas present in the world systems of the ten directions will speak in praise of them as tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas. {Ki.VIII: 130} All beings who hear the name of these [new] tathāgatas will certainly attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. And when these [new] tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas teach the Dharma, no beings will hesitate, wondering whether this is the Dharma, or whether this is not the Dharma. [F.304.b] If you ask why, it is because in the reality of phenomena, there is nothing at all that is not the Dharma. All phenomena indeed constitute the Dharma.

66.51“In this regard, those beings who are overwhelmed by the roots of nonvirtuous action and who have not developed the roots of virtuous action under [the guidance of] the buddhas or śrāvakas of the buddhas, and who have been guided by nonvirtuous associates, will be submerged within the view of self and they will be submerged within all other aspects of false view, settling in the extreme of eternalism or nihilism. Gripped by misapprehension, they have the notion that those who are not completely awakened buddhas are completely awakened buddhas, and the notion that those who are completely awakened buddhas are not completely awakened buddhas. They profess that that which is not the Dharma is the Dharma, and that that which is the Dharma is not the Dharma. They will abandon the Dharma, and having abandoned the Dharma in that manner, after they have passed away, they will through their errors fall into lower realms, inferior states of existence, and they will be reborn in the hells. For the sake of such individuals, the lord buddhas, having attained consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, will liberate those beings embroiled in cyclic existence from those aspects of negative view, and having freed them in that manner, will establish them in the category of those whose receptivity is certain. Those who are established in it will thenceforth not fall into inferior realms. Subhūti, it is in this manner that bodhisattva great beings refine the buddhafields. In consequence of having refined them accordingly, beings will not find stability in anything at all, whether mundane phenomena, supramundane phenomena, contaminated phenomena, uncontaminated phenomena, [F.305.a] conditioned phenomena, or unconditioned phenomena, until they definitively attain unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”

66.52This completes the sixty-sixth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”