Chapter 70

70.1The venerable Subhūti then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed Lord, just as those who see authentically are neither afflicted nor purified, in the same way, those who do not see authentically also are neither afflicted nor purified. Since all phenomena have the essential nature of nonentity, [F.327.a] Blessed Lord, in nonentities there is neither affliction nor purification, and, Blessed Lord, in their essential nature there is neither affliction nor purification. If in the essential nature of nonentity there is indeed neither affliction nor purification, what is that which the Blessed Lord has described as purification?”

“Subhūti, I have described the sameness of all phenomena as purification,” replied the Blessed One.

70.2“Blessed Lord, what is the sameness of all phenomena?”

The Blessed One replied, “It is the real nature, the unmistaken real nature, the one and only real nature, reality, the realm of phenomena, the abiding nature of reality, the maturity of all phenomena, and the very limit of reality. Subhūti, whether the tathāgatas have appeared or whether the tathāgatas have not appeared, purification is that which is said to be the abiding nature of phenomena, the expanse that dwells in that manner, the realm of phenomena. Although it is expressed in mundane conventional terms, it is inexpressible and ineffable, transcending the paths of language and words.”

70.3“Blessed Lord, if all phenomena are like a dream, like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation, how do bodhisattva great beings, with respect to all phenomena that are nonentities and insubstantial, like a dream, like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation, [F.327.b] themselves set their minds on unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, so as to perfect the perfection of generosity? How should they perfect the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the perfection of skill in means, the perfection of aspiration, the perfection of power, and the perfection of gnosis? How should they perfect the emptiness of internal phenomena? How should they perfect the emptiness of external phenomena, the emptiness of external and internal phenomena, and [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity? How should they perfect the applications of mindfulness? How should they perfect the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path? How should they perfect the four truths of the noble ones, the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the five extrasensory powers, all the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways? How should they perfect 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? How should they perfect the thirty-two major marks of a great person and how should they perfect the eighty excellent minor marks? [F.328.a] How should they perfect a great aureole of light? How should they perfect the voice of Brahmā through which they can teach the Dharma with a single sound to the beings of the world systems of the ten directions in accordance with their resolve, having comprehended with their minds the thoughts in the minds of those beings?”

70.4“Subhūti,” asked the Blessed One in return, “do you think that these phenomena that you have mentioned are like a dream, like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation?”

70.5“Blessed Lord, if these phenomena are like a dream, like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation, {Ki.VIII: 165} how do bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom? Blessed Lord, dreams are not real. Echoes, optical aberrations, mirages, magical displays, and phantom emanations are not real. Blessed Lord, because phenomena are not real, they cannot attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, having practiced the perfection of generosity; having practiced the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; having practiced the emptiness of internal phenomena; having practiced [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity; and having practiced the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the four truths of the noble ones, [F.328.b] the four meditative concentrations, the four immeasurable attitudes, the four formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, all the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas.”

70.6“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Because phenomena are not real, bodhisattva great beings cannot attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, having practiced the perfection of generosity; having practiced the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; having practiced the emptiness of internal phenomena; having practiced [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity; having practiced the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment; having practiced 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 all the dhāraṇī gateways; and having practiced the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. [F.329.a]

70.7“Subhūti, do you think that the perfection of generosity will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”

“No, Blessed Lord!”

70.8“Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, “do you think that the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom will attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? Will all the aspects of emptiness and the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? Will 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 attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment? Will 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 attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment?”

“No, Blessed Lord!” [F.329.b] [B75]

70.9“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” continued the Blessed One. “The perfection of generosity will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The emptiness of internal phenomena will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. [The other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The applications of mindfulness will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete 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, and the dhāraṇī gateways [F.330.a] will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. The powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas will not attain consummate buddhahood in unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.

70.10“Subhūti, if you ask why, it is because all these attributes are indeed conditioned and brought into being. All-aspect omniscience cannot be attained by attributes that are conditioned and brought into being. Subhūti, although these attributes all attain the path and contribute to it, they do not lead to the attainment of the fruit. The nonarising and nonorigination of these attributes indeed denotes their absence of defining characteristics. Therefore, bodhisattva great beings, from the time when they begin to set their minds on enlightenment, know that all these virtuous attributes that they undertake are like a magical display, whether they be the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, the thirty-seven factors conducive to enlightenment, the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the eight aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, [F.330.b] the meditative stabilities, the dhāraṇī gateways, the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, or the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. {Ki.VIII: 166}

70.11“Beings cannot be brought to maturation or attain all-aspect omniscience without their having perfected the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, 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, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas. [F.331.a] So it is for this reason that bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom and they know that whichever virtuous attributes they undertake are like a dream. They know they that these are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation.

70.12“When they practice the perfection of wisdom, they know that the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, 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 eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, and [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, are like a dream. They know they that these are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation. They know that all beings are acting in a dream, [F.331.b] and acting in [the manner of] an echo, an optical aberration, a mirage, a magical display, and a phantom emanation. Therefore, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, {Ki.VIII: 167} they hold dreamlike attributes to be nonentities, and holding them as such, they do attain all-aspect omniscience. When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they hold attributes that are like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation to be nonentities, and holding them as such, they do attain all-aspect omniscience.

70.13“The perfection of wisdom cannot be grasped. The perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of ethical discipline, and the perfection of generosity cannot be grasped. The emptiness of internal phenomena cannot be grasped. [The other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, cannot be grasped. The applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path cannot be grasped. 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 cannot be grasped. The powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, [F.332.a] the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas cannot be grasped. Therefore, bodhisattva great beings, knowing that all attributes cannot be grasped, strive toward unsurpassed, complete enlightenment. If you ask why, it is because all phenomena are ungraspable nonentities, like a dream, like an echo, like an optical aberration, like a mirage, like a magical display, and like a phantom emanation. An ungraspable phenomenon cannot attain anything that is ungraspable, except in the case of beings who do not know, see, or understand these attributes. This is why bodhisattva great beings set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment for the sake of all beings. From the time when they first begin to set their minds on enlightenment, whatever gifts they dispense, they dispense them for the sake of all beings. Whatever ethical discipline they maintain, whatever tolerance they cultivate, whatever [acts of] perseverance they undertake, whatever meditative concentration they are absorbed in, and whatever wisdom they cultivate, they do so for the sake of all beings, and not for their own sake.

70.14“Bodhisattva great beings do not set out for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment except for the sake of beings. {Ki.VIII: 168} When they practice the perfection of wisdom, they liberate from erroneous views those harboring the notion of beings where there are no beings, harboring the notion of self where there is no self, harboring the notion of life forms where there are no life forms, harboring the notion of living beings where there are no living beings , harboring the notion of life where there is no life , [F.332.b] harboring the notion of living creatures where there are no living creatures, harboring the notion of individual personalities where there are no individual personalities, harboring the notion of human beings where there are no human beings , harboring the notion of people where there are no people , harboring the notion of actors where there are no actors, harboring the notion of agents where there are no agents, harboring the notion of petitioners where there are no petitioners, harboring the notion of instigators of petitions where there are no instigators of petitions, harboring the notion of experiencers where there are no experiencers, harboring the notion of instigators of experience where there are no instigators of experience, harboring the notion of knowers where there are no knowers, and harboring the notion of viewers where there are no viewers. After liberating them from these erroneous views, they establish them in the deathless expanse. Having established them in that, those habitual notions no longer proliferate. That is to say, the notion of self, the notion of beings, the notion of life forms, the notion of living beings , the notion of life , the notion of living creatures, the notion of individual personalities, the notion of human beings , the notion of persons, the notion of actors, the notion of agents, the notion of petitioners, the notion of instigators of petitions, the notion of experiencers, the notion of instigators of experience, the notion of knowers, or the notion of viewers no longer proliferates. [F.333.a] Having abandoned these restless conceits and burning conceptual elaborations, they approach with a mind free from conceptual elaboration, and achieve much. For this reason, Subhūti, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they themselves are not fixated on anything at all, and they also establish all beings in nonfixation. This they do by way of mundane convention, not ultimate reality .”

70.15“Blessed Lord, regarding this attainment of consummate buddhahood by the tathāgatas, is consummate buddhahood attained by way of mundane convention or, otherwise, by way of ultimate reality ?”

“It is in mundane conventional terms that one speaks of ‘this attainment of consummate buddhahood by the tathāgatas,’ ” replied the Blessed One. “But nothing at all is apprehended when one says, ‘This is the attainment of consummate buddhahood by that.’ If you ask why, there is [dualistic] apprehending when one says, ‘This is the attainment of consummate buddhahood by that,’ but nothing at all is attained or clearly realized through duality.”

70.16“Blessed Lord, if nothing is attained or clearly realized through duality, is there any attainment or clear realization through nonduality?”

“There is neither attainment nor clear realization through duality, nor is there any attainment or clear realization through nonduality,” replied the Blessed One. “Attainment and clear realization occur where there is neither duality nor nonduality. [F.333.b] If you ask why, it is because the expression, ‘This is attainment. This is clear realization,’ is a conceptual elaboration, and in the sameness of phenomena there is no conceptual elaboration. {Ki.VIII: 169} The absence of conceptual elaboration is the sameness of phenomena.”

70.17“Blessed Lord, how are phenomena that have the nature of nonentity not entities if it is said that all phenomena have the nature of sameness?”

“The sameness of phenomena denotes that which is neither an entity, nor a nonentity, without inherent existence and without affirmation,” replied the Blessed One. “The sameness of phenomena cannot be expressed. Apart from the sameness of phenomena, there is nothing at all that can be apprehended. The sameness of phenomena has transcended everything. The sameness of phenomena is not an object that can be known by anyone at all‍—ordinary people or sublime beings.”

70.18“Blessed Lord, is the sameness of phenomena not even an object for the tathāgatas?”

“The sameness of phenomena is not an object for any tathāgata,” replied the Blessed One. “It is not an object for those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, or tathāgatas.”

70.19“Blessed Lord, do the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas not have mastery over of all phenomenal objects?”

“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “if the sameness of phenomena were one distinct thing and the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas another, [F.334.a] then the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas would indeed have control over all phenomenal objects. However, Subhūti, the sameness of phenomena with respect to ordinary people and the sameness of phenomena with respect to those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas is an identical sameness. There is no distinction at all between sameness and nonsameness. So, the sameness of ordinary people and the sameness of all sublime beings is an identical sameness. In this identical sameness, there is no duality that would enable you to say, ‘This is an ordinary person. This one is entering the stream to nirvāṇa. This one is destined for only one more rebirth. This one is no longer subject to rebirth. This one is an arhat. This one is a pratyekabuddha. This one is a bodhisattva. This one is a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha.’ Such conceptual thoughts are not apprehended in sameness.” {Ki.VIII: 170}

70.20“Blessed Lord, if in the sameness of all phenomena there is no apprehending of the conceptual thoughts enabling one to say, ‘This is an ordinary person. This one is entering the stream to nirvāṇa. These ones are destined for only one more rebirth, no longer subject to rebirth, an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, and a bodhisattva. This one is a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha,’ in that case there would be no distinction between ordinary people, those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, [F.334.b] those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas.”

70.21“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “In the sameness of all phenomena there is no distinction between ordinary people, those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas.”

70.22“Blessed Lord, if in the sameness of all phenomena there is no distinction between ordinary people, those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas, why, Blessed Lord, do the Three Precious Jewels‍—the precious jewel of the Buddha, the precious jewel of the Dharma, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha‍—emerge in the world?”

70.23“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “do you think that the precious jewel of the Buddha is one thing, the precious jewel of the Dharma another, the precious jewel of the Saṅgha another, and the sameness of phenomena [F.335.a] yet another?”

70.24“Blessed Lord, as I understand the meaning of the words spoken by the Blessed One, the precious jewel of the Buddha is not one thing, the precious jewel of the Dharma not another, the precious jewel of the Saṅgha not another, and the sameness of phenomena not yet another. Rather, the precious jewel of the Buddha, the precious jewel of the Dharma, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha are themselves the sameness of phenomena. All these attributes are neither conjoined nor disjoined, and they are immaterial, invisible, and unimpeded, with a single defining characteristic, in that they are without defining characteristics. In that case, since all phenomena are without defining characteristics, how is it within the perceptual range of the Blessed One to establish, ‘This is an ordinary person. This one is entering the stream to nirvāṇa. These ones are destined for only one more rebirth, {Ki.VIII: 171} no longer subject to rebirth, an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, and a bodhisattva. This one is a tathāgata, arhat, completely awakened buddha’?”

70.25“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “The establishing of phenomena without defining characteristics is within the perceptual range of the tathāgatas. That is within the power of the tathāgatas. Subhūti, do you think that if the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas were not to establish all phenomena in order that consummate buddhahood in enlightenment might be attained, the hells would be clearly discerned? [F.335.b] Would the animal realm, the world of Yama, and human beings be clearly discerned? Would the gods of Caturmahā­rāja­kāyika be clearly discerned? Would the gods of Trayastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarata, Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahma­pariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Ābha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Śubha, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhat, [Parīttabṛhat], Apramāṇabṛhat, Bṛhatphala, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha be clearly discerned? Would the gods of the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothing-at-all, and the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception be clearly discerned?

70.26“Would the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom be clearly discerned? Would the ten levels of the bodhisattvas be clearly discerned? Would the emptiness of internal phenomena be clearly discerned? Would [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, be clearly discerned? Would the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path be clearly discerned? Would 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, [F.336.a] the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways be clearly discerned? Would the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas be clearly discerned? Would the thirty-two major marks of a great person and the eighty excellent minor marks be clearly discerned? Would the precious jewel of the Buddha, the precious jewel of the Dharma, and the precious jewel of the Saṅgha be clearly discerned? Would the vehicle of the śrāvakas, the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas, and the Great Vehicle be clearly discerned? Would followers on account of faith, followers of the Dharma, and those on the eighth level be clearly discerned? Would those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas be clearly discerned?”

“Blessed Lord, all these would not be clearly discerned.”

70.27“Therefore, Subhūti,” continued the Blessed One, {Ki.VIII: 172} “it is within the power of the tathāgatas to establish all these attributes without stirring from the sameness of all phenomena.”

70.28“Blessed Lord, just as the tathāgatas do not stir from the sameness of phenomena, in the same way is it the case that ordinary persons, too, do not stir from the sameness of phenomena? Similarly, is it the case that followers on account of faith, followers of the Dharma, those of the eighth level, those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, [F.336.b] those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, too, do not stir from the sameness of phenomena?”

70.29“Subhūti, it is so! It is so,” replied the Blessed One. “Subhūti, nothing stirs from the sameness of phenomena. Nothing transcends the sameness of phenomena. If you ask why, Subhūti, it is because the real nature of the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas‍—their unmistaken real nature, one and only real nature, reality, realm of phenomena, abiding nature of reality, maturity with respect to all phenomena, and very limit of reality‍—is also the real nature of ordinary persons‍—their unmistaken real nature, one and only real nature, reality, realm of phenomena, abiding nature of reality, maturity with respect to all phenomena, and very limit of reality. It is also the real nature of followers on account of faith, followers of the Dharma, those of the eighth level, those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas‍—their unmistaken real nature, one and only real nature, reality, realm of phenomena, abiding nature of reality, maturity with respect to all phenomena, and very limit of reality. All these indicate the sameness of phenomena. Nothing transcends it. If you ask why, [F.337.a] it just is their reality, realm of phenomena, abiding nature of reality, maturity with respect to all phenomena, real nature, unmistaken real nature, one and only real nature, and very limit of reality. There is nothing else apart from these that would be called the sameness of phenomena.”

70.30Subhūti then asked, “Blessed Lord, if the sameness of phenomena that ordinary people have is itself the sameness of phenomena that followers on account of faith have, and that followers of the Dharma, those of the eighth level, those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas have, and if it is itself the sameness of phenomena that tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas have, in that case, Blessed Lord, how would all those phenomena with dissimilar defining characteristics‍—including physical forms, feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, consciousness, the sense fields, the sensory elements, the links of dependent origination, desire , hatred, delusion, all the aspects of wrong view, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, the perfection of wisdom, the perfection of skill in means, [F.337.b] the perfection of aspiration, the perfection of power, the perfection of gnosis, the ten levels of the bodhisattvas, the applications of mindfulness, the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the truths of the noble ones, the gateways of liberation‍—emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness‍—the emptiness of internal phenomena, [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, the eight aspects of liberation, the nine serial steps of meditative absorption, the five extrasensory powers, all the meditative stabilities, all the dhāraṇī gateways, the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, the eighteen distinct qualities of the buddhas, the thirty-two major marks of a great person, the eighty excellent minor marks, conditioned elements, and unconditioned elements‍—indeed, Blessed Lord, have unique defining characteristics that are different from one another?

70.31“Blessed Lord, if one were to ask why, it is because if the reality of physical forms were one distinct thing, and the reality of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness another; the reality of the sense fields, {Ki.VIII: 173} the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination another; the reality of attachment another; the reality of hatred another; [F.338.a] the reality of delusion another; the reality of the aspects of wrong view another; the reality of the perfection of generosity another; the reality of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom another; the reality of the emptiness of internal phenomena another; the reality of [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, another; the reality of the applications of mindfulness another; the reality of the correct exertions, the supports for miraculous ability, the faculties , the powers , the branches of enlightenment, and the noble eightfold path another; the reality 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, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and all the dhāraṇī gateways another; {Ki.VIII: 174} the reality of the ten powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great loving kindness, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas another; the reality of the thirty-two major marks of a great person and the eighty excellent minor marks another; and the reality of conditioned elements and unconditioned elements another, in that case, Blessed Lord, how would the reality of phenomena with dissimilar defining characteristics [F.338.b] be of a single defining characteristic? How would all those phenomena be established?

70.32“When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, in what have they been established when they differentiate among phenomena? If bodhisattva great beings indeed cannot practice the perfection of wisdom without differentiating among phenomena, how, when practicing the perfection of wisdom, do they progress from level to level, and enter into the maturity [of the bodhisattvas]? How, having entered into the maturity of the bodhisattvas, do they transcend the levels of the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas? How do they perfect the extrasensory powers? How do they display the extrasensory powers, and perfect the perfection of generosity, the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom? How, displaying these [extrasensory powers], do they travel from buddhafield to buddhafield? How do they venerate the lord buddhas, and develop the roots of virtuous action in their presence? How do they bring beings to maturation through those roots of virtuous action and acquire the buddhafields?”

70.33“Subhūti,” replied the Blessed One, “you asked: if the sameness of phenomena that all phenomena have is itself the sameness of phenomena that ordinary people have, and is itself the sameness of phenomena that followers on account of faith, followers of the Dharma, those of the eighth level, [F.339.a] those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattva great beings, and the tathāgatas, arhats, completely awakened buddhas have, in that case, Blessed Lord, how would the sameness of phenomena with dissimilar defining characteristics be unique? Subhūti, do you think that the reality of physical forms is itself not emptiness? {Ki.VIII: 175} Is the reality of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the perfection of generosity itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the emptiness of internal phenomena itself not emptiness? Is the reality of [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity, itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the factors conducive to enlightenment itself not emptiness? Is the reality 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, [F.339.b] wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa itself not emptiness? Is the reality of the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment , and [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience, itself not emptiness? Is the reality of those entering the stream to nirvāṇa, those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas itself not emptiness?”

“Blessed Lord, it is emptiness!”

70.34“In that case,” continued the Blessed One, “in emptiness can anything with different defining characteristics be apprehended, such as the defining characteristics of physical forms; the defining characteristics of feelings, perceptions, formative predispositions, and consciousness; the defining characteristics of the sense fields, the sensory elements, and the links of dependent origination; the defining characteristics of the perfection of generosity; the defining characteristics of the perfection of ethical discipline, the perfection of tolerance, the perfection of perseverance, the perfection of meditative concentration, and the perfection of wisdom; the defining characteristics of the emptiness of internal phenomena; the defining characteristics of [the other aspects of emptiness], up to and including the emptiness of the essential nature of nonentity; the defining characteristics of the factors conducive to enlightenment; the defining characteristics of the truths of the noble ones, the meditative concentrations, the immeasurable attitudes, the formless absorptions, [F.340.a] the aspects of liberation, the serial steps of meditative absorption, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the extrasensory powers, the meditative stabilities, and the dhāraṇī gateways; the defining characteristics of the powers of the tathāgatas, the fearlessnesses, the kinds of exact knowledge, great compassion, and the distinct qualities of the buddhas; the defining characteristics of the fruit of entering the stream to nirvāṇa; the defining characteristics of the fruit of being destined for only one more rebirth, the fruit of no longer being subject to rebirth, arhatship, individual enlightenment , and [the goals], up to and including all-aspect omniscience; the defining characteristics of those entering the stream to nirvāṇa; or the defining characteristics of those destined for only one more rebirth, those no longer subject to rebirth, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and tathāgatas?”

“No, they cannot, Blessed Lord!”

70.35“Therefore, Subhūti, one should know for this very reason that in the reality of all phenomena there are no ordinary persons, nor anyone other than ordinary persons. In it there are no followers on account of faith, nor anyone other than followers on account of faith. In it there are no followers of the Dharma, nor anyone other than followers of the Dharma. In it there is no one on the eighth level, nor anyone other than those of the eighth level. In it there is no one entering the stream to nirvāṇa, nor anyone other than those entering the stream to nirvāṇa. In it there is no one destined for only one more rebirth, nor anyone other than those destined for only one more rebirth. In it there is no one no longer subject to rebirth, nor anyone other than those no longer subject to rebirth. In it there are no arhats, nor anyone other than arhats. In it there are no pratyekabuddhas, nor anyone other than pratyekabuddhas. In it there are no bodhisattvas, nor anyone other than bodhisattvas. [F.340.b] In it there are no tathāgatas, nor anyone other than tathāgatas.” {Ki.VIII: 176}

70.36“Blessed Lord, is that reality conditioned, or is it unconditioned?”

“It is neither conditioned nor unconditioned,” replied the Blessed One. “That is to say, the unconditioned cannot be apprehended apart from the conditioned, and the conditioned cannot be apprehended apart from the unconditioned. Therefore, Subhūti, both conditioned elements and unconditioned elements are neither conjoined nor disjoined, and they are immaterial, invisible, and unimpeded, with a single defining characteristic, in that they are without defining characteristics. This the tathāgatas say in mundane conventional terms, but not by way of ultimate reality . For, in ultimate reality , there are no formative predispositions of body, formative predispositions of speech, or formative predispositions of mind. Nor is ultimate reality apprehended as anything other than formative predispositions of body, formative predispositions of speech, or formative predispositions of mind. Yet, the sameness of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena is ultimate reality . For this reason, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of wisdom, they do not stir from ultimate reality but they also practice the conduct of a bodhisattva.”

70.37This completes the seventieth chapter from “The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines.”