The Demonstration of the Inconceivable State of Buddhahood Sutra.pdf

THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE INCONCEIVABLE

STATE OF BUDDHAHOOD SUTRA

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Thus have I heard:

Once the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of Anathapindika, in the Jeta Grove near

Shravasti, accompanied by one thousand monks, ten thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas,

and many gods of the Realm of Desire and the Realm of Form.

At that time, Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Manjusri and the god Suguna were both present

among the assembly. The World-Honored One told Manjusri, "You should explain the

profound state of Buddhahood for the celestial beings and the Bodhisattvas of this

assembly."

Manjusri said to the Buddha, "So be it, World-Honored One. If good men and good

women wish to know the state of Buddhahood, they should know that it is not a state of

the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, or the mind; nor is it a state of forms,

sounds, scents, tastes, textures, or mental objects. World-Honored One, the non-state is

the state of Buddhahood. This being the case, what is the state of supreme enlightenment

as attained by the Buddha?"

The Buddha said, "It is the state of emptiness, because all views are equal. It is the state

of sign-less-ness, because all signs are equal. It is the state of wish-less-ness, because the

three realms are equal. It is the state of non-action, because all actions are equal. It is the

state of the unconditioned, because all conditioned things are equal."

Manjusri asked, "World-Honored One, what is the state of the unconditioned?"

The Buddha said, "The absence of thought is the state of the unconditioned."

Manjusri said, "World-Honored One, if the states of the unconditioned and so forth are

the state of Buddhahood, and the state of the unconditioned is the absence of thought,

then on what basis is the state of Buddhahood expressed? If there is no such basis, then

there is nothing to be said; and since there is nothing to be said, nothing can be expressed

Therefore, World-Honored One, the state of Buddhahood is inexpressible in words "

The Buddha asked, "Manjusri, where should the state of Buddhahood be sought?"

Manjusri answered, "It should be sought right in the defilements of sentient beings. Why,

because by nature the defilements of sentient beings are inapprehensible. Realization of

this is beyond the comprehension of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas; therefore, it is called

the state of Buddhahood."

The Buddha asked Manjusri "Does the state of Buddhahood increase or decreases."

"It neither increases nor decreases."

The Buddha asked, "How can one comprehend the basic nature of the defilements of all

sentient beings?"

"Just as the state of Buddhahood neither increases nor decreases, so by their nature the

defilements neither increase nor decrease."

The Buddha asked, "What is the basic nature of the defilements?"

"The basic nature of the defilements is the basic nature of the state of Buddhahood.

World-Honored One, if the nature of the defilements were different from the nature of the

state of Buddhahood, then it could not be said that the Buddha abides in the equality of

all things. It is because the nature of the defilements is the very nature of the state of

Buddhahood that the Tathgata is said to abide in equality."

The Buddha asked further, "In what equality do you think the Tathgata abides?"

"As I understand it, the Tathgata abides in exactly the same equality in which those

sentient beings who act with desire, hatred, and ignorance abide."

The Buddha asked, "In what equality do those sentient beings who act with the three

poisons abide?"

"They abide in the equality of emptiness, sign-less-ness, and wish-less-ness."

The Buddha asked, "Manjusri, in emptiness, how could there be desire, hatred, and

ignorance?"

Manjusri answered, "Right in that which exists there is emptiness, wherein desire, hatred,

and ignorance are also found."

The Buddha asked, "In what existence is there emptiness?"

"Emptiness is said to exist only in words and language. Because there is emptiness, there

are desire, hatred, and ignorance. The Buddha has said, ÒMonks! Non-arising, non-

conditioning, non-action, and non-origination all exist. If these did not exist, then one

could not speak of arising, conditioning, action, and origination. Therefore, monks,

because there are non-arising, non-conditioning, non-action, and non-origination, one can

speak of the existence of arising, conditioning, action, and origination.Ó Similarly, World-

Honored One, if there were no emptiness, sign-less-ness, or wish-less-ness, one could not

speak of desire, hatred, ignorance, or other ideas."

The Buddha said, "Manjusri, if this is the case, then it must be, as you said. That who

abides in the defilements abides in emptiness."

Manjusri said, "World-Honored One. It a meditator seeks emptiness apart from the

defilements, his search will be in vain How could there be an emptiness that differs from

the defilements? If he contemplates the defilements as emptiness, he is said to be engaged

in right practice."

The Buddha asked, "Manjusri, do you detach yourself from the defilements or abide in

them?"

Manjusri said, "All defilements are equal [in reality]. I have realized that equality through

right practice. Therefore, I neither detach myself from the defilements nor abide in them.

If a sramaga or Brahmin claims that he has overcome passions and sees other beings as

defiled, he has fallen into the two extreme views. What are the two? One is the view of

Eternalism, maintaining that defilements exist; the other is the view of nihilism,

maintaining that defilements do not exist.

World-Honored One, he who practices rightly sees no such things as self or other,

existence or nonexistence. Why? Because he clearly comprehends all dharmas."

The Buddha asked, "Manjusri, what should one rely upon for right practice?"

"He who practices rightly relies upon nothing."

The Buddha asked, "Does he not practice according to the path?"

"If he practices in accordance with anything, his practice will be conditioned. A

conditioned practice is not one of equality. Why? Because it is not exempt from arising,

abiding, and perishing."

The Buddha asked Manjusri, "Are there any categories in the unconditioned? "

Manjusri answered, "World-Honored One, if there were categories in the unconditioned,

then the unconditioned would be conditioned and would no longer be the unconditioned."

The Buddha said, "If the unconditioned can be realized by saints, then there is such a

thing as the unconditioned; how can you say there are no categories in "Things have no

categories, and the saints have transcended categories. That is why I say there are no

categories."

The Buddha asked, "Manjusri, would you not say you have attained saint-hood?"

Manjusri asked in turn, "World-Honored One, suppose one asks a magically produced

person, Òwould you not say you have attained sainthood?Ó What will be his reply?"

The Buddha answered Manjusri, "One cannot speak of the attainment or non-attainment

of a magically produced person."

Manjusri asked, "Has the Buddha not said that all things are like illusions?"

The Buddha answered, "So I have, so I have."

"If all things are like illusions, why do you ask me whether or not I have attained

sainthood?"

The Buddha asked, "Manjusri, what equality in the three vehicles have you realized?"

"I have realized the equality of the state of Buddhahood."

The Buddha asked, "Have you attained the state of Buddhahood?"

"If the World-Honored One has attained it, then I have also attained it."

Thereupon, Venerable Subhuti asked Manjusri, "Has not the Tathgata attained the state

of Buddhahood?"

Manjusri asked in turn, "Have you attained anything in the state of Sravaka-hood?"

Subhuti answered, "The liberation of a saint is neither an attainment nor a non-

attainment. "

"So it is, so it is. Likewise, the liberation of the Tathgata is neither a state nor a non-

state."

Subhuti said, "Manjusri, you are not taking care of the novice Bodhisattvas in teaching

the Dharma this way."

Manjusri asked, "Subhuti, what do you think? Suppose a physician, in taking care of his

patients, does not give them acrid, sour, bitter, or astringent medicines. Is he helping

them to recover or causing them to die?"

Subhuti answered, "He is causing them to suffer and die instead of giving them peace and

happiness."

Manjusri said, "Such is the case with a teacher of the Dharma. If, in taking care of others,

he fears that they might be frightened and so hides from them the profound meanings of

the Dharma and instead speaks to them in irrelevant words and fancy phrases, then he is

causing sentient beings to suffer birth, old age, disease, and death, instead offing them

health, peace, bliss, and nirvana"

When this Dharma was explained, five hundred monks were freed of attachment to any

dharma, were cleansed of defilements and were liberated in mind; eight thousand devas

left the taints of the mundane world far behind and attained the pure Dharma-eye that

sees through all dharmas; seven hundred gods resolved to attain supreme enlightenment

and vowed: "In the future, we shall attain an eloquence like that of Manjusri."

Then Elder Subhuti asked Manjusri, "Do you not explain the Dharma of the Sravaka-

vehicle to the Sravakas?"

"I follow the Dharmas of all the vehicles."

Subhuti asked, "Are you a Sravaka, a Pratyekabuddha, or a Worthy One, a Supremely

Enlightened One?"

"I am a Sravaka, but my understanding does not come through the speech of others. I am

a Pratyekabuddha, but I do not abandon great compassion or fear anything. I am a

Worthy One, a Supremely Enlightened One, but I still do not give up my original vows."

Subhuti asked, "Why are you a Sravaka?"

"Because I cause sentient beings to hear the Dharma they have not."

"Why are you a Pratyekabuddha?"

"Because I thoroughly comprehend the dependent origination of all dharmas."

"Why are you a Worthy One, a Supremely Enlightened One?"

"Because I realize that all things are equal in the Dharmadhatu "

Subhuti asked. "Manjusri, in what stage do you really abide?"

"I abide in every stage."

Subhuti asked, "Could it be that you also abide in the stage of ordinary people?"

Manjusri said, "I definitely abide in the stage of ordinary people."

Subhuti asked, "With what esoteric implication do you say so?"

"I say so because all dharmas are equal by nature."

Subhuti asked, "If all dharmas are equal, where are such dharmas as the stages of

Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas established?"

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