Teaching How All Phenomena Are without Origin

Translation of འཕགས་པ་ཆས་ཐམས་ཅད་འབྱང་བ་མད་པར་བསྟན་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད (འཕགས་པ་ཆོས་ཐམས་ཅད་འབྱུང་བ་མེད་པར་བསྟན་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ)

Language: English
Translator: Timothy Hinkle
Extent: 84 passages, 17,391 words
Text: complete digital text
Source: 84000 · Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committeeunder the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating… · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha). Shown whole and unaltered, with its notes, on a…

Text

84000's introduction

intro.1

While the Buddha is residing on Vulture Peak Mountain, the bodhisattva Siṃhavikrāntagāmin asks him a series of questions about emptiness and the nondual view in which the dichotomy between subject and object has been left behind. The Buddha responds with a discourse in verse identifying the nature of phenomena as the single principle of emptiness. Later, he teaches the bodhisattva about the dangers of judging the behavior of other bodhisattvas, and the dangers of making any imputations about phenomena at all—explaining that both stem from ill-founded preconceptions that are transcended with spiritual awakening. In an ensuing discussion with Mañjuśrī, the Buddha further connects many standard Buddhist concepts and categories to the nondual view that all phenomena are unborn and without intrinsic nature. Lastly, a god is instructed in the knowledge that overcomes the duality of various opposites, and Mañjuśrī concludes the sūtra by revealing the circumstances of his time as a beginning bodhisattva.

intro.2

Teaching How All Phenomena Are without Origin presents the Buddha Śākyamuni’s elucidation of the nature of phenomena and the way to conduct oneself. His discourse is oriented around a series of paradoxes between conduct and wisdom, and specifically highlights the interplay of monastic discipline and the activities that best serve beings. To illustrate these paradoxes the Buddha draws on scenes from his own past lives and those of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, scenes that are also meant to illustrate the negative karmic consequences of criticizing the conduct of bodhisattvas.

intro.3

The sūtra is set on Vulture Peak Mountain, where the Buddha is asked a series of questions about emptiness and the nondual view by the bodhisattva Siṃhavikrāntagāmin. The Buddha responds with a discourse in verse identifying the single principle of emptiness as the nature of phenomena, but he cautions that immature bodhisattvas will not properly understand that teaching. Later, he tells the story of the two bodhisattvas Cāritramati and Viśuddhacāritra to illustrate the dangers of judging the behavior of bodhisattvas because of misunderstanding the nature of their skillful means. He then explains, with great psychological insight, how such value judgements are generally based on ill-founded and preconceived notions that need to be abandoned by those who seek awakening. Next follows a discussion with Mañjuśrī in which the Buddha explains that many standard Buddhist concepts and categories used to describe the path to awakening are mere imputations, and that their true import will be realized once all phenomena are known to be unborn and without intrinsic nature. In their ensuing dialogue, various standard Buddhist expressions are relativized in terms of this ultimate, nonobjectifying view. This discussion demonstrates that the Buddhist path is only fully realized once the habitual tendency to accept, reject, or otherwise objectify phenomena, including phenomena of the path itself, has been left behind.

intro.4

In the last part of the sūtra, the Buddha, followed by Mañjuśrī, instructs a god named Playful Clairvoyant Lotus in the knowledge that penetrates sound and language and enables one to see through the duality of various opposites. Mañjuśrī is then induced to tell his story as a neophyte bodhisattva, to further illustrate the problem of negatively judging the conduct of other spiritual practitioners and underestimating the potential of a student. The sūtra refers repeatedly to the theme of the single principle, the realization of emptiness. When this is known, all proscribed activity—indulgence in sense pleasures and disturbing emotions—need no longer be avoided. However, since no one except the Buddha can be the final judge of another being’s conduct or realization, bodhisattvas are strongly encouraged to avoid judging one another and to teach according to the student’s capacity.

intro.5

Fragments of a Sanskrit version of this sūtra have survived, as have two translations into Chinese by Kumārajīva (fourth century, Zhu fa wu xing jing 諸法無行經, Taishō 650) and Jñānagupta (fifth century, Fu shuo zhu fa ben wu jing 佛說諸法本無經, Taishō 651). The extant Sanskrit sections of the sūtra have been translated into English by Jens Braarvig, who also published a Sanskrit edition that includes parallel passages of the Tibetan and Chinese translations.¹ In his introduction to the text, Braarvig tentatively dates the sole surviving Sanskrit manuscript to the fifth century ce, a considerably later date than that of Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation. According to the colophon to the Tibetan translation, the sūtra was translated into Tibetan by the monk Rinchen Tso, a translator active sometime during the late eighth and early ninth centuries ce. However, the Tibetan translation is not included in the early ninth-century Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) inventory of Tibetan translations, so this dating and the attribution to Rinchen Tso cannot be verified by this source. The title of the text is, however, included in the Mahāvyutpatti (as entry no. 1362), so the dating of the Tibetan translation to the early ninth century does seem reasonable in spite of its absence from the Denkarma inventory.²

intro.6

The primary Tibetan text used for the present translation was the Degé (sde dge) edition, but the other editions considered in the Comparative Kangyur (dpe bsdur ma) were also consulted. In passages where the Sanskrit was available, it was consulted for our translation. However, as the Sanskrit and Tibetan manuscripts are often radically different, we have primarily based our translation on the Tibetan, except in those cases where the Sanskrit sheds light on, or clarifies, the Tibetan.

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Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha together with a great monastic assembly of five hundred monks. Also gathered there were twelve thousand bodhisattvas, including the bodhisattva great being Vyūhapratimaṇḍita, the bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin, the bodhisattva great being Anāvaraṇaraśminirdhautaprabhātejorāśi, the bodhisattva great being Giriśikharamerusvararāja, the bodhisattva great being Priyaprahasitavimalaprabha, the bodhisattva great being Sūryacandrābhibhūtārci, the bodhisattva great being Paramavimalapaṭṭadhārin, the bodhisattva great being Niścaritatejaspadmapraphullitagātra, the bodhisattva great being Brahmasvaranirghoṣasvara, the bodhisattva great being Siṃharājagativikrīḍitamati, the bodhisattva great being Kanakārciśuddhavimalatejas, the bodhisattva great being Mṛdutaruṇasparśagātra, the bodhisattva great being Body That Expands Like a Golden Ornamented Victory Banner,³ the bodhisattva great being Daśaraśmimārabalapramardin, the bodhisattva great being Śāntīndriyeryāpathapraśāntagāmin,

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the bodhisattva great being Dharaṇīndharābhyudgatarāja, the bodhisattva great being Singer of Divine Melodies, the bodhisattva great being Sarvadharmeśvaravaśavikrāntagāmin, the bodhisattva great being Śrītejovimalagātra, and the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta. Ninety-two thousand other bodhisattvas were also present.

While beholding this bodhisattva assembly, the bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin stood up, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together he bowed toward the Blessed One and said in verse:

“Guide of boundless renown, please explain
How phenomena are without a life principle, personality, and self.
This supreme assembly, so sublime,
Is filled with peace, constant peace, and lasting peace.

“How can a view be awakening?
How can freedom from anger, jealousy, and pride,⁴
Or from the nature of desire, be awakening?
Protector of boundless renown, please explain.

“Flawless one, how could the conditioned realm,
In which there is no nirvāṇa, ever be awakening?
Compassionate Victorious One, please explain
How phenomena are nondual.

“How is it that phenomena are utterly liberated?
How are they equivalent to nirvāṇa and liberation?
Protector, explain that which is unbound
And unattached to any attachment, like space.

“You who have the voice of the kalaviṅka, Brahmā, and the gods,
A golden countenance flawless in its luster,
A pleasing luminosity, and all supreme qualities,
Please explain the single principle, the permanent nature of reality.

“How is it that obscuration is the same as awakening?
How is it that phenomena are the nature of awakening?
How are Dharma and non-Dharma alike?

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How are the two similar to space?

“When they are neither numerable nor numberless,
How can phenomena be similar to peace?⁵
Faultless one, how is there no awakening in them,
And no omniscience either?

“The nature of what has been, is, and will be done,
As well as apprehension and the apprehended, has never existed.
Beings have also never existed.
How is there no Dharma practice in that?⁶

“There is no discipline or patience,
Nor is there ever any distorted discipline.
There is no concentration or insight,
So how could there ever be knowledge or ignorance?

“How are phenomena stainless and pure,
Nothing whatsoever, like space?
How is it that the nature of mind is never observed,
And that phenomena are devoid of mind?

“How is there no knowledge,
No meditation, and nothing realized?
There is nothing to be abandoned anywhere,
So how are beings like the element of space?

“Where reality is of a single principle,
There is no nature at all.
Protector, please explain this principle of phenomena
In which there is no arising at all.

“In it there is no learning, no worthy ones—
How could there be solitary buddhas?⁷
Where there are no phenomena seeking awakening,
How could there be coming and going?

“Where there is no dwelling or support,
And no coming or going,
Phenomena are free of coming and going,
So how do they remain stable and unmoving like mountains?

“How is there no perception or form?
How could the nature of form be awakening?
How are form and awakening not two?
Stainless and eminent Victor, speak about these things.

“Where there is no Buddha,
And where there is no Dharma or Saṅgha,
How could the supreme Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha
Be of a single principle?

“Where there is no emptiness or characteristics,
There is no gathering or separation.

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Phenomena are free of both name and being unnamed,
So how is sound made audible, like an echo?

“Where there is no arising or nonarising,
And no faultless nirvāṇa,
There is also no saṃsāra.
How do all phenomena come down to a single principle?

“In that, there are no gods or nāgas,
No yakṣas, kinnaras, or spirits,
And no hell beings either,
So how could there be any states of being?

“How is it that the Protector’s way of explaining phenomena,
And what is said by evil-minded tīrthikas,
Are not two different things?
How is it that all words are the same?”

The Blessed One expressed his approval to the bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin, saying, “Noble son, excellent, excellent! It is astonishing that you ask such questions that all worldly beings find difficult to grasp. Noble son, this is certainly acceptable, but why do you ask? This is not a subject fit for beginning bodhisattvas who possess the views of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, nonarising, the intangible, no attributes, buddhas, and awakening. Noble son, do not speak of this Dharma teaching in front of beginning bodhisattvas.

“Why? Because this teaching will entirely interrupt their roots of virtue. It might cause them to regress from the awakening of the buddhas and fall into eternalism or nihilism. It is possible they will not understand what realization the thus-gone ones base their teachings on.”

The bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin replied, “Blessed One, please explain this. In the future there will be bodhisattvas who have the views of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness,

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nonarising, no attributes, buddhas, and awakening. They will conceptualize everything as emptiness and signlessness, be fond of speech, be attached to expressions, believe syllables to be pure, be inclined to conversation, and cling fondly to elegant expressions and names.

“If these bodhisattvas hear the Thus-Gone One teaching the Dharma beyond letters or words, they will abandon these views and teach the Dharma according to whatever interests beings have. Then, trained in skillful means, they will speak of having few desires but will not realize purity through it.

“They will speak of endeavoring in rituals but will not realize purity through it. They will speak of vows but will not realize purity because of them. They will criticize social obligations and become interested in complete disengagement from all phenomena. They will praise the delights of solitude where there are no social obligations but will not realize purity because of it. They will praise the mind of awakening and know the nature of the mind to be awakened.

“They will praise the extensive sūtra teachings and know all phenomena extensively. They will express the words of the bodhisattvas and will not regard hearers, solitary buddhas, and buddhas as different.

“They will praise generosity and realize the equality of generosity. They will praise discipline and realize natural discipline. They will praise patience and see the fact that all phenomena are exhausted, purified, and unborn. They will praise diligence

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and realize that no phenomenon requires seeking or effort. They will show how millions of gateways of concentration and equilibrium are accomplished, and will know all phenomena to be naturally settled in equipoise. They will offer a thousand kinds of praise to knowledge, and thereby realize the nature of knowledge and deficient knowledge.

“They will reveal the faults of attachment and not see anything to be attached to. They will reveal the faults of aversion and not see anything to be averse to. They will reveal the faults of stupidity and be inspired to separate all phenomena from the obscuration of stupidity.

“They will teach beings the danger of passing into hell, the animal realm, and of realm of the lord of death, but they will not apprehend hell beings, the animal realm, or the realm of the lord of death. They will teach the Dharma that aligns with beings’ interests. There are those who are interested in the single principle of emptiness, and likewise there are those who are interested in the single principle of signlessness, wishlessness, nonarising, intangibility, and no attributes. Therefore, Blessed One, hearers, solitary buddhas, and bodhisattva great beings who have just entered this vehicle do not have a vocabulary for such skillful means. To remedy this, please provide a vocabulary for skillful means to those who are interested in the profound and in the single principle.”

Then the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin, “Noble son, listen well and bear what I say in mind. I will explain this topic to you.”

“Yes, Blessed One, I will.”

The bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin

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then listened as instructed as the Blessed One spoke the following verses:

“Those who awaken to supreme awakening
Without being disturbed by attachment or aversion
Become victorious when they understand
It is because of desire that all phenomena have the nature of desire.

“Do not objectify attachment,
And likewise do not objectify aversion or stupidity.
Those who understand that all phenomena are like space
Will become victorious.

“View and no view are of a single principle.
Same and not same are likewise the same.
There is no Buddha, no Dharma, and no Saṅgha.
Whoever understands this is wise.

“Just as someone who is dreaming
Dreams of awakening and a buddha taming beings,
But there is no true awakening and there are no beings,
Likewise, the entire Dharma is in fact like that.

“Those who have set out for awakening found nothing at all.
They found nothing and will never find anything.
Knowledge and awareness are of a single principle.
Knowing this, they will be victorious.

“The nature of beings is said to be awakening itself.
The nature of awakening is all beings.
Beings and awakening—these are not two different things.
Knowing this, they become supreme beings.

“When a trained magician
Manifests a multitude of visual illusions,
The illusions appear but are nothing whatsoever,
And yet they delight deluded beings.

“Attachment and aversion are always the same.
Stupidity and illusion also are always the same.
Childish beings with averse, deluded minds
Are cast into the lower realms by their stupidity.

“Reality is like an illusion—
There is no attachment or aversion, and no stupidity whatsoever.
Yet childish beings form concepts
And suffer in the fire of afflictive emotions.

“The knowledge that phenomena are unborn
Entails there are no afflicted beings
Or anyone who has ever awakened,
Yet people form concepts and say, ‘We will awaken.’

“Those who see there are no buddhas, no buddha qualities,

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That there have never been beings,
And who see space-like reality
Swiftly become the leaders of beings.

“There is no awakening for those who desire it;
They are as far from supreme awakening as the earth from the sky.
It is those who know reality to be illusory
Who will swiftly attain buddhahood.

“There are those who think about discipline,
But they have no discipline; there is no discipline to see.
Lax discipline and proper discipline are one;
Those who know this become protectors.

“In their dreams, some beings
Act on their desires and experience pleasure.
Influenced by stupidity and delusion, they imagine women
When there never were any women at all.

“In delusion, childish beings falsely conceptualize
Lax discipline and proper discipline both.
There is neither discipline nor lax discipline.
Those who know this become protectors.

“Not knowing the nature of sound,
Those of childish mind become attached to labels.
Those who know these labels do not exist
Attain the supreme strength of patience.

“Many beings have made the pledge to awaken,
And verbally explain that fact to others.
Verbally clinging to purity, they lose perseverance,
All while being fully immersed in awakening.

“Beings are attached to pure and confused activities,
Delight in words and talk, and are unwise.
If they do not know the nature of phenomena,
They will not awaken through the purity of words.

“How will those who boast of the emptiness of phenomena,
Who love arguing, have minds made hostile by conflict,
Think cruelly, and have no vows,
Ever have the Buddha’s qualities or awakening?

“A cruel mind and patience are of a single principle;
Knowing this, a person gives up anger.
Those who do not know the nature of beings
Have childish minds and are filled with anger.

“They say that all beings are devoid of self
And pray that the victors will liberate⁸ beings,
But merely mentioning this provokes their anger.
Because they harbor such aggression, do not speak a word to them.

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“Those who love conflict and cultivate wrongdoing
May constantly sing the praises of patience.
Though they say that all phenomena are emptiness,
They are swollen with pride and thus perpetuate confusion.

“Attached to food and bound by the knot of ignorance,
They think of sense pleasures day and night.
They go to farms, villages, and towns,
And claim to liberate many beings.

“They say, ‘I have compassion for all beings
And am benevolent to the whole world.’
But their words, impelled by an aggressive mind,
Undermine that very fact.

“You will never see or hear of
Malevolence and compassion coexisting.
Yet even people who are angry with each other
Aspire to the realm of limitless life.

“There are places as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River
Where violence and abuse predominate.
The victors will not visit these realms
Where the cultivation of sublime patience is neglected.

“Those who know that worlds are not worlds
Will say that worlds are of the nature of space.
They have no concepts about the qualities of such worlds
And will proceed to the world of the supreme beings.

“It is said I should be patient with any harm done,
And that I should regard the Victor’s heirs as teachers.
Never have I seen or heard of anger
In those who are thought of as teachers.

“They are attached to villages where they beg and receive food,
And criticize one another’s conduct.
‘This one is destined to be my student;
No one should go to see them,’ they announce.

“ ‘No one can compare to me.
This person’s conduct is impure,’ they say.
Being unwise, they will not attain awakening;
They are completely impotent.

“One must bow one’s head to bodhisattvas
Three times in the day and the same at night.
One must not think they are confused in any way,
And carry on acting the way one wishes.

“When seeing someone enjoying sense pleasures,
Do not think of them as being confused in any way.
Through the qualities of limitless awakened conduct,
They will attain awakening in the future.

“One does not become victorious all at once;

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It is attained through gradual stages of logic and action.
It is acquired by donning the armor for many millions of eons
And not by any other means.

“With no thought, conceptuality, or attachment,
I too attain awakening similar to attachment.⁹
Disturbing emotions do not exist and will never exist.
Trust in this and attain sublime patience.

“One should engage with phenomena as beyond language
And see all sound as beyond sound.
One who trusts that phenomena are like this
Is free of attachment, aversion, and stupidity.

“Attachment and awakening are the same—no less, no more.
Realize both to be beyond language.
Both are merely labels;
They are expressed in language yet do not exist.

“When one knows all sounds are a single sound,
Sound will never be multifarious.
Whatever I explain and whatever tīrthikas say
Are known to share this reality.

“These phenomena are expressed in sound through speech,
Yet the phenomena and the sound are not apprehended.
When one enters into this single principle of reality,
Supreme and unsurpassed patience is attained.

“Anger, patience, sense pleasures, and impatience
Should not be conceptualized or imputed.¹⁰
When one knows the unborn in that way,
One becomes a faultless and supreme being.

“Imagine that someone took
All the grains of sand in the Ganges River
As it extends to the north, south, east, and west,
Made each grain into a buddha realm, and placed it in one direction.

“They then filled each of these buddha realms
With jewels for the victors
And made offerings to them for many millions of eons.
The merit of transcribing this discourse would be greater still.
For those who do so, merit will grow boundlessly.

“I entrust this discourse to those who have gone forth,
Striving for awakening in this way.
They will swiftly attain sublime patience.

“Those who teach the limitless gateways of this discourse
Will soon attain the dhāraṇīs.
They will obtain millions of discourses
And the qualities of eloquence and mental acuity.

“They will gain understanding by clearing the obstacles to words
And swiftly gain precise analytical knowledge.
Infinite buddhas will bestow the gift of eloquence
And teach many discourses in myriad ways.

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“Whoever understands this principle
Will recollect many discourses on their own,
Travel to the sublime worlds,
And venerate the protectors upon arrival.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, you have benefited all the beings who heard this teaching in verse.”

“Noble son, do you see this assembly?”

“Blessed One, I do. Blessed One, there are innumerable beings gathered here for this Dharma teaching. Blessed One, the sky above is filled with gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. Blessed One, many beings from other worlds also heard this teaching.”

Then the Blessed One said this to the bodhisattva great being Siṃhavikrāntagāmin: “Noble son, as I was giving this Dharma teaching, ninety-eight thousand gods developed the acceptance that phenomena are unborn, ninety-two thousand yakṣas aroused the intention to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening, and thirty-six thousand nāgas aroused the intention to awaken. Five hundred arrogant monks who falsely presumed their own attainment came to trust that all phenomena are of a single principle when they heard this teaching, which is devoid of arrogance. Free from the causes that perpetuate cyclic existence, their minds were liberated from the defilements. Among this assembly of bodhisattvas, sixty-two thousand gained an unobscured understanding of all phenomena and then gained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Why was that?

“Noble son, this Dharma teaching is superb.

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Noble son, previously I myself fully assimilated the single principle of all phenomena in the presence of the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Dīpaṅkara. Subsequently, I gained the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Noble son, hearing this Dharma teaching is equivalent to mastering all the six perfections. Noble son, I have stated that in realizing this principle, one completes all six perfections of the bodhisattva great beings. Why is this?

“Noble son, even if bodhisattvas were to give generously, guard their discipline, practice patience, cultivate diligence, rest evenly in concentration, and authentically generate insight for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, all their roots of virtue would eventually be exhausted if this Dharma principle was not understood. Noble son, consider what happened to the roots of virtue possessed by Devadatta. Noble son, Devadatta had thirty of the marks of a great person. He had such roots of virtue, but did not understand this Dharma principle, and so his roots of virtue expired and he was born in the great hell of Ceaseless Torment. Noble son, understand that the roots of virtue of those who have not fully assimilated this Dharma principle will expire, just as happened in his case.

“Noble son, in the past, many countless, limitless, vast, and immeasurable eons ago, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Mervabhyudgatarāja came to the world. He was a blessed buddha who was learned and virtuous, a sugata, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, and a teacher of gods and humans. The lifespan of this thus-gone one was ninety-nine trillion years. His world was called Kanakārcis,

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as that buddha realm was made entirely of gold. All its beings were in the process of attaining nirvāṇa through the three vehicles of the hearers, solitary buddhas, and bodhisattvas.

“All eighty trillion monks who were in the first assembly of that thus-gone one’s hearers were worthy ones. They had exhausted the defilements, put down their burdens, attained benefit for themselves, and eliminated what bound them to existence. Their minds had been completely liberated by authentic teachings. The second assembly consisted of seventy trillion monks, the third of sixty trillion monks, and the fourth of fifty trillion, all of whom were worthy ones, had exhausted the defilements, had put down their burdens, had attained benefit for themselves, and had eliminated what bound them to existence. Their minds had been completely liberated by authentic teachings. There were twice as many nuns in the assembly, as well as twice as many laymen and laywomen. There were also twice as many bodhisattvas in the assembly, all of whom were irreversible beings, had gained acceptance that phenomena are unborn, were skilled in accomplishing the ways of absorption, and had attained the dhāraṇī of the boundless gateways. Given that this entire assembly was comprised of those who could turn the wheel of Dharma of irreversibility, what need is there to mention the assembly of those who had newly entered the Bodhisattva Vehicle? Also in that assembly were a limitless number of followers of the vehicle of the solitary buddhas.

“Such was the limitless assembly, noble son, that had gathered around that blessed one. In the Kanakārcis world, all the plants and trees were made of jewels.

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From these trees issued the sounds of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, nonarising, nonceasing, intangibility, and no attributes. The presence of these sounds liberated the minds of the beings living in that world. After that thus-gone one had passed completely beyond suffering, his sublime Dharma remained for a thousand years, after which those sounds stopped reverberating from the trees.

“Noble son, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Mervabhyudgatarāja appointed a monk and Dharma teacher named Viśuddhacāritra as the holder of his sublime Dharma and then passed completely beyond suffering.

“At that time there was also a monk named Cāritramati. He had a great degree of pure discipline, had attained the five mundane superknowledges, and was well trained in the Vinaya. This monk engaged in intense austerities, was inclined toward frugality, and worked within the community. He built a monastery where he lived, and where everyone in the community was oriented to pure discipline and committed to the qualities of purification. This monk cultivated diligence and always maintained the mind of awakening. He inspired other bodhisattvas to live this way of life and to adopt views with a reference point. He caused them to accept that all karmic predispositions are impermanent, that all karmic predispositions are painful, and that all karmic predispositions lack a self. This monk was skilled in absorption and possessed roots of virtue, yet he was not learned in the conduct of bodhisattvas.

“The monk and Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra was skilled in discerning those of superior and inferior faculties,

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and everyone in his community was intent on their commitment to the ascetic practices, had patience beyond reference point, and was skilled in means. Noble son, the Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra traveled with his community to the monastery where Cāritramati lived and took up residence there. From that monastery they went on regular alms rounds to villages, motivated by compassion for beings, and then returned to the monastery. In this way, he caused hundreds of thousands of families to develop faith in them. Everyone in the community behaved skillfully. They would also travel to the villages and teach beings the Dharma, and even established many hundreds of thousands of animals in unsurpassed and perfect awakening. The monk Cāritramati’s community, however, was focused on concentration and did not travel to the villages.

“Cāritramati lost his faith in these other bodhisattvas, and so struck the wooden beam to call the monastic saṅgha to assembly. ‘Who among us is properly maintaining their spiritual commitments? No one should travel to the villages. Your behavior is careless. You end up speaking too much, so what is accomplished by going to the villages? The Blessed One has instructed us to stay in monasteries, and indeed he has commended it. Therefore, you should not go to town but instead enjoy the bliss of concentration,’ he ordered. But they did not heed his advice and continued visiting the villages.

“Noble son, when those monks were returning from the villages, the monk Cāritramati once again struck the wooden beam and called the monastic saṅgha to assembly. He gave them an ultimatum: ‘If you are going to keep visiting the villages, you may not stay in this monastery.’

“Noble son, to protect the mind of Cāritramati, the monk and Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra then summoned his community and commanded them, ‘Nobody shall go to the villages!’

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However, those monks were displeased that they were thenceforth unable to encounter any of the beings whom they were to ripen, and their roots of virtue waned.

“Noble son, after three months had passed, the monk and Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra moved from that monastery to another temple. He also traveled to towns, villages, provinces, realms, and royal courts, teaching the Dharma to beings.

“Noble son, the monk Cāritramati then saw how the Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra traveled repeatedly to the villages. He observed how those in Viśuddhacāritra’s community persisted in their mundane conduct, and lost faith in them. He told many people, ‘This monk has lax and perverse discipline. How could he gain awakening? Awakening for this monk is far off indeed. This monk is far too indulgent.’

“Noble son, sometime later, the time of the monk Cāritramati’s death arrived. After he died, the ripening of this action caused him to plummet to the great hell of Ceaseless Torment, and he experienced the suffering of the great hells for nine hundred ninety billion eons. For another sixty lifetimes he encountered unpleasant speech, and for thirty-two thousand lifetimes he had no access to the renunciant’s life. The residual traces of that karmic obscuration allowed him to become a renunciant during the time of the teachings of the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Expanding Stainless Light. As a renunciant he did not attain even a semblance of patience, even though he practiced for sixty trillion years as if his head were on fire, and for many hundreds of thousands of lives his faculties remained dull.

“Noble son, if you believe that at that time, on that occasion,

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the monk and Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra was someone other than the Thus-Gone One Akṣobhya, you are mistaken. For at that time, on that occasion, the Thus-Gone One Akṣobhya was indeed the monk and Dharma teacher Viśuddhacāritra. Noble son, if you believe that at that time, on that occasion, the monk and Dharma teacher Cāritramati was someone other than me, then you are mistaken. For at that time, on that occasion, I was indeed the monk and Dharma teacher Cāritramati, and it was I who, because of his subtle methods, had distrustful thoughts about him. And because of the karmic obscurations I accumulated, I fell into the realm of hell beings.

“Noble son, there are karmic obscurations that are as subtle as that; and therefore, noble son, whoever does not wish for such karmic obscurations should not become angry about the conduct of others. All such types of conduct are worthy of trust. One should think, ‘I do not know another person’s mind. The behavior of beings is difficult to fathom.’

“It is recognizing the importance of this matter that the Thus-Gone One has given this Dharma advice: People should not judge one another. If they do, they only harm themselves. Only I or someone like me can judge people.

“Noble son, those who wish to protect themselves should not scrutinize the behavior of others. They should not criticize others, saying, ‘They are like this and that, he or she is like this.’ Rather, they should endeavor in the teachings of the Buddha day and night. Noble son, a bodhisattva who sincerely practices with a mind accustomed to the Dharma will be assiduous in not judging others.

“Noble son, suppose a bodhisattva were to establish all beings living throughout the great trichiliocosm on the path of the ten virtuous actions. Compared to that, if another bodhisattva were to take to solitude and merely arouse trust in the single principle of all phenomena for a single instant,

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or even just ask a question about it, inquire into it, teach on it, or recite it, then the merit of this would be far greater. Why is that?

“Noble son, when bodhisattvas fully assimilate this principle, they gain the purification of all karmic obscurations. They are then freed from all forms of attachment or anger toward beings and swiftly gain omniscience.”

Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when you say ‘karmic obscurations are purified,’ how are these karmic obscurations purified?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who knows that all phenomena are devoid of karma and ripening gains the purification of karmic obscurations. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who sees the limit of attachment and the limit of reality as the same, the limit of anger and the limit of reality as the same, and the limit of ignorance and the limit of reality as the same gains the purification of karmic obscurations. Moreover, Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who sees all beings and all phenomena as nirvāṇa’s expanse gains the purification of karmic obscurations.

“Why is this, Mañjuśrī? If you hold a view, karma accumulates. Mañjuśrī, immature, ordinary, unlearned beings do not know all phenomena to be utterly beyond suffering. They therefore conceptualize self and other, and thus accumulate physical, verbal, and mental karma. Because of these mistaken imputations, they think, ‘I am attached, I am angry, I am stupid.’ If they become renunciants under the teachings of the Thus-Gone One, they go on to think, ‘I am disciplined, I am chaste, I should transcend saṃsāra,

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I should attain nirvāṇa, and I should gain freedom from suffering.’

“Because of their mistaken imputations, they form concepts such as, ‘These phenomena are virtuous, these are nonvirtuous; these phenomena are to be known, these phenomena are to be avoided; these phenomena are to be actualized, these phenomena are to be cultivated; and suffering is to be understood, its origin is to be eliminated, cessation is to be actualized, and the path is to be cultivated. All karmic predispositions are impermanent, all karmic predispositions are painful, and all karmic predispositions are aflame. I must escape from karmic predispositions, whatever it takes!’

“When they conceptualize in this way, they form the perception that they are weary, and based on that indication, think, ‘To know these phenomena is to understand suffering. I will eliminate its origin, whatever it takes!’ They thus become deflated, worried, fearful, terrified, and horrified about everything, and think, ‘To feel ashamed about phenomena is to eliminate the origin.’ They will think, ‘I should actualize cessation, whatever it takes!’ They will impute labels on phenomena, and then form the perception of their cessation. They will think, ‘Actualizing phenomena is cessation.’ They will think, ‘I should cultivate the path, whatever it takes!’ They will go alone into solitude and focus on those practices, thus attaining tranquility. Their belief that they are weary and their attainment of tranquility will lead them to become disenchanted and disheartened with all phenomena. Their minds will turn away from them and they will become deflated, embarrassed, and reproachful. They will lose all excitement,

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and will think, ‘I am free from all suffering. Compared to this, there is nothing more I need to do. I am a worthy one.’ Then when they reach the point of death and see that they will be reborn, they will become doubtful and suspicious of the Buddha’s awakening. The mind that falls into such doubt will be born in the great hell realms. All of this is because they have imputed labels onto unborn phenomena.”

Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should we view the four truths of noble beings?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, whoever sees all karmic predispositions as unborn understands suffering. Whoever sees all phenomena as unoriginated eliminates the origin. Whoever sees all phenomena as utterly beyond suffering actualizes cessation. Whoever sees all phenomena as intangible cultivates the path.

“Mañjuśrī, whoever sees the four truths of noble beings in this way will not form concepts such as, ‘These phenomena are virtuous, and those are nonvirtuous; these are to be understood, these are to be eliminated, these are to be actualized, and these are to be cultivated; suffering is to be understood, the origin is to be eliminated, cessation is to be actualized, and the path is to be cultivated.’ Why is that?

“Any phenomenon toward which ordinary and immature beings become attached, angry, or ignorant is seen to be unborn, nonexistent, mistaken, imputed, and produced. Therefore, no phenomena are accepted or rejected. This type of mind is not attached to the three realms and correctly sees that the entirety of the three realms is unborn and

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like an illusion, a dream, an echo, and a hallucination. That mind regards all virtuous and nonvirtuous phenomena to be like visual distortions. It sees the realm of attachment as the expanse of nirvāṇa. Likewise, the elements of anger and ignorance are seen as the expanse of nirvāṇa.

“By seeing phenomena as having this nature, one will no longer be attached or angry toward any being. Why is that? Because one will no longer apprehend any phenomena to which one could be attached or angry. With a mind equal to space, one does not even see the Buddha, nor does one see the Dharma or the Saṅgha. Because one does not see any phenomena, one does not have any doubt about phenomena. Without doubt, there is no perpetuation. With no perpetuation, one attains nirvāṇa free from perpetuation. Mañjuśrī, because the elder Subhūti understands phenomena in this way, he does not come to bow to the Thus-Gone One’s feet. Why is that? If one does not apprehend oneself, how could one apprehend the Thus-Gone One? He is not there.”

Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should we relate to the four applications of mindfulness?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, teach renunciants of the future the application of mindfulness that examines the body in terms of its repulsiveness. Teach the application of mindfulness that examines sensations in terms of their arising and ceasing. Teach the application of mindfulness that examines the mind in terms of the fact that mind arises and ceases. Teach the application of mindfulness that examines phenomena through the understanding that anything that is not perceived as whole is not perceived as a phenomenon.”

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Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in that case, how should we relate to the four applications of mindfulness?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, it is acceptable that you ask this, for the thus-gone ones’ cryptic statements are hard to understand.”

Mañjuśrī then requested of the Blessed One, “Blessed One, well then, please give a teaching on how to cultivate the four applications of mindfulness.”

“Mañjuśrī,” said the Blessed One, “whoever sees the body as being the same as space cultivates the application of mindfulness that examines the body. Mañjuśrī, whoever does not apprehend sensations as being inner, outer, or neither cultivates the application of mindfulness that examines sensations. Mañjuśrī, whoever understands that mind is just a label cultivates the application of mindfulness that examines the mind. Mañjuśrī, whoever does not apprehend virtuous and nonvirtuous phenomena cultivates the application of mindfulness that examines phenomena. Mañjuśrī, this is how to relate to the four applications of mindfulness.”

Mañjuśrī asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should we relate to the five faculties?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, to see all phenomena as unborn because they are naturally nonarisen is the faculty of faith. Mañjuśrī, to not project the mind toward phenomena because they are free from notions of near or far is the faculty of diligence. Mañjuśrī, to not direct the mind toward phenomena or conceptualize them through mindfulness because they are free of reference point is the faculty of mindfulness. Mañjuśrī, to not think about any phenomena is the faculty of absorption. Mañjuśrī, because phenomena are free of birth and destruction, and of knowing and not knowing, to see that they are all naturally empty is the faculty of insight.

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Mañjuśrī, this is how to relate to the five faculties.”

Mañjuśrī asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should we relate to the seven limbs of awakening?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, seeing that phenomena lack inherent nature and cannot be an object of the mind is the limb of authentic mindfulness. Mañjuśrī, because that which is virtuous, nonvirtuous, and neutral cannot be established once they have been dissected and examined, to not apprehend any phenomenon is the limb of authentic investigation. Mañjuśrī, to not accept or reject the three realms due to fully understanding the perception of realms is the limb of authentic diligence. Mañjuśrī, to not take joy in any of the karmic predispositions because joy and sorrow are thoroughly known is the limb of authentic joy. Mañjuśrī, to not apprehend apprehensible objects and to remain calm toward all phenomena is the limb of authentic calm. Mañjuśrī, to not apprehend the mind after meditating on and gaining realization about all phenomena is the limb of authentic absorption. Resting in equanimity without being based in, relying upon, being attached to, or knowing any phenomenon, and without closely examining any phenomena, is the limb of authentic equanimity. Mañjuśrī, this is how to relate to the seven limbs of awakening.”

Mañjuśrī asked, “Blessed One, how should we relate to the eightfold path of noble beings?”

The Blessed One responded, “Mañjuśrī, seeing that all phenomena are not unequal, are nondual, and are indivisible is right view. Mañjuśrī, seeing that there is nothing to examine, investigate, or scrutinize, insofar as all phenomena are imperceptible, is right thought.

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Mañjuśrī, seeing that all phenomena are inexpressible, because of having grown deeply accustomed to equality and inexpressibility, is right speech. Mañjuśrī, seeing that all phenomena are without action and agent, because of not apprehending an agent, is right action. Mañjuśrī, maintaining the equality of livelihoods, and thus not amassing or diminishing any phenomena, is right livelihood. Mañjuśrī, doing absolutely nothing to phenomena, insofar as exertion and success do not exist, is right effort. Mañjuśrī, to not direct the mind toward or be mindful of any phenomena, because of avoiding any mindful action, is right mindfulness. Mañjuśrī, to not apprehend any phenomena, and thus rest naturally in equipoise, be without agitation, and recognize that there are no points of reference, is right absorption. Mañjuśrī, this is how to relate to the eightfold path of noble beings.

“Mañjuśrī, those who know the four truths of noble beings and see the four applications of mindfulness, the five faculties, the seven limbs of awakening, and the eightfold path of noble beings in this way are said to have transcended negativity, to have reached the far shore, and to stand on level ground. They are blissful and fearless, have set their burdens down, have stirred the dust, and are freed from everything. They are unafflicted, worthy ones, and both ascetics and brahmins. They are washed, perfected, and clean. They are children of the Śākyas and heirs to the buddhas. They have extracted the thorn, escaped the moat, leapt over the moat, removed the dart, and are free of fever. They are monks, noble ones, and perfect victory banners.

“Mañjuśrī, monks who possess this type of patience are objects of generosity for the world and its gods, fit for all gifts and honors. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, if a monk wishes to make the consumption of food gained in alms rounds meaningful

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and seeks to tame the māras, pass beyond saṃsāra, attain nirvāṇa, be freed from suffering, and become an object of the generosity of the world and its gods, that monk should endeavor in these teachings as explained.”

When this Dharma teaching was given, thirty thousand gods attained¹¹ realization of the Dharma and scattered many coral tree flowers on the Blessed One and Mañjuśrī. They said, “Blessed One, at the very least, whoever simply hears this teaching will go forth in the teachings of the Thus-Gone One. And further there are those who, hearing it, will become devoted to and confident in it and become assiduous in pursuing it correctly. Blessed One, whoever simply hears this teaching will no longer be arrogant.”

Then Mañjuśrī requested the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please teach the words of dhāraṇī taught by the thus-gone ones that causes bodhisattvas to attain unimpeded eloquence, the sound of which causes fearlessnes—a dhāraṇī that relates all phenomena with the qualities of a buddha and causes the realization that all phenomena come down to a single principle. Please teach us the words of such a dhāraṇī.”

The Blessed One said to Mañjuśrī, “Well then, Mañjuśrī, listen to this Dharma gateway. It is a Dharma gateway through which bodhisattvas obtain the illumination of all phenomena and swiftly attain the acceptance that phenomena are unborn. It is called teaching the words of the stake and the words of the seed.

“Mañjuśrī, what is this Dharma gateway called teaching the words of the stake and the words of the seed?

“Mañjuśrī, all beings are of one mind are seed words.”

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“Blessed One, why are these seed words?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, because there is no apprehension of reference points, there is no mind. Therefore, these are seed words.

“Mañjuśrī, all beings are of a single mode of being are seed words.”

“Blessed One, why are these seed words?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, all phenomena are inclined to be without attachment; they are space. Therefore, these are seed words.

“Mañjuśrī, all beings are a single being are seed words.”

“Blessed One, why are these seed words?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, because all beings are unborn, utterly unborn, unnamed, have only one path, and cannot be observed, they are taught to be a single being. Therefore, these are seed words.

“Mañjuśrī, attachment is a stake word.”

“Blessed One, why is this a stake word?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, attachment endures in the realm of reality in a manner of not enduring. It does not waver or move and is naturally discrete. It does not waver. Therefore, this is a stake word.

“Mañjuśrī, aggression is a vajra word.”

“Blessed One, why is this a vajra word?”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, aggression is indivisible, as for instance a vajra is indivisible and indestructible. Likewise, Mañjuśrī, phenomena do not exist as material objects, thus they are indestructible and indivisible. Therefore, this is a vajra word.

“Mañjuśrī, stupidity is a wisdom word.”

“Blessed One, why is this a wisdom word?”

First 32 of 86 passages. Read on

Teaching How All Phenomena Are without Origin

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