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Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1710 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

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The Commentary states: Nowadays, sentient beings are shrouded by habitual propensities; they reverently receive heterodox teachings and slander the Mahāyāna. Regarding the sūtras on emptiness and existence, they conceptualise and cling according to the letter, each endorsing their own understanding and mutually generating aversion and desire. Even if they desire the essential path of transcendence and rely personally on good spiritual friends, because they have each lost their way, they teach and study in a distorted and confused manner. Fearing the vast ocean of texts, they do not pursue them at the outset; although they delight in abridged sūtras, they are unable to understand them. Regarding conventional truth and ultimate truth, they contend in speaking of existence and non-existence, alternately accepting and rejecting mind and external phenomena. Wishing to make the true and false aspects of the correct Dharma's meaning fully distinguished, and to bring benefit and bliss to all faithful practicing sentient beings, I briefly praise the middle way according to what was taught before. As in the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra, where the Buddha, relying on the parikalpita, explained that all dharmas lack svabhāva, are unproduced and unceasing, and are originally in nirvāṇa, and taught the three non-natures of lakṣaṇa-niḥsvabhāvatā, utpatti-niḥsvabhāvatā, and paramārtha-niḥsvabhāvatā, at that time the Bodhisattva Paramārthasamudgata addressed the Buddha, saying: "Bhagavat, when the Buddha initially turned the dharmacakra of the catur-āryasatya solely for those who set out on the Śrāvaka vehicle, although it was exceedingly wondrous, it was not yet nītārtha, and was an occasion for all disputes. Next, turning the concealed wheel solely for those who set out on the Mahāyāna, he taught that all dharmas lack svabhāva, are unproduced and unceasing, and are originally in nirvāṇa; although it was even more wondrous, it was still neyārtha and likewise an occasion for all disputes. Now, turning the fully explicit wheel for those embarking upon all vehicles, it is unsurpassed and without rival; it is the true nītārtha teaching within the paramārtha, and not an occasion for any disputes." The Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra calls these three dharmas: turning, illuminating, and upholding. A "wheel" is named for its ability to crush, because it possesses both refutation and affirmation. Because sentient beings are confused about the dharmatā of phenomena, they give rise to afflictions and karma and sink into the ocean of saṃsāra. The Great Holy Dharma King has realized the svabhāva of phenomena; through skillful means, responding to their capacities, he uses words to explicitly express what is beyond words, wishing to make them attain the dharmatā of the middle way accordingly. Therefore, a verse states:

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The Buddhas sometimes speak of a self, / and at other times speak of no-self; / within the true reality of all dharmas, / there is neither self nor non-self.

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Other sūtras also state that the Buddha expounds boundless meanings with a single voice, and sentient beings each attain understanding according to their kind, just as a heavenly drum sounds in response to thought, and like a mani jewel rains down treasures as wished. Although various Dharma gates are set forth in response to beings, their wisdom and vision were pure and harmonious, and no conflict or contention had yet arisen. After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, due to Mahādeva, entanglement arose regarding persons and dharmas, and beings first became attached to existence. As a verse says:

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One should carefully examine the Buddha's teachings; / the noble truths are stated as the refuge. / Just as one gathers gold from sand, / select and take hold of the truth.

1.6

The holy Nāgārjuna and others, in order to eliminate attachment to existence, gathered the true teachings and fully explicated the school of emptiness. As another verse says:

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In their true nature, conditioned things are empty, / because they are produced from conditions like an illusion. / Unconditioned things have no reality; / not arising, they are like sky-flowers.

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They said that conventionally, phenomena can be spoken of as existing, but relying on paramārtha-satya, all are empty. Although this true emptiness is in its nature neither empty nor existent, when resorting to language in terms of the ultimate, the principle is that all are empty of nature. Sentient beings subsequently gave rise to views of emptiness from this. Bodhisattva Asaṅga then requested Maitreya to teach the doctrine of the middle way to eliminate both grasps, and he spoke the verse:

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Constructive imagination exists; / in it, duality is utterly absent. / Emptiness alone exists here; / and in that [emptiness], this [constructive imagination] also exists. / Therefore all dharmas are spoken of / as neither empty nor non-empty; / because of existence, non-existence, and existence, / this accords with the middle way.

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They said that conventionally, self and phenomena are said to exist, but relying on paramārtha-satya, there is only this twofold emptiness. Although the Buddha, in order to destroy attachment to emptiness and attachment to existence, preached in general terms the existence and emptiness of all dharmas, or spoke of all dharmas as neither empty nor existent, names and nature are separate, and both emptiness and existence are negated. When the ultimate resorts to verbal expression, there is emptiness and there is existence. Thus Maitreya taught that conditioned and unconditioned phenomena are termed existent, while self and what belongs to self are termed non-existent; he did not say that the dharmas of existence and emptiness are all empty or existent. Examining this noble intention, emptiness and existence do not conflict. Since phenomena are free from conceptual knowledge and verbal expression, what is empty and what exists? Responding to capacities to dispel diseases, existence and emptiness are metaphorically spoken of. Later students formed attachments following the letter: their own understanding they called accord with the middle principle, while what others knew they treated as erroneous explanations. Now praising the meaning of the sūtra, I set forth both sides; whether the profound principle is right or wrong, the wise will surely discern.

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"Prajñāpāramitā" is the common title of the Great Sūtra; "Heart Sūtra" is the distinctive name of this sūtra: it is the Heart Sūtra of prajñā. Explaining it as a compound (samāsa), it takes its name as a determinative compound (tatpuruṣa); with the nominal case ending (subanta), the genitive indicates the owner. Although this Heart Sūtra is also named Prajñā, that is general and this is specific, so it is simply called the Heart. "Prajñā" means wisdom. The ancient explanations had three: first, dharmatā refers to the true principle; second, contemplative insight refers to true wisdom; third, written words refer to the true teaching. The present explanation has five: fourth, retinue refers to the myriad practices; fifth, sensory objects refer to all dharmas. Merit and wisdom are cultivated together; existence and emptiness are illuminated equally. Tracing the expressions to understand the import, investigating the principle so understanding arises, both the nature of wisdom and the requisites of wisdom are all called prajñā. It can remove obscurations and habits, and realize the true principle of dharmas; it is the foremost of all virtues and the guide of the myriad practices. Although specifically named wisdom, it subsumes all dharmas. "Pāra" means the other shore. Ancient explanations had two, namely bodhi and nirvāṇa; the present explanation has five: 1. the knowable, 2. the teaching, 3. the principle, 4. the practice, 5. the fruit. "Mitā" means separation, and means arrival: because through practicing prajñā, one separates from all obscurations and defilements, exhausts existence and non-existence in objects of cognition, penetrates the six treasuries in understanding, comprehends conventional and ultimate in meaning, completes both causes in karma, and perfects awakening and tranquility—this is ascending to the other shore. Both essence and function are mentioned together, so this name is established. However, only when the cultivated practice possesses the seven supreme qualities can it be named pāramitā: 1. abiding in the bodhisattva family (gotra); 2. relying on the great mind of bodhi; 3. having compassion for sentient beings; 4. completely practicing all deeds; 5. being embraced by signless wisdom; 6. dedicating towards bodhi; 7. not being interrupted or mixed with the two obscurations. If one practices wisdom and all other wholesome karmas, yet lacks any one of these, it is not reaching the other shore. In the first incalculable aeon, this is called pāramitā; in the second incalculable aeon, it is called near-pāramitā (upapāramitā); in the third incalculable aeon, it is called great pāramitā (mahāpāramitā). In the stage of the Buddha fruit, there is no other designation; now, subsuming cause and fruit, the common title is raised. "Heart" is an appellation for what is solid, subtle, and supreme. The Great Sūtra responds to capacities, and both its meaning and text are vast; in receiving, upholding, transmitting, and practicing it, some may produce faint-heartedness and retreat. Holy beings who transmitted the Dharma extracted its solid, subtle, and supreme essentials and separately produced this sūtra. The three sections and the two prefaces are therefore all omitted; distilling the subtle and quintessential, and compiling and extracting the essential outline, although phenomena are of ten thousand forms, they are unified in that form itself is emptiness; though the paths are a thousand gates, they are traversed in having no wisdom and gaining everything. Probing the secret purport of the vast text, it takes the steadfast heart as its name. "Sūtra" is a maxim guiding toward the subtle principle, a constant norm assisting bewildered beings. Wishing to make them realize accordingly, or rely upon or speak of the steadfast reality of prajñā, this sūtra was preached, and hence designated by "Heart", like the water and land flowers in the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, the Daśabhūmika-sūtra, and other sūtras.

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The Sūtra says: Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva,

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The Commentary states: Those who emphasize emptiness say: In the present sūtra there are briefly two parts. First, from "Avalokiteśvara" onward, it destroys the two grasps and reveals the twofold emptiness. Later, from "Bodhisattva" onward, it praises the two refuges and the attainment of the two benefits. The Great Sūtra says: The Buddha said to Śāriputra, when a bodhisattva mahāsattva practices the prajñāpāramitā, he should contemplate thus: truly there is a bodhisattva, yet he does not perceive a bodhisattva, nor does he perceive the name of a bodhisattva. The bodhisattva's svabhāva is empty, and the bodhisattva's name is empty. Therefore, now indicating the bodhisattva causes them not to perceive him; thus destroying the grasp of a person (pudgala-grāha), it speaks of pudgala-nairātmya. Those who accord with the context say: In the present sūtra there are generally three parts. First, from "Avalokiteśvara" onward, it indicates the superior person's cultivation, encouraging and showing the arousal of the resolve [for bodhi]. Next, from "Śāriputra" onward, it sets forth the name of the one whose capacity was responsive, stating the principle and presenting analogies. Later, from "Bodhisattva" onward, it reveals the virtues of relying on this practice and praises the attainment of supreme benefits. Alternatively, first, it causes tempering; next, it severs the four situations; later, it separates from suffering and completely realizes. Tempering has three aspects; here, indicating the bodhisattva as a practitioner of the past encourages and demonstrates the arousal of the mind, which is the first tempering. That is, hearing that bodhi is vast and profound, if faint-hearted retreat arises, one should temper the mind: that Avalokiteśvara in the past, when first generating the mind, was fully possessed of afflictions, yet within the shell of ignorance established the supreme mind, relinquished body, life, and wealth, sought the Buddha's wisdom, gave rise to great vigor, and has already attained equal awakening; I too should be like this, encouraging myself to increase cultivation, and should not belittle myself and give rise to faint-hearted retreat.

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"Observing" (avalokita) means examining, the wisdom and compassion that looks down to rescue. "Sovereign" (īśvara) means unhindered, the marvelous function of rescuing and delivering. When all who exist take refuge with earnest and pure actions of the three karmas, he must respond to their prayers, manifesting transformation through the six superknowledges; with a flying wheel crushing times of no leisure, dangers, and sufferings, he acts as an uninvited friend and a physician responding to illness, his gathering in and benefiting being beyond conception; hence he is called Avalokiteśvara. Furthermore, "observing" means illuminating, the wisdom that understands emptiness and existence. "Sovereign" means mastery, the supreme fruit attained. Formerly practicing the six pāramitās, now his fruit is perfected; with wisdom-observation foremost, he accomplishes the ten sovereignties: 1. sovereignty over life, able to prolong or shorten lifespan; 2. sovereignty over mind, undefiled by saṃsāra; 3. sovereignty over wealth, able to manifest according to wish, obtained through generosity; 4. sovereignty over karma, performing only wholesome deeds and encouraging others to do so; 5. sovereignty over birth, able to go wherever desired, obtained through morality; 6. sovereignty over conviction, able to transform according to wish, obtained through patience; 7. sovereignty over vows, accomplishing whatever is wished according to contemplation, obtained through vigor; 8. sovereignty over spiritual power, giving rise to supreme superknowledges, obtained through concentration; 9. sovereignty over wisdom, wisdom according with speech and sounds; 10. sovereignty over phenomena (dharma), obtained through wisdom regarding the sūtras and so forth. With a station at the rank of succession, his path accomplishes equal awakening; there is no obscurity he does not illuminate, hence he is named Avalokiteśvara. Merely saying "Guanyin" loses both the words and the meaning.

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"Bodhisattva" is an abbreviation of bodhisattva: bodhi is prajñā, and sattva means skillful means; these two can bring about all benefit and bliss for sentient beings. Furthermore, bodhi means awakening, the fruit sought by wisdom. Sattva means sentient being, the beings delivered by compassion. Relying on words of great vows, he is called a bodhisattva. Furthermore, sattva means courageous: seeking great bodhi with diligent vigor and courage, he is called a bodhisattva. Furthermore, a practitioner is called a sattva; a sentient being who seeks sambodhi is called a bodhisattva. There are those who possess both compassion and wisdom, universally practicing loving-kindness and compassion, glorifying pure lands, and descending to rescue defiled realms; because their capacity and responsiveness harmonize, he alone is indicated here. Or, all who dwell in superior stations, possessing the great mind and accomplishing marvelous wisdom, are Avalokiteśvara; or this points to and instructs them to look upon, so it is said "observe" (guan), and does not refer to one who dwells in the Western realm and comes to travel here. In that Great Sūtra, this is not specifically revealed.

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The Sūtra says: When practicing the profound prajñāpāramitā,

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The Commentary states: Those who champion emptiness say that below, in order to refute attachment to dharmas, dharma emptiness is spoken of. The Greater Sūtra next says: 'One does not perceive prajñāpāramitā; one does not perceive the name prajñāpāramitā. This is because the intrinsic nature of prajñā is empty, and the name prajñā is empty.' Those who conform [to the actual teaching] say: This shows that it is by cultivating wisdom that one illuminates nature-emptiness, displaying the dharma cultivated previously; this is the second tempering of the mind. That is, seeing that the bodhisattva's myriad practices are difficult to practice, if despondency arises, one should temper the mind: 'From beginningless time, for the sake of worldly pleasures, I have even been able to endure all manner of meaningless suffering; how much less, when seeking bodhi to transcend saṃsāra and deliver sentient beings, should I give rise to a timid and inferior mind? They have already cultivated and trained in this profound prajñā, and I too should do likewise.' Examining oneself and increasing cultivation, one should not become despondent. Formerly, that Śāriputra first gave rise to the great aspiration [for bodhi], but because of giving away his eyes, he retreated to seek the lesser fruit; fearing that he might now retreat again, he is exhorted and shown this tempering.

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Regarding the word 'coursing' (caryā): Those who champion emptiness say: If according to the conventional, wishing to realize supramundane non-conceptual gnosis and non-erroneously contemplate emptiness, one must train in the wisdoms arisen from hearing, reflection, and so forth that can dismiss all objective supports; training in illuminating emptiness is precisely named 'coursing'. If according to the ultimate truth, because of having nothing to obtain and being non-conceptual, there is nothing at all to course in; this is named 'coursing'. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: 'Non-coursing is bodhi, because of absence of recollective thought.' The Greater Sūtra also says: 'One does not perceive coursing; one does not perceive non-coursing; because of having no intrinsic nature.' Here, stating 'coursing' means that having nothing at all to course in is named 'coursing'; it does not mean there is actual coursing. Or, some secretly adopt another meaning and explain: 'If there is nothing coursed in and nothing not coursed in, this is coursing; if there is something coursed in and something not coursed in, it is not coursing.'

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There is also a different interpretation: stirring thoughts to grasp at conditions is the root of saṃsāra and is not coursing; restraining the mind and cutting off deliberation is the basis of transcending the world and is named 'coursing'. Those who conform [to the actual teaching] say: Just as an illusory person acts—although there is no real action, there is not an absence of its semblance—depending on causes and conditions, one's hearing, believing, training, realizing, and expounding are never set aside even for an instant; yet being non-conceptual, one does not perceive the marks of coursing—this is the meaning of coursing, not that there is no coursing at all. Sickness is spoken of so that it may be eliminated, not that the Dharma is eliminated. If fundamentally there were no dharma to be coursed in or eliminated, then fools regarding the Dharma would claim they have already attained awakening, say there is delusion and realization, and deeply injure themselves. If the substance of flowers [seen through] cataracts were empty, could one dispense with treatment? Since cataracts would not exist, how could they be provisionally eliminated? If cataracts were not eliminated, there would originally be no true eyes; by what ultimate truth could one illuminate that the substance of the flowers is empty? If there were nothing coursed in and nothing not coursed in, and sentient beings had no ignorance and nothing not understood, then from beginningless time all would be fully understanding; those previously not understanding, who would be understanding now? One would then be the same as non-Buddhists who do whatever they please, running contrary to principle and opposing the school—how could that accomplish awakening wisdom? If cutting off grasping and deliberation were true coursing, then states such as non-conceptual [absorption] would all be the true noble path, and the establishing of receiving, upholding, revulsion, renunciation, production, and cultivation would be in vain. One should ponder this carefully and quickly eliminate such heresy and error!

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Now, speaking of 'coursing': although one courses, one does not perceive coursing; it does not mean there is no coursing. Therefore, this sūtra says: 'One does not perceive coursing; one does not perceive non-coursing,' because provisionally there is coursing, while in reality there is no coursing. Were it not so, it should only say 'one does not perceive coursing'; what principle would be expressed by further saying 'one does not perceive non-coursing'? Therefore, it must definitely be as explained later.

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However, the virtuous qualities of the Buddha-fruit are unsurpassed and boundless; without vast and great cultivation, there is no way to realize and attain them. Therefore, coursing spoken of in accordance with this meaning requires possessing the two kinds of gotra of the Mahāyāna, being able to cultivate gradually through the five stages. As for the two kinds of gotra: first, the prakṛtistha-gotra (nature-abiding lineage), meaning the innate capacity residing in the basic consciousness that can produce the undefiled; second, the samudānīta-gotra (acquired lineage), meaning that which is aroused by the perfuming of hearing the true Dharma and so forth. How should one know that the prakṛtistha-gotra exists, relying on which one cultivates the causes of great bodhi? If by nature one delights in giving and loves to praise and encourage others; in blameless matters speaks at the proper time; does not deceive regarding debts to others; receives deposits without error; and has no craving or attachment in the midst of great wealth and treasures. If by nature one commits only weak grades of bad karma and does not severely harm others; having done wrong, quickly repents; constantly practices loving-kindness; recognizes kindness and repays kindness; does not pursue any aim through unlawful means; delights in cultivating meritorious karma; fears slight faults as great ones; seeing or hearing of suffering, feels it more than in one's own body; readily joins in good deeds and delights in distancing oneself from bad dharmas; never utters harsh words to servants; and constantly gives rise to praise and admiration for virtue and those who possess virtue. If harmed by another, one has no thought of retaliation; when another comes to apologize, one can quickly accept it, never bearing a grudge and not harboring resentment for long. If by nature one is diligent, rising early and sleeping late; bold and resolute in all affairs, delighting in seeing them to completion; fearless concerning great purposes, and does not despise oneself. If toward the meaning of the Dharma one naturally investigates and ponders; delights in tranquility, longs for renunciation; does not forget what one has done; and shows kindness and compassion toward enemies. If by nature one possesses comprehensive wisdom, learning everything with ease; possesses power of discernment in abandoning evil deeds; by nature cannot give rise to the superior entanglements of defilement, commit the deeds of immediate retribution, or sever the roots of goodness; even if born in bad destinies, can quickly emerge and also does not undergo intense, great suffering, and although undergoing slight suffering, gives rise to superior revulsion, deeply generating compassion for suffering sentient beings. If one sees these coarse marks of giving and so forth, with light entanglements and hindrances, and thin coarse-heaviness (dauṣṭhulya), one should know that there definitely is the prakṛti of bodhi. Yet, because one has not met a true spiritual friend to expound bodhi, or although having met one who expounded it, one trained with inverted graspings, was slack in expedients, and one's roots of goodness were not yet mature, one therefore remains in saṃsāra. If one enters the five stages, the boundless seeds of superior good dharmas cultivated therein are called the acquired [gotra].

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What are the five stages?

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First is the stage of provision (sambhāra-mārga): from first generating the great aspiration for bodhi up to beginning the cultivation of the contemplation of the four thorough investigations, abiding in the forty minds, all are subsumed in this stage. First are the ten minds of faith and so forth: 1. faith, 2. vigor, 3. mindfulness, 4. wisdom, 5. concentration, 6. giving (also named non-retrogression), 7. morality, 8. protection, 9. vow, and 10. dedication. Second are the ten abidings (daśa-vihāra): 1. generating the aspiration, 2. preparing the ground, 3. practice, 4. noble birth, 5. expedients, 6. correct mind, 7. non-retrogression, 8. youth, 9. prince of the Dharma, and 10. coronation. Third are the ten practices (daśa-caryā): 1. joyful, 2. beneficial, 3. non-resentful, 4. inexhaustible, 5. free of delusion, 6. well-manifested, 7. non-attached, 8. honored, 9. good dharma, and 10. true. Fourth are the ten dedications (daśa-pariṇāmanā): 1. rescuing and protecting sentient beings, 2. indestructible, 3. equal to all buddhas, 4. reaching all places, 5. treasury of inexhaustible merit, 6. conforming to equal roots of goodness, 7. conforming to equally regarding all sentient beings, 8. mark of thusness, 9. unbound and unattached, and 10. boundlessness of the dharmadhātu.

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Second is the stage of applied practice (prayoga-mārga): after the provisions, the four kinds of samādhi: 1. the samādhi of obtaining light (ūṣmagata), 2. the samādhi of increasing light (mūrdhan), 3. the samādhi of conformity to affirmation (kṣānti), and 4. the uninterrupted samādhi (laukikāgradharma).

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Third is the stage of penetration (darśana-mārga): after the four samādhis, the initial mind of the first bhūmi, the true mark path of seeing.

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Fourth is the stage of cultivation (bhāvanā-mārga): from after the path of seeing up to the vajra-like samādhi, the path of cultivation of the ten bhūmis. The ten bhūmis are: 1. Pramuditā, 2. Vimalā, 3. Prabhākarī, 4. Arciṣmatī, 5. Sudurjayā, 6. Abhimukhī, 7. Dūraṅgamā, 8. Acalā, 9. Sādhumatī, and 10. Dharmameghā.

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Fifth is the ultimate stage (niṣṭhā-mārga): after the vajra-like samādhi, within the path of liberation, the three kinds of buddha-kāya and the four wondrous complete cessations, the perfected Buddha-fruit.

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Although knowing the five stages, how does one cultivate? All practitioners who wish to realize bodhi and bring about great benefit and joy must first generate the great aspiration for bodhi before correct practice can be raised. Just as the great ocean first begins with a single drop that can become the dwelling place for all jewels, the initial generation of the aspiration is also like this: the good dharmas of the five vehicles are all born because of it. Again, just as when a world first gradually forms, it becomes the cause for supporting all sentient beings, this mind is also like this: it can become the support and refuge for the immeasurable kinds of beings in the five destinies. Again, just as space contains and embraces everything without exception, the great aspiration for bodhi is also like this: because one is revulsed by everything conditioned throughout space, because one seeks to realize bodhi as vast as space, and because one deeply cares for all sentient beings throughout space. Although this initial generation of the aspiration is inferior [compared to the end], the accumulation of merit in a single thought can scarcely be fully described; how much less the merit of generating the aspiration, cultivating practice, and bringing benefit and joy over many kalpas?

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Due to what does one generate the aspiration? First, seeing or hearing of the supernatural powers of the buddhas and others; second, hearing the expounding of the Bodhisattvapiṭaka teachings; third, seeing or hearing that the Buddha-Dharma is about to perish, thinking that the abiding of the Dharma can eradicate great suffering; fourth, in the final age seeing many sentient beings with delusion, lack of shame, lack of conscience, stinginess, jealousy, sorrow and suffering, evil conduct, negligence, indolence, and lack of faith, thinking: 'When in the degenerate age such evil defilements frequently arise, I should generate the aspiration so as to cause others to emulate me in giving rise to the vow for bodhi'—due to these, one then generates the great aspiration for bodhi.

1.30

Being about to generate the aspiration, one first possesses ten superior virtues and gives rise to three wondrous contemplations. As for the ten superior virtues: drawing near to spiritual friends, making offerings to all buddhas, cultivating and gathering roots of goodness, aspiring to seek the superior Dharma, having a mind that is constantly gentle, being able to endure suffering when encountered, having deep and pure kindness and compassion, possessing an impartial profound mind, having faith and delight in the Mahāyāna, and seeking the wisdom of the Buddha. As for the three wondrous contemplations: First, revulsion toward the conditioned. That is, contemplating the oppression of all kinds of suffering in saṃsāra, bad destinies, non-leisure, and so forth; within one's own body, the five aggregates and four great elements can give rise to evil karma; the nine apertures constantly discharge foul and impure matter, which is an accumulation of thirty-six substances; immeasurable defilements scorch and boil the body and mind; like foam and bubbles, changing from moment to moment; covered by delusion, one creates karma and transmigrates through the six destinies—accurately examining and pondering this, one deeply reviles and renounces it. Second, seeking bodhi. That is, contemplating the adornments of the marks and signs of the Buddha-fruit; the fundamental purity of the dharmakāya; the possession of immeasurable superior dharmas such as the aggregates of morality and so forth, the powers, and the fearlessnesses; the accomplishment of the two wondrous wisdoms; showing kindness and compassion to sentient beings, guiding the foolish and deluded to walk the correct path, so that all sentient beings who encounter it are freed from affliction—seeing these virtues, one cultivates, gathers, and aspires to them. Third, being mindful of sentient beings. That is, contemplating sentient beings deluded by ignorance and craving, undergoing extremely intense suffering; not believing in cause and effect, creating causes for evil karma; renouncing the true Dharma and believing in and accepting false paths; carried away by the four floods, leaked by the seven out-flows; although fearing all kinds of suffering, they still perform evil karma, constantly creating grief, sorrow, pain, and affliction for themselves; suffering from separation from loved ones, having seen it, they still crave; suffering from association with the hated, having perceived it, they resent it even more; creating karma for the sake of desire, they undergo suffering without weariness; seeking pleasure, they violate precepts; harboring sorrow, they indulge in dissipation; committing karma of immediate retribution, they are stubborn, blinded, and shameless; slandering the Mahāyāna, their deluded attachments give rise to arrogance; though possessing cleverness, they completely sever the roots of goodness; falsely exalting themselves, they never repent; being born in the eight states of non-leisure, they lack the Dharma and have no cultivation; though hearing it, they do not retain it, turning instead to practice false deeds; obtaining wonderful worldly fruits, they claim to have realized nirvāṇa, and when that pleasure ends, they are reborn in bad destinies—seeing such as these, one deeply pities them. Next, one should generate the aspiration and make vows like this: 'May I definitely realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect bodhi and be able to bring about all benefit and welfare for sentient beings,' or according to one's inclination, [aspire to] the name of all buddhas, just as Śākyamuni Buddha first made his aspiration. As a verse says:

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"In three incalculable kalpas, in reverse order he met Vipaśyin,
Dīpaṅkara, Ratnaśikha Buddha, and the initial Śākyamuni."

1.32

Bodhisattva Asaṅga therefore stated:

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"With pure predominant power, a firm mind advancing extraordinarily,
This is called the bodhisattva's initial cultivation during three vast incalculable kalpas."

1.34

First, one gives rise to the roots of faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom, eliminating and subduing obscuring defilements. Next, one makes great vows, always meeting virtuous friends as superior conditions: though meeting evil friends who use contrivances to subvert and ruin [one], one never abandons the great mind of bodhi; the wholesome dharmas one cultivates grow from stage to stage; and through not falling back or yielding, one rouses and inspires oneself. Up to this point, it is called the initial cultivation of practice. Having first aroused the mind according to what has been explained above, one is immediately called entering toward unsurpassable bodhi, being numbered among the bodhisattvas of the Mahāyāna, setting a boundary to the ocean of birth and death, and being valiantly bound to swiftly ascend to the other shore.

1.35

Next, one should cultivate practice. In this there are two kinds: first, summarized; second, extensive. The summarized again has three: first, the object; second, the practice; third, the fruit that is attained. Just as formerly one did not know the spheres of truth and falsity, giving rise to afflictions and so forth and thus suffering many pains, now one directly overturns them, and therefore there are also three. For this reason, one should first carefully contemplate the object; having known good and evil, the practice of cultivation and abandonment is accomplished; and the causal practices having been completed, the virtues of the fruit are thereupon realized. Although the holy teachings of the Buddhas are boundless, their explanation of the gates of cultivation does not exceed three kinds; therefore practitioners should train in reliance on this.

1.36

What is called the object to be contemplated? It means that at first one contemplates that all forms, minds, mental factors, and so forth born from conditions are like the appearance of sky-flowers, deceiving and bewildering foolish persons, which is named the other-dependent (paratantra); foolish persons fail to understand and falsely grasp them as a self and as dharmas, which is compared to real sky-flowers, having neither nature nor characteristic whatsoever, and is named the parikalpita; upon the other-dependent, self and dharmas are fundamentally empty, and the true reality revealed through contemplating this emptiness, compared to open space, is named the fully perfected (pariniṣpanna). All knowable dharmas do not exceed existence and non-existence: non-existent dharmas are without substance, and can only be collectively called the parikalpita, because they are grasped by the mind of pervasive conceptualization; existent dharmas possess substance, and by reason should be distinguished: all saṃskṛta dharmas are named the other-dependent, because of the fact of arising from conditions; all asaṃskṛta dharmas are named the fully perfected, because they are the fundamental principle of dharmas. Or again, defiled dharmas are named the other-dependent, because their nature is inverted; all undefiled dharmas are named the fully perfected, because they are non-inverted.

1.37

Having known the object, one should cultivate the correct practice: first, that arisen from hearing; second, that arisen from reflection; third, that arisen from cultivation. Although these three extend to all virtues of both merit and wisdom, nonetheless, among the fundamental and profound essentials of practice, which are easy to enter with respect to the ultimate, unmatched for the times, and free from all faults, when observing comprehensively and examining in detail, consciousness-only is the foremost. Gradual enlightenment, sudden enlightenment, the Śrāvakayāna, and the Mahāyāna—none fail to explain and rely on this profound principle. Thus the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says:

1.38

The mind is like a painter,
Painting the various five aggregates;
Within all worlds,
There is no dharma it does not make.
As is the mind, so is the Buddha;
As is the Buddha, so are sentient beings;
The mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings—
These three have no distinction.
All Buddhas completely know
That everything turns from the mind;
If one can understand like this,
This person sees the true Buddha.
The body is not the mind,
And the mind is not the body;
Yet it produces all functions,
Unprecedented in its mastery.
If a person desires to seek to know
All the Buddhas of the three times,
They should contemplate in this way:
The mind makes all Tathāgatas.

1.39

The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says that the bodhisattva further forms this thought: 'Everything in the three realms is made by the mind alone; because according to whatever the mind thinks, it is entirely seen: through the mind one sees the Buddha, through the mind one makes the Buddha; the mind is itself the Buddha, the mind is itself my body; the mind does not know itself, nor does it see itself. If one grasps the characteristics of mind, all are devoid of wisdom; the mind is also false, all emerging from ignorance; relying on these characteristics of mind, one immediately enters the dharmatā of all dharmas.' Therefore, the contemplation of consciousness-only is supreme. 'Consciousness' means the mind. Because it is assembled and arisen from the mind, with mental painting as primary, the designation of 'only' stands independently to subsume the remaining dharmas. The word 'only' excludes the self and dharmas that are grasped as existing apart from the mind; the word 'consciousness' indicates that causal conditions and dharma-nature are neither separate from the mind, demonstrating that dharmas apart from the mind are definitely non-existent: this is named 'consciousness-only'. It does not mean that everything is exclusively a single conscious mind and that there are no other things at all, because good friends, evil friends, the various fruits, the various causes, principle and phenomenon, ultimate and conventional, are all not non-existent. The parikalpita-svabhāva is only false consciousness; the paratantra-svabhāva is only conventional consciousness; the pariniṣpanna-svabhāva is only ultimate consciousness; therefore all dharmas are not apart from the mind. As a verse says:

1.40

To ghosts, animals, humans, and gods,
Each according to what is appropriate,
Because for the same thing their minds differ,
It is accepted that the referent is not real.
Regarding past matters and so forth,
Within dreams and the two reflections [in mirrors and water],
Although the object of cognition is not real,
Yet the appearance of the object is established.

1.41

Such passages everywhere explain that there is mind alone; fearing tedious text, we should briefly cease. Now, examining the consciousness-only taught in the holy teachings in detail, although it has immeasurable varieties, it does not exceed five levels.

1.42

First: dismissing the false and retaining the real. One contemplates that the parikalpita is only falsely arisen, entirely without substance or function, and should be directly dismissed; one contemplates that the other-dependent and fully perfected dharmas are real in substance, the sphere of the two wisdoms, and should be retained as existent. As a verse says:

1.43

Names and things are mutually guests;
Their natures should be investigated.
Regarding both, one should also deduce
That they are merely measures and merely nominal.
When real wisdom observes there is no referent,
There are only the three of conceptualization;
Because that is absent, this is absent—
This is entering the three natures.

1.44

Dismissing is the contemplation of emptiness, which counters and refutes the grasp of existence; retaining is the contemplation of existence, which counters and dismisses the grasp of emptiness. Now, contemplating emptiness and existence dismisses existence and emptiness: if existence and emptiness are absent, there is also neither emptiness nor existence, because those [notions of] emptiness and existence are established as contemplations in mutual dependence; of what are pure existence or pure emptiness the emptiness or existence? Therefore, wishing to realize and enter the ineffable dharma-nature, one must depend on this expedient to enter; it does not mean that emptiness and existence are both definitively fixed, for at the stage of the contemplation realizing the real, it is neither existent nor empty, because the dharma is without conceptual distinction and difficult to conceive. Saying that one must contemplate emptiness to realize the real means that by contemplating the emptiness of the self and dharmas of the parikalpita, one enters into the real nature, while the real substance is not empty. Since this term 'consciousness-only' excludes what is grasped, if one grasps that there truly exist consciousnesses that can be 'only', since that is a grasped object, it should also be eliminated. The teachings in various places on everything being consciousness-only, the two truths, the three natures, the three non-natures, the three gates of liberation, the three patiences of non-arising, the four siddhāntas, the four udānas, the four investigations, the four accurate knowledges, the contemplations of the five patiences, and so forth are all subsumed under this contemplation.

1.45

Second: discarding the conflated and keeping the pure. Although one contemplates that both phenomena and principle are not apart from consciousness, nonetheless this internal consciousness has both object and mind, because when mind arises it must depend on an object to be produced; but consciousness is called 'only', while the object is not called 'only'. Consciousness exists only internally, whereas objects also extend to the external; fearing conflation with the external, it is only called 'consciousness-only'. Furthermore, foolish persons are confused and grasp at objects, giving rise to afflictions and karma, sinking in birth and death, and do not understand how to contemplate the mind and diligently seek liberation; out of pity for them, it is called 'consciousness-only', causing them to contemplate their own minds and be liberated from birth and death, not meaning that internal objects are completely non-existent like external ones. Because the object involves conflation, it is discarded and not designated 'only'; since the mental substance is pure, it is kept and called 'consciousness-only'. Thus a sūtra says: 'The objects of cognition of citta, manas, and vijñāna are all not apart from their own nature; therefore I say that everything is consciousness-only and nothing else.' Other sūtras also say that the three realms are mind-only, [advising one to] restrain [mind] to one place, and so forth, which are all subsumed under this contemplation.

1.46

Third: subsuming the branches back into the root. The internal grasped object is apparent, and the internal grasping mind's function is likewise so; both of these two dharmas exist in reliance on consciousness, and apart from the fundamental substance of consciousness, branch dharmas are certainly non-existent. The Thirty Verses say:

1.47

Through the metaphorical designation of self and dharmas,
There are various manifestations of aspects;
They rely on the transformation of consciousness,
And this transforming [consciousness] is only three.

1.48

The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi says that transformation means the substance of consciousness turns and resembles two divisions, because both the objective aspect (nimittabhāga) and the subjective aspect (darśanabhāga) arise in reliance on the self-authenticating aspect (svasaṃvittibhāga). The Saṃdhinirmocana says that the objects of cognition of all consciousnesses are manifestations of consciousness-only. Because they subsume the branches of the objective and subjective aspects back to the root of consciousness, the explanations of the contemplations of phenomenon and principle, ultimate and conventional, and so forth are mostly this contemplation.

1.49

Fourth: concealing the inferior and revealing the superior. Mind and mental factors are both capable of transforming and manifesting, yet it is only called 'mind-only' and not 'mental-factor-only'. The substance of the mind-king is superior, while mental factors are inferior and rely on the king; concealing the inferior so it is not displayed, one reveals only the superior dharma. Therefore Maitreya says:

1.50

It is accepted that the mind appears resembling two,
And likewise resembles greed and so forth,
Or resembles faith and so forth;
There are no separate defiled or wholesome dharmas.

1.51

The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says that in accordance with the defilement or purity of the mind, [the Buddha-land is defiled or pure], and so forth, which are all subsumed under this contemplation.

1.52

Fifth: dismissing characteristics and realizing the nature. What is indicated by the word 'consciousness' contains both principle and phenomena: phenomena are characteristics and functions, which are dismissed and not grasped; principle is the essential nature, which should be sought and realized. Therefore a verse says:

1.53

Regarding a rope, the awareness of a snake arises;
Seeing the rope, one completely knows it is non-existent;
When realizing and seeing its parts,
One knows that, like the snake, the cognition was confused.

1.54

Other sūtras say that the mind's intrinsic nature is pure, and that the worthy and holy ones among all dharmas are just suchness (tathatā), because it is the fundamental nature of the other-dependent consciousness of characteristics. Furthermore, they say that the one truth, the one vehicle, the one refuge, Buddha-nature, the dharmakāya, the tathāgatagarbha, emptiness, suchness, signlessness, non-arising and non-cessation, the non-dual Dharma-gate, freedom from all conceptual discrimination, the contemplation beyond words, and so forth are all subsumed under this contemplation.

1.55

In this way, the five kinds spoken of—emptiness and existence, object and mind, function and substance, mental factors and king, phenomenon and principle—progress from coarse to subtle, following one upon another; the wonderful principle of consciousness-only completely subsumes everything. Taking the wonderful wisdom accomplished through hearing, reflection, and cultivation as the substance of contemplation, it is distinct and discriminative, not an inborn goodness. The contemplation of the desire realm has only hearing and reflection; within the contemplation of the form realm it extends to wisdom of hearing and cultivation; the contemplation of the formless realm is cultivation only without remainder; the undefiled contemplation of cultivation in its meaning extends to the previous two. For all these [levels of] consciousness-only, from the forty minds of initial aspiration, through listening and reflecting, one only has deep faith and understanding: in accordance with the objects one encounters, one reflects based on the teaching, causing that contemplating mind to gradually increase and excel. Not yet being able to contemplate the emptiness of the two grasps at the stage of cultivation, although one slightly enters cultivation it is not yet properly superior; in the four samādhis of the stage of preparatory application (prayoga-mārga), one gives rise to the four investigations, carefully examining whether the grasped objects—whether names, referents, intrinsic natures, or distinctions—are provisionally existent and really non-existent; one gives rise to accurate knowledge, pervasively knowing the grasping consciousness to be non-existent. Therefore the holy Maitreya's verse of instruction says:

1.56

The bodhisattva in the stage of concentration
Contemplates that reflections are only the mind;
The idea of referents having been eliminated,
They carefully contemplate that they are only their own ideas.
Thus abiding in the internal mind,
They know the grasped object is non-existent;
Next the grasping [subject] is also absent,
And later they touch the ungraspable.

1.57

Although the bodhisattva at this stage attains the contemplation of cultivation, because it still carries characteristics, they cannot yet realize the real. In the path of insight (darśana-mārga), non-discriminative wisdom attains nothing whatsoever with respect to the cognized object; principle and wisdom having merged, and mind and object profoundly uniting, the characteristics of existence and emptiness do not appear at that time: only then is the true principle of consciousness-only said to be realized. Therefore the root verse says:

1.58

When, regarding the object of cognition,
Wisdom attains nothing whatsoever,
At that time one abides in consciousness-only,
Because of being free from the characteristics of the two grasps.

1.59

Having realized the true consciousness, one gives rise to subsequent wisdom, and only then realizes conventional consciousness. The Ghanavyūha-sūtra says:

1.60

It is not that without seeing suchness
One can understand that all conditioned factors
Are like magical illusions and so forth—
Though existent, they are not real.

1.61

Reaching this stage is called penetrating the dharmadhātu, abiding in the Pramuditā-bhūmi, being born into the family of the Tathāgata, and knowing of oneself that before long one will attain unsurpassable awakening. In the stage of cultivation (bhāvanā-mārga), there are distinctions in cultivation. In the first four grounds, one separately realizes consciousness-only in terms of ultimate truth and conventional truth respectively; on the fifth ground, one begins slightly to unite them in contemplation, yet with extreme exertion and not yet spontaneously; reaching the seventh ground, although one maintains the contemplation of ultimate and conventional consciousness for a long duration, there is still effortful application (prayogika); from the eighth ground upward, there is cultivation without exertion, and within emptiness one spontaneously initiates superior activities of existence; reaching the ultimate stage, although there is no further cultivation, in every moment one is fully capable of taking both ultimate and conventional consciousness as objects. That which is cultivated is twofold: first, active manifestation (samudācāra); second, seeds (bīja). In the first two stages, the three wisdoms with outflows both involve the two kinds of cultivation, and by means of seeds they cultivate what is outflow-free; in the stage of penetration (darśana-mārga), outflow-free cultivation-wisdom involves both active manifestation and seed cultivation, while that with outflows involves only seeds; in the stage of cultivation, before the seventh ground, both that with outflows and that outflow-free are endowed with the three wisdoms and involve cultivation in terms of both active manifestation and seeds; from the eighth ground upward, that with outflows is only seeds, while the three outflow-free wisdoms involve cultivation in terms of both active manifestation and seeds; in the ultimate stage, all that has outflows is abandoned, so that although it is purely outflow-free, it is nonetheless endowed with both active manifestations and seeds. What is called 'cultivation' means causing the seeds and active manifestations of contemplation to mutually increase in excellence, grow, and become complete; those who have attained mastery also cultivate what is below from above, whereas those who have not attained mastery cannot cultivate upward. This cultivation of consciousness-only subsumes all practices, because all practices rely upon the cultivation of consciousness-only.

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