般若波羅蜜多心經幽贊 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

Having known the dharmas to be trained in and cultivated them in this manner, with what characteristics is one termed a capable practitioner? Cultivating both gotra and practice, one accomplishes the twelve vihāras, completely subsuming all bodhisattvas without remainder; only after this does one attain unexcelled bodhi, accomplishing the consummate fruit in the thirteenth vihāra. The verse says:

2.3

Gotra, adhimukticaryā, pramuditā, adhicīla,
Adhicitta, the three prajñā [vihāras], the markless with effort,
The markless effortless, and unobstructed comprehension,
The uppermost bodhisattva-vihāra, and the ultimate Tathāgata-vihāra.

2.4

1. The gotra-vihāra: one has not yet set out toward unsurpassed bodhi; in the remaining vihāras, there is only the operation of causes, whose characteristics are as explained before. 2. The adhimukticaryā-vihāra: from the initial arousal of the mind up to the first ground; through the characteristics of prior practice, although one has already attained purity in one's own vihāra, one cultivates correct practice in order to attain purity, generates discriminative wisdom, makes strenuous mental effort in cultivation, and achieves difficult, slow progress; striving to preach the Dharma, according to one's power one can also manifest perfect enlightenment and the like to bring benefit and ease; regarding the prior practices, one may not yet have trained universally, the various characteristics are not yet perfected, and the aspirations are not yet purified. 3. The pramuditā-vihāra, that is, the first ground: as before, the white qualities along with the ten great vows are all manifested in perfection, and from this it takes the alternate name 'purified and superior aspiration'; surpassing the level of ordinary beings, one realizes the determination of correctness and freedom from birth, is born into the family of the Tathāgata, becomes a true child of the Buddha, and carries on and expands the lineage of the Buddha; one attains various types of equanimity, departs from disputes and harm, obtains true, realized purity, and knows, 'I have already drawn near to bodhi'; one realizes the principle of twofold emptiness, accomplishes the two wonderful types of wisdom, gives rise to great joy, and practices the ten dharmas to purely cultivate the vihāra—namely, faith, loving-kindness, compassion, generosity, untiringness, knowing treatises, understanding the worldly, cultivating shame and remorse, steadfast strength of retention, and making offerings to all Buddhas. Regarding the dharmas of the nine vihāras, one single-mindedly seeks and strives toward them, frequently becoming a cakravartin reigning over this continent-realm to subdue the stain of stinginess, even making the vow: 'May I always abide in the most supreme state, be a refuge for sentient beings, and perform all purposeful benefits.' Or, delighting in vigor, with pure faith one leaves the household life, in an instant and a moment realizing a hundred samādhis; with the pure divine eye, one sees a hundred Tathāgatas in the Buddha-lands; one can comprehend their transformations and sustaining powers; through spiritual power one can shake a hundred Buddha-worlds, one's body can also go there, emitting great light so that others everywhere can see it, transforming into a hundred classes to benefit a hundred sentient beings. If one wishes to retain one's body, one can abide for a hundred kalpas, see events of a hundred kalpas in the past and future respectively, realize a hundred Dharma-gates, transform into a hundred bodies, each body capable of manifesting an entourage of a hundred bodhisattvas. 4. The adhicīla-vihāra, that is, the second ground: through the purity of the ten aspirations in the previous vihāra, one attains entry into this vihāra. Natural morality is fully possessed; minor evil courses of karma and minor misdeeds of violating precepts do not even manifest, how much less medium and superior ones? One can skillfully know the causes and results of courses of karma, practicing pure karma oneself and encouraging others to do so, giving rise to great pity for the suffering of sentient beings. Contemplating in accord with reality, one extensively sees the purity of the roots of goodness of all Buddhas; frequently becoming a cakravartin reigning over the four continents. Putting an end to precept violations, all one's majesty and power exceed the previous by tenfold. 5. The adhicitta-vihāra, that is, the third ground: through the understanding and penetration of the prior mental acts, and further through the ten pure states of mind, one attains entry into this vihāra. One can penetrate all conditioned formations, sentient beings, and great bodhi, and also correctly search for the means to escape suffering; one possesses unobstructed wisdom regarding the bonds of defilements, and non-conceptual wisdom within the pure dharmadhātu; one distinguishes the superior samādhi of this vision of wisdom; one is vigorous and broadly learned in the Bodhisattva-piṭaka, not sparing body or life, giving up all that one loves; there is no master or senior whom one does not vow to serve, one vows to carry out all instructions, and vows to undergo bodily suffering; merely hearing a single verse surpasses obtaining a trichiliocosm filled with wonderful jewels; hearing a single line of the Buddha's Dharma that can lead to pure bodhisattva practice of correct, equal enlightenment surpasses obtaining the fruits of Śakra, Brahmā, world-protectors, and the like. Suppose someone says, 'I have a single line of Dharma that can lead to pure bodhisattva practice of correct, equal enlightenment; if you can throw yourself into a great fire-pit, I will preach it for you.' The bodhisattva, leaping with joy, says, 'I can. Even if the fire-pit were equal to the three thousand worlds, for the sake of hearing the Dharma, I could even throw myself in from the Brahmā-heaven, how much more into a small fire-pit? For the sake of seeking the Buddha's Dharma, one should even abide for a long time in a great hell, how much more undergo other small sufferings?' Having heard it, one can immediately practice the Dharma in accord with the Dharma, and can induce and abide in worldly dhyānas, samāpattis, and the like; yet one abandons them again, taking birth according to one's vows; frequently becoming Śakra, king of the gods, converting others to make them cut off desire and greed, with majesty and power exceeding the previous by hundreds of thousands. 6. The bodhipakṣa-concordant adhiprajñā-vihāra, that is, the fourth ground: through having sought broad learning previously, one accomplishes the ten Dharma-illuminations and attains entry into this vihāra. One attains the ten mature types of wisdom, cultivates the bodhipakṣa-dharmas, and can cut off all grasping such as the satkāya-dṛṣṭi; one departs from actions of disparagement and cultivates actions of praise; one's mind becomes increasingly compliant, merits flourish, and one abides peacefully in seeking and cultivating the actions of the ground; fulfilling the realm-nature of aspiration and resolute faith, the enemies of the noble teaching cannot shake one; frequently becoming the king of the Suyāma heaven, transforming others to eliminate the satkāya-dṛṣṭi, with majesty and power exceeding the previous by kotis. 7. The satya-concordant adhiprajñā-vihāra, that is, the fifth ground: through the previous ten equal and pure aspirations, one attains entry into this vihāra. Using ten skillful means, one contemplates the truths, correctly disparages all conditioned formations, and has pity on sentient beings; gathering the provisions, one diligently cultivates right vows, mindfulness, practice of wisdom, and so forth, all of which increase, free from divergent mental acts; through various skillful means, one matures sentient beings, and all worldly crafts and arts can be brought forth; frequently becoming the king of the Saṃtuṣita heaven, transforming others to relinquish all internal and external heterodox dharmas. 8. The pratītyasamutpāda-concordant adhiprajñā-vihāra, that is, the sixth ground: through the previous ten kinds of sameness of dharmas, one attains entry into this vihāra. Awakening to dependent origination, one generates the doors of liberation, and all heterodox conceptions cannot shake one; to benefit sentient beings, one takes on birth and death; wisdom and compassion attend one, unattached wisdom and the dwelling in prajñāpāramitā manifest; one realizes immeasurable superior samādhis, one's aspiration is indestructible, and others cannot usurp it; frequently becoming the king of the Nirmāṇarati heaven, transforming others to eliminate all excessive pride and the like, with majesty and power exceeding the previous by hundreds of thousands of kotis. 9. The with-effort signless vihāra, that is, the seventh ground: through the superior practices of advancing on the worldly path induced by the previous ten kinds of wisdom of wonderful skillful means, one attains entry into this vihāra. Penetrating the realm of the Buddha, one cultivates without break or gap; at every instant, one realizes the bodhipakṣa-dharmas such as the ten pāramitās; all practices of preparatory effort are perfected; as the vanguard of the utterly pure vihāra, it is still called 'possessing defilement'; artistic and skillful wisdom is complete, surpassing the samādhi realm of the two vehicles; from moment to moment one can enter the cessation absorption (nirodha-samāpatti), capable of manifesting the most extraordinary deeds of a bodhisattva; frequently becoming the king of the Paranirmitavaśavartin heaven, able to bestow upon the two vehicles the skillful means of direct realization, with majesty and power exceeding the previous by hundreds of thousands of kotis. 10. The effortless signless vihāra, that is, the eighth ground: through the previous ten kinds of wisdom entering into the supreme truth of all dharmas, one attains entry into this vihāra. The four types of wisdom according to reality cultivated previously now attain purity, accomplishing the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti); cutting off the four disasters, one is attached to the profound vihāra; receiving awakening and guidance from all Tathāgatas, one is granted immeasurable wisdom in doors of induction, spiritual powers, and activities; one awakens to and enters the wonderful wisdom of immeasurable emanations, attains the ten masteries, and experiences their superior benefits at will; frequently becoming the king of the heaven of the first dhyāna, at the very first instant of entering this vihāra, all the majesty and power of one's merit and wisdom exceed that attained in all previous vihāras by double, and in the second instant exceed the previous by twofold more, continually increasing until the completion of the tenth ground, beyond all description. 11. The unobstructed comprehension vihāra, that is, the ninth ground: not being content with abiding in the profound vihāra, and further delighting in and entering the superiority of wisdom, one arouses the preparatory effort of wisdom, expounding all dharmas; all that is performed in expounding the Dharma is known in accordance with reality; one becomes a great Dharma master, endowed with unobstructed comprehension; frequently becoming the king of the heaven of the second dhyāna. 12. The supreme, fully accomplished bodhisattva-vihāra, that is, the tenth ground: the previous unobstructed comprehension having been completely purified, one is worthy of being a Dharma King, receives the Dharma-consecration, attains immeasurable concentrations such as the stainless concentration, performs the deeds of a Buddha, attains the Dharma, seat, body, and entourages corresponding to all Buddhas, attains great radiance, realizes the wonderful wisdom of Buddha-activities that benefit sentient beings, and obtains immeasurable liberations, dhāraṇī-doors, spiritual powers, great mindfulness, and other countless merits; frequently becoming the king of the great Maheśvara heaven beyond Akaniṣṭha; the bodhisattva path being fulfilled and the provisions fully equipped, one is capable of receiving the vast, wonderful Dharma-rain from the great cloud of the Buddha; oneself like a great cloud, one simultaneously manifests equal enlightenment, raining down the Dharma-rain everywhere to extinguish the dust, causing the good harvest to sprout, grow, and mature.

2.5

The merits abandoned, cultivated, and realized in each of these vihāras are not absent in the other vihāras, but are established separately according to their respective full perfection. The adhimukticaryā-vihāra tends toward signless practice; what it performs is narrow, deficient, and indeterminate. The subsequent six vihāras attain signless practice; what they perform is vast, non-deficient, and determinate. The final four vihāras fully realize purity, partake of the fruits of practice, and their deeds are immeasurable. In the adhimukticaryā-vihāra, at the sixth mind of faith and so forth, faith arises without retrogression and one does not sever roots of goodness; at the seventh mind of the ten abidings, one does not regress in one's position and does not become of the two vehicles; reaching the pramuditā-vihāra, one does not regress from what has been realized and never forgets it; reaching the effortless signless vihāra, one does not regress in practice, naturally making progress in all cultivation seeking the wisdom of all modes, extensively performing benefit and joy; therefore, one retains afflictions to assist one's vows in taking birth, and for this reason the characteristics of cutting off afflictions are not spoken of here.

2.6

There are five kinds of birth: 1. Birth to remove calamity: through the mastery of vows, taking birth as a great fish or the like to relieve hunger and famine, as great medicine to cure diseases, as a great peacemaker to skillfully harmonize disputes, as a great king to quell suffering in accordance with Dharma, as a great deity to cut off heterodox views, or as fire, water, vehicles, boats, and various things to quell disasters and calamities. 2. Birth according to class: through the power of mastery of vows, taking birth among evil classes such as beasts; not doing oneself the evil they practice, and doing oneself the good they do not practice; just as entering a tavern one can maintain one's resolution, or entering brothels one demonstrates the faults of sensual desires, preaching the correct Dharma for them to eliminate their faults. 3. Birth of great power: at the time of taking birth according to one's constitution, one's lifespan, physical form, clan, and wealth are most supreme, able to eliminate the faults of arrogance and contempt among sentient beings. 4. Superior birth: receiving the fruit of being the ten kings, freely transforming and guiding, taking birth wherever appropriate. 5. Final birth: the provisions for this birth are already utterly perfected; like Maitreya and others born into the family of a great Brahman state preceptor, or like Śākyamuni and others born into the family of a great Kṣatriya king, able to manifest equal enlightenment and perform all Buddha-activities.

2.7

Furthermore, one gathers sentient beings through four characteristics: First is sudden and universal: at the level of the initial arousal of the mind, one universally and suddenly gathers all sentient beings as one's kin, benefiting them according to one's power. Second is superior: if one is the master of a household, one encourages the recognition of kindness, filial piety toward parents, and provides for wife, children, and others with compassion according to the time; toward servants and slaves, one never oppresses them and is capable of forbearance, attending to them in sickness, with kind words and consolation, treating them as oneself without generating thoughts of disdain. If one is a king, one does not use weapons or staves, governing in accordance with the Dharma; regarding wealth and benefits, one consumes what relies on the land of one's own domain without aggression or plunder; viewing all sentient beings as fathers or as children, one's words are sincere and truthful without deceit, encouraging them to abandon all evils and teaching them to cultivate all good. Third is taking-in: being impartial without factionalism, not hoping for fame or gain, holding sway over retinues without defilement; regarding their purposeful benefits, one correctly teaches them to cultivate, not trapping or misleading them with heterodox endeavors. Fourth is according to the time: because sentient beings are of inferior, medium, or superior grade, and only after a long, medium, or short time can they become pure, one carries out gathering them according to how they should be matured.

2.8

These thirteen stages (vihāra) are subsumed under seven grounds (bhūmi): first, the ground of lineage (gotra-bhūmi); second, the ground of resolution and practice (adhimukticaryā-bhūmi); third, the ground of pure superior intention (śuddhādhyāśaya-bhūmi) — these three grounds are the first three vihāras; fourth, the ground of practicing correct practice (caryā-pratipatti-bhūmi), which is the subsequent six vihāras; fifth, the ground of determination (niyata-bhūmi), which is the tenth vihāra, because it falls within the third determination; sixth, the ground of determined practice (niyata-caryā-bhūmi), which is the eleventh vihāra; seventh, the ground of arrival at the ultimate (niṣṭhāgata-bhūmi), which is the twelfth and thirteenth vihāras, because they are ultimate in both cause and result.

2.9

Although the bodhisattva practices spoken of previously are immeasurable, they do not exceed four kinds: first, the practice of the perfections (pāramitā), which are the six and ten pāramitās; second, the practice of the aids to awakening (bodhipakṣa), all wondrous practices such as the thirty-seven factors and the four investigations; third, the practice of supernormal knowledges (abhijñā), which are the six abhijñās; fourth, the practice of maturing sentient beings, that is, the immeasurable realms of those to be tamed and the realms of skillful means to tame them. As explained above, whether the points of training, the teachings to be trained in, or the capacity to train and practice, all are bodhisattva practices. Practicing according to the preceding [instructions] with vigorous blazing energy, yet not perceiving the marks of practice, is called "practice". Why is this practiced Dharma called "profound"? Those of the Superior Emptiness school say: The wondrous principle is deep and remote, inconceivable, unintelligible to the two vehicles, and unfathomable to ordinary beings; therefore it is called profound. Those of the Appropriate Response school say: The cognitive object of ultimate truth wisdom transcends the path of words and discussion; it cannot be illustrated by metaphors; it is subtle and hard to know; it possesses the three unsurpassables, is endowed with the seven greatnesses, and is entirely supreme in essence, activity, benefit, and bliss — an ocean of pure dharmas, a fountain and pool of wondrous jewels. Unless one has great awakening and is the lord of the Dharma realm, there is no way to correspond to it. Therefore, all that is trained in is called profound, and one should strive diligently to realize it. Or again, in all these bodhisattva practices, true suchness and the dharmatā are difficult to realize fully, the contemplation of wisdom is difficult to attain, the words of the explanatory teachings are difficult to awaken to and expound, the myriad practices and their retinue are difficult to accomplish, and the realm of existence and emptiness is difficult to penetrate; taking wisdom as foremost, the other natures may support it, and all are called prajñā; therefore, they are all called profound.

2.10

Why is it called "time"? Those of the Superior Emptiness school say: According to the conventional, believing, learning, practicing, and realizing, seeking, illuminating, penetrating, and emptying; according to the ultimate, awakening to the emptiness of the substance of dharmas, practicing prajñā, and bringing matters to completion is collectively called time. Those of the Appropriate Response school say: Unsurpassed awakening is vast, deep, and far-reaching, and cannot be realized and attained through accumulating slight causes. Across the twelve vihāras spoken of previously, if counted by divisions of time such as days and nights, within each vihāra one passes through many koṭis of hundreds of thousands of great kalpas, or even exceeds this number, before realizing and fulfilling it. If measured by great kalpas that exceed all counts, one passes through three incalculable great kalpas in total before achieving fulfillment and realization. Passing through the first incalculable great kalpa, one practices one practice within one practice, thereby realizing the pramuditā-vihāra. Passing through the second incalculable great kalpa, one practices all practices within one practice, realizing the effortless and signless vihāra, due to purity of intention and resolute vigor. Afterward, passing through the third incalculable great kalpa, one practices all practices within all practices, realizing the Tathāgata-vihāra. This is with constant vigor, not otherwise. If one possesses superior vigor like standing on one foot and the like, one may perhaps convert many medium kalpas or many great kalpas, but one certainly cannot convert the incalculable great kalpas. Hence we know that in the causal stage one must certainly pass through three incalculable great kalpas of practice to completion before realizing awakening, because one is able to reach all five kinds of other shores. This intention means that it describes the divisions of the three kalpas of practicing the five prajñās; or, demarcated according to one's own mind, the completion of matters is collectively given the name "time". When penetrating emptiness, it is realized solely by correct wisdom; since it is the stage of training and practice, it universally subsumes the rest. If even a sharp-rooted pratyekabuddha still passes through a hundred kalpas, how could one seeking to become a Buddha lack the cause of many kalpas?

2.11

The sūtra says: "illuminated and saw that the five aggregates and so forth are all empty."

2.12

The commentary says: This shows that by practicing profound prajñā, one obtains the correct wisdom-eye. Penetrating emptiness is called "illuminating": that is, all saṃskṛta dharmas such as form, sensation, and the rest all possess the three periods of time, internal and external, coarse and subtle, inferior and superior, near and far. An accumulation is called an "aggregate"; these five are form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. The word "and so forth" encompasses dharmas such as the sense bases and the rest. Those of the Superior Emptiness school say: Previously, the grasping of the subject of contemplation was refuted to reveal the emptiness of the subject of contemplation; now, the grasping of the object of contemplation is refuted to reveal the emptiness of the object of contemplation. If clouded by delusion, one is confused about the ultimate principle and falsely grasps the aggregates and the rest as existent, like someone dreaming who sees objects appear before them. If one correctly understands the principle of paramārtha-satya, grasping does not arise, like when awakened from a dream one understands that the objects do not exist. Therefore, practicing prajñā, one immediately illuminates the emptiness of nature. Those of the Appropriate Response school say: Although cultivating everything is practicing prajñā, realizing the real and expelling the false is done through wisdom illuminating emptiness; hence this is particularly emphasized here. The word "empty" here refers to the three non-natures: the imagined nature (parikalpita) is originally non-existent in substance, and its marks lack own-nature, which is why it is called empty; the dependently arisen (paratantra) dharmas — form like a cluster of foam, sensation likened to a floating bubble, perception resembling a mirage, mental formations akin to a plantain tree, consciousness like an illusion — lack an intrinsically produced nature as grasped, so they are also called empty; the consummate nature (pariniṣpanna) is realized by contemplating the emptiness of what is grasped, or it lacks the real nature falsely grasped, so the true ultimate is also called empty. In reality, the three natures are neither empty nor non-empty; in order to counter and refute grasping at existence, emptiness is taught collectively with implicit intention. It is not that the latter two natures are completely non-existent and called empty; teaching that all is empty is the Buddha's implicit intention, speaking of emptiness collectively with regard to both existence and non-existence, as the Bhagavat said:

2.13

"The marks, arising, and ultimate are without own-nature:
Thus have I revealed them all.
If one does not know this implicit intention of the Buddha,
One will ruin the correct path and be unable to proceed."

2.14

Furthermore, this emptiness is the principle of true suchness. Its nature is neither empty nor existent; it is revealed by means of emptiness, and to negate grasping at existence it is provisionally called empty. Foolish people do not understand, and grasp the five aggregates and the rest as definitely existing apart from the real, giving rise to conceptual discrimination of marks. Now tracing them back to their origin, their substance is true suchness, for phenomena do not exist apart from principle and have no separate nature. Because of this, sūtras say that all sentient beings are the tathāgatagarbha, and all dharmas and the rest are true suchness; teaching that phenomena with marks are markless emptiness causes all sentient beings to sever the bonds of marks.

2.15

There are five kinds of eyes: first, the fleshly eye, which is pure form derived from the great elements not produced by meditative absorption; second, the divine eye, which is pure form derived from the great elements arising from meditative absorption; third, the wisdom-eye, which is the wisdom that illuminates the emptiness of principle; fourth, the dharma-eye, which is the wisdom that penetrates the existence of the teachings; fifth, the Buddha-eye, in which the awakening of the previous four is complete, collectively acquiring the name of Buddha. Now, in the causal stage, the wisdom-eye penetrates emptiness, clearly viewing and observing it; hence it is called "illuminated and saw". However, regarding this emptiness, in the stage of provisions one listens and reflects, mostly with only faith and understanding; in the stage of applied practice one purely cultivates contemplation, which, though both called illumination, still carries marks and thus has not yet realized the real; abiding in the ten grounds, one gives rise to non-outflow contemplation, penetrating the true principle, only then truly illuminating emptiness; reaching the Tathāgata stage, illumination and vision are fulfilled, knowing the ineffable realm provisionally called empty. Although this word "empty" applies equally to emptying self and dharmas, when addressing Śāriputra, only the emptiness of dharmas is taught, because grasping at self had long been extinguished and did not need to be emptied; or again, because grasping at self arises based on grasping at dharmas, merely contemplating the emptiness of dharmas causes the self to become empty along with them. Although this taught emptiness does not differ in substance, differences appear based on phenomena, as in the Great Sūtra sixteen are sometimes taught — internal emptiness, external emptiness, internal-external emptiness, great emptiness, emptiness of emptiness, ultimate emptiness, conditioned emptiness, unconditioned emptiness, absolute emptiness, beginningless emptiness, undispersed emptiness, original nature emptiness, marks emptiness, all-dharmas emptiness, non-nature emptiness, and non-nature own-nature emptiness; or seventeen are taught, adding unattainable emptiness; or eighteen are taught, further adding own-nature emptiness; or nineteen are taught, separately adding cognitive-object, dominant, and reciprocal-nonexistence emptiness; or twenty are taught, dividing undispersed emptiness within the eighteen into dispersed emptiness and non-transformation emptiness, and dividing marks emptiness into self-characteristic emptiness and common-characteristic emptiness. Explaining the first stanza, it says:

2.16

"The consumer and the consumed,
That which this depends upon and the body's abode,
The ability to see this in accordance with principle,
And the emptiness of the two truths that is sought.
To constantly benefit sentient beings,
To not abandon saṃsāra,
And so that wholesome roots may be inexhaustible,
One therefore contemplates these as empty.
For the purity of the lineage,
To attain the various marks and signs,
And to purify all Buddha dharmas,
The bodhisattva therefore contemplates emptiness.
The person and dharmas,
Neither possesses true nature;
Because of this non-nature and existent nature,
Two emptinesses are separately established."

2.17

The sūtra says: "and transcended all suffering and distress."

2.18

The commentary says: Those of the Superior Emptiness school say: Above, it was briefly explained that refuting the two graspings and revealing the two emptinesses can transcend all suffering; having illuminated the emptiness of nature and departed from all conceptual discriminations, like a moth emerging from a cocoon, forever freed from entanglement, one immediately transcends suffering and distress and swiftly realizes nirvāṇa. Although according to the ultimate truth there is no transcendence and no attainment, in accordance with conventional truth there is transcendence and attainment. Those of the Appropriate Response school say: Due to illuminating the emptiness of nature, one can transcend saṃsāra, showing the benefit of prior cultivation, which is the third [kind of] tempering of the mind. That is, contemplating that the transformation of the basis (āśraya-parivṛtti) is profound, subtle, and difficult to realize, if discouragement arises, one should temper the mind: worldly sentient beings practicing coarse generosity and the like still harvest superior results at the point of death, how much more so when I now cultivate unobstructed wondrous wholesomeness — will I not in the future realize the transformation of the basis that transcends suffering? Just as they who practiced wisdom have already transcended suffering and distress, abandoning the heavy and coarse basis and obtaining that which is free from coarse heaviness, I should do likewise, encouraging myself to increase cultivation and not disparaging myself to give rise to discouragement.

2.19

"Transcended" means to surmount, to escape. "Suffering" refers to sentient beings and locations in the three realms, which are produced and arisen from karma and afflictions. In truth, all that is with outflows is nothing but suffering, which is briefly threefold: all dharmas with outflows by nature fall into flux and are pressing and uneasy, which are all called suffering of conditioned existence (saṃskāra-duḥkhatā); worldly pleasures must inevitably end in destruction, and when conditions convene, sorrow entangles, which are all called suffering of change (vipariṇāma-duḥkhatā); their nature being already oppressive, yet further bitterness is added, hard to bear and recurring, which are all called suffering of suffering (duḥkha-duḥkhatā). This suffering is precisely "distress", because it has the meaning of calamity. Or suffering is the eight sufferings: dwelling in the womb and emerging from the womb both entail oppression, and as the root of all sufferings, it is called the suffering of birth; decay over time is called the suffering of aging; the decline and change of the great elements is called the suffering of illness; the decline and ending of lifespan is called the suffering of death; what is unpleasant presenting itself is called the suffering of meeting the hated; parting from what is loved is called the suffering of separation from the loved; what is desired not being attained is called the suffering of not getting what is sought; and conditioned saṃskāras with outflows are called the suffering of the five clinging aggregates that briefly subsumes all. "Distress" refers to the eight difficulties, as well as various perils and terrors, the minor three calamities, and so forth. Because one has not illuminated emptiness, one is bound by the marks of objects, the mind gives rise to conceptual discrimination, generating afflictions and karma, and the suffering of the five destinies arises. Once one sees the three non-natures as empty, or illuminates the aggregates and the rest as the emptiness of true suchness, discrimination does not arise, evil results are extinguished accordingly, and thus all sufferings and distresses can be transcended. As a verse says:

2.20

"The bond of marks binds sentient beings,
And so does the bond of coarse heaviness;
Only by skillfully cultivating both calm and insight
Can one be liberated from both."

2.21

In truth, illuminating emptiness also transcends defilements and karma; its substance being broad, only transcending suffering is stated in terms of present results. In this very mark of emptiness, through illumination via hearing, reflection, and so forth in the stage of provisions, after the sixth mind of the initial ten minds, faith does not regress and wholesome roots are not severed, so that one forever subdues and transcends extremely severe suffering and distress. Therefore, a sūtra verse says:

2.22

"If someone accomplishes worldly,
Supreme correct view,
Though passing through a thousand births,
They will never fall into the evil destinies."

2.23

When one reaches the point after the fourth abiding among the ten abidings, coarse ignorance and so forth begin to become inactive for the first time, and only then is one able to subdue and transcend the bitter distresses of the miserable destinies. The Abiding of Noble Birth is described as abandoning and eradicating the afflictions so that they are perpetually exhausted without remainder, letting go of birth-and-death, and being able to exit the three realms. The *Pratītyasamutpāda-sūtra* states that all conditioning activities of ordinary beings outside the Dharma have fourfold delusion as their condition; for ordinary beings within the Dharma, if they are heedless, their meritorious and immovable conditioning activities have threefold delusion as their condition; but as for all the conditioning activities of those who are not heedless, I do not say that they have ignorance as their condition. Thus we know that from this point onward, one subdues and departs from all bitter distresses of the miserable destinies. After the seventh abiding, one never again retrogresses from the stage, subduing and departing from the bitter distresses appropriate to the two vehicles. When one reaches the Path of Realization and first realizes true emptiness, thereafter one is able to eternally transcend all kinds of bitter distress—the three miserable destinies, the eight [places of] lack of leisure, poverty, illness, and the like; or some are also able to perpetually depart from the bitter distress of fragmented [death] in the three realms out of dread of afflictions; others depart from this distress only after the eighth ground, because prior to the seventh ground they retain afflictions. At the conclusion of the tenth ground, the illumination of emptiness becomes complete: all tainted seeds are perpetually eradicated, and bitter distresses such as transformational death are entirely exhausted. When one reaches the stage of the Tathāgata, to benefit and bring joy to sentient beings, one may at times manifest them, but in reality it is not so. This Avalokiteśvara has not yet attained Buddhahood, yet because of contemplating emptiness, [these distresses] must certainly all be eliminated; thus to encourage and show how to arouse the mind, it says: 'crosses over all.'

2.24

The sūtra says: 'Śāriputra!'

2.25

The commentary says: The proponent of supreme emptiness says: 'Sentient beings are established through phenomena, and phenomena are indeed the cause of sentient beings; here, pudgala-nairātmya is expounded extensively, and dharma-nairātmya is revealed later.' The proponent of conforming [teaching] says: 'Below, the name of the capable respondent is set forth, stating the principle and presenting a metaphor, to demonstrate those supreme practices and eliminate the four points.' There are three thematic sections: first, 'Śāriputra' and so forth generally addresses [him] to reveal emptiness; next, 'therefore' and so forth specifically concludes what is emptied; finally, 'because of having no attainment' explains and establishes the principle of emptiness.

2.26

In Sanskrit it is called 'Śāri', which in Chinese means 'spring thrush' (a bird); from his mother's eloquence, an illustrative metaphor was taken as her appellation, and because he was born of her, he is further called 'putra' ('son'). The mother was renowned for debating skill, and the son took this designation; he established the orthodox and crushed the heterodox, hearing little yet understanding much. Formerly, he was the very first to realize and enter the knowledge and vision of the sun [of the Dharma]; now, to expound the emptiness of intrinsic nature, he is addressed by name to receive the teaching. Exclusively expounding the supreme teaching to synthesize phenomena reveals that these principles are all empty; singling out the superior person to address encompasses all suitable capacities, so that everyone in the assembly at that moment was addressed. Although he received the address, he had not yet awakened to emptiness; he was first encouraged to train and temper his mind, and only then would he eliminate the four points.

2.27

The sūtra says: 'Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form is itself emptiness; emptiness is itself form.'

2.28

The commentary says: The four great elements and that which is made of them—namely, the ten form bases and the form included in the mental dharmas—all undergo change and manifestation, and are collectively designated 'form.' The proponent of supreme emptiness says: 'Below, dharma-nairātmya is expounded extensively. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra* states: "Why is that? Form is empty of its own nature, not because of emptiness. Form's emptiness is not form; form is not separate from emptiness, emptiness is not separate from form; form is itself emptiness, emptiness is itself form." This refutes two kinds of grasping.'

2.29

'Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form' refutes the grasp that apart from conventional, apprehended forms there is a distinct true emptiness. Not awakening to true emptiness, one clings to various forms, falsely multiplying delusions and karmas and wandering in birth-and-death. Now it is revealed that just as the colors of flowers seen due to cataracts occur because of eye disease and do not exist separate from empty space, so according to paramārtha-satya, form is not different from emptiness. As the holy teaching says: 'Phenomena produced from causes and conditions, I declare to be empty.'

2.30

'Form is itself emptiness; emptiness is itself form' refutes the foolish person's grasp that emptiness begins to exist only in the state where form is absent, engaging in various discriminations regarding form and emptiness. Now it is revealed that according to paramārtha-satya, form is originally empty in its intrinsic nature; the states of delusion and awakening differ, and in meaning emptiness and form are shown, so how could it be that emptiness is seen only when form is destroyed? Just as when cataracts cause one to see flowers, their intrinsic nature does not exist—must the flowers be destroyed before emptiness is realized? Therefore, do not give rise to rigid clingings to form and emptiness; one should eliminate inverted views and attain ultimate nirvāṇa.

2.31

By virtue of these two lines, the sūtra speaks thus: 'Form is empty by its own nature; it is not empty through the destruction of form.' The proponent of conforming [teaching] says: 'If, according to paramārtha-satya, all phenomena are completely empty and nonexistent, this may initially seem acceptable, but logically it is not necessarily so. Ultimate and conventional mutually delineate one another: when the conventional is absent, the ultimate is destroyed. Form and emptiness are mutually dependent: when form is destroyed, emptiness perishes. Hence the substance of form is not originally empty.' The proponent of supreme emptiness says: 'In reality, this emptiness is neither empty nor non-empty; inverting delusion and confronting form, awakening speaks of form being empty. It is not that this word "emptiness" is definitively empty, because emptiness is also empty.'

2.32

The proponent of conforming [teaching] says: 'If form born of causes and conditions is fundamentally nonexistent from the beginning, then all foolish persons should originally have been wise ones; thus ordinary beings and nobles would mutually be nobles and ordinary beings, and when teachers and disciples position themselves, for whom is there really delusion?' The proponent of supreme emptiness says: 'Afflictions become factors of awakening, birth-and-death is itself nirvāṇa, the company of defilements is the lineage of the Tathāgatas, and all sentient beings are originally in quiescence. How could it be that the foolish person is not originally the wise one?'

2.33

The proponent of conforming [teaching] says: 'If it were granted that the phenomenon of form differs from the principle of emptiness, one could abandon delusion regarding form and seek awakening to emptiness; but since original form is itself empty, wisdom would just be folly. To seek wisdom and abandon folly—would that not be inverted? Moreover, wearying of birth-and-death to seek nirvāṇa, where suffering and bliss are not distinct—what is the use of seeking it? If the foolish person in birth-and-death has already attained nirvāṇa, the noble one's further seeking would be utterly false.' The proponent of supreme emptiness says: 'Conventional phenomena have delusion and awakening, where one seeks holiness and leaves behind the ordinary; but in the ultimate principle, where form is emptiness, how could there be any taking or leaving?'

2.34

The proponent of conforming [teaching] says: 'If distinct phenomena are also said to be identical to emptiness, then within paramārtha-satya this itself becomes a contradiction: those who have not awakened should know that form is itself emptiness, and those who have awakened would not awaken to the emptiness of form; diligent noble ones would be pitiable and lamentable, while indolent foolish persons would be enviable and delightful. As the Bhagavat said: "What is a bodhisattva’s conforming, harmonizing, and skillfully discerning pāramitā? If sentient beings do not understand the emptiness sūtras spoken by the Buddha, thinking that all phenomena lack intrinsic nature, lack actual things, are unarisen and unceasing, and are all like illusions and dreams; then the bodhisattva, harmonizing it properly for them, should tell them: 'This sūtra does not say that all phenomena are entirely nonexistent; it only says that the expressed intrinsic nature of phenomena is entirely nonexistent, and therefore it says that all phenomena lack intrinsic nature. Although there are all things spoken of, based on which various verbal expressions operate, the expressed intrinsic nature that can be spoken of is, according to paramārtha-satya, not its intrinsic nature, and therefore it says all phenomena are nonexistent. Since the expressed intrinsic nature of all those phenomena is fundamentally nonexistent, what would be arisen? What would be ceased? Therefore it says all phenomena are unarisen and unceasing. Furthermore, just like illusions and dreams, they do not exist as they appear in reality, nor are all physical forms of illusions and dreams completely nonexistent; so it is with these phenomena: they do not exist in reality as manifested by the force of foolish persons' habitual verbal expressions, nor is the ineffable intrinsic nature of all phenomena in paramārtha-satya completely nonexistent. Realizing from this that all phenomena are neither existent nor nonexistent, like illusions and dreams, their nature being non-dual, it is therefore said that all phenomena are like illusions and dreams. Thus the bodhisattva, throughout the entire realm of phenomena (dharmadhātu), grasps nothing whatsoever, rejects nothing whatsoever, neither diminishes nor augments, and does not destroy anything. If a phenomenon actually exists, he knows it as actually existing; if a phenomenon actually does not exist, he knows it as actually not existing; teaching in this manner is called the bodhisattva’s conforming, harmonizing, and skillful means.'" The intention of this sūtra is to say that the spoken intrinsic nature of all phenomena clung to by all foolish persons according to words, like illusions and dreams, lacks intrinsic nature, completely lacks actual things, and is unarisen and unceasing; it does not mean that the ineffable dharmatā, which is the sphere of the holy wisdom of the two truths (ultimate and conventional), is nonexistent, nor is it like the physical forms of illusions and dreams being completely devoid of substance and termed 'non-nature' and so on. Understanding that what is grasped is nonexistent is called awakening to non-existence; understanding that the holy sphere exists is called awakening to non-nonexistence; hence it is said that the bodhisattva grasps nothing whatsoever and rejects nothing whatsoever, knowing the nonexistent as nonexistent and knowing the existent as existent. If, according to paramārtha-satya, the substance of phenomena were completely empty without the slightest existence, making this harmonizing explanation would not be skillful, and claiming awakening to non-nonexistence without rejecting anything would also be a futile formulation, becoming a deprecation that destroys the correct principle. From this we know that the intention of this sūtra is to refute prior grasping to form as existent, and therefore it speaks of form as empty. 'Empty' means nonexistent; it is not the emptiness of dharmatā. The form-marks conceived by the foolish person based on subjective feelings are fundamentally nonexistent in their intrinsic nature. If one clings to non-emptiness and to emptiness being established only when form is destroyed, these become two inversions, so both should be discarded, revealing that the phenomenon and principle of form are not as clung to, so that one does not give rise to false thoughts and inverted views. When false thoughts are cut off, clung-to forms perish; therefore, cutting off other-dependence dispels the parikalpita. Just as when cataracts are cured, one no longer sees sky-flowers, the two vehicles and heterodox paths grasp real functioning, while phenomena born of causes and conditions are completely nonexistent in nature. Therefore the Holy One said: 'Phenomena born of causes and conditions, I declare to be empty'—not that the illusion-like form of other-dependence is also entirely empty. Therefore a verse says:
'The nature of abhūta-parikalpa
Is established by this principle;
It is neither truly existent nor completely nonexistent,
Because its destruction is acknowledged as liberation.'
Furthermore, the holy teaching says: 'Phenomena do not arise from themselves, nor do they arise from another, nor from both, nor without both.' Although there is no clung-to functioning cause and condition, functional conditions are indeed obtainable. If these did not exist, conventional truth would not exist, and because conventional truth did not exist, paramārtha-satya would also not exist. Dependent on what, and through what, would one attain liberation? Or, this emptiness is the emptiness of dharmatā: if one clings to parikalpita forms and other-dependent forms as definitively different from true existence, making ultimate and conventional definitively distinct, this is extreme confusion. Now it is revealed that the nature of these two forms is empty suchness, markless, asaṃskṛta, and the sphere of ineffable wisdom; one should abandon both grasps and seek true emptiness. Therefore they are subsumed into emptiness, dispelling both false views; the form of dharmatā is itself the true mark, not different and immediately empty—what confusion could there be in this? The Holy One taught that the two truths each have shallowness and depth: mutually comparing them, both have conventional and ultimate; there is the conventional-conventional conventional, the conventional-conventional ultimate, the ultimate-ultimate ultimate, and the ultimate-ultimate conventional. The conventional is the conventional ultimate, and the ultimate is also the conventional ultimate: there is conventional and there is ultimate; when conventional is absent, ultimate is destroyed. Since it is not that form is absent and emptiness alone exists, nor is it that form and emptiness are definitively non-different or identical, true emptiness and form are neither different nor non-different, neither identical nor non-identical. Now, to preclude definitive difference and the like, it only speaks of 'not different' and 'identical'; yet this statement of 'not different' and 'identical' is itself neither not different nor identical. The *Madhyāntavibhāga* states:
'Because of the existence of the non-dual and the non-existence [of the dual],
It is neither existent nor nonexistent,
Neither different nor one;
This is explained as the mark of emptiness.'

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般若波羅蜜多心經幽贊 — Classical Chinese