འཕགས་པ་རན་པ་ཆའ་མཐའ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 5

5

and the unique attributes, are also nothing but the realm of phenomena. With regard to the realm of phenomena, I do not see any distinct attributes of ordinary beings, worthy ones, solitary buddhas, or buddhas. How is this so? Mañjuśrī, in that realm there are no distinctions; such is the realm of phenomena. The realm of phenomena is an unadulterated realm.

“As an analogy, Mañjuśrī, consider rivers that have distinct names, colors, and waters. When they flow into the ocean it becomes impossible to differentiate them or identify them, saying, ‘This is the Ganges,’ ‘This is the Sītā,’ or ‘This is the Yamunā.’ Similarly, Mañjuśrī, within the realm of phenomena, all those phenomena that have different names cannot be distinctly labeled, saying, ‘These are the attributes of ordinary beings, and here are those of the hearers, solitary buddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas.’

“Mañjuśrī, consider this analogy. If you have different heaps of grain, you can label them, saying, ‘This is a heap of such-and-such a grain, and this is such-and-such.’ However, within the realm of phenomena you cannot make such distinctions and point out the individual attributes of ordinary beings, hearers, solitary buddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas.

“Mañjuśrī, consider this analogy. If you have different heaps of grain, you can label them, saying, ‘This is a heap of such-and-such a grain, and this is such-and-such.’ However, within the realm of phenomena you cannot make such distinctions, saying, ‘These are the attributes of ordinary beings, these are the attributes of worthy ones, these are the attributes of solitary buddhas, these are the attributes of bodhisattvas,