འཕགས་པ་ཀན་རྫབ་དང་དན་དམ་པའ་བདན་པ་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 2
Teaching the Relative and Ultimate Truths 2
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- English
2.1
On the relative level, the perfection of knowledge is a gateway to nirvāṇa.
“On the ultimate level, the unarisen is a gateway to all dharmas.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, what is the gateway to the utterly unborn?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, on the ultimate level, the utterly unarisen is a gateway in every way.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, what is the nature of the utterly unarisen?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, on the ultimate level, the utterly unreal is the nature of the utterly unarisen.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, does the utterly unarisen have any divisions?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, what do you think? Does the sky have any divisions?”
The god answered, “No, Mañjuśrī, it does not.”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, in the same way, just as the sky does not have any divisions, so, divine son, does the utterly unborn also not have any divisions.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, do you comprehend the utterly unarisen on the ultimate level?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, the utterly unarisen does not comprehend the utterly unarisen. And why? Because, divine son, all phenomena are utterly unborn, utterly unarisen, and utterly unreal.”
The god asked, “Mañjuśrī, are you this eloquent because you know and understand any phenomenon whatsoever?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, what do you think? Does an echo make a sound because it knows phenomena?”
The god replied, “Mañjuśrī, of course an echo does not know any phenomena. Instead, on the relative level, the sound appears from circumstances.”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, in the same way, based on the circumstance of observing all beings, on the relative level a bodhisattva
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great being speaks without speaking.”
The god asked, “Mañjuśrī, on what basis do you teach?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, on what type of emanation does the Thus-gone One base himself as he teaches?”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, the Thus-gone One does not ultimately base himself on any emanation whatsoever.”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, in the same way, on the ultimate level, without basing myself on any phenomena, I teach without teaching.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, if, on the ultimate level, without basing yourself on any phenomena, you teach without teaching, on what basis do you awaken to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, I base myself on the acts with immediate consequence and, without awakening to completely perfect buddhahood, I awaken to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood.”
The god said, “How do you base yourself on the acts with immediate consequence?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, ultimately the acts with immediate consequence do not truly exist and do not have any substance. It is on them that I base myself without basing myself.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, the Thus-gone One has explained that beings are born in hell because of committing the acts with immediate consequence.”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, the Thus-gone One has explained that beings are born in hell because of committing the acts with immediate consequence. In the same way, divine son, the Thus-gone One teaches, without teaching, how to quickly awaken to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood when basing oneself on the acts with immediate consequence, without basing oneself on the acts with immediate consequence.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, what are the acts with immediate consequence?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, the acts with immediate consequence are those by which the bodhisattva great beings quickly, without awakening to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood, perfectly awaken. Such are the acts with immediate consequence of the bodhisattva great beings.
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“Divine son, you may wonder what the five acts with immediate consequence are. Well, divine son, the first act with immediate consequence of the bodhisattva great beings is as follows. When a bodhisattva great being with pure motivation, without developing, has developed the mind set on unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood, he does not develop the mind-set that aims for the levels of the hearers, solitary buddhas, anyone with reference points, or the extremists.
“Moreover, divine son, the second act with immediate consequence of the bodhisattva great beings is as follows. Divine son, when a bodhisattva great being, without producing, has produced the mind set on giving up all possessions, he will not entertain any feelings of miserliness until he reaches the essence of enlightenment.
“Moreover, divine son, the third act with immediate consequence of the bodhisattva great beings is as follows. Divine son, when a bodhisattva great being, without producing, has produced the mind-set that thinks, ‘I will protect all beings in any possible way,’ he will not yield from that.
“Moreover, divine son, the fourth act with immediate consequence of the bodhisattva great beings is as follows. Divine son, when a bodhisattva great being, without attaining forbearance, has attained the forbearance that understands that ultimately all phenomena are utterly unborn, utterly unarisen, and utterly unreal, he will not engender any clinging to substance, essence, or actuality.
“Moreover, divine son, the fifth act with immediate consequence of the bodhisattva great beings is as follows. Divine son, when a bodhisattva great being, without engendering, has engendered the mind-set that thinks, ‘I will fully understand all phenomena by means of momentary knowledge,’ he will not rest under any circumstances until he has obtained, without obtaining, the wisdom of omniscience that is endowed with all supreme features.
“By abiding in this way, without abiding, the bodhisattva great being quickly and perfectly awakens, without ultimately awakening, to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood.”
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The god said, “Mañjuśrī, those acts of immediate consequence that cause ordinary childish beings to be born in hell are the very acts that cause a bodhisattva great being to awaken to unexcelled and completely perfect buddhahood without perfectly awakening. Is that correct?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Yes, divine son, it is. And why? Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utter emptiness. Divine son, understanding this utter emptiness is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utter signlessness. Divine son, understanding this utter signlessness is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utter wishlessness. Divine son, understanding this utter wishlessness is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena do not exist as something that can be apprehended whatsoever. Divine son, understanding this state of being beyond something to apprehend whatsoever is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utterly beyond formation. Divine son, understanding this state where phenomena are utterly beyond formation is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utterly unconditioned. Divine son, understanding this utterly unconditioned state is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utterly unseen. Divine son, understanding this state of being utterly unseen is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utterly unborn.
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Divine son, understanding this utterly unborn state is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utterly unarisen. Divine son, understanding this utterly unarisen state is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.
“Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are utterly unreal. Divine son, understanding this state of being utterly unreal is awakening. Yet, ultimately, awakening is not the way that it is expressed through words.”
The god then asked, “Mañjuśrī, who will have faith in this Dharma teaching?”
Mañjuśrī replied, “Divine son, since ultimately even the Thus-gone One does not have faith, forget about the hearers, solitary buddhas, and all the extremists who rely on reference points.”
The god asked him, “Who will gain conviction in it?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Those who ultimately are not attached to any phenomenon will gain conviction.”
The god asked him, “Who will apply it earnestly?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Those who ultimately do not earnestly apply themselves to any phenomenon.”
The god asked him, “Who will become realized?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Those who ultimately do not realize any phenomenon.”
The god asked him, “Mañjuśrī, who are those who ultimately do not realize any phenomenon?”
Mañjuśrī answered, “Divine son, those who, on the relative level, realize the omniscient wisdom that is endowed with the supreme of all aspects.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, what kind of nature do they have?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, ultimately they have the utterly unborn nature.”
The god asked him, “Mañjuśrī, in whose hands will a sūtra such as this end up?”
Mañjuśrī replied, “Divine son, relatively, in the hands of those who offer the sacred Dharma to all beings.”
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The god said, “Mañjuśrī, how will they abide?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, ultimately they will abide in the utterly unborn, the utterly unarisen, and the utterly unreal.”
The god asked, “Mañjuśrī, in what way will they proceed?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, ultimately they will proceed within the utterly unborn, the utterly unarisen, and the utterly unreal.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, how will the irreversible bodhisattva great being attain awakening?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, whoever is an irreversible bodhisattva great being has no chance and no opportunity not to attain awakening.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, what do the bodhisattva great beings turn back from?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, ultimately, bodhisattva great beings turn back from thoughts. They turn back from the levels of all the hearers, solitary buddhas, and the extremists who rely on reference points.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, what does a bodhisattva great being not turn back from?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, bodhisattva great beings do not turn back from all phenomena being the same in being utterly unarisen. If you wonder why, it is because ultimately all phenomena are the same in being utterly unarisen, and the bodhisattva great beings are the same. That is why they do not turn back.”
The god asked, “When one speaks of the sameness of all phenomena in being utterly unarisen, Mañjuśrī, what phenomenon is that a designation for?”
Mañjuśrī said, “The sameness of all phenomena in being utterly unarisen designates that ultimately there is no diversity.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, how does the sameness of all phenomena in being utterly unarisen manifest as diversity?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son,
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whoever conceptualizes the sameness of all phenomena in being utterly unarisen as ultimately having substance, materiality, and essence will ultimately experience diversity. As for ultimately experiencing diversity, it develops into many views involving reference points. Those who hold these many views that involve reference points wander helplessly in all the various forms of existence. Divine son, whoever does not conceptualize the sameness of all phenomena in not occurring as ultimately having substance, materiality, and essence, does ultimately not experience diversity. Since he ultimately does not experience diversity, he ultimately understands the utterly unreal. In this way he comes to understand that all phenomena ultimately are the same in being characterized as utterly unborn.”
The god asked, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method that can awaken a bodhisattva great being with disturbing emotions, but not someone without disturbing emotions?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, there is. Divine son, relatively, all phenomena continuously emerge and disappear. In this way, the awakening of bodhisattva great beings also appears, relatively. And why? Divine son, ultimately, all phenomena are without disturbing emotions, unborn and unceasing. Any phenomenon that is ultimately unborn and unceasing is also ultimately beyond being realized. It will never be realized, nor was it ever realized. And why? Divine son, because ultimately all phenomena are utterly unborn. Therefore, divine son, through such a method a bodhisattva great being with disturbing emotions can awaken, yet someone who is devoid of disturbing emotions cannot.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method by which a bodhisattva great being who is miserly can complete the perfection of generosity, yet those who are generous cannot?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Yes, divine son, there is a method by which a miserly bodhisattva great being
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can complete the perfection of generosity, yet those who are generous cannot. And why? Because to never let go of, or cast away, any sentient being, or any of the buddha qualities, on the relative level, is the miserliness of the bodhisattva great beings.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method by which a bodhisattva great being who is ill behaved can complete the perfection of discipline, yet those who are disciplined cannot?”
Mañjuśrī said, “There is. Divine son, when a bodhisattva great being avoids superficial discipline in order to ripen beings, that is the perfection of discipline of a bodhisattva great being on the relative level.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method of patience for a bodhisattva great being who has forsaken patience?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, there is. Any bodhisattva great being who ultimately has no patience with any phenomena having substance, actuality, or essence is in fact, in an ineffable manner, in possession of the supreme patience. Divine son, in a manner free from reference points, that is the supreme patience of a bodhisattva great being.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method by which a lazy bodhisattva great being can be diligent?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, there is. A lazy bodhisattva great being is unlike those diligent hearers, solitary buddhas, and extremists who employ an easy form of diligence that involves focus.”
The god said, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method by which a bodhisattva great being who is forgetful can rest in equipoise?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, there is. A bodhisattva great being, who, even in his sleep, does not give rise to thoughts of substance, essence, or actuality on the ultimate level, is resting in equipoise in a manner devoid of reference points.”
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The god said, “Mañjuśrī, is there a method by which a bodhisattva great being who has no knowledge can come to possess great knowledge?”
Mañjuśrī said, “Divine son, there is. And why? Divine son, ultimately all phenomena are discerned by knowledge. However, when one searches for phenomena, they disappear and cannot be observed. Knowledge is also like that; ultimately it also does not exist and cannot be observed. Therefore, relatively, one speaks of ‘possessing knowledge,’ even though that knowledge is ultimately utterly unborn. Divine son, according to that method, a bodhisattva great being who has no knowledge is called one who possesses great knowledge, or one who possesses especially exalted knowledge, or one who possesses sacred knowledge, or one who lays hold of knowledge, or one who possesses knowledge devoid of a focus. Ultimately, things are not as they are described.”
The Blessed One now addressed Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta. “Excellent!” he said. “Excellent, excellent! Mañjuśrī, you have spoken well and explained, without explaining, the acts and non-acts of bodhisattva great beings. Mañjuśrī, for a starving person, feeble and thin, it is better to suffer, and thus not to unknowingly eat poisonous food. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, it is better for bodhisattva great beings to engage in nonconceptual miserliness, bad behavior, ill will, laziness, forgetfulness, and lack of knowledge, and thus not engage in the conceptual applications of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and knowledge of the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points. Why? Because the latter give rise to the faults of poisonous reference points, and this must therefore be understood to be a danger on the relative level.”
At this point the god Excellent Rule
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asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, are bodhisattva great beings not afraid of disturbing emotions?”
The Blessed One replied, “Divine son, relatively, bodhisattva great beings do fear disturbing emotions. But far more, they fear the mind-set of the hearers and solitary buddhas, who rely on reference points; their fear of the disturbing emotions is not comparable.”
The god asked, “Blessed One, why is that?”
The Blessed One answered, “Divine son, that is something you should ask yourself! Why not explain it yourself, as best you can? Divine son, what do you think? If a person wishes to survive, would that person’s greatest fear be having his limbs severed, or having his head cut off?”
The god replied, “Blessed One, someone who loses his limbs could still survive. Thus, if he wanted to acquire merit, he could still take up and follow a meritorious path, which in turn would become a cause for taking birth in the higher realms. However, Blessed One, someone who had his head cut off would be unable to survive. In this way, even if he strove for merit, he would be unable to genuinely follow a meritorious path.”
The Blessed One said, “Divine son, similarly, for bodhisattva great beings it is better to conduct themselves without reference points, even if it involves transgression, and thus not have the qualities and trainings of those who fall into the views of the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points. It is better to be a miserly bodhisattva, and thus not abandon all sentient beings, or even cast away all the qualities of a buddha. It is better to be an ill-behaved bodhisattva great being rather than someone who fails to ripen others. It is better to be a bodhisattva great being who faithfully practices on the level of action with conviction in the absence of focus, yet has disturbing emotions, than to be a hearer or solitary buddha who relies on reference points, who attains certainty and is free from disturbing emotions.”
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The god said, “Blessed One, the acts of the bodhisattva great beings, which are non-acts, are at odds with the entire world. Blessed One, when the poisonous faults of reference points have formed, the discipline of the hearers and solitary buddhas, who rely on reference points, becomes an unwholesome state for bodhisattva great beings. No matter how diligent the hearers and solitary buddhas, who rely on reference points, are, the poisonous faults of reference points have been formed, and thus their diligence is inferior to the laziness of bodhisattva great beings.”
The Blessed One said, “Divine son, just as the food of a destitute man is poison for a universal monarch, likewise, divine son, are the discipline and diligence of the hearers and solitary buddhas, who rely on reference points, for ill-behaved and lazy bodhisattva great beings. And why? Because of involving the poisonous faults of reference points.
“Divine son, just as the wealth of a person who is only concerned with his personal achievements is not sufficient to ensure the wellbeing of a whole city, likewise, divine son, the diligence of those who have the impoverished, inferior, and conceptual attitude of the hearers and solitary buddhas is unable to liberate even the beings here in Jambudvīpa, let alone liberate all beings.
“Divine son, just as a leader who lovingly and compassionately grants great wealth and enjoyment to others may use his wealth to accomplish the happiness of limitless beings in order to give all beings unsurpassed happiness, so likewise, divine son, whoever develops the superior attitude of the bodhisattva great beings and inspires all beings with knowledge, means, great love, and compassion
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will ripen limitless beings through his diligence beyond focus and the great wealth of the accumulations of merit and wisdom, gathered over limitless trillions of great eons. Without settling them, he will even settle all beings in omniscience.”
Venerable Mahākāśyapa now addressed the Blessed One. “Blessed One,” he said, “the hearers actualize all unconditioned phenomena while, Blessed One, bodhisattva great beings are classified under conditioned phenomena. How can that outshine all the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points, who are included under the unconditioned?”
The Blessed One answered him, “Kāśyapa, I will give you an analogy that illustrates this. Some people need an analogy to understand the meaning expressed by a skilled being. It is like this: imagine that the four great oceans were filled with butter. Then, imagine that someone were to extract a drop of butter from the oceans using the very tip of a hair split into one hundredths. Do you think, Kāśyapa, that the drop of butter extracted with that very tip of a hair split into one hundredths would be able to outshine the four great oceans filled with butter?”
Kāśyapa replied, “No, Blessed One, they would not. Well-Gone One, they would not.”
The Blessed One asked, “Moreover, Kāśyapa, which one among the two would be largest, best, foremost, and most valuable?”
Kāśyapa replied, “Blessed One, even one trillionth of a single ocean would be, Blessed One, much larger, better, exalted, and valuable than the single drop. Blessed One, the drop that was extracted using that very tip of a hair split into one hundredths could not compare to that, let alone all four great oceans.”
The Blessed One said, “In the same way as in this analogy,
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the unconditioned wisdom of the hearers and solitary buddhas, who rely on reference points, is as insignificant as the drop of butter that was extracted from that very tip of a hair split into one hundredths, since it involves reference points.
“Kāśyapa, the bodhisattva great beings are similar to the four great oceans filled with butter in this analogy. They are free from reference points. They are endowed with all supreme features of engaging, without engaging, the level of faithful practice. They embody all the accumulations of merit and wisdom. Without viewing, they view conditioned wisdom. Moreover, through the blazing fire of the ultimate, they ripen beings and thereby transform them, without relying on reference points, into the omniscient wisdom that is endowed with all supreme aspects.
“Kāśyapa, this is how the bodhisattva great beings, without relying on reference points, outshine the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points and who have attained the unconditioned.
“Kāśyapa, as another analogy, imagine a city that contains hundreds of thousands of semiprecious trinkets. At the same time, there is a boat on the ocean that easily and effortlessly brings to land precious and valuable gemstones of beryl. Now, what do you think: could the semiprecious stones found in the city outshine the precious gemstones of beryl?”
Kāśyapa replied, “Blessed One, it could not. Well-Gone One, it could not.”
The Blessed One said, “Kāśyapa, just like the semiprecious trinkets found in the city, so should you view the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points and their attainment of the unconditioned. Kāśyapa, just like the most valuable gemstones of beryl, which are first discovered in the ocean, then boarded on to the ship, and easily and effortlessly arrive at the trading house, so, Kāśyapa, should you view the bodhisattva great beings who arrive at the trading houses in the city of cyclic existence and, without establishing anyone, establish all beings in unsurpassed and
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perfectly complete awakening.
“Kāśyapa, consider a further analogy. During the third month of spring, the entire land is filled with crops. If, at that time, a small insect should carry off a single grain to eat, which would be larger, that single grain or all the grains found on the entire land?”
Kāśyapa answered, “Blessed One, the entire world filled with crops would have an infinitely greater pile of grains, which would be able to nourish uncountable, limitless beings. At the same time, Blessed One, the single grain that the small insect carried off to eat could not even sustain a single being.”
The Blessed One said, “Kāśyapa, you should see the result that is the undefiled liberation of all hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points as being just like the single grain that the small insect carried off to eat. On the other hand, Kāśyapa, it is as being like the entire earth filled with crops that you should see, Kāśyapa, the crops of the bodhisattva great beings’ roots of virtue; they are the accumulations of merit and wisdom that in an unsurpassed manner embody the entire buddhadharma, such as the six perfections, by means of abiding, without abiding, within the relative and ultimate truths. When they have ripened, the bliss of the unsurpassed wisdom that is endowed with the supreme of all aspects becomes, in a manner that is beyond reference points, the sustenance of all beings.”
Venerable Mahākāśyapa exclaimed to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, that is amazing! Well-Gone One, that is amazing! It is exactly as the Blessed One has explained, without explaining. Blessed One, that is how the bodhisattva great beings, by means of the unsurpassed wisdom beyond focus, which is endowed with the supreme of all aspects, engage in, without engaging in, the level of faithful practice—and thereby outshine the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points.”
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The bodhisattva great beings from the buddha realm of the Blessed Thus-gone Ratnaketu, who had arrived here in the Sahā world together with noble Mañjuśrī, now addressed the Blessed One. “Blessed One, it is like this. The instructions of the hearers and solitary buddhas who rely on reference points, such as the way to abandon disturbing emotions and determine downfalls, are all conceptual and specific instructions that involve reference points.
“In the buddha realm of the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Ratnaketu, there are no such instructions that involve reference points. Such instructions that involve focus do not exist there. Instead, Blessed One, the beings there listen, without listening, to the pure instructions of the bodhisattva great beings. They listen, without listening, to the irreversible instructions. They listen, without listening, to the instructions beyond reference points. They listen, without listening, to the instructions on how all phenomena are ultimately utterly unborn. They listen, without listening, to the instructions on how all phenomena are ultimately utterly unarisen.
“The Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Śākyamuni underwent great hardship. Having patience with so much suffering, and understanding that ultimately all phenomena are utterly unborn, he taught the higher, middling, and lower Dharma.
“It is like this: ultimately all phenomena are utterly unborn, utterly unarisen, and utterly unreal. However, from this single identity that all phenomena share on the ultimate level, the Blessed One teaches the Dharma, without teaching, in many ways in order to accommodate the reference points of beings.”
The bodhisattva great beings then began to venerate the Blessed, Thus-gone, Worthy, Perfect Buddha Śākyamuni with exquisite offerings, such as divine flowers, fragrant herbs, incense,
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flower garlands, unguents, powders, robes, parasols, standards, banners, and canopies with victory banners.
They addressed Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta. “Mañjuśrī,” they said, “we will now proceed to Jewel World.”
Mañjuśrī told them, “Children of noble family, if you know that the time has come to leave, then do so.”
The bodhisattva great beings asked him, “Mañjuśrī, are you not coming with us?”
Mañjuśrī replied, “Children of noble family, all buddha realms are a single buddha realm. Likewise, all buddhas are a single buddha. Likewise, all dharmas are a single dharma. Likewise, all beings are a single being. Since there are no differences between these, children of noble family, I will also go there.”
The bodhisattva great beings asked, “Mañjuśrī, in what way are all of the buddha realms a single buddha realm? Mañjuśrī, in what way are all buddhas a single buddha? Mañjuśrī, in what way are all dharmas are a single dharma? Mañjuśrī, in what way are all beings a single being?”
Mañjuśrī answered, “Children of noble family, none of the buddha realms are realms. Why? Because ultimately they are utterly unborn. Children of noble family, none of the buddhas are buddhas. Why? Because ultimately they are utterly unarisen. Children of noble family, none of the dharmas are dharmas. Why? Because ultimately they are utterly unreal. Children of noble family, no beings are beings. Why? Because ultimately they are all utterly and entirely unarisen.”
With these words, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta
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caused this trichiliocosm to appear precisely, without any difference, like the Jewel World of the Blessed, Thus-gone Ratnaketu. As he had thus fulfilled his intention, he rested evenly in absorption. Then the bodhisattva great beings also saw the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Ratnaketu and the Jewel World. In fact the bodhisattva great beings all thought that they had arrived in the Jewel World. Looking at the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, they saw him in the precise colors and shape of the Blessed, Thus-gone Ratnaketu. Even the great hearers thought that they had become bodhisattva great beings.
The bodhisattva great beings, who thought that they were beholding Ratnaketu, asked the Blessed, Thus-gone Śākyamuni, “Blessed One, who has brought us to this Jewel World?”
The Blessed Śākyamuni asked them, “Children of noble family, who has led you?”
The bodhisattva great beings replied, “Blessed One, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta led us.”
The Blessed Śākyamuni said, “Children of noble family, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta has brought you here without coming and going.”
Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta told the bodhisattva great beings. “Children of noble family, to find out where you are being led to, and from where you are being led, look with your equipoise!”
When the bodhisattva great beings each looked through their meditative absorption,
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they saw that they had never moved from this Sahā world. Amazed, they were full of astonishment and exclaimed, “Although we never got up from our seats, we thought that we had traveled to the Jewel World. But it was Mañjuśrī who caused it all by means of his inconceivable blessing without blessing!” They then added, “Blessed One, may all beings also attain this blessing in a manner beyond reference point!”
Then the Blessed Śākyamuni spoke to the bodhisattva great beings. “Children of noble family, consider this analogy. Space contains the earth, and also wood, zinc, copper, silver, gold, as well gems, pearls, beryl, conch, crystal, coral,⁵ cat’s eye, conch shells that coil to the right, and red pearls, so that all these are contained within space. Yet at the same time, children of noble family, although relatively there are of course different items contained, space itself remains undifferentiated. And why? Because ultimately space is utterly unreal.
“Likewise, children of noble family, ultimately all phenomena are surely utterly unborn, utterly unarisen, and utterly unreal. And yet, through the relative conventions of the world, they are imputed and designated in a conventional manner: ‘This is form, this is feeling, this is perception, this is formation, this is consciousness. These are the sense fields. These are the elements. This is the Jewel of the Buddha. This is the Jewel of the Dharma. This is the Jewel of the Saṅgha. This is the vehicle of the hearers. This is the vehicle of the solitary buddhas. This is the unexcelled vehicle. These are the paths of the ten virtuous actions. These are the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions. These are hell beings. These are the animal existences. These are the abodes of the hungry spirits.
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These are demigods. These are humans. These are gods. These are gods who experience desire. These are gods who experience form. These are gods who experience the formless. This is the desire realm. This is the form realm. This is the formless realm. These are good physical actions. These are good verbal actions. These are good mental actions. This is the perfection of generosity. This is the perfection of discipline. This is the perfection of patience. This is the perfection of diligence. This is the perfection of concentration. This is the perfection of knowledge. This is the perfection of skillful means. This is the perfection of aspirations. This is the perfection of strength. This is the perfection of wisdom. These are the ten levels, the ten powers, the ten strengths of the bodhisattvas, the ten strengths of the thus-gone ones, the fourfold fearlessness, the four genuine discriminations, the five faculties, the five powers, the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha, the omniscient wisdom that is endowed with the supreme of all aspects, the awakening of a buddha, suchness, the limit of reality, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the unconditioned, all conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, all speech and objects of speech, consciousness and objects of consciousness.’
“In this way, as conventions are designated and connected, the relative conventions of the world are applied. Ultimately, however, all experiences are nonexistent. And why? Children of noble family, ultimately all phenomena are utterly unborn, utterly unarisen, and utterly unreal.”
The bodhisattva great beings were amazed. They rose from their seats and performed a very elaborate and unique worship of the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect
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Buddha Śākyamuni. They bowed down their heads to the feet of the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, in a manner beyond reference point, please emit your sound to all beings: a lion’s roar, an especially exalted sound, the sound of the supreme leader, the sound of a great being, a sound of the genuine, the sound of thatness, a sound beyond reference point, the sound of the ultimate.”
Those bodhisattva great beings happily and joyfully circumambulated the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Śākyamuni several hundred thousand times before finally departing from the presence of the Blessed One. Proceeding into the ten directions, they donned, in the manner of having no armor, the great armor of diligence beyond reference point. In this way they taught, without teaching, this Dharma teaching, which abides within both the ultimate and the relative truths. They taught this very Dharma-vinaya to tame all beings and, without establishing, they established these beings in the teaching.
Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta did not get up, but remained on his seat, resting evenly in absorption. By means of his absorption, a light known as eradicating the reference points and ignorance of all beings shone forth above his head from his crown protuberance. As the light appeared, it illuminated all the infinite buddha realms within all the worlds in the ten directions. The light rays caused the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma so that the teaching on relying on both the relative and ultimate truth was heard, without being heard.
In order to pay homage to all the buddhas and the bodhisattva great beings in all the infinite and limitless worlds in the ten directions, the light produced clouds that rained down divine flowers, clouds that rained down divine fragrant herbs, clouds that rained down divine incense,
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clouds that rained down divine garlands, clouds that rained down divine unguents, clouds that rained down divine powders, clouds that rained down divine garments, clouds that rained down divine parasols, clouds that rained down divine standards, clouds that rained down divine banners, clouds that rained down divine victory banners, clouds that rained down divine canopies. There were clouds that rained down divine flowers, fragrant herbs, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, garments, parasols, standards, banners, victory banners, and canopies. Thus they sent forth clouds that rained down divine flowers, fragrant herbs, incense, garlands, unguents, powders, garments, parasols, standards, banners, victory banners, and canopies that were all of the finest quality and produced all forms of unexcelled exuberance.
Now Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta emerged from his absorption. In a manner beyond reference points, he circumambulated the Blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Śākyamuni several hundred thousand times before he departed from this Sahā world.
The Blessed One now told Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, you should uphold and propagate this Dharma teaching, which is the source of all buddhas and bodhisattva great beings.”
Venerable Ānanda answered the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I can indeed uphold this teaching, but I would be unable to propagate it. The reason, Blessed One, is that ultimately there are so many beings who cling to reference points; they also cling to physical matter, and they cling to substance, and it is extremely difficult to break them away from this mistaken grasping.”
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The Blessed One said to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, all the blessed buddhas in the past, present, and future have blessed, without blessing, this Dharma teaching. Ānanda, you only need to act as a mere circumstance.”
Venerable Ānanda asked him, “Blessed One, what happens if a son or daughter of noble family should hear just a little of this teaching?”
The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, it is based on this Dharma teaching that the Thus-gone One genuinely teaches, shows reality, shows the absence of reference points, shows the ultimate, and teaches without teaching. This teaching is inconceivable and limitless. Ānanda, whoever hears, without hearing, a little of this Dharma teaching, even if it is just a single syllable, will encounter all the inconceivable and limitless teachings of the Buddha.”
Then Venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is the name of this Dharma teaching? How should one apprehend it?”
The Blessed One said, “Ānanda, you should know this Dharma teaching as Teaching the Relative and Ultimate Truths.”
When the Blessed One had spoken, the bodhisattva great beings, the great hearers, Venerable Ānanda, and the entire retinue, as well as the world with all its gods, humans, demigods, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised the Blessed One’s teachings.
Colophon
It was translated, proofed, and finalized by the Indian preceptors Śākyaprabha and Jinamitra, together with the translator-editor Bandé Dharmatāśīla and others.
Linked texts (1)
- འཕགས་པ་ཀུན་རྫོབ་དང་དོན་དམ་པའི་བདེན་པ་བསྟན་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ — Classical Tibetan